Whether it be in the courtroom or the seedy underbelly of New York City, Daredevil provided audiences with an array of intelligent characters over its short-lived three-season run from 2015 to 2018. The show featured crime lords, attorneys, and host of other characters, each trying to outwit one another, with varying degrees of success.
There are many different ways intelligence can present itself, it can be through education, or it could be emotional intelligence. Or perhaps a lack of formal education forces an individual to learn in other ways and through other means. With this in mind, here are Daredevil's 10 most intelligent characters.
Vanessa
On paper Venessa seems intelligent, she's well educated and is living among high society, running her own successful art gallery. However, that all changes one fateful night when she encounters the imposing Wilson Fisk. He has just the right combo of a deep commanding voice and bald head that ticks all her boxes.
The situation becomes more complex when she discovers he's a crime lord, but that doesn't put her off and she embraces her new identity and leaves her old life behind. Based on these actions it's clear that Venessa no longer thinks with her head, but rather her heart. Leading her to make some less than smart life decisions.
The Punisher
What Frank Castle aka The Punisher lacks in a formal education he more than makes up for with his enormous firepower. His creative and quick thinking gives him the ability to strategize and outsmart his enemies, more than showing his high level of intelligence.
His intelligence enables him to take on almost anyone in a physical fight and overcome them. Whether they be criminal gangs, violent prisoners, or corrupt military men. He was even able to physically overpower Daredevil. Delivering a devastating bullet to the head and chaining him up on a rooftop.
Wesley
As The Kingpin's right-hand man Wesley was under an extreme amount of pressure to meet The Kingpin's high standards. But despite all this, he flourished and was deeply trusted becoming a genuine friend to Wilson Fisk.
Displaying his high level of intelligence and cunning Wesley was the guy that made things happen and was highly dependable, never letting his boss down. However, his untimely end was very much his own fault. Killed by Karen Paige using his own gun to add insult to injury. In Wesley's final moments he made a mistake and misplayed a situation, costing him his life.
Stick
It's clear that Stick it highly intelligent, after all, he taught Matt Murdock everything he knows. And despite being born blind that hasn't held him back, he can function perfectly well day to day and kick anyone's ass.
His dogmatic pursuit of fighting evil informs his every action, and the endless war against The Hand clan provides him with ample motivation to keep going. But it's this relentless pursuit that drags him down. He sees the world in black and white (not literally), as good and evil, with no nuance. And so he has no problem with killing. It's this that holds him back and stops him from placing higher on this list.
Marci
Marci is a brilliant lawyer, with an excellent education. Furthermore, she has a great job at one of the top law firms in New York City. It's clear that she's up there with Foggy Nelson and Matt Murdock, able to represent the most high profile clients.
But it's the clients she chooses to represent that shows her lack of intelligence, representing anyone, no matter the moral implications. Thankfully Marci drastically developed as a character over Daredevil's three seasons and in the end transformed herself completely and found her moral compass.
Karen Paige
Karen Paige has achieved a lot from her humble and troubled beginnings. A small-town girl on a bad path she transformed herself into a respectable and responsible professional. Furthermore, she has shown herself to be one of the most adaptable people, able to turn her hand to anything from law to journalism.
Though she really shined and showed her intelligence through her work in journalism. Following leads and investigating she was able to get to the heart of stories and uncover corruption. Showing herself to be an invaluable asset to The New York Bulletin.
Ben Urich
Ben Urich made a name for himself as a journalist at The New York Bulletin. Throughout his career spanning decades, he has broken many big stories and found corruption where it was hidden. But in Daredevil we find him in the twilight of his career, where journalism is an altogether different game.
But in his final case, Ben Urich was able to demonstrate just how intelligent he really is. Following every lead he could, he dug deep and deeper into Wilson Fisk's affairs to uncover the criminal dealing he was involved with. Unfortunately, he strayed to Fisk's personal life, and it cost him his life.
Foggy Nelson
Undoubtedly one of the best lawyers, if not the best, Foggy Nelson effortlessly demonstrates his intelligence. Highly educated and at the top of his class, despite his carefree and lighthearted appearance, Foggy is as clever as they come and one of Daredevil's best-supporting characters.
With a large and loving family, Foggy has been instilled with the right values that informed both his personal and professional life. Bravely turning down a job at a large law firm, and instead, starting his own with Matt Murdock, enabling them to represent clients that truly need their help. Foggy is as bright as a button with a conscience to boot.
Matt Murdock
From humble beginnings, as the son of a boxer, Matt excelled at school and has made something of his life. Now running an independent law firm. Not bad. But beyond his professional success, he also does the whole crime-fighting thing on the side.
It though his double life as a masked vigilante where his unbeliever intelligence comes through. Using all his wits to uncover the corruption that plagues New York and take it upon himself to single-handedly stop it. The physical exhaustion that leading a double life takes upon him is unbearable, but the psychological toll is unfathomable.
Wilson Fisk
The ultimate master criminal Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin began by leading a double life, much as Matt Murdock did. By day a businessman and philanthropist, and by night and a fearsome crime lord. But it was in Daredevil's third and final season where Wilson Fisk truly embraced his criminal nature and became an outright villain.
Here he demonstrated his high level of dangerous intelligence, in which he was not only one step ahead of Matt Murdock but also had the FBI playing along with his plan. The level of manipulation on display here is astounding and undoubtedly proves that Wilson Fisk is the most intelligent.