When people think of DC, they think of their respected roster of heroes battling some of the most dangerous and intimidating villains ever. While many of these heroes are amazingly powerful, they aren't exactly gods. Well, not all of them. There are actually a lot of gods in the DC Universe, bestriding the universe like colossi and using their amazing powers to have their way many times over.
As powerful as these gods are, power isn't all there is. Many of them are extremely intelligent, using that intelligence to fulfill their divine mandates. They are some of the most intelligent beings in the cosmos, playing a game on a scale that mortals can't imagine.
10 Zeus Has Existed For Untold Millennia
The skylord of the Olympian pantheon, Zeus has existed for ages, watching the Earth and humanity develop. He wouldn't be considered smart in a scientific manner but his age and power have given him a unique perspective on humanity and the Earth's history, as he personally experienced and watched so much of it.
Zeus's long life and position atop Olympus have allowed him to watch humanity from afar and he spent a lot of time on the Earth with humans, as evidenced by his many children. His position as the head of his pantheon is unique and has gained him a perspective that few have.
9 Ares' Position As God Of War Makes Him A Tactical Genius
Ares has been around for a long time, moving about the world and fomenting conflict for his own purposes. As God of War, he has an innate understanding of weapons and tactics that is intrinsic to his being. While it can be argued that gods like him aren't intelligent, that would be underselling Ares. His whole MO has been using that understanding to create a world to his liking.
Wonder Woman has always stood in his way in recent times and has been able to use his own mistakes against him, but it's hard to argue against his intelligence. His schemes have worked numerous times and his tactical knowledge makes him the perfect commander.
8 Lucifer Isn't Technically A God But He Has The Power Of One
Lucifer is the first enemy and has existed since almost the beginning of time. He's ridiculously powerful, once even able to create his own universe, and is remarkably intelligent and erudite. He knows a lot about a lot but his real intelligence comes from his cunning. For eons, he ruled Hell, where his servants constantly played their intrigue games trying to take his power.
Lucifer is a master of strategy and understanding the goals of others. It's how he was able to keep his power over Hell for so long. While he may not be the greatest scientist in the universe, he's a crafty being who is quite intelligent.
7 Hephaestus Is The Smartest God In His Pantheon
Hephaestus has long been the smartest of the Greek Gods, creating all of the things that they need to survive and fight their battles. He's an expert weaponsmith and as humanity's knowledge of weaponry and technology has grown, so has his. Hephaestus represents humanity's intelligence as it has developed over the years and while one can say his powers don't make him intelligent, he can still create just about anything.
Hephaestus is still on Olympus, still making all of the things the Gods need to survive in the new world all around them, his intelligence and know-how growing as the human world's grows.
6 Mister Miracle Is Smarter Than He Seems
Mister Miracle is the son of Izaya the Highfather, traded to Darkseid as part of a peace deal. Raised on Apokolips, he didn't exactly get an amazing education but that doesn't mean he isn't smart. In fact, anyone who doesn't think that Mister Miracle isn't smart doesn't know much about the character.
His ability to outthink any trap ever designed shows this. Mister Miracle's ability to survive comes from the fact that he's a sponge; he absorbs all of the information around him and puts it to use. His problem-solving skills may not let him figure out the secrets of the universe but that makes them no less impressive.
5 Darkseid Is A Being Of Brutal Intelligence
Darkseid is one of the greatest villains in the DC Multiverse. As Lord of Apokolips, Darkseid has to deal with a hierarchy of beings trying to steal his power from him and become greater than him. His understanding of science isn't great but that's not the only type of intelligence there is. Darkseid is a master tactician and has a unique understanding of the beings around him.
Darkseid understands the science of power like few others. His knowledge of the Multiverse is vast as well and he constantly tries to add to it so he can find the Anti-Life Equation. He may be brutal, but he understands the use of brutality when ruling others.
4 The Highfather Is One Of The Most Intelligent New Gods
The war between Highfather's New Genesis and Darkseid's Apokolips is the crux of the Fourth World saga. Highfather's leadership of New Genesis has kept Darkseid at bay for millennia, protecting the Multiverse from his evil. Highfather has proven to be one of the most intelligent New Gods out there, a shrewd tactician always willing to listen to his advisors and generals.
Beyond having untold amounts of knowledge about the universe, Highfather is smart enough to know that he doesn't actually know everything. He's always willing to learn more, which makes him unique among gods, as most of them just pretend they know everything.
3 Doctor Manhattan Is Always Trying To Learn More
Doctor Manhattan is another being who isn't actually a god but he does have all the powers of one. Jon Osterman was a man of science before he gained his power, so his entire existence once he attained power was to try and understand the cosmos and time. He walked far down this path, even leaving his own universe and traveling the Multiverse.
Manhattan's understanding of physics is amazing. He's easily one of the smartest beings to have ever been born on Earth but even he would say that he didn't understand anything close to everything.
2 Desaad's Fiendish Intelligence Has Allowed Him To Create Many Amazing Instruments Of Death
Darkseid's rule over Apokolips wouldn't be possible without Desaad. He's the brains behind the operation, creating all of the amazing technology that the forces of Apokolips need in their wars. He's also an expert in genetics and biology, understanding how to twist the beings of the natural universe into things that his dark master can use.
Desaad's intelligence is only matched by his sadism, which is why he still works for Darkseid. He has little desire for the kind of power Darkseid does; as long as he can experiment and torture to his heart's delight, he's perfectly fine with his position in life.
1 Metron Has Spent Untold Eons Trying To Understand Everything
Metron is possibly the most powerful New God of them all. He's certainly the smartest, having spent more years than anyone knows using his Mobius Chair to travel the Multiverse and see everything. The war between New Genesis and Apokolips is meaningless to him; he's worked for both sides as suits his fancy because all that matters to him is knowledge.
Metron has witnessed things that few can even imagine. His Mobius Chair holds knowledge the likes of which none can imagine and the only pleasure he gets is the pursuit of knowledge, learning more and more.