History Main / NumberTwoForBrains

Usually PlayedForLaughs and a sure sign that the guy in charge is truly SurroundedByIdiots. Compare BrainsAndBrawn, where the (possibly) stupid sidekick doesn't hold a position of authority. See also TheDragon, TheLancer, NumberTwo, TheIgor, PointyHairedBoss, and UnderlingWithAnFInPR. May be TheStarscream, but is virtually ''never'' DragonInChief -- unless his boss is even more of a dingbat. Very often falls under DumbMuscle. Contrast HypercompetentSidekick, which often diametrically inverts this trope by being paired up with an inept boss instead. If the bad guy has two subordinates who happen to be idiots, then it's BumblingHenchmenDuo.

Usually PlayedForLaughs and a sure sign that the guy in charge is truly SurroundedByIdiots. Compare BrainsAndBrawn, where the (possibly) stupid sidekick doesn't hold a position of authority. See also TheDragon, TheLancer, NumberTwo, TheIgor, PointyHairedBoss, and UnderlingWithAnFInPR. May be TheStarscream, but is virtually ''never'' DragonInChief -- unless his boss is even more of a dingbat. Very often falls under DumbMuscle. Contrast HypercompetentSidekick, which often diametrically inverts this trope by being paired up with an inept boss instead.

->'''Chris:''' I realized while I was watching this today that Otis is basically the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] ComicBook/HarleyQuinn. And you don't like her, either.\\
'''David:''' I at least understand why ComicBook/TheJoker would keep a stupid sycophant around.
-->-- '''David Uzumeri''' and '''Chris Sims''' [[http://comicsalliance.com/superman-ii-review/ review]] ''Film/SupermanII''

'''Hemlock:''' Well, that doesn't limit the field much.

* Mr Pope from ''The Eiger Sanction'' (1975)

* Kronk in ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove''. One of the most lovably stupid lackeys of all time.

* Sergeant Colon of ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', in ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'' Maybe not actively stupid, but certainly not bright and on top of things. He makes a great on-the-streets copper on account of his experience and gut instinct, but is a disaster as Captain in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant''.

* Hedley Lamarr's flunky, Lyle, in ''Film/BlazingSaddles''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BikerMiceFromMars'', given the limited budget available to him from the [[GreaterScopeVillain council of Plutark]], Greasepit was probably hired by [[BigBad Limburger]] primarily because he was cheap. It's sure as heck not because of any competence on Greasepit's part. A flashback shows that Greasepit got the job because he had a good agent or at least that was Karbunkle's excuse for not getting anybody better.

-->-- '''David Uzumeri''' and '''Chris Sims''' [[http://comicsalliance.com/superman-ii-review/ on]] ''Film/SupermanII''

->'''Chris''': I realized while I was watching this today that Otis is basically the [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] ComicBook/HarleyQuinn. And you don’t like her, either.
->'''David''': I at least understand why ComicBook/TheJoker would keep a stupid sycophant around.
-->--David Uzumeri and Chris Sims [[http://comicsalliance.com/superman-ii-review/ on]] ''Film/SupermanII''

Number Two For Brains combines both meanings: the first applies to the position, the second to the skull's contents.

!Examples
[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Manga/OnePiece'' had [[MultiArmedAndDangerous Hatchan]] to [[ThreateningShark Arlong]] who interestingly, gained some IQ points after his HeelFaceTurn.

[[AC:Film]]

-->'''Pope:''' My superior wants to see you.
-->'''Hemlock:''' Well, that doesn't limit the field much.

[[AC:Literature]]
* Sergeant Colon in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', in [[Discworld/GuardsGuards Guards! Guards!]]. Maybe not actively stupid, but certainly not bright and on top of things. He makes a great on-the-streets copper on account of his experience and gut instinct, but is a disaster as Captain in ''Discworld/TheFifthElephant''.

[[AC:Live Action TV]]
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': Ramsay. As his more intelligent and self-controlled father's NumberTwo, he makes several stupid decisions due to his sadistic and impulsive nature. He ruins Theon to a point that he can't be used as a bartering piece with the Greyjoys, flays the Ironborn reavers at Moat Cailin rather than honor the conditions of the surrender, flays lords who refuse to pay their taxes, and holds a large feast for himself when Winter is Coming. In general, his sadism and impulsivity prevents him from waiting or devising nonviolent solutions and consequentially, Roose spends Season 4 and 5 having to deal with his bastard/son's messes.

[[AC:Radio]]

[[AC:Video Games]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]

Usually PlayedForLaughs and a sure sign that the guy in charge is truly SurroundedByIdiots. Compare BrainsAndBrawn, where the (possibly) stupid sidekick doesn't hold a position of authority. See also TheDragon, TheLancer, NumberTwo, TheIgor, and PointyHairedBoss. May be TheStarscream, but is virtually ''never'' DragonInChief -- unless his boss is even more of a dingbat. Very often falls under DumbMuscle. Contrast HypercompetentSidekick, which often diametrically inverts this trope by being paired up with an inept boss instead.

* Larry, Rippen's loyal but not evil ally in ''WesternAnimation/PennZeroPartTimeHero''.

->'''David''': I at least understand why SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker would keep a stupid sycophant around.

* In ''{{Weeds}}'', U-Turn spent a great deal of time chiding his friendly but incompetent underling Marvin, eventually [[spoiler:pushing him over the edge.]]

* Moriarty in ''TheGoonShow'' is the dumber member of the (usually) villainous duo, with Grytpype-Thynne as the brains.

# The right-hand man, TheLancer[=/=]TheDragon, the [[NumberTwo second-in-command]].

->'''Pope:''' My superior wants to see you.
->'''Hemlock:''' Well, that doesn't limit the field much.

* Larry, Rippen's loyal but not evil ally in "PennZeroPartTimeHero"

->'''David''': I at least understand why the Joker would keep a stupid sycophant around.

->'''Chris''': I realized while I was watching this today that Otis is basically the [[TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] ComicBook/HarleyQuinn. And you don’t like her, either.

* Dark Helmet from ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'' is none too bright. He is also really short.
** Dark Helmet's own Dragon, Colonel Sandurz, is arguably an inversion of this trope, as he seems to often be [[SurroundedByIdiots the only one with half a brain in the whole Spaceball fleet]].
** Ironically, Helmet is still smarter than [[PointyHairedBoss his own boss, the President]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/BikerMiceFromMars'', given the limited budget available to him from the [[BiggerBad council of Plutark]], Greasepit was probably hired by [[BigBad Limburger]] primarily because he was cheap. It's sure as heck not because of any competence on Greasepit's part. A flashback shows that Greasepit got the job because he had a good agent or at least that was Karbunkle's excuse for not getting anybody better.

Usually PlayedForLaughs and a true sign that the guy in charge is truly SurroundedByIdiots. Compare BrainsAndBrawn, where the (possibly) stupid sidekick doesn't hold a position of authority. See also TheDragon, TheLancer, NumberTwo, TheIgor, and PointyHairedBoss. May be TheStarscream, but is virtually ''never'' DragonInChief -- unless his boss is even more of a dingbat. Very often falls under DumbMuscle. Contrast HypercompetentSidekick, which often diametrically inverts this trope by being paired up with an inept boss instead.

* The sequel to ''{{Uncharted}}'' gives us [[spoiler:Harry Flynn]], who pulls a FaceHeelTurn early on, and demonstrates an outstanding lack of common sense more or less continuously, as well as deduction and decryption chops that would not shame a watermelon (although it's a bit unfair when the competition is [[AdventurerArchaeologist Nate Drake]]). Sadly for him, the BigBad is also a BadBoss.
* ''{{Tropico}}'' gives us Penultimo, your second-in-command who is utterly loyal but not too bright.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'': Scorponok fits this trope to a T. He was really kind of an idiot; really the only things he had to his name were his [[UndyingLoyalty loyalty]] and some surprising talents with inventing (though when his inventions went wrong, they went [[GoneHorriblyWrong wrong.]]) To be fair, his loyalty certainly was a commodity what with the likes of [[TheStarscream Terrorsaur]] and [[TheMole Tarantulas]] on board.