Captain Crawfish

René Belloq

Toht (left) and Belloq Dr. René Emile Belloq (Paul Freeman) is the film's main antagonist. He is a French archaeologist who takes credit for Indiana's findings. In the film's opening, Belloq and the Hovitos tribesmen force Indiana to hand over a fertility idol he has braved numerous booby traps to obtain. Belloq aids the Nazis in finding the Ark of the Covenant, as he wants to use the relic to speak with God. The spirits within the Ark kill the Nazis and cause Belloq's head to explode, allowing Indiana to take the Ark back to the United States government. At one point in the film, Belloq says to Indy that they are very much alike and that he is Indy's "shadowy reflection". The novelization of the movie reveals Belloq became Indiana's foe at graduate school, when he plagiarized his essay on stratigraphy, thus winning an award that rightfully belonged to Indiana. Another encounter in 1934 is detailed, when Indiana spends months preparing a dig in Rub' al Khali, only to arrive and discover Belloq has excavated the region.[1] Indiana also encounters Belloq in two novels by Max McCoy, set before the films, where the two meet for the first time (contradicting the novelization of Raiders of the Lost Ark) and Belloq gives Indiana information for locating a crystal skull.[2][3] Belloq's first name was Emile in an August 1979 draft of the script,[4] and Marion was originally more infatuated with him.[5] Spielberg considered Jacques Dutronc and Giancarlo Giannini for the part before casting Freeman: he noticed that he had very piercing eyes while watching Death of a Princess.[6] Belloq was intended to appear in the prequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, but was written out for unknown reasons.[7] He was set to appear in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but the show was canceled: he and the 21-year old Indiana would have become friends in Honduras in 1920, although his ruthless traits would be exhibited by stealing and selling a crystal skull to F. A. Mitchell-Hedges. He would have aided Indiana and Percy Fawcett in Brazil in an episode set in 1921.[8] He was also intended to appear in the canceled Dark Horse Comics limited series Indiana Jones and the Lost Horizon, where he appears in the prologue discovering a fake Turin Shroud in New York City in 1926.[9] Kenner released a 3.75" action figure (dressed in Jewish robes) in late 1982, which was available by mail order until 1983.[10] A Belloq figure in normal clothes was also released in 1983.[11] He was included in a TSR, Inc. collection of metal miniatures the following year.[12] Hasbro released a 3 ¾" Belloq in Jewish robes in 2008 (which comes with the fertility idol).[13][14] An Adventure Heroes figurine, which comes with the Ark and a murderous spirit, will also be released.[15] Lego made a Belloq figure for a playset based on the Raiders opening sequence.[16]