Smartest TV, film and cartoon characters, ranked
Sherlock, Tony Stark, Sheldon, Rick, Walter White: who is actually the smartest? We ranked 48 characters from television, film, cartoons, games and books, from the evidence in their stories.
Rick's IQ is about 180. What's yours?
Take the IQ test
25 questions · about 12 minutes
What would you score? Try question 1.
?
A
B
C
D
E
Which option completes the grid? One tap, no sign-up.
The full ranking
| # | Character | Franchise | Range | Confidence | IQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rick SanchezRick and Morty | Rick and Morty | 170 to 190 | Medium | 180 |
| 2 | Reed RichardsMarvel | Marvel | 165 to 185 | Medium | 175 |
| 3 | Doctor DoomMarvel Comics | Marvel Comics | 155 to 185 | Medium | 170 |
| 4 | Grand Admiral ThrawnStar Wars | Star Wars | 155 to 180 | Medium | 170 |
| 5 | OzymandiasWatchmen | Watchmen | 165 to 178 | High | 170 |
| 6 | Bruce BannerMarvel Cinematic Universe | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 155 to 175 | Medium | 165 |
| 7 | Ender WigginEnder's Game | Ender's Game | 150 to 180 | Medium | 165 |
| 8 | Lex LuthorDC Comics | DC Comics | 150 to 180 | Medium | 165 |
| 9 | Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle) | Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle) | 155 to 175 | High | 165 |
| 10 | SpockStar Trek | Star Trek | 155 to 175 | Medium | 165 |
| 11 | Albus DumbledoreHarry Potter | Harry Potter | 150 to 172 | Medium | 160 |
| 12 | Dr. EggmanSonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog | 145 to 175 | Medium | 160 |
| 13 | ShuriMarvel Cinematic Universe | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 146 to 172 | Medium | 160 |
| 14 | Tony StarkMarvel Cinematic Universe | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 148 to 170 | Medium | 160 |
| 15 | Walter BishopFringe | Fringe | 145 to 172 | Medium | 160 |
| 16 | Matilda WormwoodMatilda | Matilda | 140 to 170 | Medium | 155 |
| 17 | Sheldon CooperThe Big Bang Theory | The Big Bang Theory | 142 to 168 | Medium | 155 |
| 18 | Will HuntingGood Will Hunting | Good Will Hunting | 140 to 168 | Medium | 155 |
| 19 | Spencer ReidCriminal Minds | Criminal Minds | 140 to 163 | Medium | 152 |
| 20 | Gus FringBreaking Bad | Breaking Bad | 138 to 160 | Medium | 150 |
| 21 | Jimmy NeutronJimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | 138 to 165 | Medium | 150 |
| 22 | Stewie GriffinFamily Guy | Family Guy | 140 to 162 | Medium | 150 |
| 23 | Temperance BrennanBones | Bones | 138 to 162 | Medium | 150 |
| 24 | The BrainPinky and the Brain | Pinky and the Brain | 138 to 160 | Medium | 150 |
| 25 | The RiddlerBatman | Batman | 138 to 162 | Medium | 150 |
| 26 | Tyrion LannisterGame of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire | Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire | 140 to 158 | Medium | 150 |
| 27 | Gregory HouseHouse M.D. | House M.D. | 135 to 158 | Medium | 148 |
| 28 | Hermione GrangerHarry Potter | Harry Potter | 138 to 156 | Medium | 147 |
| 29 | Dexter (Dexter's Laboratory)Dexter's Laboratory | Dexter's Laboratory | 132 to 158 | Medium | 145 |
| 30 | Doctor StrangeMarvel Cinematic Universe | Marvel Cinematic Universe | 135 to 158 | Medium | 145 |
| 31 | Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger)Game of Thrones | Game of Thrones | 132 to 156 | Medium | 145 |
| 32 | The Professor (Sergio Marquina)Money Heist | Money Heist | 132 to 152 | Medium | 142 |
| 33 | Walter WhiteBreaking Bad | Breaking Bad | 130 to 152 | Medium | 142 |
| 34 | Lisa SimpsonThe Simpsons | The Simpsons | 125 to 155 | Medium | 140 |
| 35 | Miles "Tails" ProwerSonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog | 128 to 152 | Medium | 140 |
| 36 | Raymond ReddingtonThe Blacklist | The Blacklist | 128 to 150 | Medium | 140 |
| 37 | Shaun MurphyThe Good Doctor | The Good Doctor | 128 to 150 | Medium | 140 |
| 38 | Walter O'BrienScorpion | Scorpion | 130 to 152 | Medium | 140 |
| 39 | Frank UnderwoodHouse of Cards (US) | House of Cards (US) | 126 to 148 | Medium | 138 |
| 40 | Mike RossSuits | Suits | 128 to 148 | Medium | 138 |
| 41 | Rust CohleTrue Detective | True Detective | 125 to 145 | Medium | 135 |
| 42 | Saul GoodmanBetter Call Saul | Better Call Saul | 122 to 148 | Medium | 135 |
| 43 | Solid SnakeMetal Gear | Metal Gear | 122 to 148 | Medium | 135 |
| 44 | Abed NadirCommunity | Community | 120 to 140 | Low | 130 |
| 45 | Gordon FreemanHalf-Life | Half-Life | 115 to 145 | Low | 130 |
Off the human scale
These characters are superhuman by design, such as machines and alien minds. A human IQ number does not describe them, so they are listed apart from the ranking and their figures are for reference only.
| Character | Franchise | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| GLaDOSPortal | Portal | 195175 to 215 |
| The DoctorDoctor Who | Doctor Who | 185170 to 200 |
| DataStar Trek: The Next Generation | Star Trek: The Next Generation | 180170 to 192 |
How we ranked them
Each estimate follows the same test: abstract reasoning, planning under uncertainty, learning speed and breadth, invention, and how often the character is outplayed. Mistakes lower the number, so a supposed genius who keeps getting fooled does not rank at the top.
Several characters come with a number from their own show. Dr. Eggman (300), Sheldon Cooper (187), Spencer Reid (187), Jimmy Neutron (210), Temperance Brennan (180), Lisa Simpson (159), Walter O'Brien (197), Solid Snake (180) are stated in canon. We record the stated figure, judge how credible it is, and still make our own estimate from what the character does.
Some characters are superhuman by design, such as androids and AIs. A human IQ scale fits them badly, so the number is for ranking only. The full rules are on the method page.
Why each one sits where it does
Rick and Morty
Rick Sanchez's IQ is best estimated at about 180 (range 170 to 190): the most inventive mind in his corner of the multiverse, undercut by his own baggage and blind spots.Marvel
Reed Richards' IQ is about 175 (range 165 to 185): the widest scientific range in Marvel, offset by errors of judgement that would sink a smaller reputation.Marvel Comics
Doctor Doom's IQ is about 170 (range 155 to 185). He combines advanced engineering with sorcery and rule over a nation, though his pride and his fixation on Reed Richards lead to repeated defeats.Star Wars
Thrawn's IQ is about 170 (range 155 to 180). His signature skill is reading an opponent through their culture and art, and he wins campaigns through preparation, though he is brought down by a betrayal he did not foresee.Watchmen
Adrian Veidt's IQ is about 170 (range 165 to 178): he plans a world-altering deception across years and beats every hero who tries to stop him, save the one he cannot silence.Marvel Cinematic Universe
Bruce Banner's IQ is best estimated at about 165 (range 155 to 175): a world-class gamma physicist whose on-screen work is mostly supporting, with one costly lapse in Age of Ultron.Ender's Game
Ender Wiggin's IQ is about 165 (range 150 to 180), age-normed: a child tactician who reinvents zero-gravity combat and wins a war, but who is managed by the adults around him.DC Comics
Lex Luthor's IQ is about 165 (range 150 to 180): a gifted scientist, businessman and politician whose pride is the recurring reason he loses to Superman.Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
Sherlock Holmes's IQ is estimated at about 165 (range 155 to 175) in Conan Doyle's stories: repeated, verifiable deductions from thin evidence, with a few honest defeats.Star Trek
Spock's IQ is best estimated at about 165 (range 155 to 175): he solves novel problems from thin data across several sciences, but his model of people wobbles when they are the variable.Harry Potter
Albus Dumbledore's IQ is about 160 (range 150 to 172): a gifted duellist and strategist who reconstructs Voldemort's Horcruxes, but who errs badly where his own feelings are involved.Sonic the Hedgehog
Dr. Eggman's IQ is about 160 (range 145 to 175). The series is widely said to give 300, and his machines are formidable, but he loses to Sonic in nearly every game.Marvel Cinematic Universe
Shuri's IQ is about 160 (range 146 to 172), norming her as a teenager. She runs Wakanda's technology design, heals a serious injury and designs the Black Panther suit, which makes her a top inventor in the MCU.Marvel Cinematic Universe
Tony Stark's IQ is estimated at about 160 (range 148 to 170): real engineering feats under pressure, from a cave-built suit to time travel, held back by reckless calls like Ultron.Fringe
Walter Bishop's IQ is about 160 (range 145 to 172). Fan wikis cite 196, but we found no episode that states it. His science is extraordinary, and years of drug use and institutional care have scarred his judgement.Matilda
Matilda Wormwood's IQ is about 155 (range 140 to 170), norming her as a five-year-old. She reads classic novels and does large sums in her head, but her gifts are shown mostly through reading and arithmetic.The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon Cooper's canon IQ is 187, but our estimate is about 155 (range 142 to 168): real theoretical physics and a shared Nobel, offset by years on a dead end and a narrow mind.Good Will Hunting
Will Hunting's IQ is about 155 (range 140 to 168). The film never states a number, but the way other characters react to his maths and recall puts him well inside the exceptional range.Criminal Minds
Spencer Reid's canon IQ is 187; our estimate is about 152 (range 140 to 163). His memory and knowledge are exceptional, but casework leans on a team and he suffers costly setbacks.Breaking Bad
Gus Fring's IQ is estimated at about 150 (range 138 to 160): decades of patient, layered planning and near-flawless discipline, with one fatal misjudgment of Walter White.Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Jimmy Neutron's IQ is about 150 (range 138 to 165) for an eleven-year-old. The franchise is commonly said to give 210, but his inventions keep backfiring, which points to a gifted child and not a mind at the very top.Family Guy
Stewie Griffin's IQ is best estimated at about 150 (range 140 to 162): an extraordinary inventor whose toddler tantrums and collapsing world-domination plans keep him below the top tier.Bones
Temperance Brennan's stated IQ is 180; our estimate is about 150 (range 138 to 162). Her forensic knowledge is elite, but her insight into people and situations is the weakest part of the picture.Pinky and the Brain
The Brain's IQ is about 150 (range 138 to 160). He plans elaborate world-takeover schemes every night, but a long record of failure shows flaws in foresight and in choosing partners.Batman
The Riddler's IQ is about 150 (range 138 to 162). He sets puzzles that challenge Batman and sometimes learns his secrets, but his compulsion to leave clues leads to his repeated defeat.Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire
Tyrion Lannister's IQ is about 150 (range 140 to 158): the sharpest political and tactical mind on the board for much of the story, but an emotional decision-maker when it counts.House M.D.
Gregory House's IQ is estimated at about 148 (range 135 to 158): elite diagnostic reasoning across many specialties, held back by how often he is wrong for most of an episode.Harry Potter
Hermione Granger's IQ is about 147 (range 138 to 156) for her age: she solves logic puzzles, deduces the basilisk and Lupin's secret, but sometimes trusts rules over people.Dexter's Laboratory
Dexter's IQ is about 145 (range 132 to 158) for a child. He designs elaborate machines in a secret lab, but his sister Dee Dee regularly defeats him, which limits his ceiling.Marvel Cinematic Universe
Doctor Strange's IQ is about 145 (range 135 to 158). The films show a surgeon with a photographic memory, fast learning and a clever answer to Dormammu, but not the genius of Tony Stark or Reed Richards.Game of Thrones
Petyr Baelish's IQ is estimated at about 145 (range 132 to 156): elite manipulation and financial scheming, undone in the TV show by overconfidence about people he thought he had read.Money Heist
The Professor's IQ is about 142 (range 132 to 152). He plans a heist years ahead and adapts when it goes wrong, but his planning is fragile around people he cares about.Breaking Bad
Walter White's IQ is estimated at about 142 (range 130 to 152): elite chemistry and real improvised strategy against Gus Fring, offset by pride-driven errors that keep costing him.The Simpsons
Lisa Simpson's IQ is best estimated at about 140 (range 125 to 155), a little below her stated canon score of 159: clearly gifted, but often more certain than she is clever.Sonic the Hedgehog
Tails' IQ is about 140 (range 128 to 152) for a child. Fan guides cite far higher numbers, but the evidence is a gifted young mechanic and pilot who often needs Sonic to finish the job.The Blacklist
Raymond Reddington's IQ is about 140 (range 128 to 150). His strength is knowledge, networks and reading people, not the abstract reasoning of a lab genius.The Good Doctor
Shaun Murphy's IQ is about 140 (range 128 to 150). The show never states a number. His visual memory and diagnostic leaps are exceptional, but his gifts are narrow and he leans on mentors.Scorpion
Walter O'Brien's stated IQ is 197; our estimate is about 140 (range 130 to 152). He fixes technical emergencies fast and leads a team of specialists, but the number is borrowed from a real person's disputed claim.House of Cards (US)
Frank Underwood's IQ is estimated at about 138 (range 126 to 148): superb political and psychological strategy, but a career built on leverage rather than deep reasoning, and a stalled presidency.Suits
Mike Ross's IQ is about 138 (range 128 to 148). His photographic memory is genuinely rare, but the show also records the poor judgement that keeps exposing him.True Detective
Rust Cohle's IQ is about 135 (range 125 to 145). He spots patterns across cases and reads suspects well, but the story shows a mind that is brilliant, bleak and self-defeating.Better Call Saul
Saul Goodman's IQ is estimated at about 135 (range 122 to 148): outstanding verbal and social intelligence and quick improvisation, but his schemes collapse when emotion gets involved.Metal Gear
Solid Snake's IQ is best estimated at about 135 (range 122 to 148), well below his profile-stated 180: an elite operator who keeps being played by people on his own side.Community
Abed Nadir's IQ is about 130 (range 120 to 140). He is the show's pattern reader, with a gift for structure and for modelling how stories and groups behave.Half-Life
Gordon Freeman's IQ is best estimated at about 130 (range 115 to 145): a credible MIT-trained physicist, but a silent hero whose puzzle-solving is done by the player, so confidence is low.Portal · off the human scale
GLaDOS's IQ is best rated at about 195 for ranking only (range 175 to 215): a superhuman machine intelligence whose repeated misjudgements of one test subject keep her from being flawless.Doctor Who · off the human scale
The Doctor's IQ is about 185 (range 170 to 200), and the number is for ranking only because a Time Lord is not human. The evidence is wide: improvised plans, deep science and a long record of outwitting enemies.Star Trek: The Next Generation · off the human scale
Data's IQ is roughly 180 (range 170 to 192), but as an android he sits outside the human scale: his memory and speed are superhuman, while his judgement, though strong, can be beaten.
When the story states an IQ, and we disagree
Some fictional characters come with a number. Here is what the story says next to what the evidence supports.
| Character | Canon | Ours |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Eggman | 300 | 160 |
| Sheldon Cooper | 187 | 155 |
| Spencer Reid | 187 | 152 |
| Jimmy Neutron | 210 | 150 |
| Temperance Brennan | 180 | 150 |
| Lisa Simpson | 159 | 140 |
| Walter O'Brien | 197 | 140 |
| Solid Snake | 180 | 135 |
Smartest TV, film and cartoon characters, ranked: common questions
Who is the smartest TV or film character?
On our ranking it is Rick Sanchez (Rick and Morty) at about 180, then Reed Richards at 175 and Doctor Doom at 170. Superhuman characters are ranked but flagged, since human IQ scales do not really apply to them.
Is Sheldon Cooper really a 187?
The show states 187, and his physics results are treated as real. We estimate lower, because much of the evidence is background and his judgment is often poor. See his profile for the scenes.
How smart is Tony Stark?
Very. He invents at a level few characters in fiction match, and our estimate reflects that, with a limit for his impulsiveness and repeated errors of judgment. Read the full evidence on his profile.
Is Sherlock Holmes the smartest fictional detective?
He is at or near the top of the fictional detectives we cover, mostly on deduction and observation. Detectives whose feats are mostly told rather than shown rank lower.
Do you count anime characters here?
No. Anime characters have their own ranking, since the two lists draw on very different storytelling conventions.
What's your IQ?
The characters above are estimates from fiction. Your own reasoning is easy to check: 25 visual pattern and rule questions.
Take the IQ test
25 questions · about 12 minutes
These are our own estimates from what each story shows: an argument, not a measurement. The full method sets out the rubric and every rule we follow. Characters and franchises belong to their owners; LifeScore is not affiliated with them.