10 Smartest Cartoon Network Characters, Ranked

These Cartoon Network characters are all brilliant in their own right, but only one can come out on top when ranking the smartest of them all.

Over the years, Cartoon Network has been home to many brilliant heroes and villains alike. Oftentimes these characters get themselves into trouble, but they are usually mentally equipped to claw themselves out of any unfortunate circumstances.

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Sometimes intelligence is displayed through accolades in the fields of mathematics and science, other times it’s through general wisdom and the ability to solve difficult situations with clever solutions. One thing’s for sure, these characters are clearly some of the most intelligent ever seen on Cartoon Network.

Skips (Regular Show)

As the park groundskeeper and one of the most likable characters in Regular Show, Skips may appear to be a very unassuming character, at first glance. The truth though, is that Skips is an immortal being who has seen and experienced more than most could ever imagine.

Skips shares his wisdom with Mordecai and Rigby throughout the series, often bailing them out of their ridiculous antics — like the time Skips cheated Death himself to resurrect Rigby after an arm-wrestling match gone wrong.

Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time)

When she’s not busy presiding over her subjects as the ruler of the Candy Kingdom, Princess Bubblegum is also an expert scientist and inventor. She utilized these skills to fashion her own laboratory and created the Candy People to live in her domain.

Her creations don’t always pan out as planned, like the time she created Goliad and Stormo, but more often than not she’s capable of bailing Finn and Jake out of their problems. 

Numbah 1 (Codename: Kids Next Door)

As the son of the very first KND agent and leader of Sector V, Numbah 1’s reputation as an agent precedes him. He frequently utilizes his tactical genius to successfully complete dangerous missions for the organization to prevent Father and other adults from ruling the world.

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Numbah 1 is such a formidable leader that he was even a candidate to become the next Supreme Leader of the KND. Despite his young age, he displays such mental acumen to rival even some of the greatest secret agents in fiction.

Cyborg (Teen Titans)

While Cyborg’s half-human side is a carefree jokester, his half-cybernetic side allows him to display a wealth of scientific knowledge and expertise. With a background in robotics, engineering, physics, and computer science, Cyborg is a certified genius.

This is a big reason why he was selected to be tech expert for the Teen Titans, charged with the security and defense of Titans Tower. Without Cyborg around, the Titans would have been ill-equipped to handle many of the villains they faced off against.

Mojo Jojo (Powerpuff Girls)

When Mojo Jojo pushed Professor Utonium towards a fragile flask of Chemical X, he not only created the superpowered Powerpuff Girls but also sparked the beginning of his own story as a supervillain. The Chemical X compound caused several mutations for Jojo, including green skin, an enlarged brain, and significantly enhanced intelligence.

Mojo Jojo’s superior intellect has made him one of the Powerpuff Girl’s most formidable foes, as he is one of the few villains that have actually managed to defeat the trio through his evil plots. On rare occasions, he has also used his cunning for good, like the time he stopped an enormous alien from invading Earth.

Susan & Mary Test (Johnny Test)

Twins and elder siblings to their troublemaking little brother Johnny, Susan and Mary Test are never short of problems to solve. Fortunately, as they never fail to remind viewers, they’re such geniuses.

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Although Susan and Mary are just teenagers, their combined intellect makes for a dangerous duo. Whenever Johnny gets himself into trouble, the sisters are always able to devise a solution, even when pitted against the immense wealth of Bling-Bling Boy or the alien forces of Dark Vegan.

Bruce Wayne (Batman Beyond)

This version of Bruce Wayne was one not many were accustomed to seeing, as the former caped crusader had gotten too old to continue his crimefighting ways. While he’s still capable in the field, Batman’s treasure trove of martial and scientific knowledge is too valuable to risk losing.

Terry McGinnis, a new character with no comic origins, discovers Bruce’s secret and eventually becomes the heir to the cowl in Batman Beyond, a popular Warner Bros. Kids show that many have since forgotten. With Bruce offering technical assistance from the Batcave, Terry goes on to become a hero capable of rivaling the original Batman himself.

Chancellor Palpatine (Star Wars: Clone Wars)

It takes a true genius to pull the correct strings and bring down the galaxy’s most powerful organization without so much as ever being suspected of sinister intentions. That’s exactly what Sheev Palpatine did, as he masterminded the fall of the Jedi Order and ushered in the reign of the Sith.

Palpatine made use of his allies and foes alike, tactfully pushing pieces on both sides of the chessboard until everything aligned for him to eventually become the Emperor. While Palpatine is arguably the most powerful being in the galaxy, he may also be the most intelligent in Star Wars: Clone Wars, as his raw intelligence in the fields of espionage and deceit is what makes him truly dangerous.

Grey Matter (Ben 10)

In spite of his stature, Grey Matter is Ben Tennyson’s answer to any issue that requires brains over brawn, and one of the most valuable aliens in the Omnitrix. While he may not be a physical threat, his ability to solve any problem made him one of Ben’s favorite aliens.

Standing four inches tall, Grey Matter is a sample from an alien race known as the Galvans. As an expert in technology, engineering, and biology, Grey Matter usually has the answer for any problem Ben faces. The Galvan race also has the ability to rapidly learn new skills and information, so anything Grey Matter doesn’t know, won’t take long for him to figure out.

Dexter (Dexter’s Laboratory)

Though he may be just a child, Dexter’s achievements make him without a doubt the smartest character in Cartoon Network history. In fact, he is so intelligent, that he often makes rival supergenius Mandark look foolish in comparison.

Some of Dexter’s scientific achievements include time travel and time manipulation, cloning, genetic alteration, interdimensional travel, and much more. When he sets his mind to things, it seems there’s nothing he can’t achieve — besides devising a way to stop DeeDee from ruining his inventions, that is.

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