Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 12,13 (click to see context) from:
Since this is a false dichotomy, TakingAThirdOption by combining the two traits is very common. Doing so has led to GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
to:
Since this is a false dichotomy, TakingAThirdOption by combining the two traits is very common. Doing so has led to common: see GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
minor edits to description
Changed line(s) 12,13 (click to see context) from:
It is possible to [[TakingAThirdOption Take A Third Option]] and combine the two traits. Doing so has led to GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
edited description for wordiness and clarity
Changed line(s) 8,9 (click to see context) from:
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]]. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
to:
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]].{{Jerk Jock}}s. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
Changed line(s) 12,15 (click to see context) from:
It is possible to [[TakingAThirdOption Take A Third Option]] and combine the two. Doing so has led to GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that somewhere down the line, a variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent and BookDumb strong characters use their pragmatism to outwit smarter ones, who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that somewhere down the line, a variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent and BookDumb strong characters use their pragmatism to outwit smarter ones, who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
to:
It is possible to [[TakingAThirdOption Take A Third Option]] and combine the two.two traits. Doing so has led to GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time thatsomewhere down the line, a specific variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. StreetSmart. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent opponents and BookDumb strong characters use their pragmatism to outwit smarter ones, who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
plans. When applied to fighting, this variant tends to overlap with ForceAndFinesse.
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
wording in description for clarity
Changed line(s) 6,7 (click to see context) from:
This contrast can even take on gendered forms since women, [[WomenAreDelicate as "the fairer sex,"]] are considered to be [[MenAreTough physically weaker than men]], giving us the trope WomenAreWiser. StrongGirlSmartGuy subverts these gender expectations, but in doing so supports this trope by continuing to uphold the separation between strength and intelligence. Outside of gender, you can see this contrast applied to entire races and civilizations in fantasy settings and science fiction. Many versions of the classic ElvesVersusDwarves dynamic include depictions of elves as a lofty, high-minded, intelligent race and dwarves as physically strong and BookDumb. WarriorVersusSorcerer works similarly, with warrior corresponding to brawn and [[SquishyWizard sorcerer]] corresponding to brains as MagicIsMental.
to:
This contrast can even take on gendered forms since women, [[WomenAreDelicate as "the fairer sex,"]] are considered to be [[MenAreTough physically weaker than men]], giving us the trope WomenAreWiser. StrongGirlSmartGuy subverts these gender expectations, but in doing so supports still enforces this trope by continuing to uphold the separation between strength and intelligence. Outside of gender, you can see this contrast applied to entire races and civilizations in fantasy settings and science fiction. Many versions of the classic ElvesVersusDwarves dynamic include depictions of elves as a lofty, high-minded, intelligent race and dwarves as physically strong and BookDumb. WarriorVersusSorcerer works similarly, with warrior corresponding to brawn and [[SquishyWizard sorcerer]] corresponding to brains as MagicIsMental.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 39 (click to see context) from:
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' has this dynamic with his archnemesis Lex Luthor, which as one of the oldest superhero comic book franchises, likely did a lot to codify this dynamic in the medium. While Superman isn't shown as being particularly dumb, his FlyingBrick superpowers definitely focus on strength and durability (SuperStrength, NighInvulnerability) which help him be a combat powerhouse. Lampshaded in his nickname "The Man of Steel." Lex Luthor on the other hand is a MadScientist, DiabolicalMastermind, EvilGenius who uses his vast amount of wealth as a CorruptCorporateExecutive to try to make his usually nefarious plans into reality.
to:
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' has this dynamic with his archnemesis Lex Luthor, which as one of the oldest superhero comic book franchises, likely did a lot to codify this dynamic in the medium. While Superman isn't shown as being particularly dumb, his FlyingBrick superpowers definitely focus on strength and durability (SuperStrength, NighInvulnerability) which help him be a combat powerhouse. Lampshaded in his nickname "The Man of Steel." Lex Luthor on the other hand is a MadScientist, DiabolicalMastermind, EvilGenius who uses his vast amount of wealth as a CorruptCorporateExecutive to try to make his usually nefarious plans into reality.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 81,82 (click to see context) from:
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': In "Three Girls And A Monster", Blossom and Buttercup keep arguing whether to defeat the monster of the episode with brute force or well-thought plans. However, neither strategy works giving the sheer size of the monster. What works instead is [[TakeAThirdOption Bubbles politely asking him to leave the city]].
* The season finale of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo'', "Brains vs Brawn'' subverts the trope by having BollywoodNerd Brains go up against TheDragon only known as "The Mechanic." While he has been causing trouble for the team all season long as TheHeavy, as a GadgeteerGenius, The Mechanic is far from dumb, thus making this battle less of a battle between two [[{{Foil}} Foils]] as it is between [[MirrorCharacter Mirror Characters]].
* The season finale of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo'', "Brains vs Brawn'' subverts the trope by having BollywoodNerd Brains go up against TheDragon only known as "The Mechanic." While he has been causing trouble for the team all season long as TheHeavy, as a GadgeteerGenius, The Mechanic is far from dumb, thus making this battle less of a battle between two [[{{Foil}} Foils]] as it is between [[MirrorCharacter Mirror Characters]].
to:
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': Blossom and Buttercup can often fall into this dynamic as TheLeader & TheSmartGuy versus TheBigGuy. In "Three Girls And A Monster", Blossom and Buttercup keep arguing whether to defeat the monster of the episode with brute force or well-thought plans. However, neither strategy works giving the sheer size of the monster. What works instead is [[TakeAThirdOption Bubbles politely asking him to leave the city]].
* The season finale of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo'', "Brains vs Brawn'' subverts the trope by having BollywoodNerd Brains go up against TheDragon only known as "The Mechanic." While he has been causing trouble for the team all season long as TheHeavy,as a GadgeteerGenius, The Mechanic is a GadgeteerGenius and far from dumb, thus making this battle encounter less of a battle between two [[{{Foil}} Foils]] as it is between [[MirrorCharacter Mirror Characters]].
* The season finale of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo'', "Brains vs Brawn'' subverts the trope by having BollywoodNerd Brains go up against TheDragon only known as "The Mechanic." While he has been causing trouble for the team all season long as TheHeavy,
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 6,9 (click to see context) from:
This contrast can even take on gendered forms since women, [[WomenAreDelicate as "the fairer sex,"]] are considered to be [[MenAreTough physically weaker than men]], giving us the trope WomenAreWiser. StrongGirlSmartGuy subverts these gender expectations, but in doing so supports this trope by continuing to uphold the separation between strength and intelligence. Outside of gender, you can see this contrast applied to entire races and civilizations in fantasy settings and science fiction. Many versions of the classic ElvesVersusDwarves dynamic include depictions of elves as a lofty, high-minded, intelligent race and dwarves as physically strong and BookDumb. WarriorVersusSorcerer works similarly, with warrior corresponding to brawn and [[SquishyWizard sorceror]] corresponding to brains as MagicIsMental.
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]]. ScientistVsSoldier also dips into this trope. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]]. ScientistVsSoldier also dips into this trope. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
to:
This contrast can even take on gendered forms since women, [[WomenAreDelicate as "the fairer sex,"]] are considered to be [[MenAreTough physically weaker than men]], giving us the trope WomenAreWiser. StrongGirlSmartGuy subverts these gender expectations, but in doing so supports this trope by continuing to uphold the separation between strength and intelligence. Outside of gender, you can see this contrast applied to entire races and civilizations in fantasy settings and science fiction. Many versions of the classic ElvesVersusDwarves dynamic include depictions of elves as a lofty, high-minded, intelligent race and dwarves as physically strong and BookDumb. WarriorVersusSorcerer works similarly, with warrior corresponding to brawn and [[SquishyWizard sorceror]] sorcerer]] corresponding to brains as MagicIsMental.
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]]. ScientistVsSoldier also dips into this trope. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]].
Changed line(s) 16,17 (click to see context) from:
See also: AthensAndSparta, HarmonyVersusDiscipline, RomanticismVersusEnlightenment, RedOniBlueOni
to:
See also: AthensAndSparta, HarmonyVersusDiscipline, RomanticismVersusEnlightenment, RedOniBlueOni
RedOniBlueOni, ScientistVsSoldier
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
See also: AthensAndSparta, HarmonyVersusDiscipline, RomanticismVersusEnlightenment, RedOniBlueOni
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 14,15 (click to see context) from:
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that somewhere down the line, a variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent and strong characters (who are likely to be BookDumb) use their pragmatism to outwit smarter characters who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or who are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
to:
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that somewhere down the line, a variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent and BookDumb strong characters (who are likely to be BookDumb) use their pragmatism to outwit smarter characters ones, who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or who are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
An all too common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, {{Nerd}}, and EvilGenius) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
to:
An all too common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, {{Nerd}}, and EvilGenius) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also tend to impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically contrast, producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** Other Captain America villains that fit the trope include Doctor Faustus (a NonActionGuy PsychoPsychologist who relies on manipulation and has a CompellingVoice), Armin Zola (a MadDoctor who mainly creates monsters), and Heinrich Zemo (a powerless scientist).
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* In ''VideoGame/DinoCrisis'', at numerous points, Rick and Gail will have heated arguments and [[PlayerCharacter Regina]] can choose whose plan to align with. Gail generally prioritizes brawn, and following him will result in the path that is more simple, but involves much more dinosaur fighting; by contrast, following Rick is safer, but involves solving a lot more puzzles.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** This forms the B-plot of the episode ''Microbots'', in an amusingly literal fashion. The gruff, macho puncher-of-things Brawn thinks that the bookish and generally non-combative researcher Perceptor is of little use in the fight against the Decepticons, and loudly insults him for it. Optimus' plan to reconcile them involves [[FantasticVoyagePlot shrinking them and sending them inside a drunk Megatron]]. (ItMakesSenseInContext, honest.) Brawn eats his words at the end when Perceptor demonstrates that his combination of precision, calculation, and skill means he is a ''formidable'' sniper.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
An all too common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, {{Nerd}}, TheBrute, and EvilGenius) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
to:
An all too common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, {{Nerd}}, TheBrute, and EvilGenius) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
* In ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'', the Hero is a CountryMouse who became a nigh-unstoppable OneManArmy thanks to being TheChosenOne and his constant training. Meanwhile, the Demon Queen is a scholar who spent most of her days prior to ascending to the throne reading and perfomring experiments. When Hero confronts her at the start of the story, she admits that she's probably no match for him in a fight, instead asking for his attention and challenging his worldview with a presentation on the impact of the human-demon war from an economic standpoint.
to:
* In ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'', the Hero is a CountryMouse who became a nigh-unstoppable OneManArmy thanks to being TheChosenOne and his constant training. Meanwhile, the Demon Queen is a scholar who spent most of her days prior to ascending to the throne reading and perfomring performing experiments. When Hero confronts her at the start of the story, she admits that she's probably no match for him in a fight, instead asking for his attention and challenging his worldview with a presentation on the impact of the human-demon war from an economic standpoint.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The titular (Savage) Hulk (big, green, DumbMuscle, TheBigGuy) and arguably his main archnemesis The Leader (tiny, green, EvilGenius), as he is a deliberate EvilCounterpart to the Hulk. The Hulk's true identity, Bruce Banner, is a skinny scientist who gains SuperStrength from gamma rays whereas The Leader, Samuel Sterns, was a borderline mentally handicapped janitor who gains SuperIntelligence from gamma rays.
to:
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The titular (Savage) Hulk (big, green, DumbMuscle, TheBigGuy) and arguably one of his main archnemesis archnemeses, The Leader Leader, (tiny, green, EvilGenius), as he is a deliberate EvilCounterpart to the Hulk. The Hulk's true identity, Bruce Banner, is a skinny scientist who gains SuperStrength from gamma rays whereas The Leader, Samuel Sterns, was a borderline mentally handicapped janitor who gains SuperIntelligence from gamma rays.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
An all too common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, and {{Nerd}}) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
to:
An all too common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, {{Nerd}}, TheBrute, and {{Nerd}}) EvilGenius) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.
to:
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The titular (Savage) Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. (big, green, DumbMuscle, TheBigGuy) and arguably his main archnemesis The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.Leader (tiny, green, EvilGenius), as he is a deliberate EvilCounterpart to the Hulk. The Hulk's true identity, Bruce Banner, is a skinny scientist who gains SuperStrength from gamma rays whereas The Leader, Samuel Sterns, was a borderline mentally handicapped janitor who gains SuperIntelligence from gamma rays.
** The Hulk as Bruce Banner's SplitPersonality also qualifies since he is contrasted with Bruce Banner, who is an InsufferableGenius in the running for WorldsSmartestMan. You could say that all of the different personalities Banner has plays with this trope to some degree. Though all of them are, relative to the average person, far closer to Strength than Intelligence due to their shared SuperStrength and NighInvulnerability, some personalities (Merged Hulk, Grey Hulk) skew closer to the center of the spectrum, inheriting Banner's {{Book Smart}}s or developing {{Street Smart}}s, and others (Devil Hulk) lean even ''further'' into The Hulk's strength.
** The Hulk as Bruce Banner's SplitPersonality also qualifies since he is contrasted with Bruce Banner, who is an InsufferableGenius in the running for WorldsSmartestMan. You could say that all of the different personalities Banner has plays with this trope to some degree. Though all of them are, relative to the average person, far closer to Strength than Intelligence due to their shared SuperStrength and NighInvulnerability, some personalities (Merged Hulk, Grey Hulk) skew closer to the center of the spectrum, inheriting Banner's {{Book Smart}}s or developing {{Street Smart}}s, and others (Devil Hulk) lean even ''further'' into The Hulk's strength.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 36 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Fanfiction]]
to:
Changed line(s) 40,41 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride. However, it's subverted when we see that after Scar takes control, he turns out to be a terrible leader, leading Pride Rock to ruin.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride. However, it's subverted when we see that after Scar takes control, he turns out to be a terrible leader, leading Pride Rock to ruin.
to:
[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
Animation]]
*''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride. However, it's subverted when we see that after Scar takes control, he turns out to be a terrible leader, leading Pride Rock to ruin.
*
Changed line(s) 45,46 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Johann Schmidt (Brains) vs Steve Rogers (Brawn). Both are {{Super Soldier}}s created from the same SuperSerum, and fight on opposite sides of the war, with Schmidt being a brilliant scientist using advanced technology who works from the shadows, while Rogers fights on the frontlines using a shield.
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Johann Schmidt (Brains) vs Steve Rogers (Brawn). Both are {{Super Soldier}}s created from the same SuperSerum, and fight on opposite sides of the war, with Schmidt being a brilliant scientist using advanced technology who works from the shadows, while Rogers fights on the frontlines using a shield.
to:
[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
Live-Action]]
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Johann Schmidt (Brains)vs vs. Steve Rogers (Brawn). Both are {{Super Soldier}}s created from the same SuperSerum, and fight on opposite sides of the war, with Schmidt being a brilliant scientist using advanced technology who works from the shadows, while Rogers fights on the frontlines using a shield.
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Johann Schmidt (Brains)
Changed line(s) 57,58 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Mythology]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
to:
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and
Changed line(s) 66 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Webcomic]]
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* In ''LightNovel/{{Maoyu}}'', the Hero is a CountryMouse who became a nigh-unstoppable OneManArmy thanks to being TheChosenOne and his constant training. Meanwhile, the Demon Queen is a scholar who spent most of her days prior to ascending to the throne reading and perfomring experiments. When Hero confronts her at the start of the story, she admits that she's probably no match for him in a fight, instead asking for his attention and challenging his worldview with a presentation on the impact of the human-demon war from an economic standpoint.
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' is at the peak of human athletic potential and is a master combatant and leader, but typically leaves things like handling technology to his allies. His archenemy ''ComicBook/RedSkull'' may or may not have the same or similiar abilities depending on the story, but is usually a DiabolicalMastermind.
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Thor and Loki have this dynamic, overlapping with BrainsEvilBrawnGood as Loki is Thor's ArchEnemy in his comics. The GodOfThunder, Thor has SuperStrength and when he's not using his mastery over thunder and lightning to ShockAndAwe, he's a LightningBruiser whose physical strength rivals that of the Hulk. Loki on the other hand is a TricksterGod, who uses his vast intellect to [[ManipulativeBastard trick anyone and everyone]] into one of his many [[TheChessmaster gambits and schemes]].
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Thor and Loki have this dynamic, overlapping with BrainsEvilBrawnGood as Loki is Thor's ArchEnemy in his comics. The GodOfThunder, Thor has SuperStrength and when he's not using his mastery over thunder and lightning to ShockAndAwe, he's a LightningBruiser whose physical strength rivals that of the Hulk. Loki on the other hand is a TricksterGod, who uses his vast intellect to [[ManipulativeBastard trick anyone and everyone]] into one of his many [[TheChessmaster gambits and schemes]].
Deleted line(s) 30,32 (click to see context) :
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Thor and Loki have this dynamic, overlapping with BrainsEvilBrawnGood as Loki is Thor's ArchEnemy in his comics. The GodOfThunder, Thor has SuperStrength and when he's not using his mastery over thunder and lightning to ShockAndAwe, he's a LightningBruiser whose physical strength rivals that of the Hulk. Loki on the other hand is a TricksterGod, who uses his vast intellect to [[ManipulativeBastard trick anyone and everyone]] into one of his many [[TheChessmaster gambits and schemes]].
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' is fairly intelligent, but he has vaguely defined super strenght and super durability and mainly fights. His archenemy ''ComicBook/RedSkull'' may or may not have the same or similiar abilities depending on the story, but is usually a DiabolicalMastermind.
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' is fairly intelligent, but he has vaguely defined super strenght and super durability and mainly fights. His archenemy ''ComicBook/RedSkull'' may or may not have the same or similiar abilities depending on the story, but is usually a DiabolicalMastermind.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Does not meet the definition
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
An [[OmnipresentTrope all too common]] contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, and {{Nerd}}) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
to:
An [[OmnipresentTrope all too common]] common contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, and {{Nerd}}) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' is fairly intelligent, but he has vaguely defined super strenght and super durability and mainly fights. His archenemy ''ComicBook/RedSkull'' may or may not have the same or similiar abilities depending on the story, but is usually a DiabolicalMastermind.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': The Hulk (at most points): Big Green Dumb Good Guy. The Leader: Tiny Green Smart Bad Guy.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 60 (click to see context) from:
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' features several Pokemon types that are advantageous to use against other types, similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors. Psychic type Pokémon have an advantage over Fighting type Pokémon, reflecting the brains beats brawn mindset.
to:
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' features several Pokemon types that are advantageous to use against other types, similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors. Psychic type Pokémon have an advantage over Fighting type Pokémon, reflecting the brains beats brawn mindset. Fighting types in turn have an advantage over the Dark type which, contrary to what [[CastingAShadow its name implies]] focuses on [[CombatPragmatist fighting dirty]], reflecting the brawn beats brains mindset.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 38 (click to see context) from:
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride.
to:
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride. However, it's subverted when we see that after Scar takes control, he turns out to be a terrible leader, leading Pride Rock to ruin.
Deleted line(s) 46,49 (click to see context) :
[[folder:Mythology]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
[[/folder]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
[[/folder]]
Added DiffLines:
[[folder:Mythology]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
[[/folder]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
[[/folder]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'', this dynamic is present between the [[VillainProtagonist titular character]] (Brains) and his nemesis [[HeroAntagonist Metro Man]] (Brawn). [[spoiler:Later on, after the latter fakes his death, Megamind replaces him with Tighten (also a Brawn, but an evil one), but since Megamind is an AntiVillain at worst, the dynamic still works.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 37 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Film--Animated]]
to:
Changed line(s) 41 (click to see context) from:
[[folder:Film--Live Action]]
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 72 (click to see context) from:
* The season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': ''Revenge of the Island'' is titled "Brain vs. Brawn: The Ultimate Showdown" as the final two contestants are [[spoiler: BlackAndNerdy Cameron and JerkJock Lightning]]. The season actually has two endings in which one or the other wins, however both win moreso out of luck, than actual skill on either of the brains or brawns side, as the final challenge completely exhausted them.
to:
* The season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': ''Revenge of the Island'' is titled "Brain vs. Brawn: The Ultimate Showdown" as the final two contestants are [[spoiler: BlackAndNerdy Cameron and JerkJock Lightning]]. The season actually has two endings in which one or the other wins, however both win moreso out of luck, than actual skill on either of the brains or brawns side, as the final challenge completely exhausted them. During the actual fight however, [[spoiler:Lightning]] uses a crude weapon and armor and him trying to simply brute force his foe results in several mutant animals getting released into the arena. On the other hand, [[spoiler:Cameron]] designs a high tech suit of armor and outmaneuvers his foe with a lot of quick thinking.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
-->''"I can't compete with you physically and you're no match for my brains."''
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
[[folder: Mythology]]
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Created from YKTTW
Added DiffLines:
-->''"I can't compete with you physically and you're no match for my brains."''
-->-- '''Vizzini''', ''Film/ThePrincessBride''
An [[OmnipresentTrope all too common]] contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, and {{Nerd}}) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
This contrast can even take on gendered forms since women, [[WomenAreDelicate as "the fairer sex,"]] are considered to be [[MenAreTough physically weaker than men]], giving us the trope WomenAreWiser. StrongGirlSmartGuy subverts these gender expectations, but in doing so supports this trope by continuing to uphold the separation between strength and intelligence. Outside of gender, you can see this contrast applied to entire races and civilizations in fantasy settings and science fiction. Many versions of the classic ElvesVersusDwarves dynamic include depictions of elves as a lofty, high-minded, intelligent race and dwarves as physically strong and BookDumb. WarriorVersusSorcerer works similarly, with warrior corresponding to brawn and [[SquishyWizard sorceror]] corresponding to brains as MagicIsMental.
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]]. ScientistVsSoldier also dips into this trope. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
In video games that use some version of TheSixStats to balance playable characters, there will typically be options in which strength is sacrificed for intelligence, wisdom, and/or dexterity and intelligence is sacrificed for strength and/or constitution. If character upgrades are done by the game itself, then expect the bias to become even more extreme, emphasizing this point further. And some games place limits on how much EXP you can put in either stat if the base character selected is of the "opposite" type.
It is possible to [[TakingAThirdOption Take A Third Option]] and combine the two. Doing so has led to GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that somewhere down the line, a variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent and strong characters (who are likely to be BookDumb) use their pragmatism to outwit smarter characters who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or who are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
As a SuperTrope to several different tropes about the depiction of strength and intelligence in media, relegate specific examples to their proper subtrope pages whenever possible.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'': Dazai and Chuuya were partnered together as teenagers as part of the duo, Double Black, and have always loathed each other. Chuuya is a massively powerful GravityMaster and an excellent martial artist responsible for carrying out the physical aspect of their missions, usually by killing people. Dazai, on the other hand, is absurdly intelligent and manipulative, able to unfailingly come up with the perfect plans Chuuya executes. However, despite his strength, Chuuya always finds himself under Dazai's thumb and begrudgingly admits his intellect is indispensable.
* ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'': [[TheLeader Marcus]] and [[TheLancer Thomas]] have this dynamic. Marcus is a HotBlooded street fighter whose approach to every problem is to hit it harder. Thomas is a TeenGenius tactician who prefers to think things through. Naturally, the two butt heads frequently throughout the series.
* This is everywhere in ''Manga/DrStone''. The three main protagonists of the series, [[ChildProdigy Senku]], [[DumbMuscle Taiju]], and [[GirlNextDoor Yuzuriha]] make up a BeautyBrainsAndBrawn trio. Even before the world effectively ended, Senku and Taiju were a BrainsAndBrawn duo since they were childhood friends. The main antagonist [[spoiler:of the first arc]] is [[StrongAndSkilled Tsukasa]] who decides to oppose [[ScienceHero Senku's idealized Kingdom of Science]] by creating and leading the [[MightMakesRight Empire of Might]], hoping to keep a low-tech and therefore egalitarian world in order to avoid the creation of weapons of mass destruction and warfare. [[spoiler:He is later dethroned by [[TheStarscream Hyoga]] (for a while), who is a more straightforward SocialDarwinist.]]
* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'': Izaya is an intelligent and well-read information broker who has a mutual hatred with Shizuo, a debt collector with inhuman strength who can shake off being hit by a car. In the final arc, the two have an all-out death battle, pitting Izaya's brain against Shizuo's brawn, as the former uses traps and schemes to kill, and the latter simply comes after Izaya with nothing but his fists. The fight culminates [[spoiler:in Izaya attempting and failing a [[XanatosGambit Xanatos]]/[[ThanatosGambit Thanatos]] gambit and neither die.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' has this dynamic with his archnemesis Lex Luthor, which as one of the oldest superhero comic book franchises, likely did a lot to codify this dynamic in the medium. While Superman isn't shown as being particularly dumb, his FlyingBrick superpowers definitely focus on strength and durability (SuperStrength, NighInvulnerability) which help him be a combat powerhouse. Lampshaded in his nickname "The Man of Steel." Lex Luthor on the other hand is a MadScientist, DiabolicalMastermind, EvilGenius who uses his vast amount of wealth as a CorruptCorporateExecutive to try to make his usually nefarious plans into reality.
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Thor and Loki have this dynamic, overlapping with BrainsEvilBrawnGood as Loki is Thor's ArchEnemy in his comics. The GodOfThunder, Thor has SuperStrength and when he's not using his mastery over thunder and lightning to ShockAndAwe, he's a LightningBruiser whose physical strength rivals that of the Hulk. Loki on the other hand is a TricksterGod, who uses his vast intellect to [[ManipulativeBastard trick anyone and everyone]] into one of his many [[TheChessmaster gambits and schemes]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* ''Fanfic/TheMountainAndTheWolf'': Discussed. The Wolf mentions that while there ''are'' some individuals who combine brains and brawn, for the most part practitioners of magic are very much [[SquishyWizard Squishy Wizards]], and so the person Tyrion is looking for (a man masquerading as Euron strong enough to kill several guards singlehandedly then stuff their bodies into a windlass) is not the one who cast the spell that caused Daenerys to attack King's Landing. [[spoiler:And the Wolf certainly should know, seeing as he's the one who masterminded both events via a Champion of Chaos and a sorcerer.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film--Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film--Live Action]]
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Johann Schmidt (Brains) vs Steve Rogers (Brawn). Both are {{Super Soldier}}s created from the same SuperSerum, and fight on opposite sides of the war, with Schmidt being a brilliant scientist using advanced technology who works from the shadows, while Rogers fights on the frontlines using a shield.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Mythology]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* This is a popular theme for game shows, specifically team based challenge type game shows:
** The 8th season of ''Series/AustralianSurvivor'' is subtitled ''Brains V Brawn'' enforcing this trope by splitting the contestants up into two teams based on their supposed intellect and strength.
** Season 6, episode 6 of the physical challenge show ''Series/Wipeout2008'', "Brains vs Brawn", pits contestants with "brainy" jobs against professional body builders and other highly athletic types.
* The series 5 episode of ''Series/DadsArmy'' "Brains Versus Brawn" makes this trope the primary conflict. Jones and Walker get upset when they learn that the Training Major left out their platoon from training a new unit of commandos. Mainwaring backs the division arguing that commandos use brute force rather than cunning and intellect so they don't need training from the likes of them. This leads to Pritchard suggesting they run a training exercise competition in which the different troops have to deliver a fake bomb to the Officer-in-Charge's office. [[spoiler:Brains win out in the end, after Walker orders for the delivery of a [[LoopholeAbuse second fake bomb]] to the Officer-in-Charge's office.]]
* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': TheLeader Conner is a JerkJock to JerkWithAHeartOfGold, who often mocks TheLancer Ethan for his lack of interest in athletics while Ethan (TheSmartGuy and BlackAndNerdy) finds Conner's disinterest in academics to be immature. In "Leader of the Whack", the two are transformed into the opposite of their default personalities, with the implication that on some level, a part of them wishes to explore the opposite of who they present to the outside world.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' franchise, the Krogan are a ProudWarriorRace that prioritizes brute strength, combat prowess, and killing above all else. Might equals right and the weak shall not live long. Thus even the idea of Krogan scientists is [[KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect enough to make a joke of]]. You ironically come across one in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' who is working on a cure for the sterilization genetic virus called the "genophage" that plagues all Krogans, but he is the only one across multiple games. While the Krogan have made many enemies and dislike most of the Council Races, the Salarians have a special place of hate for them as the creators of the genophage. Naturally, Salarians are depicted as the most intelligent and scientific minded of all races in the franchise and are also considered the physically weakest. They compensate as a race by specializing in espionage and covert operations. While individual Salarians have differing opinions on the Krogan, their leader Dalatrass Linron [[spoiler:would rather risk the entire galaxy being wiped out by the Reapers rather than cure the genophage in order to win over the Krogans as allies against them.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' features several Pokemon types that are advantageous to use against other types, similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors. Psychic type Pokémon have an advantage over Fighting type Pokémon, reflecting the brains beats brawn mindset.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Webcomic]]
* In ''Webcomic/ThePetriDish'', more intellectual characters such as Thaddeus and Kelvin don't really understand sports, and when Thaddeus tries watching sports, he can't make sense of it despite his intellect.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': On Team Avatar, Sokka is TheSmartGuy, specifically TheStrategist who comes up with many of the team's plans for infiltration and escape. He is also the weakest for the majority of the series in terms of combat capability as the primary sole non-bender of the team. He is contrasted first with Katara, and later with [[TheBigGuy Toph]]. Toph is rude, crude, BookDumb, and one of the strongest earth benders in the entire Avatar world. Their friendship is portrayed as VitriolicBestBuds, with Toph antagonizing Sokka most of the time. Over the course of the series we learn that Toph is much more StreetSmart than she initially comes off and Sokka learns swordsmanship to compensate, pushing them closer to the second variant of this trope and to ForceAndFinesse in terms of combat.
* ''WesternAnimation/BrandyAndMrWhiskers'': The season 1 episode "Lack of Brains vs. Brawn" plays with this trope when Mr. Whiskers has to deal with TheBully Lester. While Mr. Whiskers is portrayed as being {{Nerd}}-ish relative to Lester, Mr. Whiskers is a CloudCuckoolander and often TheDitz of the show. However, as CharacterizationMarchesOn, in later episodes he becomes more of a GeniusDitz.
* ''WesternAnimation/MummiesAlive'': In "Paws", Nefer-Tina is {{Brainwashed}} by the cat goddess Bastet who makes her abduct Presley. Ja-Kal and Rath clash over how to resolve the situation; Rath wants to use a spell to free Nefer-Tina and save Presley while Ja-Kal thinks they have no choice but to kill Nefer-Tina. Ja-Kal accuses Rath of being weak and indecisive while Rath berates Ja-Kal for relying too much on brute force.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': In "Three Girls And A Monster", Blossom and Buttercup keep arguing whether to defeat the monster of the episode with brute force or well-thought plans. However, neither strategy works giving the sheer size of the monster. What works instead is [[TakeAThirdOption Bubbles politely asking him to leave the city]].
* The season finale of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo'', "Brains vs Brawn'' subverts the trope by having BollywoodNerd Brains go up against TheDragon only known as "The Mechanic." While he has been causing trouble for the team all season long as TheHeavy, as a GadgeteerGenius, The Mechanic is far from dumb, thus making this battle less of a battle between two [[{{Foil}} Foils]] as it is between [[MirrorCharacter Mirror Characters]].
* The season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': ''Revenge of the Island'' is titled "Brain vs. Brawn: The Ultimate Showdown" as the final two contestants are [[spoiler: BlackAndNerdy Cameron and JerkJock Lightning]]. The season actually has two endings in which one or the other wins, however both win moreso out of luck, than actual skill on either of the brains or brawns side, as the final challenge completely exhausted them.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'': The Technobot [[CombiningMecha combiner]] Computron is extremely intelligent, able to [[AwesomenessByAnalysis calculate the most efficient path to victory]]. His [[EvilCounterpart Terrorcon counterpart]], Abominus, is sheer animalistic brute force. Their battles usually involve Computron using his intelligence to counter Abominus' savage fury.
[[/folder]]
-->-- '''Vizzini''', ''Film/ThePrincessBride''
An [[OmnipresentTrope all too common]] contrast made in an array of works is between intelligence and physical strength. Characters will wholly embody one at the expense of the other (DumbMuscle, DumbJock, TheBrute, and {{Nerd}}) or will be defined by how much they embody one over the other (TheSmartGuy or TheBigGuy). Oftentimes, such characters will be directly contrasted and used as [[{{Foil}} Foils]] for one another as in BrainsAndBrawn or in BeautyBrainsAndBrawn. Creators will also impose morality onto the contrast quite frequently, typically producing BrainsEvilBrawnGood, building off of DumbIsGood.
This contrast can even take on gendered forms since women, [[WomenAreDelicate as "the fairer sex,"]] are considered to be [[MenAreTough physically weaker than men]], giving us the trope WomenAreWiser. StrongGirlSmartGuy subverts these gender expectations, but in doing so supports this trope by continuing to uphold the separation between strength and intelligence. Outside of gender, you can see this contrast applied to entire races and civilizations in fantasy settings and science fiction. Many versions of the classic ElvesVersusDwarves dynamic include depictions of elves as a lofty, high-minded, intelligent race and dwarves as physically strong and BookDumb. WarriorVersusSorcerer works similarly, with warrior corresponding to brawn and [[SquishyWizard sorceror]] corresponding to brains as MagicIsMental.
Given this portrayal of the two traits as in competition or incompatible with one another, using this trope as the basis for conflict is extremely common to the point that entire genres rely on it. This is the reason ''why'' elves and dwarves often don't like each other, the BarbarianHero's main antagonist is the EvilSorcerer, and why TheBully of {{Nerd}} characters are typically [[JerkJock Jerk Jocks]]. ScientistVsSoldier also dips into this trope. The conflict can be within a race or society as well if there are any born unlucky enough to not inherit the desired trait or as part of a KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect plot. BattleOfTheSexes stories may use this trope to further emphasize the gender divide.
In video games that use some version of TheSixStats to balance playable characters, there will typically be options in which strength is sacrificed for intelligence, wisdom, and/or dexterity and intelligence is sacrificed for strength and/or constitution. If character upgrades are done by the game itself, then expect the bias to become even more extreme, emphasizing this point further. And some games place limits on how much EXP you can put in either stat if the base character selected is of the "opposite" type.
It is possible to [[TakingAThirdOption Take A Third Option]] and combine the two. Doing so has led to GeniusBruiser, BadassBookworm, and AcademicAthlete.
In fact, this trope has been played with so much over time that somewhere down the line, a variant was created, in which smart characters are portrayed as being agile and strong characters are portrayed as StreetSmart, combining elements from ForceAndFinesse. Smart characters use their speed and nimbleness to stay two-steps ahead or out of the way of their physically stronger opponent and strong characters (who are likely to be BookDumb) use their pragmatism to outwit smarter characters who may only be able to think in [[BookSmart the theoretical and not the practical]] or who are prone to missing obvious solutions due to a preference for convoluted logics and plans.
As a SuperTrope to several different tropes about the depiction of strength and intelligence in media, relegate specific examples to their proper subtrope pages whenever possible.
----
!!Examples:
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'': Dazai and Chuuya were partnered together as teenagers as part of the duo, Double Black, and have always loathed each other. Chuuya is a massively powerful GravityMaster and an excellent martial artist responsible for carrying out the physical aspect of their missions, usually by killing people. Dazai, on the other hand, is absurdly intelligent and manipulative, able to unfailingly come up with the perfect plans Chuuya executes. However, despite his strength, Chuuya always finds himself under Dazai's thumb and begrudgingly admits his intellect is indispensable.
* ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'': [[TheLeader Marcus]] and [[TheLancer Thomas]] have this dynamic. Marcus is a HotBlooded street fighter whose approach to every problem is to hit it harder. Thomas is a TeenGenius tactician who prefers to think things through. Naturally, the two butt heads frequently throughout the series.
* This is everywhere in ''Manga/DrStone''. The three main protagonists of the series, [[ChildProdigy Senku]], [[DumbMuscle Taiju]], and [[GirlNextDoor Yuzuriha]] make up a BeautyBrainsAndBrawn trio. Even before the world effectively ended, Senku and Taiju were a BrainsAndBrawn duo since they were childhood friends. The main antagonist [[spoiler:of the first arc]] is [[StrongAndSkilled Tsukasa]] who decides to oppose [[ScienceHero Senku's idealized Kingdom of Science]] by creating and leading the [[MightMakesRight Empire of Might]], hoping to keep a low-tech and therefore egalitarian world in order to avoid the creation of weapons of mass destruction and warfare. [[spoiler:He is later dethroned by [[TheStarscream Hyoga]] (for a while), who is a more straightforward SocialDarwinist.]]
* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'': Izaya is an intelligent and well-read information broker who has a mutual hatred with Shizuo, a debt collector with inhuman strength who can shake off being hit by a car. In the final arc, the two have an all-out death battle, pitting Izaya's brain against Shizuo's brawn, as the former uses traps and schemes to kill, and the latter simply comes after Izaya with nothing but his fists. The fight culminates [[spoiler:in Izaya attempting and failing a [[XanatosGambit Xanatos]]/[[ThanatosGambit Thanatos]] gambit and neither die.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' has this dynamic with his archnemesis Lex Luthor, which as one of the oldest superhero comic book franchises, likely did a lot to codify this dynamic in the medium. While Superman isn't shown as being particularly dumb, his FlyingBrick superpowers definitely focus on strength and durability (SuperStrength, NighInvulnerability) which help him be a combat powerhouse. Lampshaded in his nickname "The Man of Steel." Lex Luthor on the other hand is a MadScientist, DiabolicalMastermind, EvilGenius who uses his vast amount of wealth as a CorruptCorporateExecutive to try to make his usually nefarious plans into reality.
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Thor and Loki have this dynamic, overlapping with BrainsEvilBrawnGood as Loki is Thor's ArchEnemy in his comics. The GodOfThunder, Thor has SuperStrength and when he's not using his mastery over thunder and lightning to ShockAndAwe, he's a LightningBruiser whose physical strength rivals that of the Hulk. Loki on the other hand is a TricksterGod, who uses his vast intellect to [[ManipulativeBastard trick anyone and everyone]] into one of his many [[TheChessmaster gambits and schemes]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* ''Fanfic/TheMountainAndTheWolf'': Discussed. The Wolf mentions that while there ''are'' some individuals who combine brains and brawn, for the most part practitioners of magic are very much [[SquishyWizard Squishy Wizards]], and so the person Tyrion is looking for (a man masquerading as Euron strong enough to kill several guards singlehandedly then stuff their bodies into a windlass) is not the one who cast the spell that caused Daenerys to attack King's Landing. [[spoiler:And the Wolf certainly should know, seeing as he's the one who masterminded both events via a Champion of Chaos and a sorcerer.]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film--Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing'': Cited by Scar when Zazu asks him why he doesn't challenge Mufasa for the throne. While Scar claims to have gotten "the lion's share" when it comes to intellect, a fight for supremacy is a matter of brute strength, where Scar is "at the shallow end of the gene pool." While gauging which brother is smarter would be subjective, it's clear Scar is more devious and guileful, in that he engineers his brother's demise to attain kingship of the pride.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Film--Live Action]]
* ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'': Johann Schmidt (Brains) vs Steve Rogers (Brawn). Both are {{Super Soldier}}s created from the same SuperSerum, and fight on opposite sides of the war, with Schmidt being a brilliant scientist using advanced technology who works from the shadows, while Rogers fights on the frontlines using a shield.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Mythology]]
* This is often how Athena and Ares are contrasted in Myth/ClassicalMythology as gods of war. Athena as the goddess of wisdom, represents the strategic thinking and planning that is necessary for engaging in large scale battles, but is also useful from a "fight smarter not harder" standpoint in any context. Ares on the other hand is the god of courage and war, more typically associated with brutality, carnage, and bloodlust that comes with mass killing. From ''Literature/TheIliad's'' account of the Trojan War, Ares and Athan found themselves on opposite sides, with Ares backing the Trojans and Athena supporting the Greeks. To lessen their battle output, when Ares was fighting King Diomedes, Athena uses an invisibility cloak from Hades to hide herself and causes Ares's spear to miss, opening him up for a counterattack that leaves him wounded.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* This is a popular theme for game shows, specifically team based challenge type game shows:
** The 8th season of ''Series/AustralianSurvivor'' is subtitled ''Brains V Brawn'' enforcing this trope by splitting the contestants up into two teams based on their supposed intellect and strength.
** Season 6, episode 6 of the physical challenge show ''Series/Wipeout2008'', "Brains vs Brawn", pits contestants with "brainy" jobs against professional body builders and other highly athletic types.
* The series 5 episode of ''Series/DadsArmy'' "Brains Versus Brawn" makes this trope the primary conflict. Jones and Walker get upset when they learn that the Training Major left out their platoon from training a new unit of commandos. Mainwaring backs the division arguing that commandos use brute force rather than cunning and intellect so they don't need training from the likes of them. This leads to Pritchard suggesting they run a training exercise competition in which the different troops have to deliver a fake bomb to the Officer-in-Charge's office. [[spoiler:Brains win out in the end, after Walker orders for the delivery of a [[LoopholeAbuse second fake bomb]] to the Officer-in-Charge's office.]]
* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': TheLeader Conner is a JerkJock to JerkWithAHeartOfGold, who often mocks TheLancer Ethan for his lack of interest in athletics while Ethan (TheSmartGuy and BlackAndNerdy) finds Conner's disinterest in academics to be immature. In "Leader of the Whack", the two are transformed into the opposite of their default personalities, with the implication that on some level, a part of them wishes to explore the opposite of who they present to the outside world.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Video Games]]
* In the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' franchise, the Krogan are a ProudWarriorRace that prioritizes brute strength, combat prowess, and killing above all else. Might equals right and the weak shall not live long. Thus even the idea of Krogan scientists is [[KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect enough to make a joke of]]. You ironically come across one in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' who is working on a cure for the sterilization genetic virus called the "genophage" that plagues all Krogans, but he is the only one across multiple games. While the Krogan have made many enemies and dislike most of the Council Races, the Salarians have a special place of hate for them as the creators of the genophage. Naturally, Salarians are depicted as the most intelligent and scientific minded of all races in the franchise and are also considered the physically weakest. They compensate as a race by specializing in espionage and covert operations. While individual Salarians have differing opinions on the Krogan, their leader Dalatrass Linron [[spoiler:would rather risk the entire galaxy being wiped out by the Reapers rather than cure the genophage in order to win over the Krogans as allies against them.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' features several Pokemon types that are advantageous to use against other types, similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors. Psychic type Pokémon have an advantage over Fighting type Pokémon, reflecting the brains beats brawn mindset.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Webcomic]]
* In ''Webcomic/ThePetriDish'', more intellectual characters such as Thaddeus and Kelvin don't really understand sports, and when Thaddeus tries watching sports, he can't make sense of it despite his intellect.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': On Team Avatar, Sokka is TheSmartGuy, specifically TheStrategist who comes up with many of the team's plans for infiltration and escape. He is also the weakest for the majority of the series in terms of combat capability as the primary sole non-bender of the team. He is contrasted first with Katara, and later with [[TheBigGuy Toph]]. Toph is rude, crude, BookDumb, and one of the strongest earth benders in the entire Avatar world. Their friendship is portrayed as VitriolicBestBuds, with Toph antagonizing Sokka most of the time. Over the course of the series we learn that Toph is much more StreetSmart than she initially comes off and Sokka learns swordsmanship to compensate, pushing them closer to the second variant of this trope and to ForceAndFinesse in terms of combat.
* ''WesternAnimation/BrandyAndMrWhiskers'': The season 1 episode "Lack of Brains vs. Brawn" plays with this trope when Mr. Whiskers has to deal with TheBully Lester. While Mr. Whiskers is portrayed as being {{Nerd}}-ish relative to Lester, Mr. Whiskers is a CloudCuckoolander and often TheDitz of the show. However, as CharacterizationMarchesOn, in later episodes he becomes more of a GeniusDitz.
* ''WesternAnimation/MummiesAlive'': In "Paws", Nefer-Tina is {{Brainwashed}} by the cat goddess Bastet who makes her abduct Presley. Ja-Kal and Rath clash over how to resolve the situation; Rath wants to use a spell to free Nefer-Tina and save Presley while Ja-Kal thinks they have no choice but to kill Nefer-Tina. Ja-Kal accuses Rath of being weak and indecisive while Rath berates Ja-Kal for relying too much on brute force.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': In "Three Girls And A Monster", Blossom and Buttercup keep arguing whether to defeat the monster of the episode with brute force or well-thought plans. However, neither strategy works giving the sheer size of the monster. What works instead is [[TakeAThirdOption Bubbles politely asking him to leave the city]].
* The season finale of the second season of ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo'', "Brains vs Brawn'' subverts the trope by having BollywoodNerd Brains go up against TheDragon only known as "The Mechanic." While he has been causing trouble for the team all season long as TheHeavy, as a GadgeteerGenius, The Mechanic is far from dumb, thus making this battle less of a battle between two [[{{Foil}} Foils]] as it is between [[MirrorCharacter Mirror Characters]].
* The season finale of ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': ''Revenge of the Island'' is titled "Brain vs. Brawn: The Ultimate Showdown" as the final two contestants are [[spoiler: BlackAndNerdy Cameron and JerkJock Lightning]]. The season actually has two endings in which one or the other wins, however both win moreso out of luck, than actual skill on either of the brains or brawns side, as the final challenge completely exhausted them.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'': The Technobot [[CombiningMecha combiner]] Computron is extremely intelligent, able to [[AwesomenessByAnalysis calculate the most efficient path to victory]]. His [[EvilCounterpart Terrorcon counterpart]], Abominus, is sheer animalistic brute force. Their battles usually involve Computron using his intelligence to counter Abominus' savage fury.
[[/folder]]
