From heroes to villains, there is no doubt that the characters in Amazon Prime's The Manor showcased essential wit throughout their situation. In such a hauntingly terrifying scenario such as the supernatural killings of The Manor, those involved had to be extremely smart to make it out alive.
Even the characters who fell victim to the ritualistic sacrifices were intelligent in their own ways, even if they couldn't quite figure out a way to avoid their tragic deaths. While some characters were smart for suspecting that things in The Manor were not as they seemed, many other characters in the film were smart for their consistent deception against those suspecting victims.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is the first nurse that Judith meets after being admitted to The Manor. Though she comes off as hit harsh, there is no doubt that Elizabeth is smart in the sense that she is good at her job.
When it comes to dealing with her patients, Judith specifically, Elizabeth knows how to put people in their place. She ensures complacency to hide the truth from patients, such as when she tries to convince Judith that her terrifying vision of a man-like creature was only a nightmare. Because of Elizabeth's quick-witted assertiveness, Judith is forced to ignore the creature in her room for the night.
Mrs. Benson
Mrs. Benson, the operating director of The Manor, knows how to expertly thwart any action that may go against the planned sacrifices within the nursing home. She convinces Judith's family that she is truly ill and must stay within the home for her own safety, despite this not being the full truth.
For example, when Judith wants to go outside for some fresh air, Mrs. Benson knows exactly how to manipulate Judith into thinking she is safe in The Manor. And while it is suggested that Judith doesn't fully believe her, Mrs. Benson had still been successful as the deceitful director of the nursing home until Judith figured out the pattern.
Imogen
Those who fell victim to the murders of The Manor once Judith was admitted to the home were clearly starting to catch on to the evil doings, Imogen included. Though she was shut down and dismissed every time, she tried to warn Judith of her impending doom by shouting "go away!" and "help me get out!"
Other than Judith, Imogen was the only admitted nursing home patient smart enough to voice the concerns about the sacrifices. Although she didn't make it out alive, she did all she could by crying for help, which is a move that anyone in her situation would be intelligent for doing.
Judith
As the main character in The Manor, Judith is one of the only characters who seems to have common sense throughout the movie. She becomes rightfully suspicious of the supernatural happenings within The Manor, and eventually she sets off to find information for herself when every other character either refuses to believe her or tries to convince her that she is perfectly safe.
Judith makes many smart moves in The Manor, such as breaking into Mrs. Benson's office and discovering that the main nursing home staff are all suspiciously related to her so-called friends. And although Judith was quite intelligent for uncovering the truth, in a strange plot twist at the end of the movie, she joins the witches anyway in their sacrificial killings - a move that could too be seen as smart for her safety in the long run.
Annette
Of all the nursing home patients, Annette knows the most about the evil forces that lurk within The Manor. Annette was so smart that she was able to figure out nearly the entire sacrificial situation before she tragically fell victim to it, as proven in her patterned list of victims that she handed to Judith before her death.
It is majorly thanks to Annette that Judith is able to finally discover the truth about The Manor. Without Annette's warnings, Judith would have never been able to save herself in the end.
Ruth
Ruth is one of the many characters in The Manor who tricks Judith into friendship in an attempt to sacrifice her. She appears extremely friendly at first, making it easy for both audiences and Judith alike to believe that she can do no wrong.
On top of being intelligent as a master of deception, Ruth makes the wittiest comments of the group of friends, making her smart in that aspect as well.
Trish
Like Ruth, Trish seems to be a friendly face at first. She is smart in the same deceptive way, working together with Ruth and Roland to maintain their cover as Judith’s pals.
At the end of The Manor when Judith and Josh discover the full truth about the sacrificial ritual upon seeing Trish, Ruth, and Roland mid-performance, it is Trish who majorly convinces the two to join the witches instead of ending their practice. Her smart words during this final monologue undoubtedly helped motivate Judith and Josh’s switch to the dark side.
Roland
Another character smart for his deceitfulness, Roland turned out to be quite the charming horror villain. At first, he is Judith’s potential love interest, leading most to believe he will end up on her side in the end.
Throughout most of the film, it is easy to root for Roland due to his genius guise and master manipulation. Of course, Roland’s intelligence falls short at the end of the film when he accidentally sacrifices himself instead of Judith.
Josh
Josh is one of the smartest characters in The Manor in the sense that he is observant. He pays the most attention to his grandmother Judith, genuinely considering her suspicions about supernatural forces within the nursing home. Without Josh’s intelligence to investigate more into the situation, Judith would have likely fallen victim to the sacrifice.
Even after grieving the loss of his father, Josh still shows up for Judith throughout the terrifying journey. Although, he may not have learned the necessary moral lesson about death that he clearly needed to understand once he and Judith joined the witches at the end.
Ozzie the Cat
Ozzie the Cat is perhaps the most obviously smart character in The Manor. He can predict who will die next within the nursing home, such as when he approaches Annette just before her passing. Even Roland points out, “cats are smart that way.”
Thanks to Ozzie curling up to Judith before the night of her near-sacrifice, Judith was able to stop the ritual before it actually occurred. Ozzie saved Judith’s life by warning her, making the cat a hero of the movie in his own right.