The Greatest Villains of Every Myers-Briggs Type – Part 3 – The Artisans
I’m so excited to get write about Artisan (SP) villains this week. SP types make some pretty daunting bad guys because of their sharp tactical intelligence and quick reflexes. SPs villains tend to be the ultimate adrenaline junkies, living for the moment, taking in their surroundings and acting on them spontaneously. They usually aren’t going to be the mad scientists or the misguided idealists; SP villains are often depicted as thrill-seekers – villains who optimize on being ready when the situation calls for it. While other villains might get wrapped up in their thoughts, their plans, or their scheming, SPs are often the best at responding rapidly with force, agility, and power. Nobody is better in a crisis than an artisan – which makes them incredible heroes and formidable villains.
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SJ villains? Click Here
I hope you enjoy this list – please feel free to comment with any suggestions or criticisms!
ISTP – Darth Maul
Darth Maul is one of the only good things to come out of Star Wars Episode 1 (in my opinion). He’s considered one of the most skilled warriors in Sith Lord history, and is able to quickly and efficiently move and attack in ways that someone with less Se (Extraverted Sensing) would be hard-pressed to do. But he’s not all about brawn, either, he’s got brains to back up his battle skills. He’s is considered one of the most knowledgeable Sith Lords in Star Wars history. He keeps this knowledge inside and then uses it at the opportune time to defeat his opponents. He effectively demonstrates how Introverted Thinking and Extraverted Sensing can be a lethal combination.
Darth Maul is a quiet apprentice that keeps his feelings and thoughts under wraps; this gives him a mysterious, stoic quality. This quality is something that many ISTPs are known for, and which makes them frequently cast as ‘lone wolf’ characters in cinema.
Darth Maul’s inferior Extraverted Feeling becomes more obvious in the Son of Dathomir comics, where he seeks his master’s (Darth Sidious) approval while simultaneously trying to destroy him. He’s torn between seeking both revenge and praise. Fe-inferior types often desire approval, but they hide this desire underneath a very tough exterior. Darth Maul shows this well in the Son of Dathomir comics. He also shows an awareness and manipulation of others feelings in The Clone Wars
“ Your master, Qui-Gon Jinn. I gutted him while you stood helpless and watched. How did that make you feel, Obi-Wan? Your rage has unbalanced you. That is not the Jedi way, is it?”
I also found this meme somewhere (if I knew who made it, I’d put credit, but I’m not sure who did). I thought the ISTPs would like it.
ISFP – Imhotep from the Mummy
I think I must have spent hours searching for an ISFP villain – this was a tough one! Finally, I settled on Imhotep from the Mummy. Imhotep is completely absorbed by his feelings for Pharoah’s wife – so much so that his faithfulness spans centuries and every decision he makes stems from the devotion he has for her. Dominant introverted feelers like ISFPs are extremely loyal to the ones they love and don’t mind taking risks to achieve that love. Imhotep’s emotions can get in the way, however, when his adversaries play on them to get ahead.
Imhotep shows strong use of Extraverted Sensing (Se) in the way he can quickly and easily improvise and react to situations in the physical world around him. He’s extremely aware of what’s going on around him and is excellent in combat and manipulating the outside world.
We see Imhotep’s Introverted Intuition (Ni) in the way he has such an intense, singular focus on raising his lover from the dead and obtaining global domination. We see Imhotep’s inferior Extroverted Thinking (Te) in the way he schemes and plans to have global domination and works out the resurrection of the Scorpion King’s armies. However, in the end, he acts mainly on his feelings (Fi) and will ignore his plans and schemes in favor or remembering his love for Pharoah’s wife.
ESTP – Lestat from Interview with the Vampire
Lestat is a great example of a villainous ESTP. He shows extreme use of Extraverted Sensing (Se) in the way he adores fine things and luxurious living. He’s always aware of the moment and can be opportunistic in taking advantage of others to meet his desires and goals. He lives impulsively and is somewhat reckless – which is something common to unhealthy Extraverted Sensors. Don’t get me wrong, Extraverted Sensing is an incredible function – the villains you see in my posts are usually exercising their cognitive functions in an unhealthy way. I am not at all implying that all ESTPs are reckless, take advantage, etc,.
Lestat shows his Ti (Introverted Thinking) by the way he easily sees and points out the flaws in other peoples’ logic. He can make cutting, manipulative comments about his companions in an effort to get them to go along with him.
“ Feed on what you will. Rats, chickens, poodles, I’ll leave you to it and watch you come around. But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable. “
Lestat’s Fe (Extraverted Feeling) is evident in the way he desires the admiration and company of others. He creates “children” who he then manipulates and controls to his desire. He has highly-charged emotional outbursts and freely feeds off the emotions of those around him.
We see Lestat’s use of inferior Introverted Intuition (Ni) in the way he is careful about his murders to avoid suspicion. He lives primarily in the moment (Se) but still sees far enough into the future to be able to carefully go about his life without detection from those who would harm him.
ESFP – Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is an excellent example of an ESFP gone bad. She lives impulsively, taking advantage of each moment for what it is and making the most of it. She’s incredibly optimistic and fun-loving – a defining ESFP trait (although perhaps somewhat stereotypical). Unlike an ENFP who would have a more future-centered vision or who would be more likely to overthink things, Harley Quinn sees what IS and takes advantage of it in the here-and-now. She’s incredibly opportunistic, living for a good time and for the Joker’s happiness.
Harley’s Fi (Introverted Feeling) becomes evident in the way she is loyal to the Joker no matter what happens, and the way she has compassion for him and breaks him out of a mental institution. She champions the underdogs, which is a common Fi trait.
“Welcome to Blackgate. We’re just going to do a quick psychiatric evaluation. Bad day, huh? Cops in this city – always beating on the sick and defenseless.”
“ You lock up the weirdos, the crooks and the geeks! Yer a hero to all of the boys in blue –
But this time, baby, the joke’s on YOU!”
Harley has her own internal emotional motives for what she does that are independent of what’s socially acceptable or traditional. She makes all of her decisions based on the thrill of the moment (Se) or her feelings for the Joker (Fi).
Where Harley falls short is with her inferior Introverted Intuition (Ni). She’s impulsive and reckless and can get into precarious situations because she doesn’t anticipate what could happen next. Occasionally, she’s able to harness Ni and use it to her benefit – like the time she turned herself into the Gotham Police Department in a plot to gain access to the Joker. She can use Ni, but she’s much more comfortable living spontaneously from moment to moment and focusing on how to make the best out of the current situation.
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In Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this post! Next week we’ll get to know some guardian (SJ) villains. After that, we’ll do heroes! Hopefully all the people who were offended by the villains posts will be happy then 🙂 Have any comments or criticisms? Let me know!
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Thanks for writing this. Great background material for creating characters that gives more life than the usual “please understand me” approach
So glad you enjoyed this post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Do you have a blog with your writing?
The smartest ISTP villain is the Jackal (Bruce Willis) imo.