3 Marvel Characters Actually Smarter Than Tony Stark in the MCU

Tony Stark earned his reputation as one of the most forward-thinking minds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The heroic tech mogul synthesized an advanced AI assistant (J.A.R.V.I.S), perfected time travel in a single night, and, as Obadiah Stane hilariously exclaimed, Stark was able to build his first Iron Man suit “with a box of scraps” while held captive. Not to mention, he invented state-of-the-art combat suits like the Hulkbuster and Iron-Spider, while also making advancements in nanotechnology.

Despite his impressive technological advancements and supreme engineering skills, Stark is not the smartest person in the MCU. In fact, he isn’t the second-smartest person, either. The MCU is filled with intellectual minds capable of pushing the scientific boundaries of what was previously deemed possible, and more (like Franklin Richards) could soon add to that total. Let’s analyze a few characters that are actually smarter than Tony Stark in the MCU.

1) Princess Shuri

Though her athletic prowess has taken center stage since upholding the mantle of Black Panther, the protector of Wakanda, let’s not forget that Shuri is in contention for the MCU’s smartest character.

A child prodigy with a genius-level intellect, Shuri is responsible for several life-changing inventions in Wakanda and abroad. She engineered all of the Black Panther suits, Kimoyo Beads for communication and data access, a Wakandan high-speed rail, and Bucky Barnes’ restructured mechanical arm. Using vibranium and nanotechnology, she helped equip the Wakandan army with advanced weaponry and fighter aircraft.

Shuri’s intelligence goes beyond engineering, too, as she is also a doctor and master physician responsible for Wakanda’s medical developments. Plus, unlike Tony Stark, who achieved most of his technological advancements in his adulthood, Shuri accomplished the aforementioned feats as a teenager and could become even wiser with time.

2) Reed Richards

One of the latest additions to the MCU, Reed Richards is already one of the brightest minds in the cinematic universe. Richards, the founder of the Fantastic Four, has studied (and excelled in) practically every field of science and uses that knowledge advantageously to protect the planet.

By the 1960s, Richards had already invented teleportation technology, artificial intelligence, flying cars, and teleportation capable of traveling faster than the speed of light. He isn’t just smart; Richards is a flat-out genius whose intellect may be his best asset (even beyond his stretching ability).

In his MCU debut, Richards mastered teleportation on a planetary scale and helped devise a plan to protect Earth (and countless other planets) from Galactus’ wrath. With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, expect the brainy Richards to be a major player in the MCU moving forward.

3) Hank Pym

Typically, if you invent particles that allow users to shrink down to a microscopic level or grow to the size of a skyscraper, you’d be considered the smartest man in the world. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, such a feat hardly lands you in the top three brightest minds. Such is the case with Dr. Henry “Hank” Pym, an entomologist and physicist who developed the Ant-Man Suit after discovering the Pym Particles, subatomic particles that can increase or reduce mass, as well as density and strength.

Pym was the original Ant-Man and worked alongside his wife Janet van Dyne, who operated as the Wasp. Working as S.H.I.E.L.D consultants, the couple frequently took on missions together. However, while attempting to stop a Soviet Union missile, Pym’s wife, Janet, sacrificed herself to save millions of lives, leading Pym to retire his role as Ant-Man.

Despite no longer being in the field as a microscopic hero, Pym’s mastery of Pym Particles still made a major difference in his absence. Not only did it lead to Scott Lang becoming his eventual heir as Ant-Man, but the discovery of the Quantum Realm, and its differing passage of time from Earth, played a major role in Tony Stark developing time travel to defeat Thanos.

As such, Pym should be acknowledged as one of the smartest characters in the MCU. His scientific discoveries unearthed an entire realm, and his role as Ant-Man set the precedent for one of the most underrated Avengers. Plus, he founded Pym Technologies, which advanced the fields of nanotechnology, human enhancements, and molecular and atomic studies, earning Pym a distinguished reputation in the technology community.

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