Board Thread:Clean up Concerns/@comment-26204029-20160504192650/@comment-366087-20160505110319

Whether "Genius" or "Mastermind, it is much like being a "Doctor". Doctors come in various flavors, not all of them medical, as well as specialties, such as surgeons (with even more subspecialties) or philosophy. There is nonetheless an umbrella label.

Mastermind is a genius, although the most popular usage implies one who covers ALL bases and specialties. "Genius" is typically seen as specializing in one or a few disciplines, such as inventor or deductive reasoning like Sherlock Holmes.

Between the two labels, Mastermind is the umbrella. Which you just agreed with.

BTW, no matter which label, the character can be caught off guard. Rare are such characters which cannot be, else heroes would never win, never foil a plan, never set the bad guys back.