View source for Beauty, Brains, and Brawn

{{trope}}
[[File:beauty brains brawn 02 9796.png|link=Angel Moxie|frame|From left to right: The one who fires off glorious magic spells, the one who builds the best gadgets, and the one who punches things real hard.]]

{{quote|Blossom, commander and the leader
Bubbles, she is the joy and the laughter
Buttercup, she is the toughest fighter
|''The [[Powerpuff Girls]]'' ending theme}}

Related to [[Tomboy and Girly Girl]], a type of female [[Trio]] where [[The Smart Guy|one is smart]], [[The Big Guy|one is tough]], and one is conventionally [[The Chick|pretty, popular or feminine]]. It's fairly common for the "Beauty" to act as the [[Team Mom]], [[The Kirk]], or [[The Heart|the mediator when the other two get into their frequent fights]], so [[Character Development|they have something to do other than just be pretty]]. Often, to give "Beauty" a useful skill, she is the one who is ''socially'' adept and empathetic, while "Brains" has technical skills but is nerdy and socially awkward.

The personalities might also be what the [[Freudian Trio]] used to be described as: body or the impulsive, pleasure-seeking one (the brawn), mind or the academic, reasonable one (the brain) and heart or the one who ties them together, as the calming, healing influence (the beauty). In other words, the Brawn represents the [[The McCoy|Id]], the Brain represents the [[The Spock|Superego]], and the Beauty represents the [[The Kirk|Ego]].

[[Blonde, Brunette, Redhead|Often]] [[Color-Coded for Your Convenience]] as the [[Brainy Brunette]], the [[Fiery Redhead]] and the [[Brainless Beauty|beautiful but]] [[Dumb Blonde]]. Although it can be switched around. Contrast though as the [[Blonde, Brunette, Redhead]] tend to be portrayed as flaws while '''Beauty, Brains, and Brawn''' are good.

See also: [[The Hecate Sisters]], [[The Three Faces of Eve]], and [[Four-Girl Ensemble]].

{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]''
** Ukraine: Beauty (the most emotional and sensitive)
** Liechtenstein: Brains (sensitive as well, but more stable and said to be a techie in the author's notes)
** Hungary: Brawn (the [[Action Girl]],'nuff said)

* ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]''
** Fuu - Brains
** Hikaru - Brawn
** Umi - Beauty

* ''[[Marmalade Boy]]''
** Arimi Suzuki - Beauty
** Miki Koishikawa - Brawn
** Meiko Akizuki - Brains

* ''[[Ikki Tousen]]''
** Gentoku Ryuubi - Beauty
** Kan'u Unchou - Brains
** Ekitoku Chouhi - Brawn

* ''[[Sailor Moon]]'': First Two Arcs of the First Series
** Usagi/Moon - Beauty
** Ami/Mercury - Brains
** Rei/Mars - Brawn

* ''[[Sailor Moon]]'': The Outer Senshi
** Michiru/Neptune - Beauty
** Setsuna/Pluto - Brains
** Haruka/Uranus - Brawn

* ''[[Sailor Moon]]'': The Sailor Starlights
** Yaten/Star Healer - Beauty
** Taiki/Star Maker - Brains
** Seiya/Star Fighter - Brawn

* ''[[Saber Marionette J]]''
** Bloodberry - Beauty
** Cherry - Brains
** Lime - Brawn

* ''[[The Daughter of Twenty Faces]]'' - According to [[Genre Savvy|Koito]], the Detective Girls are as followed:
** Chiko - Brawn
** Tome - Beauty
** Koito - Brains
*** Unfortunately, it doesn't completely work, because Chiko is probably more clever than Koito...

* ''[[Kaleido Star]]'': Half-first season Power Trio
** Sora - Beauty
** Mia - Brains
** Anna - Brawn

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''
** Misato - Brains
** Rei - Beauty
** Asuka - Brawn

* ''Et Cetera''
** Mingchao - Beauty
** Fino - Brains
** Benkate - Brawn

* ''[[Ojamajo Doremi]]'': At the start, at least.
** Doremi - Beauty
** Hazuki - Brains
** Aiko - Brawn

* ''[[Project A-ko]]''
** C-ko - Beauty
** B-ko - Brains
** A-ko - Brawn

* ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]] [[Spin Offspring|ViVid]]''
** Vivio - Beauty (Attracts friends with ease in addition to being [[Everything's Better with Princesses|royalty]])
** Corona - Brains (Bookworm type [[Squishy Wizard]] [[Marionette Master]] and the least brawny of the three)
** Rio - Brawn (Skilled martial artist who created her own style and the least bookish of the three)
* Similar dynamic with the original trio.
** Nanoha - Beauty (A Messiah by means of [[Defeat Means Friendship]])
** Fate - Brawn (Does the most up close fighting of the trio and has the skillset to match)
** Hayate - Brains (Least able to go one on one according to Canon, gained magic by being plugged into a Magical Tome. Becomes a Commander and [[Big Good]] in the series following her debut)

* ''[[Futari wa Pretty Cure]] Max Heart''
** Hikari/Shiny Luminous - Beauty
** Honoka/Cure White - Brains
** Nagisa/Cure Black - Brawn


* ''[[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch]]''
** Hanon - Beauty
** Lucia - Brains
** Rina - Brawn

* ''[[School Rumble]]'': Tenma's three female friends.
** Eri - Beauty
** Akira - Brains
** Mikoto - Brawn

* ''[[Puella Magi Madoka Magica]]'' could decieve you into thinking this was the case. {{spoiler|It doesn't last long.}}
** Mami - Beauty
** Madoka - Brains
** Sayaka - Brawn

* ''[[Sket Dance]]'' mixed things up a bit:
** Bossun - "Intuitive" Brains
** Himeko - Beauty and Brawn
** Switch - "Technological" Brains and [[Bishounen|Beauty]]

* ''[[Rocket Girls]]''
** Beauty - Yukari
** Brains - Akane
** Brawn - Matsuri

* ''[[Digimon Xros Wars]]'' Good guys Mixed version.
** Beauty - Nene
** Brains - Taiki
** Brawn - Kiriha

* ''[[Digimon Xros Wars]]'' Bad guys Mixed version.
** Beauty - Lilithmon
** Brains - Tactimon
** Brawn - Blastmon

* ''[[Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel]]''

** Beauty - Aoi
** Brains - Kurumi
** Brawn - Haruka

* ''Naruto'' - Team 10

** Beauty- Ino
** Brains- Shikamaru
** Brawn- Choji

* ''[[FLCL]]''

** Beauty - Mamimi
** Brains - Ninamori
** Brawn - Haruko

* ''[[Outlaw Star]]''
** Beauty - Melfina
** Brains - Suzuka
** Brawn - Aisha

* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]''
** Beauty: Shizuka Katsuya/Serenity Wheeler
** Brains: Anzu Makazi/Tea Gardner
** Brawn: Mai Kujaku/Valentine
** Across Series:
*** Beauty: Anzu/Tea (Dueled the least)
*** Brains: [[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX|Asuka/Alexis]] (Won through strategy, also subverting [[Dumb Blonde]])
*** Brawn: [[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's|Aki(za)]] (Has the most duels of the three, and was a scary and hard opponent)

* ''[[Zettai Karen Children]]'', also combined with [[Blond Brunette Redhead]]
** Beauty: [[White-Haired Pretty Girl]] Shiho
** Brains: [[Brainy Brunette]] Aoi
** Brawn: [[Fiery Redhead]] and [[Hot-Blooded]] Kaoru

* ''[[Ranma ½]]'': When you boil them down to the characteristics most people associate them with, the Tendo sisters fit this.
** Beauty: [[Yamato Nadeshiko|Kasumi]]
** Brains: [[The Barnum|Nabiki]]
** Brawn: [[Action Girl|Akane]]

* ''[[Gakuen Alice]]'': Both a Female version and a Male version
** For the Girls
*** Beauty: Mikan
*** Brains: [[Gadgeteer Genius|Hotaru]]
*** Brawn: [[Lovable Alpha Bitch|Permy]]
** For the Guys
*** Beauty: [[Friend to All Living Things|Ruka]]
*** Brains: [[Master of Illusion|Yuu Tobita]]
*** Brawn: [[Playing with Fire|Natsume]]

* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''
** Beauty: [[Gadgeteer Genius|Winry]]
** Brains: Alphonse
** Brawn: Edward
** Alphonse and Winry could actually be switched: Winry is tech whiz so she fits nicely in Brains, whereas Al is a softspoken [[Gentle Giant]] so he has a good share of Beauty as well.


== Comic Books ==
* [[Birds of Prey]]
** Black Canary - Beauty
** Oracle - Brains
** Huntress - Brawn

* ''[[Josie and the Pussy Cats]]''
** Josie - Brains
** Melody - Beauty
** Valerie - Brawn (It could be made out that Valerie could be both brains ''and'' brawn, while Josie is just the leader).

* [[SHIELD]]
** Maria Hill - Brawn
** Sharon Carter - Beauty
** Victoria Hand - Brains


== Film ==
* ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' ([[Revival Movie|the movies]])
** Natalie - Beauty
** Alex - Brains
** Dylan - Brawn

* ''[[The View Askewniverse|Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]''
** Missy - Brains
** Chrissy - Brawn
** Sissy - Beauty
** [[Odd Name Out|Justice]] - [[Heel Face Turn|Betrayer]]

* The ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' films
** [[Raiders of the Lost Ark|Marion]] [[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull|Ravenwood]] - Brawn
** [[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom|Willie Scott]] - Beauty
** [[Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade|Dr. Elsa Schneider]] - Brains

* ''[[The Sound of Music]]'': The three oldest Von Trapp daughters
** Liesl - Beauty
** Brigitta - Brains
** Louisa - Brawn

* ''[[Beauty and the Beast]]'': The Beast's servants
** The Feather Duster - Beauty
** Mrs. Potts - Brains
** The Wardrobe - Brawn


== Literature ==
* Occurs in Noel Streatfield's ''Ballet Shoes''.
** Pauline - Beauty
** Petrova - Brains
** Posy - Brawn (while not the stereoptypical Brawn, she is certainly the best dancer of the three)
*** They also qualify as a [[Blonde, Brunette, Redhead]] trio.

* ''[[The Princess Series]]''
** Snow - Beauty
** Danielle - Brains
** Talia - Brawn

* ''[[Avalon: Web of Magic]]''
** Kara - Beauty
** Emily - Brains
** Adrianne - Brawn

* ''[[The Wheel of Time]]''
** Elayne - Beauty
** Min - Brains
** Aviendha - Brawn
*** also a [[Blonde, Brunette, Redhead]] trio.

* ''[[Nancy Drew]]''
** Nancy - Brains
** Bess - Beauty
** George - Brawn
*** also a [[Blonde, Brunette, Redhead]] trio.

== Live-Action TV ==
* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''
** Willow - Brains
** Buffy - Brawn
** Anya/Buffy/Cordelia - Beauty

* ''[[The Vampire Diaries]]''
** Elena - Beauty
** Bonnie - Brains
** Caroline - Brawn

* ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' (the original series)
** Sabrina - Brains
** Kelly - Brawn
** Jill - Beauty

* ''[[Firefly]]''
** Kaylee - Brains
** Zoe - Brawn
** Inara - Beauty
** River - A bit hard to define, although she seems to have all three being a child prodigy/genius (enough to have [[Psychic Powers]]), expert at [[Waif Fu]], and not to mention played by [[Summer Glau]]

* ''[[Charmed]]''
** Prue - Brains
** Piper - Brawn (She started using her brains more when she got promoted to eldest sister)
** Phoebe - Beauty (Became brawnier when she started using [[She Fu]])
** Paige - Beauty (She had the least experience)

* ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' (first season)
** Counselor Deanna Troi - Beauty
** Dr. Beverly Crusher - Brains
** Lt. Tasha Yar - Brawn

* ''[[Step by Step]]''
** Dana- Brains
** Karen- Beauty
** Al- Brawn

* ''[[Wizards of Waverly Place]]'' - Only in the episodes where Juliet was present
** Juliet - Beauty
** Harper - Brains
** Alex - Brawn

* ''[[Degrassi]]''
* Seasons 1-8
** Manny - Beauty
** Liberty - Brains
** Emma - Brawn (In the Feminist Save-the-Planet Independent Tomboy way, less so physical strength.)
* Season 7-11
** Mia (S7-8) then Fiona (S9-11) - Beauty (Model and Fashionista)
** Holly J - Brains (Student Council President going to Yale)
** Anya - Brawn ([[LAR Ping]] battle Princess turned Military recruit)

* ''[[H₂O: Just Add Water]]''
* Season 1-2
** Cleo - Beauty (Fashion, Cleo is treated as [[Hollywood Homely]])
** Emma - Brains
** Rikki - Brawn
* Season 3
** Bella - Beauty
** Cleo - Brains
** Rikki - Brawn

* ''[[The Nanny]]'' (The Sheffield household)
** Fran Fine - Beauty
** [[Wise Beyond Their Years|Gracie Sheffield]] - Brains
** Maggie Sheffield - Brawn


== Music ==
* The song "Gangsta Bitch"
** Eve - Brains
** Da Brat - Brawn
** Trina - Beauty


== Video Games ==
* ''[[Fire Emblem]] 6'' - The Pegasus Knight sisters
** Yuuno - Beauty
** Thite - Brains
** Thany - Brawn

* ''[[Fire Emblem]] 7'' - The other Peg Knight sisters
** Florina - Beauty
** Fiora - Brains
** Farina - Brawn

* ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' - The ''original'' Peg Knight sisters
** Palla - Beauty (Eldest and most level-headed.)
** Catria - Brains (Portrayed as fairly clever in her (limited) characterization.)
** Est - Brawn (Powered straight through enemy lines to bring the allies a [[Cool Sword]].)

* ''[[Final Fantasy X-2]]''
** Rikku - Beauty.
** Yuna - Brains.
** Paine - Brawn.
*** Of course in [[Final Fantasy X|the original]] Yuna was the beauty with Rikku as the brawn and Lulu as the brains. Rikku suffered some heavy [[Flanderization]] between games.

* ''[[A Dance With Rogues]]''
** Norah - Brawn
** The Princess - Brains
** Pia - Beauty

* ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]''
** Shandra - Brawn
** Elanee - Brains
** Neeshka - Beauty

* ''[[Neverwinter Nights 2]]'' - Mask of the Betrayer
** Female player - Brawn
** Safiya - Brains
** Kaelyn - Beauty

* ''[[Rival Schools|Project Justice]]'' - Seijyun Girls High School
** Akira - Brains
** Yurika - Beauty
** Zaki - Brawn

* ''[[Disgaea: Hour of Darkness]]''
** Etna - Brawn
** Flonne - Beauty
** Jennifer - Brains

* ''[[Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories]]''
** Rozalin - Beauty
** Hanako - Brains
** Etna - Brawn

* ''[[Soul Nomad and The World Eaters]]''
** Revya - Brawn
** Danette - Beauty
** Layna - Brains

* ''[[Persona 4]]''
** Chie - Brawn
** Yukiko - Brains
** Rise - Beauty
** Optionally replace Yukiko with  {{spoiler|Naoto}}.

* ''[[Chrono Trigger]]''
** Ayla - Brawn
** Lucca - Brains
** Marle - Beauty

* [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]]: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky'' - Team Charm
** Lopunny - Beauty
** Gardevoir - Brains
** Medicham - Brawn

* ''[[Super Smash Bros.]].''
** Peach - Beauty
** Zelda - Brains
** Samus - Brawn

* ''[[BlazBlue]]''
** Noel Vermilion - Beauty
** Tsubaki Yayoi - Brains
** Makoto Nanaya - Brawn

* ''[[Lost Odyssey]]''
** Ming - Beauty
** Sarah - Brains
** Seth - Brawn
*** (though Ming, Seth and Cooke can also can be the Brains too)

* ''[[Tales of Vesperia]]''
** Estelle - Beauty
** Rita - Brains
** Judith - Brawn (also Beauty, but her role tends to be as Brawn instead)

* ''[[Jade Empire]]''
** Dawn Star - Beauty (Brains before Silk Fox's arrival)
** Silk Fox - Brains (also Beauty)
** Wild Flower - Brawn (when Chai Ka/Ya Zhen is in control)

* ''[[Dragon Age Origins]]''
** Leliana - Beauty
** Wynne - Brains
** Morrigan - Brawn (at least personality-wise. She could technically fit all three)
*** Alternatively, {{spoiler|Shale}} as the brawn, who is an even better fit for that role.

* ''[[Planescape: Torment]]''
** Deionarra - Beauty
** Hannah - Brawn
** Fall-from-Grace - Brains


== Webcomics ==
* ''[[Angel Moxie]]'':
** Riley - Brains
** Tristan - Brawn
** Alex - Beauty

* ''[[Last Res0rt]]'':
** Jigsaw - Brawny Brunette
** Daisy - Brainy Redhead
** Adharia - Beautiful Blonde

* ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'':
** Nanase - Brawn
** Grace - Brains (of the [[Genius Ditz]] variety)
** Ellen - Beauty
*** Although all three of them would probably count as Brawn in any other setting.

* ''[[At Arm's Length (webcomic)|At Arms Length]]''
** Reece - Beauty
** Ally - Brains
** Sheila - Brawn


== Web Original ==
* ''[[Sailor Nothing]]''
** Himei/Sailor Nothing - Brawn
** Aki/Sailor Beauty - Beauty
** Shin/Sailor Truth - Brains


== Western Animation ==
* ''[[Totally Spies!]]''
** Sam - Brains
** Alex - Brawn
** Clover - Beauty

* ''[[The Powerpuff Girls]]''
** Blossom - Brains
** Buttercup - Brawn
** Bubbles - Beauty

* ''[[Alvin and The Chipmunks]]''
** Brittany- Beauty
** Jeannette- Brains
** Eleanor- Brawn

* ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' - Cutie Mark Crusaders
** Sweetie Belle- Beauty
** Apple Bloom- Brains
** Scootaloo- Brawns
** Alternatively, the Mane 6 can be divided into two per section, as well.
*** Beauty - Rarity and Fluttershy
*** Brains - Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie
*** Brawn - Applejack and Rainbow Dash


* ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]'' <ref>Well, technically Azula fits all three, and the other two also fit at least one other category, but they have their specialties</ref>
** Azula: Brains. The second season finale and the Day of Black Sun are triumphant examples of this.
** Ty Lee: Brawn, by virtue of being able to beat down dozens of grown men. [[Badass Normal|With her bare hands.]]
** Mai: Beauty, through her [[Lady of War|elegant]] design and the fact that she's the only one of the three to have a boyfriend.
*** Alternately, it could also be:
*** Azula: Brawn. She's one of the most powerful firebenders around.
*** Ty Lee: Beauty. She's the girl everyone wanted to be with in the episode "The Beach".
*** Mai: Brains: She's the oldest and wisest out of the three girls,  {{spoiler|including being smart enough to exploit Azula's weakness of being too overconfident in the end of the episode "The Boiling Rock Part 2".}}
* Can also apply to the three girls in the Gaang, though they are all well-rounded enough to have aspects of each category.
** Katara: Beauty, she's a powerful waterbender, and not unintelligent, but she's also the one who turns the most heads.
** Toph: Brawn, because of the three she relies the most on brute strength and guts when fighting.
** Suki: Brains, by virtue of being leader of the Kyoshi Warriors she has the best leadership skills and is good at planning strategy.

* ''[[Doug]]'' - the main three females
** Patti: Brains
** Beebe: Beauty
** Connie: Brawn (as seen in "Doug Throws a Party")

* ''[[Inch High, Private Eye]]''
** Inch: Brains
** Lori: Beauty
** Gator: Brawn

* ''[[X-Men: Evolution]]''
** Kitty Pryde: Beauty
** Jean Grey: Brains
** Rogue: Brawn

* ''[[Teen Titans]]''
** Starfire: Beauty
** Raven: Brains
** Terra: Brawn

* ''[[DC Super Hero Girls]]''; six girl team, two heroines in each role:
** Barbara and Zee: Beauty
** Diana and Kara: Brawn
** Jessica and Karen: Brains

== Fan Works ==
* ''[[Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way vs. Canon|Sapphire Eleanor Rose Suzette De Mont vs. Canon]]'' - the three female members of the MSEA we see the most of.
** October: Brains; she's the leader of the MSEA and generally makes all the decisions
** Aphrodite: Beauty; she's a lovely young thing who's not much into physical combat—instead, she's a [[Cute Witch]]
** [[Tomboyish Name|Charlie]]: Brawn; she carries a [[Big Freaking Gun]] and is always eager to do the dirty work

{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Ensembles]]
[[Category:Femininity Tropes]]
[[Category:Trio Tropes]]
[[Category:Usually Female]]