Basic Trope: The smartest member of a team.
- Straight: Bob is not as skilled at fighting as the other members of the group, but he's a genius.
- Exaggerated: Bob knows everything about the universe.
- Downplayed:
- Bob may be the smartest member of the group, but not by much.
- Bob's knowledge only extends to one or two specific fields.
- Bob has the least physical strength of anyone on the team, but makes up for it by being Weak, but Skilled and finding all sorts of ways he can apply his abilities to any situation.
- Justified: Bob began his education at a very young age and/or is a prodigy.
- Inverted:
- Subverted: Bob appears to be smart, but he's just a quack.
- Double Subverted: ...Which is what he wants you to think. It's hard to tell.
- Parodied: The smartest guy on the team is a Stereotypical Nerd.
- Zig Zagged: Bob starts out as the smart guy, but then reveals that his intelligence is a result of an Applied Phlebotinum and he is actually an idiot. Then it turns out that Bob lied about the Applied Phlebotinum, and is truly smart. Then it turn out that it was Bob's Evil Twin all along, and the real Bob is smart, just not as smart as he pretended to be in the first place.
- Averted: Everyone's smart so there's no definite Smart Guy.
- Enforced: The actor playing The Smart Guy has made it clear in his contract that his character must be very wise and all-knowing.
- Lampshaded: "I know a lot more than you about those glyphs. You need me."
- Invoked: Bob's mom puts him in all sorts of programs at a young age to try to boost his intelligence.
- Exploited: The villain kidnaps Bob, knowing that without his intellect, The Team is helpless.
- Defied: Bob decides he doesn't want to be known for his intellect, and Obfuscates Stupidity, becoming Brilliant, but Lazy.
- Discussed:
- "This is Bob. He's the brains of the operation."
- "See, they all call him smart all the time, so you know any clever plans are gonna come out of him — don't expect to see him get physical."
- Conversed: "Here's the part of the show where Bob has the "Eureka!" Moment to Reverse the Polarity in time for Hiro to save the day."
- Deconstructed:
- Bob's education was the result of his Education Mama whose regiment excluded anything that wasn't academic, thus explaining his Geek Physique and lack of skills outside academics.
- Bob sees his worth as tied up in his intellect.
- Bob has a mental condition that compels him to devour any and all information he can come across. He'll do anything to get more data.
- The other four realize that Bob doesn't come up with anything much more useful than what any of the others come up with, and because he's The Load, they kick him off The Team.
- Reconstructed:
- Bob's mom arranged study sessions and other educational activities in groups of likeminded kids so The Power of Friendship would amplify the experience and prevent anyone of them from becoming over-burdened or overspecialized.
- Bob sees his intellect as what he contributes to The Team and feels proud of this but doesn't let it define him.
- Bob has a mental condition that compels him to devour any and all information he can come across. He'll do anything to get more data. This is why he has a Morality Chain who shuts him down whenever he shouts For Science!
- Bob uses his intelligence to be a Gadgeteer Genius, Guile Hero, Team Chef, and/or The Strategist. Thus he is always helpful in some way to the team.
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