who is the smartest character in terms of raw intellect

[Lion of the West]

I'm actually gonna say Catelyn. She strikes me as having less education that a maester or a man would have but it still very knowledgable about how the feudal society works and gives many excellent advices.

[TheNinjaDC]

Hard to say as their are a variety of "smart".

Top list contenders include:

Book Smart: Aemon (Maester), Samuel, Tyrion, The Reader

Political: Little Finger, Varys, Tywin, Wyman

Military/Leadership: Robb, Jon, Stannis, Ned

I guess, overall I would say Tyrion has the best, well rounded intelligence.

[Davrum]

I can't think of anyone who can match Varys. Emotion and desire are the enemies of reason and unlike every other "clever" character I can think of in the story, Varys is unencumbered by such weaknesses. Several other favourites we speak of - Tywin, Tyrion, Oberyn - have proved by certain mistakes and decisions that their ability to reason suffers or has suffered some impairment.

As something of an aside; "book smarts" are all well and good, but I don't consider the accumulation of knowledge from books to be the same thing as intellect. I've known some quite unclever people who are "well-educated" and some very clever people who barely even read.

[The Bittersteel]

I consider the knowledge that people acrue over time (such as maester Aemon for example) to be different to raw brain power. In terms of who is the most intelligent it has to be Varys in my opinion.

I'm actually gonna say Catelyn. She strikes me as having less education that a maester or a man would have but it still very knowledgable about how the feudal society works and gives many excellent advices.

I like Catelyn but this has got to be a joke.

Edit: Illyrio and Baelish tied for number two

[Beorn Snow]

Illyrio built up a merchant empire, pretty impressive.

I don´t know if Rodrick the Reader, Sam or Tyrion count. Enjoying books is proof of some intelligence but doesn´t mean they are geniuses. In Sam´s and Tyrion´s case their affinity for books can be explained through different means. (Perhaps a result of their poor physique). Tyrion though, is a good Cyvasse-player and I´m pretty sure that counts for something. (I don´t remember if he lost to someone on the boat? Haldon?)

It´s hard to see who has the ambition and who has the intellect. Aemon and Marwyn know a lot after a life dedicated to studying. Doesn´t mean they learnt very fast. Obviously they are smarter than Pate, but Aemon might not have been the smartest maester of his generation, just the last surviving one.

I´ll place a bet on Wyllas. (Would he beat Tyrion at Cyvasse?). And why not Arya? If we are looking for a fast learner, there is one, right there. I bet that if she dedicated herself to Cyvasse instead of murdering people she´d beat Tyrion and all other players soon.

[The King Of Cooked Steak]

Aemon, LF, Varys, Tywin, Marwyn, Tyrion, and Davos if you think about it, is actually very smart and convincing. He knows how to talk people through situations. E.g. his speech to Wyman Manderly.

[Stormland's Fury]

Aemon, LF, Varys, Tywin, Marwyn, Tyrion, and Davos if you think about it, is actually very smart and convincing. He knows how to talk people through situations. E.g. his speech to Wyman Manderly.

I'd say that's more "street smarts" and be able to read people. Not saying he's is naturally dumb, but not really educated at least.

[The King Of Cooked Steak]

I'd say that's more "street smarts" and be able to read people. Not saying he's is naturally dumb, but not really educated at least.

Well, you COULD say that being taught how to read people and convincing them with words to be in your side does kinda' count as education, though not really in the literal, most common form.

[Stormland's Fury]

Well, you COULD say that being taught how to read people and convincing them with words to be in your side does kinda' count as education, though not really in the literal, most common form.

I would say to measure his intelligence, him learning to read so quickly as an adult certainly speaks for a sharp mind as well.

Reading people can be learned through sheer experience and survival instinct in Flea's Bottom imo.

[Essan]

Intelligence and knowledge are not the same thing ;) It matters not what you know if you do not know how to apply it. IMO many of the maesters are book-smart but otherwise not very clever at all.

Anyway, I'm rather surprised that no-one has yet suggested Mance Rayder - who is not only very intelligent, one of the few to have any appreciation of what is going on beyind the Wall, but knows what needs to be done and how to do it. Though I think we've yet to see exactly what his plans are about.

[Davrum]

I'd say that's more "street smarts" and be able to read people. Not saying he's is naturally dumb, but not really educated at least.

Intellect is about the ability to reason. It's about the step beyond simply the accumulation of knowledge. It's about the application of it.

There are criminals who've built empires without much in the way of book-reading skills who are significantly smarter than plenty of people who have strings of letters after their names.

[James Arryn]

I think Davos' intelligence is being a bit overstated. He is street smart, but then so are most of the few characters we run into down among the fearful...we're just used to dealing mostly with nobles. He's not particularly defined by it.

I think the word to describe Davos is buoyant. In most scenes we see...the Sisters, White Harbour, the cells of Dragonstone, dealing with Saan...he mostly sits quietly and stays afloat while others make the decisions. He conforms to his surroundings, he adapts a kind of camouflage and allows the currents to carry him, and that allows others to trust him more.

I think his moral integrity is much more central to that buoyancy than any intellectual gift. He's also resolute and single-minded and nobody's fool, but his intelligence doesn't stand out to me.

[Stormland's Fury]

Intellect is about the ability to reason. It's about the step beyond simply the accumulation of knowledge. It's about the application of it.

Yes of course. But I meant in pure terms of categorizing and measuring Davos' intellect (compared to others). He seems to have a natural ability to read people.

I actually think he seems to be pretty intelligent in general. Dumb smugglers don't survive that long either ;)

[Endymion I Targaryen]

I could say Tyrion or Doran but I choose Catelyn.I think she is clever,cunning,logic without having been well educated and even when she starts being depressive for the deaths in her family she sais right things.

[JoeyBanana]

Maester Aemon or Marwyn. They don't care about politics and try to save the realm.

Tyrion would be up there but he got played by Olenna, LF, and Varys like a fiddle. Olenna maybe, as she's the only one who realizes it's too dangerous and self-destructive to "play the game". LF and Varys can only be judged once their true intentions are revealed. Doing all of that simply for greed (LF) or Targaeryen restoration would be idiotic. They also fool nobody, even Stannis (no offence) knows that they are not to be trusted.

In regards to political intrigue, i'd go with Doran. He doesn't act arrogant, condescending, or cocky and is the most subtle.

[Nictarion]

Missandei. If she lives to be an adult she'll be the smartest character by far.

[Les Météores D]

Grand Maester Pycelle of course!

(Bloodraven, Varys & Aemon)

[Stormland's Fury]

Qyburn seems to be genuinely more clever than most Maesters and people in general. I mean he's basically the Dr. Frankenstein of Westeros.

[Cat Alayne]

Tyrion, Catelyn, Samwell, all for diferent reasons. Tyrion for cunning/wits. Catelyn for rationality/wisdom. Samwell for booksmarts.

[James Arryn]

Grand Maester Pycelle of course!

(Bloodraven, Varys & Aemon)

We actually shouldn't discount Pycelle. He's incredibly learned, maybe more than anyone alive.

It's important to note that the only person who discounts his ability is Cersei. Everyone else of any intelligence questions his motives, not his mind.