NonCredibleDiplomacy

Yeah but Marion would probably be dead. The Nazis probably would've killed her and took the medallion at the beginning.

It's a classic "the real treasure is the friends we made along the way" kind of story. But because of an explanation popularized by the Big Bang Theory, people seem to be missing the point of the movie. I mean they have to literally look away from the Ark sor they'd be dead. Earlier, Indy leaves Marion as a prisoner of the Nazis to go after the Ark. Later he's willing to blow it up to get her back. There's a character arc there, learning occurs. The whole point is that everything Indy is doing to get the Ark is pointless because the Ark doesn't matter as much as Marion.

It's also the point of basically every Indiana Jones movie. Temple of Doom: Saving the village is more important than than the "fortune and glory" Indy could get from those stones. Last Crusade: Henry Jones Sr. realizes his son is more important than the Holy Grail and tells him to let it go.