# Heroes who are intellectuals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995 "2009-05-11T04:38:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/1 "2009-05-11T04:38:54Z")
A curious thing about [The Librarian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Librarian_franchise) is that he is a genius but not an intellectual. He knows everything, but he never seems to think very much about anything; his vast knowledge is merely the tools-and-weapons kit of a detective/action hero. That’s what he is. He’s not big or macho, but detective stuff and action hero stuff are what he **does.** That’s all he has to be in the context of the plots he’s put in. What fictional heroes are also intellectuals, in a way that is essential to their characters? The first that comes to mind is Elric of Melnibone. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/2 "2009-05-11T05:39:22Z")
In the comics, I would point to many characters written by Dennis O’Neil, Steve Englehart and Steve Gerber. The Question, the Beast, Dr. Strange and the third Foolkiller all seem to take the broader view. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/3 "2009-05-11T05:51:06Z")
I suppose it goes back to Mycroft Holmes, who could solve mysteries without his brother Sherlock going every which way gathering clues. Poe’s Dupin didn’t seem to attached to the physical world, either, and solved mysteries by his “ratiocination,” based on only what he could glean from the most common sources. Smart, even intellectual, detectives are a dime a dozen. The SMART ones are those that can solve a mystery from an armchair at their favorite club. 😉 OTOH, Sherlock Holmes held back evidence until the final reveal, and I assume the rest do, too. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/4 "2009-05-11T05:58:29Z")
Would Spock qualify? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/5 "2009-05-11T06:12:14Z")
Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. Incidentally, for a moment I thought the OP was referring to a different Librarian - who is also an intellectual, as well as a crack shot with a banana. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/6 "2009-05-11T06:18:01Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I suppose it goes back to Mycroft Holmes, who could solve mysteries without his brother Sherlock going every which way gathering clues. Poe’s Dupin didn’t seem to attached to the physical world, either, and solved mysteries by his “ratiocination,” based on only what he could glean from the most common sources. The same is true of Nero Wolfe, who made it a point not to leave his apartment (although he does have Archie). ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/7 "2009-05-11T06:47:41Z")
John Galt . . . intellectual and long-winded. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/8 "2009-05-11T06:49:10Z")
Wolfe wouldn’t leave his brownstone for the purpose of solving a case. He would leave if given enough incentive…such as an orchid show, or if someone flattered him enough to cook a meal (Fritz was an excellent cook, but Wolfe was an even better one). Wolfe was ready to enlist in WWII, apparently as a common soldier, but Archie (who was an officer) manage to persuade him that the US had enough men who could shoot a rifle, but that Wolfe was a genius who shouldn’t be wasted as cannon fodder. Wolfe also visited a restaurant on a regular basis. However, for the most part, Wolfe was very happy with his home and didn’t set foot outside of it. Batman is traditionally portrayed as being very intelligent. Not only is he fabulously rich, but he’s an inventor, and makes most (if not all) of his special gadgets. It’s true that he’s very athletic, but all of his strength and agility would be for nothing if he didn’t have his smarts, as well. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/9 "2009-05-11T07:33:41Z")
IF you consider him a hero, Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/10 "2009-05-11T08:03:57Z")
Grosvenor the Nexialist in _Voyage of the Space Beagle_ ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/11 "2009-05-11T08:50:06Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > A curious thing about [The Librarian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Librarian_franchise) is that he is a genius but not an intellectual. He knows everything, but he never seems to think very much about anything; his vast knowledge is merely the tools-and-weapons kit of a detective/action hero. That’s what he is. He’s not big or macho, but detective stuff and action hero stuff are what he **does.** That’s all he has to be in the context of the plots he’s put in. Can you clarify what you mean by saying someone is intellectual? Because in my book anyone who uses knowledge, logic, and other mental attributes to solve problems seems intellectual to me. Odesio ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/12 "2009-05-11T11:22:54Z")
Reed Richards, AKA Mr. Fantastic ---
**Author:** ![mrpayday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@mrpayday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrpayday)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/13 "2009-05-11T11:22:56Z")
Doc Savage, who according to wikipedia is “a physician, surgeon, scientist, adventurer, inventor, explorer, researcher, and, as revealed in The Devil Genghis, a musician.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/14 "2009-05-11T12:50:27Z")
[The Old Man in the Corner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Man_In_the_Corner) – probably the first armchair detective. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/15 "2009-05-11T13:47:48Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Can you clarify what you mean by saying someone is intellectual? Because in my book anyone who uses knowledge, logic, and other mental attributes to solve problems seems intellectual to me. > > Odesio An intellectual is someone who is passionately interested in knowledge and ideas **for their own sake,** not just as problem-solving tools. Batman, like the Librarian, is brilliant but no intellectual. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/16 "2009-05-11T13:57:43Z")
Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter from Stargate SG1 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/17 "2009-05-11T13:57:46Z")
Wesley Windham Price is an intellectual, though that tends to change over time. He is an idealistic intellectual when he is introduced on Buffy, but dies a hopeless, lonely, tough dude. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/18 "2009-05-11T13:58:30Z")
I dunno, the Librarian had what, 20 PhDs or something like that? Strikes me as someone who pursues knowledge for its own sake, at least before the hwas the capital “L” Librarian. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/19 "2009-05-11T14:14:50Z")
Tarl Cabot - he was a Professor before he became a Gorean hero, and can converse on any topic. ---
**Author:** ![Ducktail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@Ducktail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ducktail)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995/20 "2009-05-11T14:46:04Z")
The Doctor pretty much qualifies as an intellectual (interested in knowledge for its own sake), although he might object to being labeled a hero. (Perhaps just “fantastic!” would suffice.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heroes-who-are-intellectuals/495995.md?page=2)