Elsa’s ice power is very much a thing of Se simply because it is a sensory thing in the outside world. As we see the growth of Se, Elsa’s inferior function, throughout the film, we also therefore see her ability to connect with and control this power increase from where she hardly knows how to begin to handle it to realizing she can create something living, and to finally reaching a greater understanding of how to control it much more completely at the end. Her ice powers are also connected to Ni, as they are the expression of Ni in the outer world through Se. They are also quite connected to Fe.
Elsa’s emotions are intrinsically connected to her ice powers. They are a driving factor in her powers, controlling them. This is clear in many ways, one being how they change color and ‘style’ to match her mood and another major one being the difference apparent in using them in connection with love at the end.
When she has been able to let go of the nagging “guidances” from the past, she is able to connect to and understand her emotions, and specifically as part of her powers, largely enabled by an open connection with another person.
A literal flurry of overwhelming emotions:
I don’t think the trouble of being lost in understanding one’s own emotions is foreign to many INFJs. They are skilled at understanding others’ emotions naturally because they take them in through Se/Fe and can process them internally, with Ni, reaching conclusions. But often in order to reach a similar understanding of one’s own emotions, an INFJ has to let the emotions outside first through Fe in order to be able to take them in again through Se, possibly through conversation for instance, and use the same process in that way. And in general, the moral support of others is quite necessary.
Considering that, it’s not hard to see how relentlessly trying to “shut off” one’s emotions would be extremely detrimental to an INFJ. Things can get out of hand if this is the case.
Elsa does not have much to draw from in terms of ways to handle her powers. Her parents were the last ones she could so fully trust and look to in helping keep her safe and find how to control her powers, the last ones who really gave her emotional comfort and the external reassurance that is so vital to the happiness of an INFJ. The more her situation becomes desperate, that extremely unhealthy side of isolating herself is also catching up to her. And in a trying, emotionally unravelling situation such as that, the natural and best thing for INFJs to do is be able to turn to someone they trust—not to take care of their problems for them, but for the emotional reassurance, and the emotional outlet if need be, to help them see what is boiling up inside of them.
In her state of distress and near panic, of overwhelming emotions, and of fear, Elsa needs to turn to something. She needs to grab onto something to try to help her, anything, and that “conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know” that her parents impressed upon her so much, is that last resort. She’s lost in herself, for sure, and she’s trying to hold onto something that those she loved and kept her safe and loved her gave her, because that is all she has.
She’s trying to stop the emotions but they are too strong, they’re getting out of her control, and it’s made visually apparent in the color and formation of her ice around her. This is incredibly relatable as far as trying to contain far too powerful emotions as an INFJ—at some point, if you don’t find a way to deal with them externally intentionally, they will force themselves out on their own.
But “Conceal, don’t feel” is not something that helps Elsa. It hurts her. It is something she resorts to because she has nothing else to look to, it is the closest thing to reassurance of a loved or trusted one she can find and so she attempts to hold onto it.
Consider the two main times we see Elsa truly happy and more confident (that is, not including earlier childhood, i.e. after parents’ deaths and so forth):
the conclusion of the movie after she has figured out how to end the winter
These events stand out in that during them she does not in the least hold on to the “conceal, don’t feel” from the past. These are the times when she throws that off. I think this is quite a clear indication that Si is not Elsa’s dominant function, as what could be assigned to that function only serves to haunt and hurt her and prevent her from being her real self.
Elsa thrives when she can focus on the future, when she can express herself. I think hiding one’s self away can sound quite appealing to INFJs at times (not to the degree that Elsa did, of course!). But in the long run, what may have seemed like it would be a beneficial thing turns into one of the most harmful things possible.
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
vaporwave
areudirty
dailybridgerton
gummygunk
turnnoffyourmind
prguitarman
kianamaiart
titsay
