Considering that The Mysterious Benedict Society is all about four gifted children stopping a nefarious plot that could rid the world of free will, it's not a surprise that there are some brilliant characters in the series. Each of the characters, however, is smart in very different ways.
In fact, within the show, the characters don't measure intelligence in traditional testing means. It's clear that emotional intelligence and mechanical applications are just as important as academic pursuits. The smartest characters in the series all have different ways of showcasing just how genius they are.
10 Rhonda
At first glance, Rhonda might not stand out among the smartest characters. The trouble is that the series doesn't delve as much into her problem-solving skills as it does the other characters. However, Rhonda is clearly a good actress, an accomplished graffiti artist, and a good cook.
She's not as likely to successfully pull off defensive moves as Mr. Benedict's other associates, but she does have a keen understanding of the emotional states of those she interacts with. When testing the other children, she knows exactly who to drop her pencil in front of to gauge their empathy, for example.
9 Number 2
With her initial vocabulary mistakes and her employment as comedic relief, Number 2 doesn't seem like the smartest of Mr. Benedict's allies. That's not the case. She's actually much smarter than the character first appears, though her intelligence is born out of her suspicions of others.
While Mr. Benedict is ready to accept just about anyone who can solve a puzzle into his friend group, Number 2 is not. Instead, she questions everyone's intentions, like Miss Perumal when she locates them in the woods. She also has the presence of mind to tail Rhonda when she leaves the group to head into town. Her suspicions allow her to learn more about these people, even if they don't form fast friendships immediately.
8 Milligan
Milligan is Mr. Benedict's right-hand - even more so than Number 2. He tends to the grounds at the house, drives the vehicles for the group, gathers food when they're hiding out in the woods, and even sneaks into occupied buildings. Milligan can do just about anything he puts his mind to.
He's deceptively smarter than the other characters give him credit for, despite him spending his time in the series with a severe lack of memory. Milligan is able to provide Rhonda and Number 2 with the perfect ingredients for a feast in the woods and keep a rapidly falling apart submarine going long enough to survive. He has a lot of knowledge stored in that brain despite him not realizing it.
7 Kate
Kate isn't a great test-taker, that's for sure. She doesn't have a head for facts or figures, but she does have excellent spatial reasoning skills. Kate is able to see her environment in a way that others can't.
With her trusty bucket, Kate has a variety of household items at her disposal that she can use to MacGyver her way out of just about any situation. She quickly figures out her way through ventilation systems, walks tight ropes, and scales buildings. Kate might not be book-smart, but she's very intelligent.
6 Sticky
Sticky has the same skill that many of television's greatest detectives have: a photographic memory. For Sticky, that means he's unable to forget any fact he's ever seen. That certainly gives him an edge on tests compared to Kate.
Sticky is a master at spelling, reciting factoids, solving complex math problems, and memorizing formulas. He's a big help to his friends in areas like using Morse Code, even if he isn't the best at improvising in hostile situations.
5 Dr. Curtain
Dr. Curtain might be the villain of the series, but there's no denying he's a smart one. He's observant enough to catch the smallest bodily cues when someone lies to him. He's even suspicious of his new students right away.
Of course, he's also smart enough to gather the brilliant scientists who are capable of wiping memories and sending subliminal messages out into the world. His plans might be evil, but his mind is top-notch.
4 Constance
Constance has a bit of an unfair advantage when it comes to her friends. She doesn't have to rely on her abilities of memorization or thinking outside the box. That's because she's got some psychic abilities.
She's able to see what others don't because she can see what's going on below the surface. Constance doesn't allow Kate, Reynie, or Sticky to get too close initially, but she's got their marks pretty well. She understands what motivates them - and how to use that to her advantage. It's Constance who figures out how to stop the Whisperer when the plan falls apart, finally allowing her new friends to see her for who she really is.
3 Miss Perumal
Miss Perumal comes to the audience from a long line of fictional TV teachers. She might not be as adventurous as Ms. Frizzle or as demanding as Annalise Keating, but she's certainly as intelligent as both.
Miss Perumal spends her time tutoring Reynie in a variety of subjects, even teaching him the Tamil language. Beyond her obviously being a capable teacher, however, is the fact that she's also a capable puzzle solver. She manages to track down Mr. Benedict and his associates in the middle of the woods based on a single post office box and following its trail of clues.
2 Mr. Benedict
The man who provides the name for the foursome of Kate, Sticky, Constance, and Reynie is a bit of a recluse, but he inspires loyalty in those around them. He also is every bit as brilliant as his twin brother Dr. Curtain.
No one else, after all, notices that The Emergency is a contrived plot to get people to continue watching and listening to mass broadcasts. The tests to find the children are his brainchild. He's smart enough to realize as well that, for all his brilliance, he can't stop his brother alone. That's why Mr. Benedict gathers the smartest minds around him for help.
1 Reynie
Reynie appears to have the observation skills of all of his friends combined, and he doesn't even have Constance's psychic abilities to aid him. While they might have more difficult approaches to solving their problems, Reynie observes and comes at his problems directly, just like he does when presented with a black and white floor pattern and the challenge to not step on the black or white squares.
Reynie takes the knowledge that someone like Sticky has, the applied skills that someone like Kate has, and manages to combine them. That's why he's the team leader. Reynie is easily the smartest of The Mysterious Benedict Society.
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August 10, 2021 at 12:00AM
