The 5 Smartest People in the Marvel Universe

Top 5 Smartest People in the Marvel Universe:

Due to the slight popularity of my "Top 5 Smartest People in the DC Universe" post, here is one detailing the brilliant heroes found within the Marvel Universe. Again, it takes a certain level of intelligence to become a super hero that doesn't horribly fail at everything, but these are those that stand out. So from smart to smarter here are the five outstandingly heroes in the Marvel Universe.

5.) Tony Stark
Little known fact, Anthony "Tony" Edward Stark was in fact adopted by Howard and Maria Stark. His actual biological parentage is unknown. Tony was enrolled in boarding school at the age of 6. He would grow up to be the valedictorian of his high school and majored in physics and electrical engineering, receiving masters degrees in both. When he was twenty one his parents were killed in a car crash and he was forced to inherit the company his father had built. He furthered the company into a multi-billion dollar organization that primarily supplied the U.S. with advanced weapons and munitions. Until he was supervising a field test for a weapon of his in Afghanistan. During the demonstration he tripped on a landmine, shrapnel pierced his heart and he was captured by revolutionaries in Afghanistan. To save his life, Tony built a metal suit in order to escape and keep the shrapnel out of his heart. After escaping he changed the direction of his company and upgraded his suit and continues to battle evil with his updated "Ironman" armor. He has become a philanthropist in that he betters the world with his technology and what he cannot buy he buries with his suit. Truly a nice, smart guy.

4.) Victor Von Doom

Victor Von Doom was born in a Romani camp in Latveria. His mother was killed when a bargain with Mephisto, a demon from a hellish realm, went wrong. His father fled the camp with little Victor into the cold night. His father died of the chilling weather but Victor lived on. He decided to make learning about science and magic a priority in order to better understand the deal that killed his mother and possibly save her. During his studies he received a scholarship to the State University in Hegeman, New York. There he met Reed Richards and Ben Grimm. Victor was focusing on building an inter-dimensional portal into other realms. Reed pointed out a flaw in Victor's design but Victor, thinking Reed just wanted to upstage him, went on with the experiment. The machine indeed was flawed. It exploded, scarring Victors face and he was soon expelled from the university. He blames Reed Richard for the catastrophe. So Victor left America and traveled back to Latveria in a suit of armor built by himself and overthrew the government, declaring himself King of the land. He uses the country to further his plans for world domination. He is a formidable foe of everybody from the Avengers, to the X-men to Asgard. He is a master of Techno-magic and frequently ushers destruction to the world.

3.) Bruce Banner

Robert Bruce Banner was born to Brian and Rebecca Banner. Rebecca loved Bruce but Brian hated him. Brian was an alcoholic who was very angry at Bruce for being the object of Rebecca's love. Brian, who was an atomic physicist, believed that his exposure to radiation had given him a mutant child, (remember, in this world mutants are perceived as bad). Brian abused Bruce and murdered Rebecca. Brian was then sent to a mental institution with Bruce now raised by his aunt Susan Banner. Bruce was so enraged by his cruel father but Susan taught him love and compassion as she would her own child. Bruce would grow up as a highly intellectual and withdrawn child prodigy. Bruce would graduate high school and study nuclear physics at Navapo, New Mexico. He also studied at Pennsylvania State University and Harvard. He would end his studies after obtaining a doctorate degree from the California Institute of Technology. Wanting to turn to philanthropy but not having the funds to do so, Bruce turned to the U.S. Defense department where he designed and built the G-Bomb, a bomb using gamma radiation. During it's first underground detonation a civilian wandered on sight. Bruce found the civilian but the bomb went off. Bruce threw the civilian into a safety trench but failed to shield himself. The gamma radiation did not kill Bruce, but it turned him into a large green monster later called the Hulk. From then on Bruce would turn into the mindless and bash monster when he was angry, (though he keeps his intelligence even when we turns into the Hulk, though he cannot focus it correctly). He remains a constant force for good, be it through philanthropy or smashing whatever gets in the way of what is right.

2.) Hank Pym

Henry Jonathan Pym was born to Brad and Doris Pym in Nebraska. His father being a factory foreman and his mother a librarian, they realized he was quite the smart little boy. Tested at the age of 3, the doctors found out that he was more intelligent than both of his parents. When his grandmother fell terminally ill, Hank tried to invent a contraption to save her. His grandma recognized it was her time and told Hank never to stop inventing. When she passed away, he angrily smashed his contraption on the floor. But he still went on to graduate college earning a doctorate while his friends were still undergrads. Hank then married a Hungarian immigrant named Maria. He was working on shrinking technology but could not find the funding. Maria convinced him to return to her country but when they arrived a political enemy shot her and killed her. Hank went on a rampage trying to find the killer but was sent back to America for his arrest. After this he eventually became worlds hardest working biologist but due to the lack of imaginative freedom at his current job he quit and began working on his shrink technology where he discovered a new particle that he termed "Pym Particles" These particles allowed him to shrink, grow, and fight crime with his second wife, Janet Van Dyne. Hank was the Antman/Giantman and Janet was the Wasp. He channeled his shrink technology to fight injustice and keep the world safe. Hank would also help form the Avengers and later become Yellow Jacket with the Antman suit passed onto Scott Lang. He also created Ultron, the super A.I. turned against the Avengers and the bane of their existence. During an encounter Hank confronted Ultron as a distraction for the Vision to phase into Ulton and kill him once and for all. Ultron told Hank that he had all of Hank's memories and subconscious hate for humanity. As the Vision tried to kill Ultron, the A.I. faked utter pain, Hank held the "dying" robot, but as Vision phased out, Ultron caused Hank to phase into himself. Currently Ultron possesses the consciousness of Hank Pym and is a force not to be reckoned with.

1.) Reed Richards:

Reed Richards was the only son of Nathaniel and Evelyn Richards. Evelyn died when Reed was only seven but his father guided him into using his intelligence for good and enrolling him in the courses he need to take to benefit Reed. By age fourteen he was taking college level classes. He had a natural aptitude for mathematics, mechanics, and physics. It was at the State University in Hegeman, New York where Reed met Ben Grimm and Victor Von Doom. His room mates, Victor who took an immediate dislike to Reed, moved out. Reed and Ben became best friends, Reed telling him of his plans to create interstellar travel in a spaceship. Ben jokingly told Reed he would pilot this vehicle if it ever happened. (In the early days of the Fantastic Four comics, Reed and Ben Grimm fought in World War 2 were they met Nick Fury). Three years before Reed's starship was tested, his father disappeared when his attempt to create a time machine actually transported him to an alternate universe. However, Reed's father left him left two billion dollars to him and with that Reed built his starship in Central City, California. With further funding from the federal government Reed finished his starship and tested it out with Ben as the pilot, his girlfriend Susan Storm and her brother Johnny. However, the shielding on the starship did not hold up and the cabin was blasted with cosmic radiation from a solar flare giving the gang different powers, with Reed being able to control every atom in his body and form anything, (though usually just sticks to stretching about). After this Reed, as Mister Fantastic, and the rest of the Fantastic Four would save the earth multiple times. Reed would marry Sue Storm and start a family and continue to aid the Avengers, X-men and Guardians of the Galaxy in his ultimate quest to save the universe with his wits and intelligence. He is so smart in fact, that in every dimension and alternate universe, Reed has become the smartest man, sometimes wielding the Infinity Gauntlet, sometimes an evil dictator, but always the most powerful and intellectual man in the universe.