How does the theory of evolution explain how humanity has such strong intellect?

How can we be without a threat in this world, aside from one another, disease, and the like. We are essentially plagues to our planet. What evolutionary mechanism allows for such unnecessarily strong brain power? It doesnt seem very consistent with the idea of evolution for our species to be so far above the rest of the dangers of the world. No life has made such strides in evolution as to become essentially immune. All lifes evolutionary advantage has only set them a single step ahead, helping them against nature, but not giving them the capacity to subdue it completely. How does evolution explain our ability to resist nature so resiliently? Our abilities are unnecessarily strong and far beyond the needs of evolution.