Yeah, Bujold discusses the difficulties in having a main character with amazing abilities, which is why of course Miles has so many liabilities as well. I didn’t think Ivan paled in comparison, so much as took a very different path. Miles actively seeks out challenges and risks, at least, in the early years, while Ivan actively avoided stuff. But that was a legacy of his personal history and environment more than anything. In Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance, he’s forced out of his comfort zone and responds admirably, though you saw hints of this in A Civil Campaign as well.