While She-Ra might have been a fun, campy animated series from the ‘80s, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix updated it for a modern audience. Fans of all ages loved the much more diverse series that focused on issues of friendship and self-love. It was a complex show given that it was meant for children, and its groundbreaking LGBTQ+ representation set it apart.
Most of the characters from the series are intelligent in one way or another, especially given how young they are, but they also all have different strengths and weaknesses. And, of course, there are many different ways to be intelligent.
Sea Hawk
Sea Hawk is definitely one of the most fun characters in the series, and he started making sea shanties cool before they exploded on Tik Tok. However, he’s definitely not the most serious of characters.
He’s a bit silly and hilarious, and he’s all about adventure and having a good time. So, while he might not be super studious or love to plan, he’s still very lovable.
Scorpia
Scorpia is well-loved by many fans, and she has a great character arc. She goes from someone who is always putting herself last and excusing the bad treatment of others to someone who sticks up for herself and learns to find true friendship.
However, she can be a bit naive. She often ignores the truth of her reality, and while it’s likely a coping mechanism, it makes her seem a bit disconnected.
Adora
Adora is the main character and so she’s adored by most fans. However, this doesn’t mean she’s always the brains of the operation. She’s a more stereotypical jock personality, and she will rush into battle without planning ahead.
She is loyal and protective, but she will often not think things through when trying to take care of others. She is very driven by her emotions and connection to others, and these feelings can sometimes overrule her brain.
Catra
While Catra is absolutely smart in many ways, she can also be thrown off by her emotions. While she can plan ahead and be rather cunning, she is part cat after all, she doesn’t have good emotional intelligence.
She Has been through a lot of trauma, and she’s consumed with rage. These emotions often overpower her logic, and she doesn’t always make the best choices because of these feelings.
Glimmer
Glimmer has to deal with a ton of responsibility at such a young age after her mother dies. Because of this, and because of her upbringing, she does have a lot of skills in planning and leading. She is a smart person, and she does her best to take care of those in her charge.
However, she can also get too lost in how she feels and her own pain. She doesn’t always listen to the advice of those closest to her which gets her into big trouble.
Mermista
Mermista doesn’t have time to put up with anyone’s nonsense, and she’s definitely both intelligent and wise. While she does tend to keep to herself more and be a bit sarcastic, she’s also very smart.
Mermista definitely gets annoyed dealing with the dramatics of some of her friends, and while she might not be a main character, it’s clear that she has a good head on her shoulders and can plan ahead.
Bow
When you think of book smarts you might not think of Bow as some of the other characters are more studious, including his own fathers, but Bow is really smart in many ways.
He’s definitely the most emotionally intelligent of the Best Friend Squad. He’s very good at keeping his own emotions in check and understanding what motivates other people. Also, he’s always good at knowing when to keep fighting and when to take a break.
Double Trouble
When Double Trouble was introduced in the series, they definitely rivaled Catra in many ways. They were sly and cunning, and they were able to get the better of pretty much anyone around them. As a mercenary and shape-shifter, Double Trouble was able to infiltrate the Rebellion.
And while shape-shifting might have been something they could naturally do, learning how to mimic others' behaviors and fool them takes a lot of intellectual prowess.
Shadow Weaver
Shadow Weaver is one of the most villainous characters from the series. The way she treats Catra, and Adora, and Glimmer is definitely abusive in varying ways.
She’s manipulative and cruel, but there’s no design that she is very intelligent. This just goes to show that being smart doesn't make you a good person. One can be extremely smart and still be lacking in kindness and emotional intelligence.
Entrapta
It’s hard to rank different kinds of intelligence against one another, but if looking at pure intellect when it comes to brainpower, Entrapta wins out. She is so smart that her ability to work with tech and science is unparalleled.
While she might not be particularly well-rounded in her intelligence, she is curious and hardworking, and she can invent things that no one else can.