Ironheart
Riri Williams
Character profile
Moon Girl
Lunella Lafayette
The smartest person in the Marvel Universe is nine years old.
Biography
Lunella Lafayette is a nine-year-old inventor from the Lower East Side who tested as the single most intelligent being on Earth, ahead of Reed Richards, Tony Stark and Amadeus Cho. She is also the partner of a fourteen-ton red Tyrannosaurus called Devil Dinosaur, a Jack Kirby creation from 1978 who arrived in her neighbourhood through a dimensional portal and stayed.
The pairing is one of the best ideas Marvel has had this century: a hyper-competent kid who finds adults exhausting, and a dinosaur who never needs anything explained. Her latent Inhuman genes have been a recurring plot thread, her Terrigenesis anxiety a real one, and the Emmy-winning animated series turned her into a genuine all-ages franchise.
Vital statistics
- Real name
- Lunella Lafayette
- Also known as
- Lunella Lafayette, Moon Girl
- Species
- Human with latent Inhuman genes
- Place of origin
- Lower East Side, New York City
- First appearance
- Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #1 (January 2016)
- Created by
- Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare, Natacha Bustos
- Affiliations
- Independent, Champions, Future Foundation
- Groups
- Heroes
Power grid
Intelligence7
Strength1
Speed2
Durability1
Energy1
Fighting2
Rated 1–7 on the classic Marvel power-grid scale.
Powers
- Super-Genius Intellect
Lunella has tested as the most intelligent person on Earth, designing functional technology from salvaged parts.
- Inventor
She builds working gadgets, vehicles and analytical instruments in a converted subway lab.
- Devil Dinosaur Partnership
Her fourteen-ton Tyrannosaurus partner provides the muscle she conspicuously lacks.
- Mind-Swapping
Her latent Inhuman genes let her temporarily exchange consciousness with Devil Dinosaur.
- Improvised Engineering
She solves crises with whatever is in her backpack, which is always more than it should be.
Abilities
- Advanced mathematics and physics
- Field robotics
- Rooftop parkour
- Managing adults
Weaknesses
- Nine years old with no combat ability
- Physically fragile
- Reluctant to accept help
- Bedtime
Comics history
Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare and Natacha Bustos launched Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur in 2016, pairing a brand-new character with Jack Kirby's Devil Dinosaur, created in 1978. The book became a critical favourite and one of Marvel's most successful all-ages titles in decades.
Lunella's ranking as the smartest person in the Marvel Universe was established in-universe and confirmed across Champions and Fantastic Four appearances, leading to run-ins with Reed Richards, Doctor Doom and the Future Foundation. The 2023 Disney Channel animated series, with Diamond White voicing Lunella, won multiple Emmy Awards.
Allies
- Devil Dinosaur
- Ms. Marvel
- Riri Williams
- Reed Richards
- Miles Morales
Enemies
- Killer Folk
- Doctor Doom
- The Saurian
Weapons & equipment
- Homemade gadgets
- Subway laboratory
- Goggles
Trivia
- She has tested as the single most intelligent person in the Marvel Universe, ahead of Reed Richards.
- Devil Dinosaur was created by Jack Kirby in 1978, decades before Lunella existed.
- Her latent Inhuman genes let her temporarily swap minds with Devil Dinosaur.
- The Disney Channel animated series won multiple Emmy Awards.
Famous quotes
I'm not a genius for my age. I'm a genius, full stop.
Devil doesn't ask questions. That's why we get things done.
Timeline
- 1978
Jack Kirby creates Devil Dinosaur.
- 2016
Lunella debuts in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #1.
- 2017
Established in-universe as the smartest person on Earth.
- 2023
The Emmy-winning animated series premieres on Disney Channel.
Gallery
Poster art is generated from each character’s signature palette. Drop official art into assets/images/ and set the img field to swap it in.
Related characters
Frequently asked
Is Moon Girl really the smartest person in Marvel?
By the comics' own in-universe testing, yes. Lunella Lafayette rated above Reed Richards, Tony Stark and Amadeus Cho, and the books have repeatedly played the result straight rather than walking it back.
Who is Devil Dinosaur?
A fourteen-ton red Tyrannosaurus created by Jack Kirby in 1978, originally from a prehistoric alternate world. He arrived in Lunella's neighbourhood through a dimensional portal and became her partner, providing the physical capability she does not have.