Newboy Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Okay, so there's a lot of emphasis on who's the best fighter and who would win versus who, but the reason humans are the top of the food chain is our cooperation. Our intelligence. So it's reasonable to foresee that the most cunning and best planners will likely come out on top, or at least, very favourably, come the end of the series. We know the Tyrion is hailed as quite possibly the most intelligent, but who else is up there as the cleverest characters Westeros and Essos has to offer? Personally, I'm of the opinion that Varys is ultimately more resourceful than Tyrion, given that Varys clawed his way up from a Lysian alleyway with a bleeding cockhole to eventually stretch his influence across the continents and give cause for concern to everyone who plays the same game as him. "The big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on swimming." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Goat Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I think there are relatively few who consider Tyrion the most intelligent/cunning. He is very intelligent/cunning to be sure, but the competition consist of Petyr Baelish, Varys, Tywin Lannister, Roose Bolton, Wyman Manderly, Olenna Redwyne, Doran Martell, Brynden Rivers and others. At least four (Littlefinger, Varys, Tywin, Bloodraven) of those are more competent than Tyrion IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceHenryris Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers is a god. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krusty Kraken Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I think there are relatively few who consider Tyrion the most intelligent/cunning. He is very intelligent/cunning to be sure, but the competition consist of Petyr Baelish, Varys, Tywin Lannister, Roose Bolton, Wyman Manderly, Olenna Redwyne, Doran Martell, Brynden Rivers and others. At least four (Littlefinger, Varys, Tywin, Bloodraven) of those are more competent than Tyrion IMO. Wyman Manderly? For real? Okay, he's pretty intelligent, but he's not even close to the others you've mentioned, his biggest asset is that he makes other people think he's stupid when he's not, but his scheming and planning cannot be compared to that of the other people you've mentioned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCat Rivers Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Wyman Manderly? For real? Okay, he's pretty intelligent, but he's not even close to the others you've mentioned, his biggest asset is that he makes other people think he's stupid when he's not, but his scheming and planning cannot be compared to that of the other people you've mentioned Wyman's scheming and planning has already yielded fruits meat. The "master planners" are most propably going to fail, spectacularly most likely. Now, that doesn't mean that Varys, LF etc are not smart, but playing the long game doesn't make them smarter than others who prefer the "greedy" approach to solving problems. It speaks about their aims and ambitions, not about their intelligence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithras Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Missandei is the most intelligent female. Varys is the most intelligent male. Conclusion: Balls (or lack thereof) seem to be an important factor in intellectual development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Wyman's scheming and planning has already yielded fruits meat. The "master planners" are most propably going to fail, spectacularly most likely. Now, that doesn't mean that Varys, LF etc are not smart, but playing the long game doesn't make them smarter than others who prefer the "greedy" approach to solving problems. It speaks about their aims and ambitions, not about their intelligence. Speaking of approach to solving problems, perhaps we should distinguish between the types of intelligence. Tywin Lannister, Robb Stark, Randyll Tarly, are all tactical masterminds, yet have (sometimes) glaring flaws in other aspects of their life. Robb Stark threw away a war for honour, Randyll Tarly is sexist to the point of a Sharian sheikh, and Tywin Lannister is blind to everything but destroying his enemies. Whereas the long-term planners like Varys and LF tend to foresee the consequences to their actions and plan further, accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nastydream Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Women:Olenna Tyrell Men: Varys,Littlefinger,Tywin,Tyrion,Doran Martell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Goat Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Wyman Manderly? For real? Okay, he's pretty intelligent, but he's not even close to the others you've mentioned, his biggest asset is that he makes other people think he's stupid when he's not, but his scheming and planning cannot be compared to that of the other people you've mentioned Wyman is planning to unseat the Boltons, and so far he is doing well. He's killedthree Freys, has Davos searching for Rickon, makes everyone underestimate him, likely has contacts with the Umbers, Lockes and others, has Robett Glover gathering men, has built a large fleet he's keeping secret... I'd say that Wyman is quite sharp indeed. He might not be working on the same scale as others, but that doesn't mean he isn't as competent. Speaking of approach to solving problems, perhaps we should distinguish between the types of intelligence. Tywin Lannister, Robb Stark, Randyll Tarly, are all tactical masterminds, yet have (sometimes) glaring flaws in other aspects of their life. Robb Stark threw away a war for honour, Randyll Tarly is sexist to the point of a Sharian sheikh, and Tywin Lannister is blind to everything but destroying his enemies. Whereas the long-term planners like Varys and LF tend to foresee the consequences to their actions and plan further, accordingly. I'd group Tywin into the long-term strategic thinking rather than the short-term tactical thinking Robb had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince Davos Martell Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Euron Greyjoy is probably the one of the most intelligent, if you go by thinking the unthinkable. Planning that the Ironborn should find a dragon and taking over the Iron Throne is a pretty smart plan. To ignore the myths about the smoking sea, find a valyrian horn, figure out how to use it, and navigate home safely and then convince your people that it is a good plan also is pretty cunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Blue Eyes Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Maester Aemon, Maester Marwyn, Grandmaester Pycelle, Samwell Tarly. Please note the difference between "intelligent" ~ "high IQ" and "successful schemer". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petyr's Little Finger Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Women: Olenna Tyrell Men : Depends really when you consider "book smarts" then Maester Aemon, and Sam Tarly are the most intelligent. When you consider intelligence/high IQ, then Littlefinger, Varys and Tyrion are the smartest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramount Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 To add to this I would call Arya one of the most intelligent female characters she may not be bookish the way Samwell and Olenna are but she is wise and intelligent from experience to say the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 To add to this I would call Arya one of the most intelligent female characters she may not be bookish the way Samwell and Olenna are but she is wise and intelligent from experience to say the least. I wouldn't say so much intelligent. Adaptable, resilient and motivated, yeah, but she doesn't rationally consider her options and choose the best outcome, she just kinda rides the wave of circumstance. Most other characters would likely perish in her situation if they didn't get the plot armour she did. Survives the initial Stark-culling when Ned is arrested by looking like a street urchin because she was off adventuring. Survives with Yoren because he was loyal to her father. Survives when Yoren dies by getting taken prisoner. Escapes Harrenhal by enlisting the aid of a Faceless Man. Gets captured again by the BWB. Escapes, then immediately captured again by The Hound. Leaves him to die when he can no longer protect her and earns passage to Braavos by a weird cultural institution amongst Braavosi. Not much of this can really be considered intelligent, I mean, she doesn't even really have much agency aside from using the coin Jaqen gave her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCat Rivers Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I wouldn't say so much intelligent. Adaptable, resilient and motivated, yeah, but she doesn't rationally consider her options and choose the best outcome, she just kinda rides the wave of circumstance. Most other characters would likely perish in her situation if they didn't get the plot armour she did. Survives the initial Stark-culling when Ned is arrested by looking like a street urchin because she was off adventuring. Survives with Yoren because he was loyal to her father. Survives when Yoren dies by getting taken prisoner. Escapes Harrenhal by enlisting the aid of a Faceless Man. Gets captured again by the BWB. Escapes, then immediately captured again by The Hound. Leaves him to die when he can no longer protect her and earns passage to Braavos by a weird cultural institution amongst Braavosi. Not much of this can really be considered intelligent, I mean, she doesn't even really have much agency aside from using the coin Jaqen gave her. False, that's show only. Does it account for anything, her learning three new languages (Braavosi, Pentosi, Lyseni) plus the trade tongue and improving one more (High Valyrian) in one-two years at most? I suppose it should, since it gives intelligence points to Missandei why not to Arya? (Being good at math is an indication of intelligence, too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.P. Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Varys, Littlefinger, Olenna and Illyrio.Wyman Manderly taunted a few Freys to the point of getting a few of his chins slashed open. Not a very smart move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCat Rivers Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Varys, Littlefinger, Olenna and Illyrio.Wyman Manderly taunted a few Freys to the point of getting a few of his chins slashed open. Not a very smart move. "Count no man happy intelligent based on success until the end is known", Solon. As for Wyman, it depends. He might have done it on purpose. He's old and sick, it's possible that he doesn't care too much about his life and that he's on a suicidal mission. On topic, IMO Samwell is the most intelligent, not only well read but with an innovative and out of the box way of thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolorous22 Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Omitting magic, connections and wealth, I'd say Tyrion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Lannister Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 For me the most intelligent character in this series are the architect(s) of the God's eye conspiracy. Seeing what they did to the realm and how they influenced the events that happened in the times preceding the series itself and the events now, one would be amazed by how much intellect and capability this person(s) has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.P. Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 "Count no man happy intelligent based on success until the end is known", Solon. As for Wyman, it depends. He might have done it on purpose. He's old and sick, it's possible that he doesn't care too much about his life and that he's on a suicidal mission.I didn't think of that. I suspect you're more intelligent than I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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