The Myers-Briggs® Types of the Star Wars Characters
When Susan reached out and asked me to write a guest post about the Myers-Briggs® Types of Star Wars characters, I immediately pulled up my soundtrack playlist and started writing. After all, I’ve been a Star Wars fan for as long as I can remember and I have a whole blog devoted to typing Star Wars characters (it’s a work in progress, but here’s the link).
There are a lot of Star Wars characters, so to keep this post a manageable length I’m reluctantly leaving off any that are not main characters in more than one of the nine Skywalker Saga films. If you don’t see one of your favorites on this list, I apologize. There are just too many great Star Wars characters to fit them all in one blog post!
Not sure what your personality type is? Take our new personality questionnaire here. Or you can take the official MBTI® here.
The Myers-Briggs® Personality Types of the Star Wars Characters
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader – ENTJ
One of Anakin’s personality traits is that he likes to find effective solutions to problems (“Life seems so much simpler when you’re fixing things”). He’s a brilliant, innovative general during the Clone Wars (which is a great series, by the way), and he backs up his Extroverted Thinking with an intuitive process that isn’t worried about sticking to Jedi Order tradition.
Like many Thinking types, Anakin has strong emotions but isn’t quite sure what to do with them. They’re a weak point for him that Palpatine twists and exploits. Unfortunately, he never learns how to handle his darker emotions in a healthy way. As Vader, he bypasses the questioning Intuitive process and ends up in a “loop” with his dominant Extroverted Thinking and tertiary Extroverted Sensing. He doesn’t want to go inside and question himself or the choices he’s made.
Ben Solo/Kylo Ren – ENFJ
There aren’t many NF villains, but I think Kylo Ren is one. Most of the time we see him on screen he’s a very unhealthy version of this type. Driven by an ENFJ‘s need to connect and desire to create an idealized (for him) future, the damaged and misguided Kylo Ren wrecks havoc on those around him.
Immature, angry FJ types easily tear others apart because understanding how people work means you know exactly what to use against them. Kylo plays on Rey’s emotions when interrogating her and on Han’s when when he asks his father for help and then kills him. Ultimately, though, his desire and capacity for connection help bring him back to the Light.
C-3PO – ISFJ
C-3PO is a bit of a caricature of the ISFJ personality, especially their tendency to get caught up in worse-case “what if?” scenarios. According to Naomi Quenk, ISTJs and ISFJs are the types who most often report their inferior function showing up constantly in daily life, and this stress response can lead to some developing a reputation as “worry-warts.” C-3PO also displays some of the best qualities of an ISFJ, though. He’s endlessly loyal and thrives in settings where he gets the chance to relate to human beings.
Finn – ISFJ
Like so many real-life ISFJs, Finn finds himself in a complicated relationship with authority. He wants to do what he is right, stick with what he knows, and follow the rules of his society. But in his case, that society is the First Order and they’re in conflict with his desire to keep other people safe.
In the book Before The Awakening, Captain Phasma talks about indications that FN-2187 displays a “dangerous level of empathy.” It’s this side of Finn (his auxiliary Extroverted Feeling function) that prompts him to leave the First Order, help Poe escape, and risk his own safety to help rescue Rey. As his story continues, he continues to display the traits of a loyal, brave, smart, and reliable ISFJ doing his best to protect as many people as he can.
Han Solo – ISTP
Susan wrote a post a few years ago about Why ISTPs Make the Best Action Heroes, and Han Solo is one of the best examples To quote her article, “These cool, collected types have the sharpest tactical abilities of any of the 16 types. They’re called ‘the crafters’ but really they excel at anything that involves quick-thinking, and hands-on tactical intelligence.” Sounds exactly like our favorite scruffy nerf-herder, doesn’t it? Most of the time Han doesn’t even have to make a plan because he’s so good at making things up as he goes and adapting to the situation at hand.
Leia Organa – ESTJ
Princess-General Leia Organa is a brilliant leader whether it’s in the halls of diplomacy or on the battlefield. She’s a take-charge sort of person who is fiercely loyal to family and values, and expects the same level of commitment from others who choose to fight alongside her. Leia is a practical person who puts aside her own needs for the good of others and sticks to her principles no matter what. She leads with Extroverted Thinking, much like her father Anakin, but supports this function with Introverted Sensing. Her focus isn’t on innovating the future so much as it is on shaping the present in a practical way.
Luke Skywalker – INFP
The last time I wrote about Luke Skywalker it turned an article that’s nearly 2,500 words long. I’ll try to keep it to a more reasonable length for this post. INFP types lead with Introverted Feeling, which makes decisions based on what feels right and authentic to the individual. Even when his choices don’t make sense to the people around him, and often in the face of strong opposition, Luke holds fast to his inner convictions. This stands him in good stead when he’s tempted by the Dark Side.
His auxiliary Extroverted Intuition helps explain how Luke learns to use the Force so quickly, since strongly intuitive types are comfortable taking leaps that aren’t well-supported by their past experiences. Ne is also a mental process that likes to look to the future and ask questions no one else will, such as “What if there’s still good in Darth Vader?”
Obi-Wan Kenobi – ISFJ
Obi-Wan is often typed as an INFJ, but much as I’d like to claim one of my favorite characters for my own type I don’t think that’s the case. He is an introvert — comfortable working and living on his own, unlikely to seek out groups of people, and introspective. He’s also an FJ type, and his Extroverted Feeling makes him a charming diplomat and a good teacher. He’s not a Intuitive, though. He’s a Sensing type who prefers to focus on the problem at hand, stick with traditional ways of doing things, and relies heavily on the past to determine his future course of action.
Padmé Amidala – ENFJ
Diplomacy is one of the greatest strengths of an NF type personality, and we see that clearly in ENFJ Padmé Amidala Naberrie. One of the defining aspects of her character is her constant insistence on trying to find peaceful, mutually beneficial resolutions to conflicts. It’s part of her harmony-seeking Extroverted Feeling, as is being a little too quick to forgive the faults of the people she loves.
Like so many real-life ENFJs, Padmé excels in leadership roles and is very popular with the people she works with both as queen and senator. She has an intuitive sense of things that are going on behind the scenes and is the first person to spot that Count Dooku is one of the people behind the plots to start the Clone Wars.
Poe Dameron – ESTP
ESTP types make wonderful action heroes, and Poe is just one example of this in Star Wars (Lando Calrissian is also an ESTP). Poe thrives in the fast-paced outer world of piloting starfighters, leading battles, and bantering with enemy commanders. He’s decisive, stubborn, and great at improvising. I once read a description of ESTPs that said they tend to act first, then fix their mistakes as they go. This often works well for Poe, but not in The Last Jedi. When his plans backfire, he learns the value of stopping to think and plan and starts growing his auxiliary Introverted Thinking process.
R2-D2 – ENTP
This little guy could probably rule the galaxy himself if he wanted, but I suspect he’d get bored. It’s hard to type a character when we never hear his dialog directly, but it seems that R2’s primary focus is on the external world of patterns, ideas, and possibilities (Extroverted Intuition).
That’s not really much of a surprise since an astromech who couldn’t notice and troubleshoot a problem quickly wouldn’t be much use. R2 is a fiercely independent thinker who isn’t shy about sharing his unpredictable thoughts on everything, whether or not his listeners can understand. He’s also highly intelligent and adapts quickly – hallmarks of the ENTP type.
Rey – ISTJ
Rey exemplifies the practical, dutiful ISTJ type with their stubborn insistence on doing what they believe is right in the most efficient, logical way. She has a practical way of looking at the world and (like other Introverted Sensing types) filters new information through the lens of past experiences.
Once swept up into the galaxy-wide conflict between Light and Dark, one of Rey’s most important concerns is to figure out where she belongs in all this so she can fulfill that role to the best of her ability. She also likes to measure and test things for herself (as any TJ type would) as she solves problems like fixing the Millennium Falcon. She balances out her auxiliary Extroverted Thinking with her tertiary Introverted Feeling, which prompts her to act in alignment with her values.
Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious– INTJ
Emperor Palpatine is a great example of the classic INTJ villain. He has a long-term plan to take over the entire galaxy, and eventually beyond. As we learned in the latest movie, he even had a plan to keep controlling things after he died. Long-term, big-picture plans are a key aspect of Introverted Intuition, and it doesn’t get much more big-picture thinking than that. In addition, though real-life INTJs don’t have Force-powers, their pattern-recognizing intuition can make it seem as if they “foresee” future outcomes much the same way Palpatine does.
Yoda – INFJ
I just had to include Yoda on this list. He’s the only Star Wars character that I type as an INFJ (which is my personality type as well). These types lead with a function called Introverted Intuition, which has a unique talent for picking up on patterns and putting yourself in other people’s perspectives. It can also make us seem a bit eccentric. Yoda’s tendency to make cryptic plans and speak in riddles can frustrate the more straight-forward, practical types around him. But they also know that he’s usually right and have come to respect this strange little space wizard and his perspective on the universes.
What are your thoughts?
Do you type any of these characters differently than I did? Were there other characters you wish were on this list? Share your favorites (and which type you think they might be) in the comments!
About the Author:
Marissa Baker is the author of The INFJ Handbook (available in the Amazon Kindle Store). You can find her online at LikeAnAnchor.com where she blogs about personal growth and development from a Christian perspective.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Want to discover more about personality type? Get the inside scoop with Susan Storm on all things typological, along with special subscriber freebies, and discounts on new eBooks and courses! Join our newsletter today!
Are there really no INTPs in Starwars? What about The Force?
Same question
Right?
No ENFPs either? 🙁
I’m pretty sure Asajj Ventress is an INTP, but I didn’t have the space in this article to cover characters from The Clone Wars. She’s the only one I can think of, though. It seems strange there aren’t more
INTP = The Force? I’d believe it! Kind regards, Yoda
Aahhh I love this!! So spot on, well done! ISTJ Rey is so true!! Love it.
What about ENFP?
This was fun to read! One character I would add (not because he’s a favorite, but because he’s a main character) is Chewbacca. I would type him as an ISFp.
I have such a hard time typing Chewbacca since we don’t get to hear any of his lines directly (I almost didn’t include R2D2 for the same reason). ISFP does seem like a good choice, though.
Hi. You’ve done a nice work. I would like to make just a few comments.
C3po – LII [1 – introverted logic 2 – extraverted intuition etc.]. C3PO is compared to Sheldon Cooper in the TV series ” The Big Bang Theory”.
I’m not sure about your version of Palpatine. He have ability to pretend, lack of moral principles, ability to manipulate feelings, his main value – absolute power. Bet on strength, military power. He recruit supporters easily.
He will commit treason at the first opportunity.
You should not consider the last film of the Saga as an equal part in relation to the creations of Lucas. This movie was an absolute farce.
Rei doesn’t look like a real live person.
She has strong intuition that helped her to find Skywalker. She has no respect for tradition. She is great at mechanics. She is an excellent pilot of spaceships. She’s afraid of responsibility. She is kind and selfless. Too positive to be real. But if you remember that the last trilogy is the brainchild of Disney, which has a rich tradition of creating Barbie-like characters, then everything will fall into place. However, if it was necessary to place a bid, I would say that it is IEI.
P. S. Darth Vader supposed to be SLE.
I don’t agree with R2D2 being an extrovert. He stays near the people he knows. Doesn’t run off to make new friends. And doesn’t just trust people. He has to get to know the.
Any ENFPs? I’ve always thought that Anakin Skywalker and Finn were ENFPs, and that Han Solo was an ESTP. I’m surprised there’s no ENFPs.
Thanks for your input! I do type Qui-Gon Jinn, Ahsoka Tano, and Ezra Bridge as ENFPs but to keep this post a manageable length I didn’t include anyone from the animated series or characters that only appeared in one movie.
Fully agree with Emperor Palpatine being an INTJ. Scheming, planning and strategizing. He has always been one of my favorite Star Wars characters. “Unlimited power!”
Gee just leave out ENFP why don’t you ???? qui gon is a perfect example.
Qui-Gon is a great example of ENFPs, and I almost included him but to keep this post a manageable length I decided to only include characters who appeared in more than one movie. Poor Qui-Gon is only in one 🙁
There are some wonderful ENFPs in Star Wars. I’ve been working on posts about Ahsoka Tano and Qui-Gon for one of my personal blogs, and I already have a post about Ezra Bridger if you’re interested: https://starwarspersonalities.wordpress.com/2018/08/20/ezra-bridger-enfp/
What a fun and well thought through article! Thanks for writing it!
Thank you Hannah! I really appreciate it 🙂
No ENFP?
I type Qui-Gon Jinn, Ahsoka Tano, and Ezra Bridge as ENFPs but to keep this post a manageable length I didn’t include any of the characters from the animated series or characters that only appeared in one movie.
I’ve been working on writing posts about Ahsoka and Qui-Gon for one of my personal blogs, and I already have a post about Ezra if you’re interested: https://starwarspersonalities.wordpress.com/2018/08/20/ezra-bridger-enfp/
So that why I relate so well to Luke. I am also an INFP. Also during these times, I figured it’s really important to hold to my ideals, especially the ones that tell me that all will work out. I never seem to know – how but does. I feel like l am living on the edge and ever since moved out of my parents house.
Love this. I love how there are so many ISFJ’s (my personality type). Most websites just stops at 1 (which is C-P30, which bugs me). It makes me relate to some characters all the more now.
Yay!! 🙂
Who do you think an INTP is like in the Star Wars Universe? I have heard before that Yoda is an INTP, but that doesn’t appear to agree with your analysis.
I disagree with how Anakin is typed – I’d classify him as a very unhealthy ISFP. It’s implied many times throughout the movie that Anakin has a very subjective moral code indicative of Fi, as demonstrated when Padme asks, “Are you allowed to love? I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi.” and he replies with, “Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is central to a Jedi’s life.” Anakin also demonstrates a high capacity for Se, which helps him win the podrace and also earn renown as one of the best space pilots in the galaxy. Moreover, that quote: “Life seems so much simpler when you’re fixing things” is a very Se-driven statement that is backed up by Fi – note how Anakin uses the word “seems”, which transforms the statement as something subjective and uncertain (Fi), as opposed to saying “is”, which would make the statement objective and certain (Te).
The reason that Palpatine is able to manipulate Anakin is because Anakin possesses tertiary Ni, which makes it difficult for him to recognize how Palpatine is exploiting him to further his schemes. Anakin demonstrates very little, if any, of the visionary behaviors associated with Ni-dominant types – his main motivation is to protect the ones he loves from anything he may perceive as a threat. Even when Anakin discovers that Palpatine is a Sith Lord and reports him, he can’t remain dedicated to this choice, returning to save Palpatine from Mace Windu and thus showing a lack of objectivity associated with inferior Te. I must also mention – as an ISFP myself – that unhealthy ISFPs often act like ENTJs in certain respects, which is why I think you typed him as such in the first place. In any case, I enjoyed reading this article.
As an ENFJ this makes me so happy. I knew for sure that Padme was an ENFJ. She’s one of my fave characters of all time and I relate to her a lot.
With that being said, I also LOVE Kylo Ren/Ben Solo despite his destructive nature.
ENFJs can often be written as one-dimensional characters and both of these characters have a lot of depth to them.
Wow. I’ve read a lot of the personality takes on Star Wars characters but I think this is terrific! I’m an ENTJ so, I especially appreciate the way you considered Vader as an extension of Anakin and not a stand alone cut out. Enjoyed the article, thank you.
I’m sorry, but I’m not seeing ENFP as a Star Wars Character…..?
How would you type Barriss Offee? Being an INFJ also, I would type her as the same. She’s almost identical to me in her thought process and the way she handles herself. But unlike Yoda being a healthy INFJ, Barriss and myself are unhealthy ones, thus the big difference between the two. It felt right for her character. What do you think?
There’s no way Han Solo is an introvert.
Agreed
Did not have to go far into the comments to see that someone thinks like I do. I doubt the character is ISTP. The Mandalorian could be ISTP, but would not argue that he could also be ISTJ.
Yoda is more of an intp
Why is there no INTP?
1- Han Solo is ESTP af and Leia is an ENTJ
2- Yoda is an INFJ in the Prequels and an INTP in the Original Trilogy
3- Rey is a legit ISFP in the Rise of Skywalker
4- I’m angry that Disney recycled Han to make Poe
5- Anakin seems to be an ESFP as his original self and an ISTJ as Darth Vader
Thank you!
As an INTJ, I find it hard to believe that an ENTJ (Anakin) could have created C3PO or even survived his lonely childhood as an extrovert… however, the LOOP that you identify is interesting to me that I think is worth further investigation on my part… can you provide any suggested reading material on this for me?
Anakin is definitely not an entj. He’s not a, he’s a subordinate. Leia is actually an ENTJ.
I think a lot of you are fundamentally misunderstanding what it means to be either introverted or extroverted. Introverted doesn’t mean you want to be alone all the time and extrovert doesn’t mean you’re a party animal. Han is introverted. He is reluctant to put himself out there even though he desires a connection with people he cares about. Anakin is extroverted. He focuses his energy on the people around him and he’s reluctant to look inwards to be mindful of his thoughts
Thanks for the reassurance and clarification. 🙂
ENFJ here
I might as well watch the Prequels and Sequels again. The comparison with Padmé Amadala and Kylo Ren is an interesting contrast to observe. 🧐
Thanks so much for the insight. 😃
Anakin – ISTJ, acts like Palpatine’s captain
Padme – ISFP (emotional decision maker)
C-3PO – INFP (effeminate clumsy guy, similar to major domo in Mandalorian)
Leia – ISTJ (Not overbearing like an ESTJ)
Han solo – ESFP (classis pirate/smuggler type)
Rey – ESFP (Disney has a soft spot for xSFPs)
Palpatine – ISTP or INTP, probably INTP cause relies more on scheming than brute force, corrupts other people’s souls.
R2-D2 – Certainly an ExFP, probably an ESFP cause it’s not a nerdy/weirdo type like an ENTP (such as Saw Gerrera) or a clumsy fool like an ENFP (such as Jar Jar)
C-3PO and Luke’s types are mismatched.
C-3PO is the INFP, effeminate anxious guy who keeps whining whereas Luke is a kind-hearted action-oriented person that wants to help people and those whom he loves i.e. an ISFJ.
Most action heroes in novels/movies are ISFJs, such as optimus prime, superman, he-man, Aragorn etc.
Superman and He-man are good examples to differentiate b/w ISFJ and INFP types in that although they are actually ISFJs, they feign anxious inept INFPs in their cover identities, i.e. as Clark Kent and Prince Adam.
Hi, I think you misunderstand INFPs completely. There is nothing about them that is necessarily effeminate. Someone who is brave, kind and loyal doesn t always qualify as an ISFJ, and saying so is a fundamental misunderstanding. To be an ISFJ, they should default toSi and Fe when solving problems. If they default to Fi and Ne, this means they are an INFP, REGARDLESS THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BRAVE. PLEASE STOP REDUCING INFPS TO WHINY COWARDS.
I hate to say it as an INTP, but Darth Plagueis was probably an INTP: brilliantly researching the depths of dark force theory only to have his knowledge stolen by his INTJ apprentice who did not consider it a theft if he was not using it effectively.