While Hannibal might not be on the air anymore as it’s been canceled for over five years, fans still haven’t given up hope for a season four. And, with the creators and actors still on board, there’s no real reason it couldn’t happen someday in at least some form.

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Fans and critics can’t get enough of the series for many reasons, including the fact that the world of Hannibal is filled with beautiful art and intelligent people. The story is dark and deep, and most of the characters are playing various games with one another. So, it’s not surprising that most of the main characters are really smart in one way or another.

Frederick Chilton

Raul Esparza as Dr. Frederick Chilton in Hannibal

While most of the main characters are really smart, Chilton isn’t in the same league as the rest. Even though he’s technically smart enough to run a hospital, a lot of things get past him.

He never really sees when he’s being manipulated, and his own ego often gets in the way. Unfortunately for him, his lapses in judgment and his personality flaws get him nearly killed in pretty horrible ways multiple times.

Freddie Lounds

hannibal season 1 freddie lounds

Freddie Lounds is a lot smarter than Chilton, but she often lacks common sense. However, while her personality might be off-putting at times, she does see a lot of what is going on around her.

She’s all about getting into others' business, and she will go to great lengths to gather information for her website. However, the way that she gets involved in Hannibal’s murders isn’t really smart on her part as far as self-reliance goes. This is probably why feelings about this character are rather mixed.

Margot Verger

Hannibal - Katharine Isabelle as Margot Verger

Margot Verger starts out as one of the more tragic figures in the series, but, thankfully, she’s given a much better and less problematic narrative in the show than in the books. Margot is a victim of her father and then her brother’s abuse, but she’s smart and cunning herself.

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She might seem at first like she is a victim, but she sets plans in motion to break free of her brother’s grip and to claim her family’s fortune. So, while she does put herself in danger to do so, she’s always thinking ahead. Plus, she also ends up getting a good ending and finds a healthy relationship unlike most other characters.

Bedelia Du Maurier

Bedelia

Bedelia is one of the most fascinating characters in Hannibal because it’s often difficult to deduce what her motives, thoughts, and desires are. She figures out the truth about Hannibal faster than almost anyone else around him, but it’s never quite clear how much of her attraction to him is real and how much of it is an attempt to save herself.

She’s also a doctor herself, and she’s very intelligent. However, some of the choices she makes are questionable.

Alana Bloom

Alana Bloom looking serious in Hannibal

Alana Bloom is another character who is very intelligent in many ways but who is also tricked by Hannibal. This just goes to show how manipulative he is and how good he is at getting others to trust him.

She clearly knows a great deal about the field of psychology and is insightful and smart, but even she doesn’t see the truth of who Hannibal is until it’s nearly too late. Luckily, she makes it out alive and has one of the best character arcs on the show. 

Chiyoh

Chiyoh

Chiyoh is one of the most mysterious characters from the series partially because she was only in one season before the show was canceled. Fans still have many questions about her life and her motivations, but she’s also clearly smart.

She is easily able to assess Will and manipulate him, and her skills in tracking make her quite formidable and even a little scary. However, it’s still a bit strange that she is so fully devoted to Hannibal.

Jack Crawford

Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford in Hannibal show

It’s hard to know where to place Jack Crawford because he’s technically very smart when you look at his education and career, but he’s also one of the characters who is the least aware of what's actually going on. He misses pretty much every major clue about Hannibal being a serial killer, and this is even a joke in the fandom.

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However, while his trust in Hannibal is a weakness, he’s also always playing the game in his own way. And, while his methods are also often questionable, there’s no denying that he’s intelligent.

Beverly Katz

Hettienne Park as Beverly Katz in Hannibal show

While there are many sad and traumatic deaths that happened on Hannibal, Beverly’s murder is one of the worst. She was a beloved fan-favorite character, and her death was especially brutal. For one thing, she was obviously smart as she was exemplary at her job as a crime scene investigator, but she was also very aware of manipulations and emotional intelligence.

She was able to see small details and put the clues together which is why she was one of the earliest people to realize who Hannibal really was.

Hannibal Lecter

Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal eating and holiding up a fork.

While Hannibal could easily be at the top of this list, and fans will likely debate this placement, he is second because he does get outsmarted in the end.

While it’s actually his love for Will that is his downfall, it does cloud his judgment and allows him to slip up in a way he never had before. However, he’s clearly wildly intelligent, cunning, and able to manipulate people on so many levels. His brain doesn’t really work like most other people’s, and while he’s clearly sociopathic, he’s also exceptionally brilliant.

Will Graham

Will Graham

Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter’s intelligence is slightly different but also complementary. Will is able to see the world through the lens of others' minds, and this versatile ability makes him terrifying in his own way.

He can be just as manipulative as Hannibal and just as insightful, but he also has a level of empathy that makes him able to see things that Hannibal cannot. He is able to outsmart Hannibal often even though Hannibal also gets the better of him at times.

NEXT: Hannibal: The 10 Saddest Things About Will Graham