Characters who overrepresent their capabilities are mainstays of both dramatic and comedic television. An incompetent villain may believe his latest scheme will work. Or, an attractive character may find the rare situation where their good looks can’t help them. This disconnect is an easy way for shows to subvert expectations. This often takes the form of characters who believe they are far more intelligent than they really are.
On the other hand, many cartoons involve characters who conceal their high intelligence under a facade of insanity or stupidity. This trope takes many forms, from one-off jokes to whole character arcs. The trope appears in cartoons for kids and adults alike.
10 Family Guy: Mayor Adam West
In Family Guy, the late Adam West plays a character of the same name. He's the mayor of Quahog, Rhode Island. Over his seventeen-year tenure on Family Guy, Mayor Adam West is depicted as a corrupt politician with a tenuous grasp on reality.
In season 13's Doctor C & The Women, Cleveland takes Peter's suggestion to become a therapist. When Mayor Adam West visits the office, Cleveland diagnoses him as a dangerous sociopath who hides his true intellect. Mayor Adam West confesses this is true, then leaves the office while wearing a colander of spaghetti.
9 Camp Lazlo: Clam
As one of the core cast of Camp Lazlo, Clam’s character gimmick is the disparity between his usual behavior and his true intelligence. Clam presents himself as a quiet, passive Bean Scout who is usually content to tag along with Lazlo and Raj.
Though he rarely speaks more than a few words at a time, Clam is capable of extraordinary feats. He is a genius artist in several mediums, including painting, sculpture and opera singing. Clam has showed his mathematical alacrity and lightning-quick cognition many times, often pulling his friends out of trouble.
8 He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe: Prince Adam
The characterization of He-Man has shifted slightly over his portrayal in various cartoons and comics. A common element is the difference in presentation between Prince Adam and his alter ego. This appears strongly in He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe.
He-Man rarely plays dumb in his role as the most powerful man in the universe. However, he doesn't usually present himself with the carefree intelligence of his true identity. Although, he proves himself clever when necessary. Even Prince Adam has a habit of acting aloof and immature to hide his true potential.
7 Daria: Quinn Morgendorffer
In Daria, the contrast between the titular character and her sister Quinn is one of the core character dynamics. Quinn enjoys her popularity as an extroverted, stylish girl. She rarely puts forth intellectual effort because she's scared that being smart will make her unpopular.
However, Quinn’s potential is far greater than she lets on. In Is It Fall Yet?, Quinn finally puts forth effort into qualifying for college. Though Daria previously clung to her own intelligence as the one advantage she had over Quinn, Daria finally encourages her sister and tells her she is not stupid.
6 My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Rainbow Dash
In My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Rainbow Dash is an exuberant, active pony. Rainbow Dash's insecurities about her self-image lead her to ridicule activities and personality traits which she sees as inconsistent with her sporty personality. In Read It And Weep, Rainbow Dash calls Twilight Sparkle an "egghead" for reading books, an activity Rainbow Dash says is unathletic and "uncool."
However, Rainbow Dash soon realizes she enjoys reading and tries to hide this from her friends. Eventually, she admits to loving reading. She's determined to stop criticizing activities without trying them first. As Friendship Is Magic progresses, Rainbow Dash reveals a gradually richer life at odds with her original self-image.
5 BoJack Horseman: Sarah Lynn
BoJack Horseman is full to the brim with tragic characters, and Sarah Lynn is no exception. From her earliest years, others plan Sarah’s life for her. She expresses interest from an early age to become an architect, but her mother forces her to be a child actress.
Sarah hides her potential and her inner pain with a life of flagrant debauchery. Because of the abuse and misfortune she suffers, Sarah never taps into her true capabilities. Yet, she never completely abandons her dreams. Sarah’s very last words reiterate her childhood longing to becoming an architect.
4 South Park: Nathan
In South Park, Nathan is in the same class as Jimmy and Timmy. In every appearance, Nathan nurses a grudge toward Jimmy, frequently trying and failing to embarrass or harm his classmate. Nathan does so through elaborate traps and schemes. These showcase his genius, and exhibit entrepreneurial ability in illegal activities - like a black market streaming service provider.
However, the adults in Nathan’s life seem completely unaware of his capabilities. In Crippled Summer, a camp counselor addresses Nathan in a simple manner. Nathan affects a lower level of cognition so as not to attract attention.
3 Batman: The Animated Series: Harley Quinn
Though she later became a fan favorite character across all Batman media, Harley Quinn debuted in Batman: The Animated Series. Harley has an obsessive relationship with the Joker, enduring much betrayal. This leads other characters to view her as dumb for putting up with it. In her villainous guise, Harley is nearly as chaotic and unpredictable as the Joker himself.
However, Harley was once known as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a highly intelligent psychiatrist. Underneath her destructive persona lies the intellect of a mental health professional, another instance where brilliancy is corrupted into tragic criminality.
2 Phineas And Ferb: Perry The Platypus
In Phineas And Ferb, Perry the Platypus is a member of the Organization Without A Cool Acronym, an agency devoted to opposing evil scientists. As a pet to Phineas and Ferb, Perry presents as a mundane platypus who "doesn’t do much." His passivity and bug-eyed expression make him seem unintelligent.
While active as an agent, Perry’s gaze sharpens, and he adopts humanlike mannerisms. Perry is a loyal, effective and resourceful agent well-equipped to oppose the schemes of Dr. Doofenshmirtz. This grows to such an extent that the scientist calls Perry his nemesis.
1 All Hail King Julien: Mort
Mort first appears as a quirky and childish lemur in Madagascar. Throughout sequels and spin-off shows, his characterization remains fairly similar. In All Hail King Julian, Mort keeps his wacky, oblivious and often incompetent traits. However, his true self is finally revealed.
Mort is an interdimensional being old enough to appear in history books. He possesses the DNA of several creatures, giving him powers like the ability to regenerate his head after decapitation. He devours the souls of his alternate universe selves, as well as his relatives. When Mort drinks coffee, the soul of "Smart Mort" manifests, a being able to solve whatever technological issue Madagascar's cast faces.