The detectives of Brooklyn Nine-Nine are a mixed bag of brilliant and goofy, but the true star of the precinct was Gina Linetti. She was paid to be Captain Holt's assistant but more often than not, she didn't work. Gina somehow managed to play the airhead that didn't know anything but also exuded confidence fitting for her true brilliance.
There's a reason a group of psychologists once referred to her as the complete overlap of the id and the ego. She proved time and again, how smart and overconfident she was. Here are the 10 best Gina Linetti quotes.
"Amateur. Always say your insults to someone’s face. No paper trail."
Gina has no problem telling it like it is and insulting people to their faces. More than that, she understands the best way to burn someone is verbally and in person so that there is no way to bring up the receipts. She knows that relying on someone's word doesn't hold up in an official capacity.
It's one of the many times Gina proves she's a savage and a genius. It also shows how willing she is to pass on her knowledge to those less brilliant than her.
"Wait, first, let's say a prayer..."
As Gina and Amy coped with waiting for Rosa Diaz to come back from a mass shooting, they worked together to fix the ladies' restroom that had been driving their friend crazy by being out of order. Gina sent this plea to her idols: "Wait, first, let's say a prayer. Dear Beyonce, Solange, Rihanna, someone cool that's white, Cardi B, please bless this flush. A-women."
There are a few layers of humor in this quote. Gina understands that women of color are powerful forces and she believes in a feminine higher power.
"But isn't Gina Linetti more of a state of mind?"
Gina Linetti goes beyond ordinary humanity and she knows it. Her confidence is unshakeable and she holds her own in a world that wants to make her believe she's crazy. But Gina knows better than to give in to the naysayers and exudes an energy that makes her someone more than human.
She is divine and she embraces it. Her life force is one that others can harness themselves if they follow her lead. If more women tapped into their inner Gina Linettis, the world would be a better place.
"Captain, turn your greatest weakness into your greatest strength..."
Gina dropped a pearl of wisdom when it was most needed. Captain Holt's intelligence often hindered his ability to see beyond the surface. That's where Gina came in. When a computer hacker proved smart enough to break through the precinct's systems, Holt wanted to prosecute him for cybercrime.
But Gina saw the potential in turning an enemy into an ally. She told her boss, "Captain, turn your greatest weakness into your greatest strength. Like Paris Hilton RE: her sex tape." It's a strange comparison, but ultimately not wrong.
"If Rosa had a twin, she would have eaten her in the womb."
This quote shows how well Gina knows her friends. Rosa is known as the precinct's toughest detective, kicking butt and taking names. Gina admires this quality in Rosa. The captain's assistant has nothing but respect for a woman that is willing to betray her blood to get ahead in life.
There's something sweet about two fierce and scary women having each other's backs. But admiration and trust are not the same, and Gina knows that when it comes to Rosa, she always has to watch her back.
"The English language cannot fully capture the depth and complexity of my thoughts..."
Gina is observant and social media savvy, so of course, she recognized the linguistic trend of incorporating emojis in text to augment the message. But she took it a step further with this statement: "The English language cannot fully capture the depth and complexity of my thoughts, so I’m incorporating emoji into my speech to better express myself. Winky face."
She transformed the visual communication component into a verbal one. To some, it seemed absurd, but to those who understood the nuance of human language and communication, Gina was brilliant.
"I worked at a sunglass kiosk at the mall for four years, so not only have I been through hell, I was assistant manager there."
With this statement, Gina proves she knows the truth about retail: it's hell. More than that, she asserts her rightful place in the seat of authority where the Devil should rule. She is so efficient in taking the lead that she would never succumb to being one of the tortured souls of eternal damnation; she would control it.
This quote shows that Gina Linetti is no pushover. She's a strong, capable woman, and she knows it. No one can stop her from getting to the top where she belongs.
"I'm scared of businessmen..."
Even the fierce Gina Linetti has her fears. She never wants to work in an ordinary office with generic businessmen because they lack the pizzazz she deserves. She knows that "A whole army of gray-suited Brads and Chads trying to suck my soul and redeem it for frequent flyer miles," is the stuff of nightmares.
But in a spectacular show of solidarity with her fellow women of the Nine-Nine, Gina faces her fears. She dons a drab gray suit and infiltrates a group of businessmen at a coffee shop.
"I was thinking how I would make the perfect American president based upon my skill set, dance ability, and blood lust."
Once more Gina proves she is made for leadership. Considering a certain former member of the Cabinet did a stint on Dancing With the Stars recently, Gina's comment that an ability to dance indicates one's leadership skills is prescient.
While many at the Nine-Nine don't know what her skill set is, Gina is aware that hers is just what the country needs in a leader. As for blood lust, any idiot knows that's a requisite for the highest position in the Oval Office. If anyone can assert their status as a leader, it's Gina.
"I grew up forging report cards..."
When Gina said, "I grew up forging report cards. If people knew how smart I was, it would have been harder to control them," she proved once and for all that she has been brilliant from the moment she was born. She knew that to get others to do her bidding, she had to make herself seem incapable.
By allowing the world to underestimate her, she ensured she never worked a day in her life. This made her the perfect fit for a boss: take all the credit and do none of the work.