With his team trailing by seven points going into the final term, Brown simply took control, kicking three of the Lions' six last-quarter goals to help them to a 16.11 (107) to 12.16 (88) victory.
The Blues trailed by 22 points at half time but an exhilarating seven-goal third quarter had them in the box seat going into the last term.
But in front of a huge crowd of 36,780, Brown ensured Brendan Fevola finished his first game against his old club as a winner.
The Lions skipper levelled the scores at the eight-minute mark by roving his own spillage and kicking truly from the boundary line, 45m from goal.
With the game still up for grabs halfway through the quarter, Brown closed the door on Carlton with two more marks and superb set shot goals.
He finished with 21 touches, 12 marks and 7.1; a performance that opponent Bret Thornton could do little to stop.
Lions coach Michael Voss had nothing but praise for his skipper, saying he lifted them on his own after half time.
"In the third quarter when we were struggling to find legs, he came on and lifted his intensity for that five-minute patch and just kept us in touch and you could just see him willing the contest and it takes a rare leader to be able to drag the rest of the team with you," he said.
"He had a super performance tonight. He led them very well when we were under fatigue and our backs against the wall and we weren’t looking like we had a lot of run through the middle, he sort of came to the fore."
While Thornton tried hard on the Lions’ leader, he was simply outclassed.
Blues coach Brett Ratten said the late withdrawal of defender Paul Bower with a leg injury threw his plans into disarray.
"That was a match up we earmarked early in the season that we would go with Bower on Brown but it never eventuated," he said.
"I thought Thornton tried hard but just a really good player in great form at the moment and kicking the ball extremely well from 55, 60 out and hitting the scoreboard.
"He was in great form last week and we thought he could be the game breaker for them and as it turned out he was the difference between the two teams."
Fevola was quiet but still managed three goals against a tight-checking Michael Jamison.
Josh Drummond, Daniel Rich and Todd Banfield all lifted when the game was on the line in the final term.
Banfield was a livewire up forward all night, kicking two goals, while Luke Power, Jared Brennan and Travis Johnstone were strong contributors.
Carlton dominated the clearances all night, with Matthew Kreuzer superb in the ruck and Marc Murphy with 34 possessions one of the best on ground.
But they were wasteful in front of goal in the first half and turned the ball over too many times.
Heath Scotland, Bryce Gibbs and Brock McLean were also strong through the midfield.
In a nervous start by both teams, Fevola took a little over 15 minutes to get his first major after winning the race to a loose ball and soccering home from 15m.
He followed up five minutes later when he outmarked Jamison and duly converted from directly in front.
Things got little better for the Blues in the second term the Blues as they continually missed targets and shots at goal to slip 22 points behind at the main break.
But with Kade Simpson sparking them early in the third, the visitors looked good things at three-quarter time before Brown produced his heroics.
Brisbane Lions 4.3 8.3 10.7 16.11 (107)
Carlton 2.6 3.11 10.14 12.16 (88)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Brown 7, Fevola 3, Banfield 2, Clark, Rischitelli, Black, Staker
Carlton: O’hAilpin 4, Henderson 3, Gibbs, McLean, Murphy, Robinson, Simpson
BEST
Brisbane Lions: Brown, Johnstone, Brennan, Banfield, Power, Drummond
Carlton: Murphy, Gibbs, Jamison, Scotland, McLean
INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Adcock (thigh)
Carlton: Bower (replaced in selected side by Armfield),
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Vozzo, Meredith, Ryan
Official crowd: 36,780 at the Gabba
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
