Given that Leverage relies upon its main crew's highly specialized abilities in order to carry out its long con stories, the intelligence of its cast of characters is generally high.
Whether they're adept at reading people, manipulating technology, crafting many-layered plans, or hold any number of other talents, the best characters in Leverage—both friends and foe—bring something special to the series. Seeing these talents combine as the crew initiate their plans makes for a satisfying watch, as does their development over the course of the show's run.
Dr. Maggie Collins
Ex-wife to Nate and a friend to Sophie, Maggie Collins only made a handful of appearances in Leverage, but each episode saw her showcase her skills to great effect.
An expert in art history, Maggie first appeared in season 1's "The First David Job", working as a curator at the LA Museum of Classical Art. Soon pulled into Nate and the team's world, Maggie proves herself a quick learner, taking part in their con. In season 4's "The Last Dam Job" Maggie appears again when the crew needs a back-up grifter to trick Victor Dubenich, a role she tackles with ease despite her relative inexperience.
James Sterling
A former colleague and longtime rival of Nate's at the IYS insurance firm, James (or Jim) Sterling often comes up against the Leverage team, particularly after he lands a job at Interpol.
Constantly striving to gain the upper hand against Nate, the pair's competition has been closely matched, proving Sterling's talent as an investigator, though he's usually outwitted in the end. Despite his animosity for Nate and his crew, Sterling's could somewhat be considered a TV character that went from villain to friend, as he works alongside Nate in "The Queen's Gambit Job", and ultimately assists his escape in "The Long Goodbye Job".
Damien Moreau
The overarching villain of Leverage's third season, and a mastermind with ties to Eliot's past, Damien Moreau is a challenging target for the crew.
Moreau's status as a hugely influential financier, with ties to several crime organizations, led to his expansion into smuggling and trafficking, giving him power in multiple criminal domains. His intelligence is evidenced not only through the success of his operation, but also in the way he positions himself on the island of San Lorenzo, out of reach from prosecution.
Tara Cole
A friend of Sophie's sent to aid the Leverage team when she herself was taking a break, Tara Cole is an experienced grifter whose past includes some level of training at Quantico.
Knowing that the crew would be suspicious of a new grifter, Tara's introduction to the group saw her secretly infiltrate one of the team's missions, a move that proves her worth to them after her new identity is discovered. Aside from her proficiency as a solo grifter, Tara also works well in the Leverage crew, where she made use of other talents like her multilingualism and training in cryptography.
Breanna Casey
First making her appearance in the show's revival, Leverage: Redemption, Breanna Casey is Hardison's foster sister, and she shares his affinity for technology.
Breanna quickly earned her place as one of the best characters in Leverage: Redemption, owing in part to her quick wit and strong moral standing. In addition to this, Breanna is a fantastic mechanical engineer, and she uses these skills in her role on the team to great effect. Breanna's hacking skills and knowledge of social media have also aided the crew in new and impressive ways.
Sophie Devereaux
Though a handful of the best TV shows like Leverage also feature characters who are talented grifters, none compare to the prowess of Sophie Devereaux.
An expert in reading people no matter the social situation, Sophie's position as part of the Leverage team is invaluable, and the crew immediately feels her absence when she briefly leaves them in season 2. Able to convincingly play a wide range of roles in the team's cons, with an affinity for guiding her mark's focus and responses to achieve her aims, Sophie is truly the best at what she does.
Eliot Spencer
Though he's often lauded as the physically-talented hitter, in contrast to his teammates' more cerebral skills, Eliot Spencer has a more diverse range of abilities than it first appears.
Aside from his mastery in all manner of fighting skills, Eliot is also the team's retrieval specialist, with experience as a tactician that grants him insight into criminal enterprises. His trademark ability to also recognize a person or object from its "distinctive" properties shows his incredible observation skills, while his talents as a chef, guitarist, and sportsman have had a big impact on several cons.
Nate Ford
The Leverage team's original mastermind and the man who guided their earliest operations, Nathan Ford honed his knowledge of the criminal world while working as an insurance investigator for IYS.
Despite his early misgivings about the ability of his assigned crew to be able to work together in harmony, and his personal hangups about working outside of the law, Nate soon illustrated why he'd been chosen by Victor Dubenich. His expertise in devising cons, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of both his marks and his allies, and ability to rapidly adjust his plans kept Nate and his team coming out on top.
Parker
Although she's brought into the Leverage crew because of her status as an expert thief, Parker grows to pick up many other valuable skills from her teammates.
Given this, it was unsurprising that when the original Leverage TV show ended 10 years ago, Parker was left in charge as the group's new mastermind. Alongside her world-class talents as a thief, which include dismantling complex security systems and feats of astonishing gymnastics, Parker gradually develops her own skills as a grifter with Sophie's assistance, and from watching Nate learns to plan and breakdown cons in the same way she approaches a heist.
Alec Hardison
He may be one of the youngest members of Leverage's original team, but Alec Hardison has the intelligence to overcome any obstacle.
Though he starts off his journey as the crew's hacker, providing vital intel to the team, Hardison soon starts crafting tech gadgets that are often crucial for their success, and later even acts as a forger, replicating an antique book that will hold up under scrutiny in "The King George Job". Furthermore, Hardison's commitment to learning how to grift, and strong social skills all contribute to Eliot's assertion in "The Rundown Job" that Hardison's "the smartest guy I've ever known".