There are many things that go into the success of a post-apocalyptic story, but there’s no question that creating compelling characters is a part of it. In addition, a successful series of this type also flourishes when it gives its characters the opportunity to show how well they can adapt to the changed circumstances engendered by a global pandemic that has wiped out a considerable part of the population.

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The men and women that populate the universe of Station Eleven demonstrate various levels of intelligence as they try to survive and rebuild the civilization they left behind.

Alexandra

Alexandra with short hair and blue top in Station Eleven

Alexandra is a relatively minor character in the series, but she fulfills an important function as one who was born after the pandemic. Though she is often a bit credulous and willing to be taken in by others, she does have a particular form of emotional intelligence that makes her a key part of the Traveling Symphony.

And, as she shows with her performance as Hamlet, she also has a knack for performance that is, in some ways, the envy of even as talented an actor as Kirsten.

Sarah

Sarah AKA The Conductor sitting in a hat and striped shirt in Station Eleven

Sarah is, in many ways, the motivating genius behind the Traveling Symphony, the group of performers that journey around Lake Michigan. As such, she has an intelligence that is all her own. As she shows time and again, she is an artist of unique ability, able to take even such well-established texts like those by Shakespeare and turn them into something that is relevant for a post-pandemic world.

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And, what’s more, she has a sort of emotional intelligence that allows her to reach out to the vulnerable, including Kirsten.

Kirsten

Kirsten in a loose red overshirt outside in Station Eleven

Kirsten is the hero of this science fiction story, and she is one of those who survived the pandemic and has made a life for herself in its aftermath. She shows time and again that she is a very intelligent person, whether that’s in her youthful adaptation of the graphic novel Station Eleven into a play or in her ability to wield a knife with deadly effect.

What’s more, she usually manages to stay a few steps ahead of those, like Tyler, who want to bring about the end of a world that is slowly rebuilding itself. There’s a reason that she is one of Mackenzie Davis’ best roles.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth being talked to be Kirsten in Station Eleven

When the series begins, Elizabeth is little more than a spoiled and distant star of German soap operas.  After she’s stranded at a local airport, however, she becomes one of the key power-players in this new civilization, and she shows that there’s quite a good head on her shoulders.

In particular, her willingness to go toe-to-toe with Clark, arguably one of the series’ most intelligent characters, allows her to demonstrate just how smart she really is.

Tyler/The Prophet

Tyler aka The Prophet crouched down wearing a jersey in the woods in Station Eleven

There have been many great villains in science fiction and Tyler, also known as the Prophet, is sure to join their ranks. Given his traumatic upbringing, it’s not terribly surprising that he would come to be quite a nihilist, believing that the old world deserves to be consigned to oblivion and that no one should try to rebuild it.

He shows quite a vicious and ruthless sort of intelligence, particularly when it comes to manipulating others – including children – to become agents of chaos and death.

Arthur Leander

Arthur sitting in a makeup room in a striped hoodie in Station Eleven

Gael Garcia Bernal has many great roles in his filmography, and he brings his considerable charm to bear as the character Arthur Leander, a movie star who is more than a little in love with his own persona. He consistently shows that he is not just an empty-headed pretty boy, however.

In particular, his decision to pursue the role of King Lear on the Chicago stage shows his ability to recognize that even movie stars sometimes have to do work in the theater to demonstrate that they should be taken seriously.

Miranda

Miranda looking at someone across the table in Station Eleven

Miranda is Arthur’s first wife and, as it turns out, the author of the graphic novel, Station Eleven, that plays such a key role in the various characters’ lives. She is also a fiercely intelligent woman, someone who knows how to claw her way ahead in the business world while also remaining true to her artistic vision.

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The very fact that she was able to create a graphic novel that would play such a dominant part in the world after the pandemic demonstrates a fierce sort of intelligence that is rarely rivaled in the series.

Jeevan Chaudhary

Station Eleven HBO covid

When the series begins, Jeevan doesn’t seem like he is going to prove to be very intelligent, particularly since he seems to act on impulse rather than deliberation. However, time and again he shows that he has a sharp mind, which is precisely what allows him to survive when so many others perish.

In particular, his decision to become a doctor and to serve a community that needs him demonstrates not only intelligence but also an emotional richness that is very rare in this post-pandemic world. He's sure to be seen as one of the best new sci-fi characters of this decade.

Frank Chaudhary

Frank in a brown coat and beard in Station Eleven

As smart as Jeevan is, however, he is matched by his brother, Frank. Frank, as he reveals, was once a prize-winning journalist before a terrible injury led to him being something of a recluse.

Despite that, he shows that he has a formidable intellect. In fact, it is precisely his sharp mind that allows him to understand, even if Jeevan doesn’t, that he must sacrifice himself so that his brother and their adopted child can manage to escape and make a new life for themselves outside of the apartment.

Clark Thompson

Clark in glasses and beard looking up at someone in Station Eleven

There’s no question that Clark Thompson is this series’ most intelligent character, and he is also sure to be seen as a good post-apocalyptic villain. Though he is responsible for transforming the airport into a colony that weathers the worst of the pandemic, he is also dictatorial and ruthless.

As he demonstrates in the series’ final few episodes, he has a paranoid approach to survival that is at odds with the more optimistic spirit displayed by many of the other citizens of the colony. He is one of the many reasons this will come to be seen as a great science fiction series.

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