Fighting evil isn't just about being physically able—most of the time, heroes also have to be smart, as the two traits balance each other; Bruce Banner is a clear example of this. Still, while there is no denying that the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are intelligent, who's the cleverest one among them all?
To reach a clear answer, it's important to only consider characters who have historically been part of the big-screen Avengers—hence, no Guardians of the Galaxy or the Dora Milaje, and no supporting characters. However, the MCU introduced more than enough major characters to analyze and reach a conclusion about who reigns supreme in the mountain of intelligence. From Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton to Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark, every Avenger is clever in their own way, but a few are far smarter.
15 Clint Barton/Hawkeye
Played by Jeremy Renner
In all honesty, it's important to admit that Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton hasn't really been given the best run in the MCU; Renner's character may be a sharpshooter, but his intellect is questionable. For many, he's just a guy who fights aliens and robots with a bow and arrow, and while the Hawkeye show humanized him, the character remains uneven.
Clint's intelligence is questionable for several reasons, including that one time when he decided to bring the Avengers, who were on the run from Ultron (James Spader), straight to his secret home, where his pregnant wife and his two children were hiding. After the Snap, Clint decides to take down cartels in Mexico and the Yakuza in Japan but doesn't seem to be fighting any of the factions on his home turf. All of these are dubious actions, even if Marvel has recently showcased a more likable and sympathetic version of him.
14 Thor
Played by Chris Hemsworth
Unfortunately, especially in his later movies, it's clear that Thor has the brawn, not the brains. This is not to imply that he's unintelligent, but almost everyone around him is smarter and more strategic. Thor's impulsive nature has proven time and again that he acts first and thinks later, and pretty much all of Thor was about that.
Furthermore, despite his character development, Thor also completely missed the signs that his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) never saw himself as his equal. What Thor has going for him is his tenacity, which he has proven time and time again, especially when he allowed himself to be struck by the full force of the sun to forge Stormbreaker. That doesn't necessarily count as intelligence, but it's a sign of Thor's determination to protect people.
13 Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch
Played by Elizabeth Olsen
Wanda excels at being adaptable. She survived war-torn Sokovia, the death of her parents, her transformation into an Enhanced, her brother Quicksilver's (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) death, her husband Vision's (Paul Bettany) death, her own death, her accidental killings of innocent Wakandans, the revelation that she's the Scarlet Witch and her realization of what she's done to the residents of Westview.
Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch languishes at the lower end of the Avengers' intelligence discussion because she is still dealing with a lot of trauma, and her mental health has impacted her judgment. Wanda's a fighter who doesn't need her hex magic to win, but when it comes to intelligence, she hasn't had enough time to learn and grow with all the grief she underwent. Like Cap, she often allows her feelings to guide her actions, which has led to major missteps.
12 Steve Rogers/Captain America
Played by Chris Evans
Steve Rogers/Captain America is a good man and a great leader. No one can deny what a brilliant tactician he is, but he squanders most of that because he's always swayed by his emotions—AKA Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). In the Captain America trilogy, every time someone mentions Bucky, Steve loses focus and tries to save his friend. That's great for Bucky, but not for Steve's job as Captain America or as leader of the Avengers.
Steve is also far too idealistic, which impacts his ability to see the bigger picture. In pretty much all the Avengers films, Cap is much more logical, but he's also surrounded by other leaders who can direct traffic along with him. Cap is quite insightful, and his intelligence is obvious in many movies, but his lack of emotional intelligence means he can never be as cunning as his fellow Avengers.
11 James "Rhodey" Rhodes/War Machine
Played by Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle
Anyone who puts up with and still calls Tony Stark his friend is a smart man. James "Rhodey" Rhodes, AKA War Machine, is a character with high emotional intelligence, which allows him to see other people's potential and combat his own losses.
It would have been hard for any character in the MCU to deal with a life-altering injury, but when Rhodey is accidentally hit by Vision in Civil War and crashes to the ground, he adapts to his new normal and refuses to wallow in the past. Rhodes' military training makes him determined, cunning, observant, and resourceful. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty but is intelligent enough to know when to act and with whom. If anything, the Avengers would've benefitted from making him a full-time member.
10 Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel
Played by Brie Larson
Carol Danvers, best known as Captain Marvel, is destined to fly higher, further, and faster. She's definitely a smart cookie, but like so many of her fellow Avengers, she lets her emotions get the best of her. Her need for justice leads to her making some severe miscalculations that endanger not only her foes but also bystanders.
For far too long, Carol was toeing the company (Kree) line and was party to the killings of many innocent Skrulls. But she had fought her way to becoming an ace pilot in the US Air Force during an era where women didn't have many opportunities, which demonstrates her intelligence and determination. And, by the end of Captain Marvel, Carol had bested both the Supreme Intelligence and her insufferable mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), proving that she is far more than just raw power.
9 Scott Lang/Ant-Man
Played by Paul Rudd
Scott Lang/Ant-Ma, hands-down one of the best leading men in the MCU, is full of surprises. He has a master's degree in electrical engineering, which cannot have been easy to earn. The fact that he then used his degree to become a digital Robin Hood shows he has a good heart and the brains to pull it off, but not much common sense. Despite all his failings, Scott is resolute and adaptable.
Scott always gets back up when he's down and brings his scientific expertise to the fight. In fact, the Avengers wouldn't have won in Avengers: Endgame had it not been for Scott. The best thing about Rudd's character is that he's smart enough to know when he's not the smartest person in the room. He's humble, knows when to talk and, more importantly, when to shut up and listen. In the end, it really is as he says: look out for the little guy.
8 Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America
Played by Anthony Mackie
From the moment Sam Wilson/Falcon appeared in the MCU, he demonstrated his greatest gift to the Avengers: his incredible emotional intelligence. Sam obviously had what it took to be a successful pararescue for the US Air Force before he chose to resign. But Sam surpasses all those skills by being exceptionally perceptive of people. He understands exactly what's bothering Steve Rogers about civilian life moments after meeting him.
Sam assesses when it's best to join a fight (battling HYDRA in The Winter Soldier) versus when to lose one (at the airport in Civil War). Sam's EQ is so high that he knows from the start of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier that there's more to Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman) than being a terrorist, and he eventually uses his people skills to talk down the powers that be from an all-out assault. As Captain America, Sam brings with him the added advantage of recognizing his own emotions about the treatment of Black people in the US and his duty to keep the world safe.
7 Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
Played by Scarlett Johansson
Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) was literally a spy, along with being a superhero. The very essence of espionage requires copious amounts of intelligence, and Natasha had that in spades. Despite being underwritten during most of her MCU tenure, Natasha's cleverness was obvious. She easily duped Tony Stark in Iron Man 2 and coaxed vital information out of the villains (especially Loki) in The Avengers.
Her ability to be duplicitous, especially in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, required a great deal of planning and thought, much of which Natasha had to improvise on the fly. Natasha's improvisational skills came to the fore in Black Widow, especially when she confronted Dreykov (Ray Winstone). Her emotional intelligence was particularly useful when she was handling the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) or taking down Taskmaster. Overall, Natasha was among the most gifted, non-genius Avengers, even if her contributions were never fully acknowledged.
6 Vision
Played by Paul Bettany
Vision has a big heart. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but his emotions distracted him enough that he almost killed Rhodey in Captain America: Civil War. Vision is an android created by two of the smartest people in the MCU, an advanced AI and an Infinity Stone. So, obviously, Vision is wicked smart, literally a living computer. Vision is incredibly astute, which is obvious when he explains the causality of more villains emerging after the arrival of the Avengers.
He is never more perceptive, however, than when he recognizes human behavior. He understands why people react fearfully to Wanda's overwhelming power, as well as the importance of the grieving process. Vision could easily be considered almighty, especially considering he has an Infinity Stone on his forehead. It's not difficult to quantify Vision's intellect, but he does need to use his head more often than his heart.
5 Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange
Played by Benedict Cumberbatch
Dr. Stephen Strange was a neurosurgeon, and that job requires a lot of brainpower. He's also a quick study, as evidenced by how quickly he becomes a Master of the Mystic Arts and the Sorcerer Supreme. Strange is also extremely egotistical, largely because he knows just how intelligent he is.
Despite his incredible character arc, Strange remains quite arrogant as a superhero—the man has a grating personality and an overconfidence that, at least in one universe, cost him dearly. Strange's best work is probably yet to come. For now, though, it's obvious that Strange is good at anything he sets his mind to, and he's exceptionally logical, coldly calculating the risks and benefits of his choices and successfully detaching his emotions, for the most part, anyway. Strange being unphased by an alien abduction in Avengers: Infinity War is proof of that.
4 Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Played by Tom Holland
Among the most likable MCU characters, Peter Parker is just a teenager, but he is brilliant. He cobbles together technology that he found in the garbage; he successfully creates his web shooters and leads a double life as Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Once he gains access to Tony Stark's technology, he easily masters it, to the point of making his own suit. Peter is brilliant at school, too, so homework is a cinch for this kid.
The only problem with Peter is that he is a terrible judge of character. It is going to take a lot of hard work to forget that he handed over delicate world-destroying tech to a virtual stranger in Spider-Man: Far From Home because the man reminded him of the recently departed Tony. If anything, Peter's encounter with Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) might actually make him even smarter, at least when it comes to dealing with other people.
3 Bruce Banner/Hulk
Played by Mark Ruffalo
Dr. Bruce Banner is a highly respected scientist in numerous fields, including biochemistry, nuclear physics, robotics, computer science, and, of course, gamma radiation. He has seven (!) PhDs and makes the considerable time required to get them seem like a walk in the park.
Bruce is the Avengers' resident nerd who is called upon to work on everything from locating the Tesseract to building a robot or two. Bruce even figured out how to combine his human and Hulk side to create Professor Hulk, the super-smart and super-strong version of himself. Plus, he helped create the time travel device and the infinity gauntlet that finally defeated Thanos. Bruce is way smarter than most people, even by Marvel standards. Fans will next see him in the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, where his help will surely come in handy for Sam.
2 Tony Stark/Iron Man
Played by Robert Downey Jr.
Pretty much everyone can agree Tony Stark is the literal brains of the Avengers. He made his first Iron Man suit out of junk while trapped in a cave and seriously injured; he created a whole new element to ensure his arc reactor didn't kill him; he tinkered with his Iron Man suits to improve them just because he could; he decided, on a lark, to experiment with Scott's time travel idea, and he succeeded. There is very little the genius Tony Stark couldn't achieve.
In fact, Tony's intelligence is such that it often comes across as a deus ex machina. Any little thingamabob the Avengers needed to save the world, Tony could create, no matter how ridiculous it seemed. He often talked about a suit of armor that could cover the world, and no one doubted his capacity to actually build it. Tony Stark's absence weighs heavily on the MCU, and its world exists a little more uneasily now that he's gone.
1 T'Challa/Black Panther
Played by Chadwick Boseman
T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) left an indelible mark on the MCU. T'Challa's scientific acumen is known from the comic books, though it's less obvious in the films. His general intelligence is extremely high as he easily follows his quarry, Bucky Barnes, throughout Civil War. But T'Challa has an all-encompassing intellect that makes him perceptive, understanding, reasonable and astute. He witnesses how hatred tears Tony and Steve apart and refuses to let it engulf his anger towards Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl), even though Zemo killed T'Challa's father, King T'Chaka.
Perhaps what truly separated T'Challa from his fellow Avengers was his wisdom; he was mature enough to walk away from conflict yet clever enough to neutralize it if need be. It's not hard to see that among all the Avengers, T'Challa is the most intelligent one. He might've lacked Tony and Bruce's outright genius, but wit without cunning can be useless; T'Challa was the perfect combination of brains, empathy, and brawn. In his own family, though, T'Challa will always be second to his extremely gifted sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright).
Watch every movie in the Infinity Saga on Disney+