I want to know which option makes a character seem more intelligent in comparison.

[Sylver]

If you have other options you would like to share or wish to elaborate in the comments about why you chose your vote, please tell us don't be shy.

 

[Envylope]

A detective that uncovers it or a quick thinker. By the way, the mastermind that planned it from the start does not make anyone seem smart in my opinion. It also usually makes the characters around them look dumber by comparison.

 

[JayMark]

Envylope is super smart so she would know.

 

[Sylver]

A detective that uncovers it or a quick thinker. By the way, the mastermind that planned it from the start does not make anyone seem smart in my opinion. It also usually makes the characters around them look dumber by comparison.

It's very hard to pull off, and it's become rather cliche of a common trope but I had to include it because it fits. Plus there are some characters that I think pull it off well. They're rare but they exist.

Envylope is super smart so she would know.

I don't know her but I love her profile picture, sooo adorable!!

 

[AYM]

A detective that uncovers it or a quick thinker. By the way, the mastermind that planned it from the start does not make anyone seem smart in my opinion. It also usually makes the characters around them look dumber by comparison.

She's right, you know. Dumb knows how dumb is.

http://imgur.com/fh4wrBU

 

[Envylope]

Envylope is super smart so she would know.

Nu-uh, I'm the dumbest vampy around

It's very hard to pull off, and it's become rather cliche of a common trope but I had to include it because it fits. Plus there are some characters that I think pull it off well. They're rare but they exist.

I don't know her but I love her profile picture, sooo adorable!!

Thank you! Thank the amazing artist Miftasee~

She's right, you know. Dumb knows how dumb is.

http://imgur.com/fh4wrBU

Yeah, I'm dumb. It takes one to know one. Considering I planned all of the stuff that happens here from the start, I know all about "genius masterminds."

 

[Cipiteca396]

It depends entirely on how well written it is. Intelligence is literally the worst trope for this universal truth.

A is often used by mediocre writers who want to add a twist and fail miserably.
B can come off as very Mary Sueish. Especially if the character fails to succeed at something for "plot reasons".
C is difficult because either the writer knew the answer all along and can just give the answer without proper evidence, or they took too long to get to the solution and the audience thinks they're intellectually stunted for not figuring it out sooner.
D can also feel Mary Sueish because modern people are indoctrinated to trust literally nothing because of scammers and such, not to mention they're often given information characters don't have, so if those characters manage to be fooled it makes them look stupid, not make the deceiver look smart.

There's actually some overlap in these now that I wrote it all out, but whatever.

If you write perfectly though... Really I think all but D work, right? Actually, you could argue B is "street smart" not "book smart", so maybe A and C are the best? And with what we know about deceit being a cheat for intelligence, being able to unravel a scheme should mean you're smarter than the mastermind. So C > A > B > D?

 

[Sylver]

Actually, you could argue B is "street smart" not "book smart", so maybe A and C are the best?

You know that's a good argument, I guess it's like the chicken or the egg type of thing?

Like comparing the inventor versus the one who deciphered the invention. It's reaching the same solution but from opposite ends of the race.

 

[Envylope]

It depends entirely on how well written it is. Intelligence is literally the worst trope for this universal truth.

A is often used by mediocre writers who want to add a twist and fail miserably.
B can come off as very Mary Sueish. Especially if the character fails to succeed at something for "plot reasons".
C is difficult because either the writer knew the answer all along and can just give the answer without proper evidence, or they took too long to get to the solution and the audience thinks they're intellectually stunted for not figuring it out sooner.
D can also feel Mary Sueish because modern people are indoctrinated to trust literally nothing because of scammers and such, not to mention they're often given information characters don't have, so if those characters manage to be fooled it makes them look stupid, not make the deceiver look smart.

There's actually some overlap in these now that I wrote it all out, but whatever.

If you write perfectly though... Really I think all but D work, right? Actually, you could argue B is "street smart" not "book smart", so maybe A and C are the best? And with what we know about deceit being a cheat for intelligence, being able to unravel a scheme should mean you're smarter than the mastermind. So C > A > B > D?

As long as we agree the only fictional mastermind we accept is Megamind.

 

[Cipiteca396]

As long as we agree the only fictional mastermind we accept is Megamind.

 

[McPhoenixDavid]

She's right, you know. Dumb knows how dumb is.

http://imgur.com/fh4wrBU

How did this become a meme dump...

 

[pangmida]

Hmm these all seem like different forms of intelligence. Hard to answer for me. I think I'm usually the most impressed by characters that adapt and improvise quickly because those require the most showing not telling, if you know what I mean.

Take AOT for example. Eren Yeager may have been the mastermind that planned everything from the start, but I feel more admiration towards Erwin Smith and Armin Arlert because of their extravagant, detailed plans as well as quick wits.

That doesn't mean I don't think the other choices are intelligent, though. Have you heard of The Devotion of Suspect X? It is a mystery/crime novel by Keigo Higashino, and it has had several adaptations. I've watched a Chinese movie adaptation of it. Basically, it's a math genius recluse who's a mastermind behind a murder, and his childhood best friend is a skilled detective. In the end, the detective got all the evidence to arrest his best friend, but in actuality, the best friend wanted to get arrested because of a personal goal. Purposely being vague here in case you want to read/watch it. One of their highlighted exchanges was: "What's more difficult? Creating an unsolvable problem... or solving the unsolvable problem?" (Something like that, I can't remember). So, I think a mastermind behind everything and a detective who uncovers everything are also intelligent.

Anyways, all that yapping aside, I don't think you can really call one more intelligent than the other. They're just different types of intelligence. Please tell me if my rambling is making any sense at all. ?

 

[MFontana]

If you have other options you would like to share or wish to elaborate in the comments about why you chose your vote, please tell us don't be shy.

Mix them up. Ultimately, it comes down to the 'type of smarts' you're trying to portray. They're all distinctly different characters, but can all be considered 'smart', or 'intellectuals'.
Personally though, I tend to like characters who can think multiple steps ahead, come up with a plan, and follow through.
Beyond that though, I'd suggest portraying such a character with multiple contingencies planned out, rather than just a single possible scenario.
One of the best traits for such a character to have is to be able to influence their rival's behaviors subtly to guide them where the character wants them to be.
This can be achieved in a number of different ways, but I'm personally biased towards this quote and its implementations in the story I'm writing.

"Strategy isn't about predicting what your opponents will do next; Morrigan, but rather, about limiting their options so they act how you want them to. All while believing it was their choice, and idea, all along." ~Lucius [from Duskfall [my series, not released here]

 

[Envylope]

I thought of this exact image, but I dislike trying to insert memes on mobile.

Also, I need to say something related to the thread...um, yeah, intelligence is often done poorly by authors. A character can be more intelligent than the author writing a story. Remember, the author has years to plan one scene if they want. They can come up with the best solution that a character thought of in the moment.

 

[MasterY001]

Hmm these all these like different forms of intelligence. Hard to answer for me. I think I'm usually the most impressed by characters that adapt and improvise quickly because those require the most showing not telling, if you know what I mean.

Take AOT for example. Eren Yeager may have been the mastermind that planned everything from the start, but I feel more admiration towards Erwin Smith and Armin Arlert because of their extravagant, detailed plans as well as quick wits.

That doesn't mean I don't think the other choices are intelligent, though. Have you heard of The Devotion of Suspect X? It is a mystery/crime novel by Keigo Higashino, and it has had several adaptations. I've watched a Chinese movie adaptation of it. Basically, it's a math genius recluse who's a mastermind behind a murder, and his childhood best friend is a skilled detective. In the end, the detective got all the evidence to arrest his best friend, but in actuality, the best friend wanted to get arrested because of a personal goal. Purposely being vague here in case you want to read/watch it. One of their highlighted exchanges was: "What's more difficult? Creating an unsolvable problem... or solving the unsolvable problem?" (Something like that, I can't remember). So, I think a mastermind behind everything and a detective who uncovers everything are also intelligent.

Anyways, all that yapping aside, I don't think you can really call one more intelligent than the other. They're just different types of intelligence. Please tell me if my rambling is making any sense at all. ?

Everything you said makes sense, don't worry. They all are different types of high intelligence, and one isn't necessarily better than the other. Similar to how one trope isn't better or worse than the other, the only thing they have in common is they all can be used poorly. People may prefer Megamind memes and shallow power fantasies using game-like systems to decide outcomes over traditional prose. Yet, both Megamind and LitRPG still involve characters with some modicum of intelligence. In fact, pretty much every story does.

The term Mary Sue comes from a satirical Star Trek fanfiction, "A Trekkie's Tale," and it doesn't refer to all intelligent characters, even if they are poorly written. In it the protagonist (Mary Sue, a child prodigy on the USS Enterprise) is overwhelmingly capable with no deficiencies and dies tragically for no reason at all. What makes some intelligent characters interesting are their fatal flaws. If they don't have a specific one, there will be defining moments that force them to push their limits or challenge other parts of their life, like their values or emotions. Ultimately, their role in the story will decide how well-written they are, not what they say or do or what their IQ is.

Megamind, for example, was shortsighted. Whether it was his purpose after defeating his nemesis or creating a new hero who turned out to be a dangerous villain, he never considered the consequences of his actions.

I yapped a lot, too, didn't I? And unfortunately, I can’t think of a specific quote about knowledge and strategy from my stories despite that being the focus.

 

[Eldoria]

I chose option 1 because I like Sosuke Aizen. But Aizen also did option 4 at the same time.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Whichever one the author can write most convincingly.