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icarusfrommars · 1 year

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Who is TRULY the World's Greatest Detective?

Many sleuths over the years have been christened the world's greatest detective, from Sherlock Holmes to Batman to Angus McDonald. However, the mystery of who is truly the World's Greatest Detective is one that seems none of them can solve. Therefore, I have compiled a list of 24 detectives, private investigators, and amateur sleuths from over the many years of detective fiction to all compete for the title of World's Greatest Detective! The only ones who can solve this mystery are you lovely people of Tumblr through your handy dandy polling devices! But first, some ground rules. Anyone can claim they are an investigator, but that doesn't necessarily make them a detective. Therefore, there's some criteria as to who is allowed in this competition. First, the contestant must be known as a detective or private investigator. That means their main job is to be a solver of mysteries, first and foremost. The World's Greatest Detective can't afford to be distracted. (Sorry Phoenix Wright, but you are an attorney.) Second, the contestant must have solved the case(s) they are best known for. This means that they came to a reasonable conclusion based on clues and hints they picked up during the investigation process. The World's Greatest Detective has to be able to figure out any mystery placed before them. (Sorry Gumshoe, but you're not the brightest.) Third, the contestant must have been the one to make the accusation or announce the discovery. This means that it can't be someone else that takes the credit for figuring out the mystery. The World's Greatest Detective has to be proud of the answers they come to. (Sorry Kyoko, but Makoto was the one who made all the accusations for you.) Fourth and finally, the contestant's conclusion(s) must be able to prove their conclusions are correct using the evidence that they have gathered. This means that evidence can't just be circumstantial but must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are right. (Sorry L... wait. How did you...?)

(Also, detective duos or teams count as one detective as long as they are known best for solving their mysteries together.) And thus our 24 great detectives were chosen based on these criteria. Then, they were thrown into a randomizer to determine their place upon the bracket. They're all ready to find out who among them is the best of them! Let's take a look at the competition:

Sherlock Holmes - Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes is possibly the most popular detective in this entire competition. He's been a staple in detective fiction since its beginning and is the inspiration for nearly every other character on this list. However, popularity does not necessarily equate to being the Greatest.

Since there are so many interpretations of Sherlock Holmes over the years, I decided to include the most popular adaptation of the sleuth as of the modern age; that being the 2010 BBC version played by Benedict Cumberbatch. I expect him to get good results within this contest, but he's going up against some difficult competition in the first few rounds. Will the most popular detective prove himself the Greatest as well? We shall see!

L - Death Note

As stated above, L is an outlier within this competition because he was never able to definitively prove that Light Yagami was the serial killer Kira. However, as is seen in the anime, the two of them play such a suspenseful game that it's believable L would come to the answer had he known of the supernatural aspect of the murders. So, he gains an honorary spot in this contest, even if he ultimately failed at the finish line. However, he's going up against some of the most difficult competition in the entire bracket, so it won't be an easy battle for him.

Also if I had gone with who actually solved the case I would have had to add Near and I hate Near so

Mystery Incorporated - Scooby-Doo

Mystery Incorporated, the Mystery Gang, the Scooby Gang, these 4 teens and 1 talking dog have had many different names over the years but their goals all stay the same: hunt down and disprove paranormal happenings. Since 1969 these meddling kids have been unmasking creeps and criminals in elaborate costumes for their misdeeds. However, it may take more than just unmasking Old Man Jenkins to prove themselves as the World's Greatest Detectives!

Angus McDonald - The Adventure Zone

The youngest (human) contestant in this competition, Angus McDonald has proclaimed himself the World's Greatest Detective since his debut on the The Adventure Zone podcast in 2014. Though he is another outlier in this contest, as he was not the one to confront the true culprit that committed the murder aboard the Rockport Limited, he has proven himself to be able to uncover clues and see through lies easily. It also helps that he's got magical items and spells that help him in his detective work. Will he be able to prove his claims as the World's Greatest Detective, or will he be outwitted by the older competition?

Agent Hank Schrader - Breaking Bad

Hank Schrader is a badass sonofabitch from Albuquerque, NM, adept in finding the biggest clues in the smallest of places. His work in the DEA has seen him expose some of the largest names in the meth business, and he is always just on the heels of his targets the whole time. However, though he is able to prove his suspects guilty, he has a difficult time fully taking them down and bringing them in. Can he stay ahead in this competition for the World's Greatest Detective?

Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder - The X Files

Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder are two FBI agents in search of the truth to the darkest mysteries that even the government wants hidden. Mulder is a wild conspiracy theorist, but often his theories are proven to be more reality than crazed ramblings. Meanwhile, Scully is a skeptical realist, obsessed with her work and just trying to get to the bottom of unsolved cases. They have managed to uncover some of the strangest and deadliest mysteries in America through their work, and it's all heavily classified. They want you to believe that they can be called the World's Greatest Detectives.

Benois Blanc - Knives Out/Glass Onion

The most recent contestant in the competition for the World's Greatest Detective, Benois Blanc is a swift thinking gentleman with a thick... well it's a somewhere accent. He's found himself at the center of two seperate high profile murder investigations now, and both have proven no match for Benois' sharp eye and southern charm. However, when compared to many others in this contest, he's got much less on-screen experience. Will his two intense outings be able to prove his worth as the World's Greatest Detective? Professor Herschel Layton and Luke Triton - Professor Layton

Professor Herschel Layton is the epitome of what a gentleman should be. Proper to the core, Layton is never able to overlook a good opportunity to teach a lesson in being a gentleman to his protegee, Luke Triton. However, he also has a great fondness for brainteasers and puzzles, always willing to lend a hand to someone who looks like they can't figure something out. Since 2007 he and Luke have been cracking odd cases that require the sharp eye of a gentleman to solve. Will his charm and Luke's eagerness for answers be able to solve who the World's Greatest Detective is?

Sam and Max - Sam and Max

Sam and Max is everyone's favorite talking bipedal detective dog and manic homocidal psychic rabbit duo. The two of them are often going on wacky adventures to solve insane mysteries, all the while bumping into colorful characters along the way. These two are also canonically married, making them the only husband-husband caper crackers in this competition. If you feel an overwhelming urge to vote for these two, it's probably Max's psychic abilities influencing your hand so that the two of them can win the title of the World's Greatest Detectives.

Hercule Poirot - Agatha Christie's Poirot

Hercule Poirot is a detective hailing from Belgium in the early 1900's. With an incredible mind and a fantastic mustache to match, Poirot is a genius at solving cases that seem unsolvable. He often uses the minds of those involved against them, prodding and poking at his interrogation subjects' minds until they crack. With an eccentric attitude, method, and image, it is no wonder that he has captured the hearts of many since 1920, going on to rival even the likes of Sherlock Holmes in popularity. Will his mind games and glorious facial hair get you to vote for him as the World's Greatest Detective?

Basil of Baker Street - The Great Mouse Detective

Basil is a sophisticated mouse who lives within the cellar of 221 Baker Street, where his office is located as well. He... look he's mouse sherlock holmes. That's really about it. I don't really know what else to say about him. If you like mice and Sherlock Holmes, vote for him as the World's Greatest Detective.

Detective Pikachu - Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu is an odd pokemon with an expanded mind and the ability to speak (though only to one person). He's the cutest but deadliest detective on this list, as he can zap you with his electric mouse powers. His mysteries often involve helping Pokemon, but he's just as much a detective for humans as well. If you don't vote for him, he might just give you a shock!

Nancy Drew - Nancy Drew

Over the years there's been a large abundance of male detectives in the field. However, Nancy Drew was one of the first female investigators to break into the cultural zeitgeist. She can be found all over America solving mysteries of all kinds, from the mundane to the malicious, and sometimes finds herself wrapped up in mysteries all the way across the world. She's more than capable and through almost 100 years has stayed an inspiration for young sleuths to look up to, which makes her a perfect candidate for the World's Greatest Detective.

Nick Valentine - Fallout 4

Nick Valentine is a synth detective living in Diamond City in the post-nuclear wasteland of the Commonwealth. Though he deals with mistrust and harassment by the people of the city due to his being as a synth, his doors are always open to new clients that have a mystery on their hands. He's quick on the draw and has a strict sense of morality, for the most part. When there's no other detectives left in the world, I suppose that gives you good claim to the title of World's Greatest Detective.

Dick Tracy - Dick Tracy

Dick Tracy is one of the oldest comic book detectives, with his first issue being published in 1931. Clad all in yellow and wearing a wristwatch that allows for communication, Dick Tracy is an antiquated look into what would eventually evolve into the secret agent: a duty bound hero with unbelievable gadgets that help him in his investigations. He's a fantastic influence for future comedic detectives while still being true to his work.

The Hardy Boys - The Hardy Boys

A detective partnership between two brothers, the Hardy Boys have been a staple of young mystery fiction since their inception in 1927. Throughout the years the two boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, have experienced every kind of mystery under the sun within their hometown of Bayport. They're often assisting their father with mysteries, whether directly or indirectly, and have been the deciding factor in many a solution. They also often get into danger and trouble, causing them to have to act fast in the moment. The Hardy Boys have stayed hardy for almost 100 years and the two of them together have experienced so many cases that they definitely earn their spot in the running for the World's Greatest Detectives.

The next contestants will not be in the first round of voting, but are still in the running nonetheless.

Batman - Detective Comics/Batman

Batman is possibly the most recognizable character in this competition, whose only real competition in popularity being Sherlock Holmes. Batman, whose real identity is billionare Bruce Wayne, is often misconstrued as simply just being a superhero due to his bat costume and tendency to beat up supervillains and their goons. However, Batman is a man of many talents, one of those being that he is DC's greatest detective. He is extremely perceptive to the point of almost superhuman amounts and he is always finding new hints and clues that point to the answer of which supervillain needs their teeth knocked in tonight. I mean, it's Batman. What else do I need to say? That just proves that he is guaranteed a spot in this competition for the World's Greatest Detective.

Columbo - Columbo

Columbo is an extremely direct and to the point kind of investigator whose perceptiveness is only matched by his wit. He is no stranger to lying, stalling, and dancing around his true intentions as he gets to the bottom of his cases. Dressed in an iconic raincoat and often puffing on a cigarette, Columbo is probably most well known for his tendency to turn the tide on his prime suspect when they think they have him fooled by just bring up "one more thing." Columbo is possibly one of the best social manipulators in this competition, and he might just convince you to vote him for the World's Greatest Detective.

Goro Akechi - Persona 5

Goro Akechi is Japan's heartthrob Ace Detective with a relaxed yet awkward personality about him. However, this outward appearance of being an approachable and trustworthy young adult is a simple front to lure his suspects into a false sense of security, allowing him to gather secrets and information that he needs to solve the case. However, he does have a weakness for delicious pancakes, which he just can't resist the craving of when someone brings them up. If you're not careful, this Ace Detective will lure you in with his charm so you'll vote him as the World's Greatest Detective.

RK800 Connor - Detroit: Become Human

Android Model RK800 or "Connor" as he's been programmed to respond to is an aforementioned android assisting the Detroit Police in hunting down and capturing rogue androids. Throughout the game Connor uses his advanced sensors to keep track of clues, see things otherwise obscured, and even monitor the heart rate of those he interrogates. Over the course of the story, however, Connor can make a multitude of decisions that end up in drastically different outcomes in the end. Perhaps this set of choices is the one that allows him to win the title of the World's Greatest Detective.

Suichi Saihara - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Suichi Saihara, AKA the Ultimate Detective, is a student of the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles that found himself trapped in a killing game with 15 other students. While he was named the Ultimate Detective due to solving a crime by accident, he wishes that he had never done so due to the trauma he received from the event. However, over the course of the game, Shuichi comes into his own as a detective and proves that his ultimate title is more than accurate for his skills, as he solves the complex murders of his fellow classmates. Will his title as Ultimate Detective help him get the edge on the competition and become the World's Greatest Detective?

(BTW this is why Kyoko isn't on this bracket. I think that Shuichi is just a better detective than her.)

Jessica Fletcher - Murder, She Wrote

While on the surface she is a seemingly simple elderly mystery writer in the small town of Cabot Cove, Jessica Fletcher constantly proves herself one of the most capable amateur detectives in all of television. Using her visage as a kind old lady to her advantage, she is constantly manipulating and interrogating suspects without them even realizing it. Her work as a writer gives her a good eye for clues that others might just overlook. Then, at the end when the suspect believes they have gotten away with it, she reveals the whole truth and catches them off guard. Jessica Fletcher is one of the most cunning old ladies you'll ever meet and is a fantastic contestant for the World's Greatest Detective.

Jessica Jones - Jessica Jones/Alias

Jessica Jones is a superpowered private investigator that isn't afraid to get her hands dirty if it helps her get to the bottom of her case. After a car accident with a chemical truck as a child left her both orphaned and imbued with chemical-induced superpowers, she was a hero by the name of Jewel for a short time before meeting the Purple Man, who traumatized her so much to the extent that she quit the super hero business entirely. Now she uses her powers in her PI business known as Alias, where she is frequently hired by other super beings. Jessica Jones is no doubt the strongest detective in this competition and her no-nonsense way of going about her job makes her great to be the World's Greatest Detective.

Auguste Dupin - Murders of the Rue Morgue

Last but certainly not least is the progenitor of every other character in this competition, Auguste Dupin. Dupin is a character in multiple short stories by legendary author Edgar Allen Poe and he portrays all the characteristics you would expect of a fictional detective. He is observant to inhuman levels, he has much cunning and guile, and he even is not afraid to walk the line of amorality in order to get to the bottom of his mysteries. He is by far the oldest character in this competition release-wise, as his first outing was first published in 1841. Perhaps the title of World's Greatest Detective shall be given to the one who started the genre itself.

And those are the characters in this bracket! I'm not fully familiar with all of these characters, since quite a few were suggestions by my friends, and there's obviously many, many more that could have fit on the bracket (I went back and forth on so many characters). Maybe if people like this I'll make another one later or something. Anywho, with that out of the way, the polls will be going up in just a few minutes!

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