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Brains Evil, Brawn Good: Difference between revisions
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(Import from TV Tropes TVT:Main.BrainsEvilBrawnGood 2012-07-01, editor history TVTH:Main.BrainsEvilBrawnGood, CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported license) |
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This often results in [[Dumb Is Good]], whereas evil tends to be smarter but [[Squishy Wizard|comparatively lacking in the strength department]], as if to imply that physical strength [[Rule of Symbolism|represents]] moral strength. Occasionally, the villain is actually merely [[Feigning Intelligence]], or the hero just has the [[Idiot Ball]] until the climax, ready to pass it to the villain.
Since it follows that qualifications in fighting/military leadership are therefore nobler than academic ones, see [[The Good Captain]] and [[Morally
Of course, this trope has some [[Fridge Logic]] (if not [[Fridge Horror]]) to it in that characters who are less intellectual might be more prone to [[Well
See also [[Thud and Blunder]], the subgenre of [[Heroic Fantasy]] that make gratuitous use of this trope. Contrast [[Guile Hero]] and [[Science Hero]], who often overcome physically threatening foes with [[Trickster Archetype|trickery]] or [[The Smart Guy|brainpower]] respectively.
{{examples
== Anime & Manga ==
* Played with in ''[[Code Geass]]'', in that stereotypical heroic character with [[Charles Atlas Superpower]] Suzaku is actually an [[Anti
* Subverted in ''[[Bleach]]'', where Ichigo is an impulsive guy who goes through one [[Shonen Upgrade]] after another while the show's [[Big Bad]] Aizen establishes himself as a [[Magnificent Bastard]] after pulling off a [[Xanatos Gambit]] who fights through subterfuge rather than raw power. However, when the two meet, Aizen reveals himself to also be MUCH more powerful than Ichigo, and not only has [[A God Am I]] attitude, but later on actually TRIES TO LITERALLY MAKE HIMSELF ONE.
* Played with in ''[[Eyeshield 21]]'' in that both characters are technically "good guys." [[Gentle Giant|Kurita]] is enormous, strong, a bit dim, and one of the kindest characters in the series (just watch out for his hugs). [[Manipulative Bastard|Hiruma]] on the other hand is the [[Lean and Mean]] [[Trigger Happy]] [[Drill Sergeant Nasty]] whose total lack of physical skills is more than made up for by his evil genius. Together, they play football.
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* [[The Mighty Thor]] and his evil half-brother, Loki.
** Only in comparison to ''each other''. Loki is actually super-stong, durable, and able in combat by Earth standards. He's only weaker in that area by ''Asgardian'' standards, since the kids there are, by [[Word of God]], as strong as Spider-Man. And Thor is [[Guile Hero|not particurally slow on the uptake, either]], he's just surrounded by too many geniuses like Loki, [[Iron Man]], and Odin, for it to show.
* The prequel comic to ''[[Doctor
* Averted in [[Watchmen (Comic Book)|Watchmen]]: Ozymandias is reputed to be the smartest man in the world, but he's also more than a physical match for most other heroes. Dr. Manhattan, in turn, is the most powerful hero ''and'' a scientist too.
* M.O.D.O.K. and Captain America follow this trope as well. Although both are pretty smart, M.O.D.O.K. is essentially a living supercomputer. M.O.D.O.K. even mentions this trope in [[Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Video Game)|MvC3]].
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** ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'' has Quasimodo using his strength for usually justified (or at least well-intentioned) purposes, whereas the physically weak (and morally weak) elderly [[Manipulative Bastard]] Frollo emotionally abuses Quasimodo into an extreme of self-loathing that is in some ways comparable to being weak until he overcomes said self-loathing.
** Disney's ''[[Hercules (Disney)|Hercules]]'' pits sleazy [[Manipulative Bastard]] Hades against naive farmboy-ish Hercules who trades almost solely on his superstrength
** ''[[The
** Sort-of inverted in ''[[Beauty and The Beast (Disney)|Beauty and The Beast]]'', which has the smart Belle on the side of good and the dumb, muscle-bound Gaston as the main villain. Still, Gaston is defeated in a physical battle with the Beast, who is not particularly intelligent.
*** Whether or not Gaston was even that dumb in the first place is subject to [[Alternate Character Interpretation]] anyway; it is plausible that he was just [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]. That he thought up {{spoiler|that scheme for blackmailing Belle into marriage}} shows some level of cleverness, and that the people he associates with call thinking a dangerous pastime would easily provide an incentive to play dumb.
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