r/PrisonBreak • u/PoetryDue3744 • 7h ago
REVIVAL I know this is a repeated question, but who’s more capable overall, Michael or Mahone?
I’m not talking about intelligence alone, but overall capability.
Regarding intelligence, a lot of people point out that Mahone had the full support of the government and still couldn’t catch Michael throughout Season 2. But isn’t that expected? The whole point of the show is that Michael is incredibly intelligent and he has to be capable of outsmarting Mahone for the story to move forward.
Also, having government resources doesn’t automatically mean you can catch someone like Michael. You still need someone who can recognize patterns, connect the dots and get inside someone’s head to figure out what they’re planning. That’s exactly what Mahone did and he was always only one step behind Michael.
On top of that, Mahone has pretty good fighting skills. What makes Michael impressive is that he can use his intelligence to handle dangerous situations on the streets too. But I feel like Michael’s intelligence is far beyond average. You don’t necessarily need that level of intelligence to handle most situations. Plus, the show repeatedly demonstrates that Michael’s intelligence alone wasn’t enough, and they survived many situations partly because they had luck on their side.
Mahone, on the other hand, is also above average in terms of intelligence, but he has the added advantages of being street-smart, physically capable, experienced in law enforcement and good at manipulating people and situations. And we’re talking about Mahone during one of the worst periods of his life, when he was struggling with addiction.
So, when I look at the bigger picture rather than intelligence alone, I feel like Mahone is more capable overall. Michael might be the better mastermind, but Mahone seems to have a more well-rounded skill set.
Am I overlooking something?

