The Venture Bros Lesson in Professional Development

Or A Tale Of Two Mad Men

Doctor Thaddeus S. “Rusty” Venture is the Mad Genius at the center of The Venture Bros cartoon universe. A series that has run on Adult Swim since 2003, releasing roughly 76 episodes over roughly 6 seasons. The show follows the adult life of our former “boy adventurer”, once known as “Rusty”. Now decades later, his red hair and “hero” father are both gone.

Sadly, Doctor Venture is no genius. He arguably isn’t even a “super-scientist”. As noted by his arch-nemesis, “You’re a brainless nobody who lives entirely off your father’s fame and fortune!”. He isn’t wrong, not entirely.

Honestly, “Doctor” Venture isn’t even a doctor. While he attended State College, he left upon the death of his father and now possesses only an honorary doctorate from Tijuana Community College (which he paid quite a bit to obtain).

Enter the Monarch

The “real” Mad Genius of this series is The Monarch. Super-villain extraordinaire… only he really wasn’t. He was an unsanctioned, unlicensed poser for the first two seasons. But at least he has his degree… in Creative Writing. Well, he is not living off his father’s fame… true, but he is living off his parent’s trust fund.

Two Mad Men who shared a common backstory at least for a while. But The Monarch deserves the title of Mad Genius, and our boy Rusty does not. This is despite Dr Ventures clear scientific prowess and The Monarch’s clear lack of anything of the sort. Let’s examine some fundamental differences.

Actionable

One would think that being raised by a world renown super-scientist would be a huge advantage to growing up in the NJ Pine Barrens being raised by butterflies. Oddly, Rusty carries little from his early experience aside from repressed guilt and memories. The Monarch, on the other hand is a man of action.

Genius is only real when it is actionable. Men and women like Aristotle, Bacon, Edison, Einstein, Franklin, and Lovelace changed the world. Their ideas had impact. They changed how people acted.

Confidence

There is a confidence in genius. Not the ego as much as the conviction. It fuels success. Something that Rusty’s life has gone without.

Monarch: Oh my god, look at this place. It’s like a museum of failure.

Dr. Girlfriend: It’s almost depressing.

Monarch: Here I am in the belly of the beast and I don’t even care. I don’t even feel like taking a whiz on this. I used to dream of taking a whiz on this.

Dr. Girlfriend: So I guess we’re not gonna…

Monarch: What can I do to this guy that life hasn’t already? I almost feel sorry for him.

Conversely, The Monarch is almost always confident. Despite bumbling henchman, the troubling Venture, and a rather ridiculous costume — he exudes confidence and conviction.

Innovation

We’ve beaten a dead horse on this with Rusty. He is a Johnny Quest rip-off whose best gadgets and ideas are hand-me-downs from his father, or later, stolen from his brother. He occasionally shows glimpses of innovative ways to escape issues, but they are only innovative to someone with a moral compass (which he lacks entirely).

The Monarch is an innovator. He made a villain from a butterfly, for Peet’s sake. He became a villain by breaking the rules and an arch-villain by further defying them. Yes, he is a trust-fund baby, but so was Bill Gates. He has a knack for the creative. He is a rule breaker.

In the end…

Only one is a Mad Genius. Only one is a man of action, a man of confidence, and a real innovator. He is also the one who got the girl.

He may have the sillier costume. He may have the more bumbling followers. He may be a little more uptight. But in this battle, The Monarch wins!