Saturday, June 18, 2016

Rocky: Rocky Balboa [ESFJ]


Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Rocky isn't the brightest bulb, but he is naturally warm and friendly. He buys pet turtles and fish to keep him company in his lonely apartment, conversing with them as if they were people. He tends to explode with emotion when pressed but just as quickly seeks reconciliation once the initial flood of expression is over. Rocky forgives easily (He's still friends with the questionable Paulie) and is generally agreeable. He pretends not to care about others opinions but is actually very sensitive to "cheep shots" at himself or people he cares about.

Introverted Sensing (Si): Changes in routine can unsettle Rocky. Unexpected events, whether good or bad, (losing his locker, getting selected to fight Creed) throw him off. Having to reassess his typical assumptions of how the world works disorients him. Having an assumption about who he is (just a fighter) is comforting, even if that identity isn't especially shiny or glamorous. As you can see in his apartment, Rocky keeps many photographs: tangible reminders of how the world used to be.

Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Rocky has no specific ambitions, just a drive to be the best he can be in general. Even in his fight against Creed he doesn't plan on anything specific, just to fight as long and hard as he can. Rocky does his best to be witty, but is also resigned to the fact that he isn't the brightest bulb (it takes a moron to be a fighter)   

Introverted Thinking (Ti): One of Rock's hobbies is making up jokes. Even though they aren't very good he still enjoys wordplay and does his best to entertain his friends with puns. While he isn't especially intellectual, Rocky does his share of "figuring," pondering his lot in life quite deeply at times.  

Friday, June 10, 2016

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: Percy Jackson [ESFP]


Extroverted Sensing (Se): As a demigod, Percy has heightened perception of his environment. His level of awareness and his inability to sit still gets him diagnosed with ADHD, which is the mortal way of explaining his natural battle reflexes. Percy is a natural swordsman, but also a dangerous warrior in general. In a tough situation, Percy's first inclination is to effect his environment. He jumps in and improvises without much conscious thought or plan. Percy takes the world at face value, perceiving it simply and objectively. He deals monsters and gods without so much as blinking an eye because they're obviously there. To Percy, reality isn't open to interpretation, it just is.

Introverted Feeling (Fi): Percy's fatal flaw is loyalty. He would do anything to save people he cares about, perhaps too much. He will take on anyone and anything: gods, titans or monsters. Percy rarely thinks about whether or not he should help others, he just does. Percy is constantly breaking the system, doing things that "simply aren't done" because he feels they are the right thing to do. While Percy is loyal to his friends, those he dislikes get little respect, even gods. Percy feels no obligation to kowtow to the Olympians. With his least favorite deities, (Dionysus and Ares) the threat of a painful death is the only thing that keeps him from talking back to them.

Extroverted Thinking (Te): When Percy puts his mind to it he is an effective leader and tactician, leading the demigods of Camp Half-Blood to victory in the battle of Manhattan. At first glance he has little natural inclination to command but he possesses a charisma and confidence that people trust and respect. (When he is focused enough to apply them) Organization does not come naturally to him. Technical explanations and overly structured environments tend to either bore or annoy him. Percy is famous for blurting out the first thing that comes into his mind. While his perception of peoples virtues and vices can be skewed by his good or bad relationship with them, he tries to be fair by speaking what he believes to be the truth objectively.       

Introverted Intuitive (Ni): Percy typically has trouble focusing on future objectives in general but when he sets his mind to some goal (saving his Mom/Annabeth/Camp Half-Blood/Grover/The world) he is unrelenting. At some points he gets so in the grip of his goal that he is forced to step back and evaluate the situation more objectively. (Saving the world rather than freeing his mom from Hades) Percy is prone to improvisation and rarely goes into a fight with much of plan in mind unless Annabeth provided it.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Hamilton: Alexander Hamilton [ENTJ]


Extroverted Thinking (Te): Hamilton exhibits tireless dedication to his goals, relentlessly pursuing his vision and pressing his advantage whenever possible. Authority and organization come naturally to him. This can be seen not only in his military experience but also in his political pursuits, becoming Washington's Secretary of the Treasury and helping with many influential decisions. Hamilton advises Washington during the war and eventually earns himself a command, showing his tactical skill on the battlefield. In his speech Hamilton alternates between calculated charm and flattery and his more natural frankness. He says what he means and means what he says. He doesn't compromise and values accuracy and transparency over tact. ("I can't apologize because it's true")  


Introverted Intuitive (Ni): While he is often looping, Hamilton is such a dangerous opponent because he sees opportunity were others do not. The idea of starting a brand new nation exited Hamilton. He is fascinated with the idea of building government from the ground up and proposes many innovative ideas to make America uniquely successful, including his own plan for an entirely new form of government. While he seizes opportunities in the present Hamilton always has more plans ahead of him. Every step he takes leads towards a new goal but also runs together in an overarching vision of a new nation. Hamilton is also a skilled writer, who has a great appreciation for the power of words and ideas. He uses his "skill with the quill" constantly to sway opinion and express his opinions in compelling arguments. 


Extroverted Sensing (Se): Inaction irks Hamilton. Serving as Washington's secretary leaves him anxious for action and constantly requesting a command so that he can involve himself in the fight directly. Hamilton is often in a Te/Se loop, using only enough Ni to find opportunity before ruthlessly and unhesitatingly seizing that opportunity. He feels that the only way to get anywhere in the world is to never stop taking and pressing his advantage. Hamilton can often be impulsive and physical, punching the bursar at King's College and falling into a love affair that nearly destroys his marriage.    


Introverted Feeling (Fi): While he stumbles occasionally Hamilton shows that he has a strong sense of right and wrong. He can't stand to hear Lee speak badly of Washington but can't bring himself to disobey a direct order and challenge Lee. He exhibits a lot of in the grip behavior towards the end of his life, obsessing over his image and resorting to "overwhelming them with honesty" in order to clear his name  




Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Grover Underwood [INFP]


Introverted Feeling (Fi): Grover Underwood is a very sensitive soul. Typically he hates confrontation but the sight of injustice immediately awakens a hidden courage that is easily missed in day to day life. He puts aside his usual timid nature when his friends are in danger and pursues the ridiculously dangerous quest for Pan because he believes that it is a satyr's responsibility.  The wild places of the world are extremely important to Grover. They represent the independence and liberation that he values so highly. Often he is overcome with emotion at the hopelessness of the modern environment, however, he typically only shares his deepest fears and ambitions with his closest friends, like Percy or Annabeth.

Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Grover has a tendency to worry. He gets anxious easily and has no trouble thinking of ten different terrifying outcomes between breaths. His quest for Pan shows a great optimism since no satyr has ever returned alive from the search. (Ne overcoming Si) and he dreams of a new world were Pan is restored. While not as smart as Annabeth, Grover has a strong intuition that he pairs with his Si knowledge of his environment to draw conclusions. (That is my uncle Ferdinand) Due to their proximity in the stack and the strength of his sensing function, Grover's Ne and Si work very well together in perceiving when, "something isn't right."

Introverted Sensing (Si): Grover has a very strong Si and tends to loop. He often has trouble breaking patterns and overcoming a, "it happened once it will happen again," attitude. His previous experience as a seeker makes him extremely anxious when trying to get Percy to safety and he is constantly afraid that it will all turn terribly wrong, "just like last time." Grover's quest for Pan is not only a personal goal, it is also a tradition that he inherits from his family, a quest that goes back generation upon generation. Grover dreams of a world were the wild places are protected (Ne) but he also wishes to return the wild places to the way they once were (Si) Grover is extremely in tune with his environment. He is able to navigate by smell alone and is extremely sensitive to the presence of monsters. 

Extroverted Thinking (Te): Grover often has trouble asserting himself. He tends to be easily frightened by authority, (Mr D, the council of cloven elders) and typically keeps his opinions to himself in order to avoid conflict. When his quest for Pan finally succeeds, Grover is tasked with marshaling satyr's and nature spirits in order to protect the wild places. He shoulders the responsibility reluctantly at first, but learns to harness his Te to gently but firmly organize others in order to fulfill his Fi mission.     


Friday, May 13, 2016

Hamilton: Alexander Hamilton [ENTP]


Spoiler Warning!!


Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Hamilton is described as aggressive and unrelenting by his friends and enemies alike. He seizes opportunity without hesitation, seeing the potential of a situation and taking advantage of it before someone else gets there first. The rapid fire format of the musical (One-Hundred and forty-four words per minute) isn't just a hip style, it also reflects Hamilton's personality. He champions his cause by way of a never ending stream of written and spoken words, taking full advantage of the power of his ideals and philosophies. The revolution excites him not just because he believes that the colonies deserve independence, but also because he sees it as an opportunity to rise above his position as an intelligent but penniless orphan. His unimpressive heritage is inconsequential to him because he gives more credit to potential than to the past.  


Introverted Thinking (Ti): Hamilton is widely known as a man with a silver tongue, able to charm and persuade others in writing and in person. He is a skilled politician and lawyer, two occupations that put his skills at debating and persuasion to good use. One of the things that makes his so compelling is his confidence in his own opinion. He never questions that he is right because he lacks the Te tendency to seek others input, instead settling on a conclusion privately after extensive analysis. Hamilton becomes a decorated war hero because of his tactical ability. He tends to throw out the ideals of traditional warfare, and instead turns to espionage, sabotage and theft in order to further the cause of the continental army. 


Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Hamilton is often abrasive and provocative, but he is also proficient at getting people on his side with either compelling and energetic debate, or flattery ("Burr you're a better lawyer than me") He always speaks his mind, letting people know exactly what he thinks of them. ("I can't apologize because it's true") His loud and evocative nature gains him friends, but also enemies. He makes clear his positive or negative opinions of people, causing them to presume a stance as extreme as his own. Hamilton's need to retain the respect of his peers causes his to write the, "Reynolds Pamphlet." His image as an honest man is so important to him that he nearly destroys his marriage rather than risk being remembered as an embezzler. His need for accountability in himself and others eventually gets himself killed when he accepts Burr's challenge. It also shows itself earlier when he supports Lawrence in a duel with the disloyal General Lee in order to protect the reputation of General Washington.     


Introverted Sensing (Si): Hamilton tries to put his rocky past behind him, but nevertheless it shapes who he is. His experience as a child teaches him that life is short and that he should be independent and self reliant, lessons that he carries with him for the rest of his life. When confronted on embezzlement charges, Hamilton settles on a course of action that has worked before ("I'll write my way out.") Before he dies Hamilton goes over the people and events that have shaped his life, which influences his final decision. (To fire his shot at the sky, not at Burr)  





Thursday, April 7, 2016

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Annabeth Chase [INTJ]


Introverted Intuition (Ni): Early on in the series it becomes clear that Annabeth is a planner. She is constantly stratagizing and thinking ahead in order to gain advantages in whatever she does. While Percy leaps before he looks, Annabeth looks before she leaps. Annabeth has many ambitions and holds onto them over time until they are realized. She dreams of being an architect, and eventually she achieves her dream. When there is some obscure fact that might come in handy, chances are Annabeth knows it. She collects information not just because she finds it interesting, but also because it could be useful. Annabeth has a tendency to figure out secrets based on very little information, such as the time when she figures out who really orchestrated the lightning bolt heist based on only a few scattered facts. Annabeth sees the shades of subtlety that Percy misses. While Percy is extremely aware of his environment, Annabeth is able to read between the lines and fill in the gaps that her observations leave.         

Extroverted Thinking (Te):  While she has unrealistic ambitions such as getting her parents back together and saving Luke, Annabeth is strictly practical in her actions. She approaches problems pragmatically, finding practical solutions that will get her the results she wants and abandoning things that she can't change. While Annabeth is clearly charismatic and takes command easily , she is clearly not an ENTJ. She is usually content to advise and work behind the scenes, passing off command to Percy when she thinks that he knows what he's doing. Annabeth is extremely capable, running away from home at the age of seven. She is realistic in her assessment of herself, but doesn't hesitate to do what needs to be done. She takes action decisively when need be, after establishing her objective.

Introverted Feeling (Fi): Underneath a calm and calculating exterior, Annabeth is passionate about many things. She makes her standpoint clear in most situations, getting almost as upset about injustices as her xxFP friends. Before she smooths things out, her relationship with her father leaves her angry and bitter  She tends to keep to herself, not because nobody likes her, but because she reserves her attention for a few select people. She is quietly but passionately loyal to the few people who she devotes time and energy to.   

Extroverted Sensing (Se): While Annabeth looks before she leaps, she typically only looks once before taking decisive action. She is completely comfortable in situations that require physical exertion such as combat and has trained herself into an extremely dangerous warrior. She enjoys activities like capture the  flag and chariot racing, combining her strategic approach with her athleticism.    

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that spellcheck wants to change "Annabeth" to "Annabel." Just thought I'd mention that. 

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Steins;Gate: Okabe Rintarou [ENTP]


Extroverted Intuitive (Ne): Rintarou often seems delusional because he indulges his fantasies to such a great degree. He invents a whole alter ego (Hououin Kyouma) and revels in his role as a "mad scientist." Rintarou can often be seen talking to no one on his cell phone, pretending that, "the organization" is after him. When his experiments turn out to yield results, Rintarou jumps unthinkingly into the dangerous business of time travel. He often gets ahead of himself, needing Kurisu to ground him in reality. One of Rintarou's hobbies is naming things, usually using the most ridiculous references to Norse mythology. He comes up with not one, but many ways to avoid calling Kurisu by her real name, ranging from "Zombie" and "Assistant," to "Christina." Rintarou names the final world line "Steins;Gate" for no other reason other than because it sounds cool.       


Introverted Thinking (Ti): Rintarou teases his friends mercilessly. He is an expert at coming out on top in a conversation, turning people's own words back on them them. His "mad scientist" role that he creates for himself means that he acts uncaring and callous, only breaking down when people close to him get hurt. Rintarou has such a great trust in theory that he often stumbles when reality doesn't match the system in his head. (This is were Kurisu comes in) However, in the end it is Rintarou's unconventional thinking and ingenious problem solving that allows him to break the cycle and save both Mayuri and Kurisu.   


Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Rintarou has a strange way of bullying people, and then turning around and taking on all of their problems as his own. He goes to great length to help people, trying his best to fix every problem his friends might have. Rintarou accepts people as lab members easily, trying to make them feel welcome in an aloof and slightly awkward way. His "people sense" is unfortunately used selfishly quite often, making him an expert at teasing people. He knows exactly the things that will bother them the most, especially Kurisu. When Mayuri dies for the first time, Rintarou goes into an emotional spiral, trying again and again to save her life. In the end, once he has saved Mayuri, Rintarou refuses to give up and manages to save Kurisu as well. He selflessly endures a great deal of pain, just so that Kurisu doesn't have to die. 


Introverted Sensing (Si): One of the reasons that Mayuri's deaths weighs on Rintarou so heavily is that he must experience it over and over again. The fact that he might be able to save her doesn't compare to the fact that she has already dies countless times. Eventually Rintarou falls into some in the grip behavior. Before he snaps himself out of it (Literally. Time travel) he becomes fatalistic, assuming that the pattern that he has seen a thousand times will repeat itself no matter what he does.