Pulp Fiction: The Main Characters, Ranked By Intelligence

Pulp Fiction is widely regarded as director Quentin Tarantino’s best work, with fans and critics mostly impressed by the non-linear narrative, gore, dialogue, and pastiche elements. The characters are quite solid too, such that three of the cast members (Thurman, Jackson, and Travolta) received Oscar nominations.

But which among the characters is the smartest? People with ties to the underworld are always required to have their thinking caps on at every given moment because things can go wrong very quickly. Sadly, some characters in the crime movie appear to be not so logical in their decision-making.

10 Vincent Vega

This renowned hitman works for crime boss Marsellus Wallace, who normally tasks him with executing anyone who offends him. He is also the brother of Vic Vega from Reservoir Dogs.

Vincent maintains a streak of recklessness throughout the movie. Even his death results from utter carelessness. A hitman should know better than to leave his gun lying on the table as he uses the bathroom. That’s what Vincent does and as a result, Butch uses the gun to kill him. He also risks his life by flirting with his boss’ wife yet there are rumors that one of his associates was killed for giving her a massage. Vega tops his bad decisions later in the movie by accidentally shooting an associate.

9 Yolanda (Honey Bunny)

Yolanda enjoys conducting robberies every day with her lover, Ringo. As the two are having breakfast at a diner, they decide to rob it, leading to one of the most memorable Pulp Fiction scenes.

Yolanda is portrayed as a likable and loyal partner but she never questions anything Ringo says. It would be logical for the two to ponder over the decision to rob the diner since it’s something they had never done before but Yoland quickly agrees to it. And during the Mexican standoff with Jules, she fails to figure out what to do to save the situation, putting both herself and Ringo (who was being held at gunpoint) in danger.

8 Mia Wallace

Marsellus Wallace’s wife enjoys the finer things in life. She dines in the most expensive restaurants and flies to Amsterdam frequently. She once had a career as a TV actress too.

The ultimate trophy wife, Mia doesn’t do much other than chat and have fun. She takes risks by flirting with Vincent too yet it’s something that might get them both killed. She isn’t too keen either and that’s why she accidentally uses Vincent’s heroin, causing her to overdose and almost die.

7 Ringo (Pumpkin)

It’s Ringo that suggests robbing banks in the future instead of liquor stores. It’s also he that comes up with the impulsive plan to rob the diner they are in.

Within the first few minutes of the movie, it’s made clear that Ringo is an expert at grabbing the best opportunities. What was a date between the Bonnie and Clyde imitators quickly turns to a robbery. And during the Mexican standoff in the final minutes of the movie, he is careful not to anger Jules to the point where he might get killed.

6 Jimmie Dimmick

Jimmie helps his friend Jules hide the bloodstained car after Vincent kills Marvin. He then demands that they clean it up and get rid of the body before his wife comes back home.

Jimmie is shown to have the perfect idea of how to navigate marriage. He knows exactly what’s likely to get him divorced and he makes sure to point this out in some of the best Pulp Fiction quotes. Despite being friends with gangsters, he is careful enough to not get too involved in their dirty work. It’s part of the reason he orders them to hurry up and leave.

5 Lance

The California drug dealer supplies various gangsters with heroin, including Vincent. When Mia overdoses, Vincent takes her to Lance’s house so that he can revive her.

Many people in his profession would be happy to just sell and look away but Lance puts troubleshooting measures in place. He has shots of adrenaline in his house to ensure none of his clients die from an overdose. He appears to have medical knowledge too as, during Mia’s case, he figures out the exact spot in her chest to stab the syringe so that he can get her heart functioning again.

4 Butch Coolidge

Short on cash, the again boxer agrees to throw a fight for Marsellus so that the crime boss can win a huge bet he placed. However, he changes his mind, wins the fight, and decides to go on the run.

Double-crossing Marsellus is not a good idea but Butch makes wise decisions in most of his other scenes. He is quick to save his own life and kill Vincent when he finds him at the apartment. He quickly figures out a way to escape too when he and Marsellus get captured by Maynard, the pawn shop’s owner. Even his decision to double-cross Marsellus isn’t for nothing. He advised a friend to bet on him so that they could share the money.

3 Marsellus Wallace

Marsellus is a California crime boss who uses an Inglewood strip club as a front to conduct his business. He is extremely ruthless and is reported to have thrown a man off a building once for giving his wife a foot massage.

The world of crime is often brutal and the fact that Marsellus has grown to be one of the most respected crime bosses in California is a confirmation that he is a good decision-maker. And as should be the case with every good leader. he has people capable of dealing with every kind of problem that occurs. This is best demonstrated when he sends Winston Wolfe, one of the best “cleaners” in America to get rid of Marvin’s body.

2 Jules Winnfield

Jules also works for Marsellus Wallace and normally conducts hits together with Vincent Vega. He is also very religious and when he survives several bullets fired at him, he sees it as a miracle and decides to stop killing people.

Jules has greater awareness and knowledge than his partner Vincent. He is heard narrating several stories to Vincent about their boss, stories that Vincent didn’t know. Furthermore, he is a quick thinker and that’s why he is able to get the better of the two robbers at the diner all by himself. Jules can also recite bible verses rather easily and even tailor them to suit a situation.

1 Winston Wolfe

In what is one of Harvey Keitel’s best roles, he plays Wolfe, a cleaner sent to Jimmie’s home by Marsellus to help Vincent and Jules cover up the murder of Marvin. He impressively manages to help them to do so before Jimmie’s wife comes back home from work.

The cleaner knows just about everything that’s needed to cover up a murder. Moreover, he is smart enough to not get his own hands dirty. He simply barks out instructions to Jules and Vincent as he watches them do the job. Thanks, to his instructions, the two hitmen manage to clean everything in just under 45 minutes.

About The Author

Philip Etemesi
(1215 Articles Published)

Philip Etemesi is an author, journalist, screenwriter and film critic based in Nairobi. Kenya. As a child, he preferred watching movies like The Goodfellas instead of Home Alone. His girlfriend constantly has to pull him from the front of the TV but he just keeps returning. Stubborn dude! An animal lover, Philip also has a pet giraffe called Refu.

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