Personal archive of writings pertaining to personality theory Currently only pieces on enneagram, but may expand in the future to encompass additional indices Find me on the Personality Database Community: ectolocation
Just as an example of Fe or Fi... Fe tends to get offended on behalf of 'other people.' Like you had to pull out of an appointment you made with a friend and their twin sister, and instead of talking to you about how disappointed or upset they are, they start off the conversation by saying you angered their sister, and that is unacceptable in their mind. You see, the focus isn't on YOU and ME, the focus is on US -- I am part of everyone I care about. How my sister feels about you, I feel about you. If you upset my sister, you upset me. "We" are one. This is kind of a... continual deflecting off "me" into "how others feel." It can mean they assume they have to defend how others feel, and feel things for them -- or get offended on their behalf, simply out of the idea of you upsetting them being offensive, because it is disturbing the group harmony.
A Fi user dealing with this sort of thing will find it strange (why aren't you speaking for yourself or from your own experience?), but also turn to self-blame, because their focus is on... "me" and "how I am," and if "I am living up to my own high standard." So they will react like "I am feeling this way, and I don't like it, and obviously the problem is mine to fix, because I am responsible for how I react to people." Often, they won't assign blame fairly to the other person (this person is doing this just to upset me, so they are the jerk) and will instead, make it a self-problem -- I should be more ____ (forgiving, accepting, loving, responsible, less emotional, etc), because I don't like how this makes me feel. They think in terms of 'me' -- so things are my problem to fix, my attitude is mine to adjust, my issues with this person are mine to resolve, etc.
Superficially, all feelers want the same thing -- love, harmony, acceptance, the right to make ethical decisions -- but they are two extremely different approaches to life, one based in "other" (how are YOU feeling about this?) and one based in "self" (how am *I* feeling about this?). Because a Fe focuses so much on "other," sometimes they will assign the blame in a situation outside themselves unfairly (rather than assuming they are the problem here), and because Fi places so much emphasis on "self," sometimes they will assign the blame too much unfairly to themselves (rather than assuming the other person is the problem). The challenge for both is to do the opposite from time to time in order to recalibrate themselves -- the Fi needs to learn to focus on "other" more (is this my fault or theirs? should I be more considerate?) and the Fe needs to learn to focus on "self" more (how do *I* feel about this? am I speaking for others without consulting them again?).
How does Fe loop work in an ENTP? Think I might be in one and I'm not sure what to do about it…
What is an Ne-Fe loop like?
Under normal circumstances, Fe in general usually seeks to understand another’s feelings and be attentive to the needs of others. This allows for a healthy appreciation of relationships and connections.
What does a healthy tertiary Fe look like?
In a healthy ENTP, tertiary Fe allows us to be more considerate of others and we seek to be more understanding of people and are likely to listen to their thoughts with empathy. It also makes us aware of how our behaviour can affect others and we are likely to adjust our way of interacting with others to ensure that there is a sense of cooperation.
Ti can overlook many aspects of the external world in its somewhat obsessive search for the whole truth. This causes the stereotypical cold, blunt and ‘I-don’t-give-a-fuck’ ENTP. Such ENTPs can overlook the importance of engaging with others to create an environment where ideas, thoughts and possibilities can be explored in a more cooperative manner.
Tertiary Fe helps to correct this weakness. It keeps us in check and reminds us to take consideration when presenting our thoughts and ensures that we understand and appreciate healthy connections with others.
What does an unhealthy tertiary Fe look like?
We become extremely sensitive to criticism and are likely to lash out for it. We are unable to handle disagreements and differences in opinions well, especially when this disagreement is acting against our Ne. This can cause us to seem cold, insensitive and extremely arrogant.
There is a strong need to be independent or, at the very least, be seen as being independent. For this reason, we are likely to refuse to acknowledge people’s opinions or even accommodate relationships, especially with our loved ones and people we care about. This is mostly due to believing that feelings are a weakness and that such a weakness can be used against us and also ruin our reputation.
With our Fe perspective, we can take advantage of the awareness of other people’s feelings and weaknesses to intentionally cause hurt and upset them. We can also use this knowledge to manipulate others into doing things we want or into liking us. This feeds our ego and gives us a false sense of confidence.
An example of this would be an ENTP acting nice and caring towards a person, not out of the goodness of their heart but with the intention of wanting to be liked by people. Later on, when the ENTP needs something from said person, they would guilt-trip the person into helping with something along the lines of, “I’ve done so much for you. I helped you when no one else did, and I’ve always been such a good friend. We’re friends, aren’t we? So you’ll help me, right? You’ll help me because I’ve always helped you, right? Because that’s what friends do, after all. And we’re friends.”
An unhealthy tertiary Fe can quickly lead to an Ne-Fe loop.
What does an Ne-Fe loop look like?
During an Ne-Fe loop, we tend to overlook or ignore the advice of our auxillary Ti. Fe is an extroverted function, similar to our dominant Ne, meaning that we can easily become heavily concerned about the external world. Without the introspective view provided by our auxillary Ti, it is very easy for us to become defensive about our inability to manage problems and blame our surroundings or other people instead of looking within ourselves and our own shortcomings.
Interestingly, those of us in an Ne-Fe loop have a constant need for approval from others. We aren’t consciously aware of this so it can be difficult for us to recognise that this is happening until either the situation gets out of hand or someone points it out to us.
There is a lot of insecurity involved and we have very little confidence in our ability to make decisions and good judgments without the approval of others. Wanting to feel confident about ourselves, we are likely to seek admiration by manipulating people and other social situations. There is a lot of anxiety about how people see us and a lot of pressure in wanting to be admired and seen as independent and capable.
This can manifest in wanting to achieve certain results such as getting the top grades, buying the best clothes etc. This puts us in situations which would, under normal circumstances, be unreasonable for us (such as taking on too many responsibilities than we are able to handle), and it also puts us under unnecessary pressure. Such an anxious and eager-to-please mindset takes a huge toll on our mental health, eventually leaving us unable to manage the issues created by our Ne-Fe loop.
How to get out of an Ne-Fe loop?
At first, an Ne-Fe loop can seem very empowering. It can seem like everything is under our control and that we have the ability to manipulate situations to fit our Ne’s liking. However, this later causes problems (both mentally and in our surroundings) that simply Ne and Fe can’t handle by themselves.
At this point, it is important to take a step back and reintroduce auxillary Ti to its rightful place. Healthy Ti helps us to make better judgments by allowing us to reflect on our decisions before we decide to act on impulse.
We can help re-engage our auxillary Ti by:
Considering possible future consequences of our immediate actions. (e.g. “By saying this, will I be seriously offending someone?”)
Taking into account the pros and cons of a decision. (e.g. “This subject seems the most exciting, however that subject has more opportunities to learn such and such.”)
Prioritising. (e.g. “Yes, I could work on that side-project now. It sounds like a good idea. However, then I would be taking out time that I could spend studying for my exams in the next two weeks. Hm. I’ll study for my exams instead and then, after they’re over, I can set aside time to work on my side-project.”)
I should note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to achieve certain outcomes such as having good grades and whatnot which I mentioned earlier, but not at the expense of our mental health, and most certainly not while just running for it, hoping it will happen, our only intention being to impress others.
With the help of Ti, and later Si, we can achieve specific results with better precision and carefully planned steps to ensure that we can do it to the best of our abilities. This will reduce wasted time, energy and errors while also helping us to be much happier and confident with our decisions.
What would an ENTP in a Si grip be like? How might they end up in one? How does an ENTP develop their Si to become more healthy? (Kinda worried I'm using an immature Si a bit too much recently, and the effects are getting me down)
What is an Si grip like?
Introverted sensing, unlike extroverted sensing, directs attention to your own self rather than your environment itself.
One way to describe Inferior Si would be obsessive. We become very anxious about our health, time and work.
Health
We misinterpret our body and become extremely concerned about our own health. To the point where it’s unnecessarily unhealthy and bordering on paranoia. This is because our focus is suddenly shifted towards ourselves, rather than the external world like our dominant function, Ne.
We’re not naturally attuned to our own bodies and being in the Si-grip suddenly makes us very painfully aware of ourselves and the small things that never bothered us before suddenly make us worry and overthink that there might be something very wrong with us.
We begin to notice the little things in ourselves like our breathing (am I breathing too loudly?), our heartbeat (is it beating too fast?), our hearing (everything sounds muffled), our sight (is the light dark or am I slowly going blind?), we’re constantly checking our weight (am I losing weight too quickly?), that pimple on our face suddenly feels like a serious symptom (should I check with a doctor?), our temperature has been slightly higher than normal in the last few days and there’s a dull pain in our heads (am I dying?).
Time
We will constantly be hitting the replay button and going through our past mistakes over and over and over again, in painful detail, trying to figure out where we went wrong, possibly blaming ourselves.
We also feel pressed for time and try to get things done long before we actually need to get things done. This is done to the point where we’re not managing our time effectively to ensure that we get enough breaks. It’s really just us throwing ourselves into tasks, one after another, ploughing our way through and trying to make sure everything is done as accurately as possible before time is up. This usually results in us crashing and burning.
Work
When it comes to actually doing work, we spend an awful lot of time trying to perfect it and getting stuck at every single detail which wastes time and only sends us down further into the depths of our inferior function. We become scarily neurotic when it comes to completing our tasks and how we go about doing it. Interestingly, this aspect of the Si-grip is actually very difficult to notice from the outside. Other people will usually just see a person who is working hard, ensuring everything is accurate and relevant while also keeping themselves neat and organised. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Constantly overthinking and worrying about ourselves actually has a huge negative impact on our mental health which is why a lot of Ne-doms who have experienced an Si-grip will associate it with depression. It really takes a toll on our minds and drives us insane.
How do you end up in an Si-grip?
Stress is the common answer with any type and their rendezvous with their inferior function.
If an Ne-dom is thrown into an extremely stressful situation, they might just let their Si take over control. Precisely what counts as a ‘stressful situation’ depends purely on the individual. We all differ and difference scenarios will elicit varied responses.
However, from my own experience, as well as other Ne-doms I know, I’ve noticed that situations where Ne becomes useless is usually perceived as a stressful situation and inferior Si will usually insert itself and take over. So this can include situations like constant routine, repetition, restrictions, limitations, overwhelming workload for long periods of time, negative reactions to ideas or progress, so on and so forth.
How to get out of an Si-grip?
Shift your attention outward.
Remember what I said about inferior Si directing attention towards yourself? Well, you’re going to want to change that so you can get your Ne back to doing what it does best.
Now, with an Si-grip, it can be extremely difficult to want to spend time with others. Our inferior function keeps us withdrawn and in solitude when it’s unhealthy, but it’s extremely important to interact with others and your environment during this time. People are great because you can just listen to them and start bouncing ideas back and forth. Look at that. Ne is back in action! If people are bit too ambitious for you at the moment, look towards your surroundings for inspiration. Remember that time you wanted to learn how to crochet? Well, now’s the prime time to do so! Gardening? Now you’re talking.
During my Si-grip, I forced myself to sign up for volunteering at local schools. I would talk to young children for a few hours at a time, play games with them, create crafts and read stories with them. I ended up really enjoying it and it helped reignite my Ne because I was focusing on other people and other activities rather than myself.
All you need is to take a step forward and get your Ne spark back.
Talk to someone.
Spending some quality time with your inferior function isn’t always fun. If there’s someone you trust, like a family member, a friend or a teacher, talk to them. It helps to have some support while you’re trying to improve yourself, and it can make things a lot easier. And if you’ve got an Ne-friend, why not tag along with them? It’s all about getting that creative fire back.
How to develop a healthy Si?
Realise the importance of Si. Although it’s at odds with Ne, my inferior Si has proved to be extremely beneficial once I overcame my Si-grip.
ENTPs, in particular, are notorious for being known as the type who will throw themselves into a project and completely forget about basic needs such as food and sleep. Ne-doms are also likely to have issues with indecisiveness, unpredictability and being overly ambitious with our work ethic.
A lot of this is because we are somewhat detached from our own selves. This would explain why we find it so easy to mess around and not take things too seriously and overlook our physical, cognitive and emotional needs.
It’s important to understand that Si is not meant to limit or restrict us. It’s there to help keep us from drifting completely off course. It gives us a sense of belonging and an awareness of ourselves, allowing us to make better decisions and prioritise when paired with our Ti.
In it’s healthier state, inferior Si helps to refine our big and bright ideas by taking past experiences into account. (You might not want to do that, ENTP. Remember what happened the last time you tried to do something like that?)
It’s the voice of reason that reminds us that we’re tired as fuck and should probably pause that ridiculous project and take a nap.
It keeps us grounded and stops us jumping from one spot to another like a goddamn bouncy ball.
It helps to introduce a sense of routine in our life and, while Ne is running the show, it still gives us the space and freedom to explore our creative ideas from a safe place.
While we all seem to agree that Edgar is undoubtedly a 4, it seems that there has been some debate over his wingtype; based on the newly released information for him, I would argue that Edgar is a clear example of a 4w5. In fact, his enneatype also feeds into the disagreement over his MBTI (and vice versa).
To begin, here is a direct translation of his character summary, also featured as the brief description on this profile:
“The only son in the Valden family of aristocrats, Edgar showed an interest and high talent in painting from childhood. Praise from his family and the public has led to his eccentric character. His perception of the world around him led to his belief that nobody else is worthy to speak to him about art.”
A surface-level look at this may suggest to some a 3 wing, for the simple fact that “praise from the public” is mentioned. However, the key here is that it has resulted in his becoming an “eccentric character”, a label the 4w3 is less likely to be assigned than a 4w5. The influence from the 3 gives the 4 a bit more awareness of social expectations and appearing “acceptable”, but a 5 wing gives the 4 an even more deeply introspective and self-referential worldview. Any enneatype can receive public praise; it’s how the person reacts to it that truly indicates their personality type.
This description of his character also pairs well with Fi > Fe, as in (an unhealthy) use of dominant Fi in the ISFP; Edgar displays absolutely no Fe. He is not interested in the feelings or opinions of others. In fact, what frustrates him is that nobody else seems to understand how he feels, which in his mind is obviously the only correct way to see and understand art.
His character trailer only further cements the interpretation of an emotionally-driven, authenticity-seeking 4w5 ISFP:
“All that is beautiful in this world; once upon a time, that was the inspiration for my paintings. But slowly, they stopped looking so cute to me. The plebeians, you see, they do not revere art, because they will never grasp it. Hypocritical and double-faced, avaricious and insatiable, obstreperous and useless. None amongst you can speak with me on the true essence of art.”
“And when this place can bring me pleasure no more I can only hope that that paradise will bring me yet unknown inspiration.”
His arrogance is not the pride of a 3 wing; it is more in line with the sense of pseudo-intellectual superiority of a 5 wing. He feels that the people around him cannot possibly understand the depth, the “true meaning” behind art. We can see this further reflected in how he describes the “plebeians”:
“Hypocritical and double-faced, avaricious and insatiable, obstreperous and useless.”
Here, there is a clear emphasis on the values of the 4 — authenticity, deep feelings, a sense of meaning — alongside an outright rejection of the 3’s social masking. The passion of the 3 is deceit, which manifests as molding the self into the vision of “success” or being “productive”. A 4w3, especially a less healthy one, struggles to balance the inner need to express themself and the desire to maintain appearances or be in style, one way or another.
The 4w3, because of the assertive Hornevian type of the wing, is also more openly competitive and ambitious, and tends to be more socially extraverted than a 4w5. With a 3 wing, Edgar would be driven to not only express himself creatively, but would also desire success — he would self-promote in order to gain recognition. His character trailer clearly expresses that his struggle is not lack of praise for his work; rather, it is a feeling of hopeless longing, of having a rich internal world that nobody can understand.
This aspect of Edgar’s character is far more the struggle of the unhealthy 4w5. With a doubly introverted frame of reference, the 4w5 is more prone to getting lost in the fantasy world they have constructed; anything that doesn’t meet this set of expectations is derided as being “inauthentic” and discarded. Moreover, even the choice to describe people with words like “two-faced” and “obstreperous” points to a 4w5. We see in the first adjective the 4’s concern with presenting only one’s inner truth, and in the second an aversion to loud and aggressive mannerisms, as well as a discontentment with others’ expectations.
His distaste for hypocrisy is presented to the viewer, and is not then followed by an ironic twist where Edgar himself is shown to be engaging in such behavior (as in other character trailers); therefore, it’s safe to say that he presents himself true to his beliefs, and is generally neither loud nor demanding. Again, with influence from 3, we would expect to see some of these traits reflected in his character; their absence, along with the presence of the more ruminative melancholy, make clear a 4 with an influence from 5.
Edgar’s reverence of art and its “true essence”, on top of the stylistic choice of the trailer itself, further lends towards such a reading. While the artistic direction of the animation could simply be because he’s an painter, this idea could easily have been conveyed using any number of alternate techniques. The choices made were deliberate — or at least, in such productions, should be — and as such, can be taken thusly.
As always, the trailer is in the first person, and is meant to reflect his own perception of the world. By framing Edgar’s entire life as being contained within various paintings, of being defined by the abstract or intangible “essence”, the video suggests that he is living inside his own head, with all external input being filtered through his own personal values and beliefs. This is both the realm of the 4 (especially wing 5) and an ISFP using unhealthy Fi.
Further support for this can be found in the word choice of the original Chinese: the version of the pronoun “they” used in the opening lines:
“All that is beautiful in this world; once upon a time, that was the inspiration for my paintings. But slowly, they stopped looking so cute to me.”
This version of “they” in Chinese is only used for people, not objects or a concept. However, the handling of the “they” in question is the same way one would talk about something non-living. In other words, Edgar sees people primarily as objects of inspiration for his own creativity; the things he experiences in the real world are heavily filtered through Fi, and (before his further deterioration in health) shaped into whatever he needs them to be to inspire him to create.
From this quote, we also know that his primary extraverted function must be perceiving. His natural instinct was to draw his inspiration from direct observation of the physical world around him, rather than being able to generate it fully from within. When describing his motivation for going to Oletus, Edgar says:
“And when this place can bring me pleasure no more I can only hope that that paradise will bring me yet unknown inspiration.”
This supports both the 4’s search for that “missing something” and an ISFP’s need for Se input to support dominant Fi. Furthermore, as an artist, Edgar uses his Se not only to take in sensory information, but also as an outlet for his Fi. By creating art, he’s able to express his emotions and intangible inner landscape in a way that others can experience, and hopefully, understand.
He does not search for connections between ideas or people like a Ne-user, nor does he focus on making quick or logical decisions like a Te-user. Sure he’s judgmental, but it comes purely from a place of emotion, not reason or anything more concrete than that he finds humanity as a whole to be ugly and worthless. This points to unhealthy Fi and inferior Te.
Edgar’s focus on the “true nature” of art and his feelings of disillusionment with humanity is the result of his dominant Fi and tertiary Ni; together, his Fi and Ni create for him a bottomless well of emotions where he holds a sense of art’s essential “essence” and a need to find meaning in everything he experiences. Without these things, he has no inspiration, and therefore must seek out a new external environment (Se) to feed his internal one. With unhealthy Fi, Edgar has gotten so deeply entrenched in his own vision of the world that he has let it overwhelm him, and his Fi interpretation of his Se has become excessively negative.
The Fi’s need for authenticity and confidence in its own internally-held ideas can come across as equally harsh as a dominant or auxiliary Te-user’s criticism. The key difference here is that while the Te’s aggression comes from a frustration at others’ lack of logic or practicality, the Fi’s hostility comes from feeling misunderstood or personally attacked. While Edgar may have Te, it is clearly his inferior function. Not only is he not primarily driven by external decision-making, the way he does use Te is to serve his Fi. In ISFPs, the Te is relied upon when their Fi holds an opinion strongly enough that they feel they must take action on it. This is especially true when under stress or defending against perceived threats; when in such a state, ISFPs can become incredibly critical of others, and will state their Fi beliefs in a matter-of-fact, Te style of speaking. In Edgar, this is what has created his attitude of “None amongst you can speak with me on the true essence of art.”
Further evidence for Edgar having the ISFP function stack is held within his third external trait:
“The Painter focuses on the sensations behind real objects. Therefore, he is not afraid of progress when sitting on a rocket chair. When a Painter is put on a rocket chair for the second time, the progress in sitting on the chair continues from the moment he was last placed.”
Aside from meaning that he can be chaired four times, this external trait is interesting in its title. The Chinese characters used for the first word confidently translates into “sensitive” (as in emotions), while the second word can be translated two different ways. The second word is used to mean either “direct observation” or “intuitive”. Therefore, a full reading of this trait can be either “emotional sensing” or “emotionally intuitive”.
Furthermore, the trait description itself lines up with a function stack that leads with Fi: “The Painter focuses on the sensations behind real objects.”
This is just shy of having “Edgar leads with feeling” outright stated. Moreover, it supports auxiliary Se, where he uses his Fi as the primary way to understand the external stimuli he receives. This more internally-focused way of engaging with reality once again supports a 4w5 reading over 4w3; Edgar is not driven to use his creativity in a way that would generate professional success. He is creating for creativity’s own sake, to express something that is true to his vision of art.
Also in Edgar’s profile are the character traits “arrogant, paranoid, neurotic”. Coupled with his “eccentric character”, this solidly places Edgar as a 4 with a 5 wing, with a clear influence from the 5 in his paranoia and neuroticism. While Edgar seemed to enjoy the praise heaped upon him, this does not automatically indicate a 3 wing. The 4 is just as capable as the 3 of basking in praise; after all, it feeds into the 4’s need for specialness just as much as it does the 3’s need for outstanding achievement. However, we see for Edgar that this praise was not enough; ultimately, the attention was worthless because nobody could understand the true essence of his work, or grasp the deeper meaning behind it.
Edgar’s emotional rejection of his adoring public continues to support a 5 wing. At average to unhealthy levels, 4w5s retreat into an at times bizarre fantasy world that to them appears real. The elitist and eccentric nature of the 4w5 leads to an ever-intensifying internal search for an expression of the genuine and unique self. They can appear to “push the edges of sanity” in pursuit of this, which ties into Edgar’s description as being “neurotic” and “paranoid”.
As the 4w5 decreases in health, the feelings of emptiness and isolation grow, and their image of the world becomes increasingly bleak. Just as in Edgar’s trailer, the world, once rose-tinted and romanticized, is slowly transformed into a grotesque or ugly place; humanity becomes a breed of irredeemable, ignorant or sick creatures. There is a wallowing in the hopelessness and magnification of feelings (that then get bottled up inside) resulting in a negative feedback loop. This is the sort of state that the letter finds Edgar in, and what draws him to Oletus.
The trailer makes it clear that Edgar’s acceptance of the Manor’s invitation is based entirely on his desire to complete a work that will satisfy himself, and only himself. He is not interested in gaining recognition for it. Rather, he sees it as a cure for his own sense of longing — nothing has been able to satisfy him.
On the other hand, the 4w3 tend more towards social extraversion, and are more likely than 4w5s to directly share their overwhelming feelings. Even at decreasing health levels, the 4w3 has more of the performative nature of the 3 than the withdrawal of the 5. The 4w3, when under stress, attempts to magnify the emotions they identify as “genuine”, paradoxically losing touch with their true feelings. There is a theatrical quality to their emotional displays not present in the 4w5; this serves to cover up their inner feelings of an emptiness that can’t ever be filled. Rather than an attachment to a fabricated inner landscape, the 4w3 exhibits a clinging to the external expression of manufactured emotions.
One of the few things I can think of in terms of how Edgar could be mistaken for having a 3 wing is that he has so in his instinctual stack; however, even with this, Edgar is sp/so, which in theory should make his 5 wing more obvious. As for how his enneatype and MBTI can cause mistyping in one or the other, I do have a few ideas. When exhibiting the highly critical and arrogant nature of an unhealthy 4 — especially with a 5 (mind center) wing — a character may have Te ascribed to them. However, their strong words and actions are ultimately tied to emotions, not logic; with auxiliary Se serving unhealthy Fi, the choices made are impulsive (Se) rather than decisive (Te).
Additionally, I can perhaps see some mixup regarding his sweeping statements about art’s underlying nature. This can be seen perhaps as him being a Ne-user, or either a dominant or auxiliary Ni-user. In fact, this ties back into the 5 wing; the 5 is interested in creating a mental theory of the world, or some particular part of it. This “big picture” thinking is characteristic of strong intuition users. However, we see with Edgar that of higher importance is his own subjective values; art has a certain essence because he believes it to be so. This sense of what art “truly is” cannot be Ne, because it’s derived entirely from connections made between his own internal feelings and “gut sense”, rather than between things in the world around him. It is not dominant or auxiliary Ni, because his Fi is much stronger. Once again, this ties back to Edgar’s 4 base, and to his unhealthy use of dominant Fi.
In short, Edgar displays none of the traits or motivations characteristic to the 4w3, and has a function stack that even at a cursory glance simply cannot lead with thinking or intuiting. Given the information provided by both his trailer and the Chinese character profile, I cannot see Edgar as being anything other than a 4w5 ISFP.
That makes a lot of sense, and would explain the confusion between base 5 or base 6 for Maki. With any character who has a particularly strong wing, the core and wing can be difficult to distinguish; having it repeat in her tritype could definitely make that problem even more pronounced. That, along with a Te-Se loop from her ENTJ type would make many of her behaviors seem to favor her 5 over her 6, even if 6 is her core.
An additional factor in this difficulty could be the 6's disintegration to 3. The 3 and 5 both share the Harmonic Pattern of "competency", and therefore can both display arrogance or an attitude of superiority. Maki using her expertise in murder methods to shut other people up during trials could be both the 3's posturing or the 5's sense of intellectual superiority. Additionally, the shared focus on competence between these types leads to both of them repressing or attempting to disregard their own emotions, which they feel are counterproductive.
Her connection to the 3 and 5 could be further strengthened by her instinctual stack, sp/sx. The sp 6 can appear withdrawn like a 5 (though usually also has the outward dependence of a 2); the sx 6 can seem arrogant and self-confident like a 3, though the creation of a powerful or independent appearance is a bluff. Maki's instinctual stacking would also account for her withdrawn yet goal-oriented and decisive nature. The sp 6 is typically phobic, while the sx 6 generally tends to be counterphobic; the aggressive Hornevian type of the disintegration point would strengthen Maki's sx counterphobic traits, even if she leads with sp.
In short, the argument for Maki being a 6w5 totally tracks; it could also cause the mistype seen here. The combination of ENTJ and 6w5 is somewhat unusual to begin with, but becomes further complicated by her leaning on a 5 wing + disintegrating to 3.
At this point I really am seeing the 6w5, but I’ll be back again after combing through the dialogue. If I have enough time after my Shuichi analysis, I’ll probably end up doing one for Maki too.
I don’t understand where the chaotic good votes are coming from. While he is working toward a goal that is considered “good”, it is his behavior and methods of achieving it that truly indicate his alignment. First it is important to note that at its core, the chaotic alignments are all concerned with personal freedom, and at first glance, chaotic neutral can be mistaken for chaotic good or chaotic evil, depending on their individual motivations. Due to this, it’s best to examine the character’s behavior at their baseline, then supplement it with information about the character under duress.
The chaotic good character, while finding laws and regulations distasteful, does believe in good and right; they will act benevolently, and see personal freedom as a way to improve the good in society. They believe in the essential good of others, and seek to alleviate the pain or suffering of others through kind acts.
We do not see this worldview reflected in Mike’s deductions, nor in his letters. Overall, he seems disinterested in doing what is right, or in helping others. His chief concern is with himself, and isn’t seeking to better society or the lives of others in his performances, interactions, or experiments. He can derive some “dark pleasure” from seeing sadness in others, as it ostensibly amuses him. Furthermore, when his acid is used to disfigure Joker’s face, he doesn’t care who did it or why, even when he himself is implicated in the crime. It ultimately doesn’t interfere with his ability to do as he pleases, and thus, is not his concern.
It isn’t until the slaughter that Mike becomes concerned with right vs wrong. This is more out of self-righteous anger than out of any real sense of morals, as he doesn’t seem at all worried about potential future victims of a mass murderer. His goal is far more self-serving. Frankly, his tendency to follow his own whims, regardless of consequences, is far more in line with the chaotic neutral’s approach to life. As opposed to the chaotic good character, the chaotic neutral is generally understood to be unreliable. Their priorities shift and change, and the chaotic neutral — moreso than the chaotic good — is unpredictable in the best of times.
The chaotic neutral may seem to follow the principles of another alignment for a time, before becoming bored and moving on to something else. For example, the chaotic neutral character may be averse to violence or confrontation, but only insofar as it affects them personally. Likewise, the chaotic neutral character will not go out of their way to inflict suffering on others, but will readily do so if somebody has become an obstacle. If someone stands in the way of their goals, the chaotic neutral may respond by killing them, justifying what others may interpret as selfishness by reframing it as “self-fulfillment”. As a neutral alignment, they will work with either good or evil forces, whichever one serves their current interests. This is something that the chaotic good character is far less likely to adopt as a solution to their problems, particularly when it comes to use of violence or underhanded means.
We can readily see this in how Mike went about his daily life at Hullabaloo, and in his approach to tracking down the circus killer. He’s willing to employ the services of Arthur Russell to not only gather information on people he finds suspect, but also hire a mercenary to kill Murro. His inconsistency in morals (re: his dislike of “rude and violent people”, yet he himself arguably being this) and independent, “greedy” nature marks him as a chaotic neutral character, rather than a chaotic good.
I will admit that I did a double take seeing the consensus vote on Mike’s enneatype. I had thought it rather plain to see that he is a base type 7, but apparently that is not the case. Perhaps his career as a performer is what caused the mistype, but it’s still strange to imagine a type 3 Mike. (I also got a bit of a chuckle out of seeing Mike voted as chaotic good when he’s clearly a chaotic neutral character. More on that in its own thread.)
As a character with a full set of deduction targets, several costumes, and accessories, there is an abundance of information on Mike’s character that I feel is vital in discerning his true enneatype. From his deductions alone, it’s quite obvious that he cares less about personal image or professional success than he does about trying new things and having a good time. Especially the parts of the deduction tree written from Mike’s first person perspective, it’s obvious that image and career is a secondary consideration, tied more to the 7’s desire to be entertaining than from the 3’s desire to maintain a “good image”.
Mike is a near-textbook example of a 7, with little to none of the 3’s characteristic concern with public image or external praise and material rewards. His interest in serving his own emotional needs and little else shows the 7’s compulsive thrill-seeking and future planning to avoid dealing with fear or anxiety.
His 6 wing manifests in the secretive side of his nature, and his attempts to accomplish his goals through discreet maneuverings. He avoids conflict and confrontation, when possible, again supporting a 6 wing rather than an 8. After the death of his fellow circus members, Mike disintegrates into a 1, exchanging the 7’s scattered energy for a tunnel-vision focus on self-righteous retribution.
I’m disappointed that I was unable to include all the relevant quotes from Mike’s skins and accessories, as they didn’t quite fit into the flow of the main analysis. I have included them here as additional support, though I’ll admit it is redundant. At this point, it’s mainly for myself; I really wanted to touch on these points, at least in brief.
“Half-Hearted: The Acrobat is always coming up with new ideas and this makes it difficult for him to concentrate. Door opening speed is decreased by 30%.”
Self-explanatory. The 3 is generally far more focused and goal-oriented; his distractible nature being strong enough to give him an entire debuff points to the 7’s scattered nature. While the 3 stays in the moment to complete tasks, the 7’s mind will continue to wander, especially to thoughts of the future and ideas unrelated to the current objective.
Mr. Swifts, S6 Essence 3: “Even if he is robbed, he will naturally build a nest for himself again. ([Limited] Costume only available in S6 Essence 3)”
This quote offers support for Mike’s 6 wing, as opposed to being a base 3 or having an 8 wing. Note how his response to being robbed is not violent or aggressive, and does not seem to focus on either power/control or image. Instead of “building himself back up” — a more 3ish framing of the situation — the phrasing used is “naturally build a nest”; this speaks to the 6’s desire for a stable and safe home environment. However, with the 7 base, he can do this himself, since he is more self-sufficient than the average 6.
Cocoa Bean, S9 Essence 2: “Food is delicious if it makes people happy. It matters not that it came from a stall or a Michelin-starred restaurant.”
While this may seem to show a 2 wing, it’s important to note that neither a 3 nor 1 is indicated here; disregard for the “Michelin-starred restaurant” flies in the face of the 3’s success-oriented worldview. Meanwhile, the sentiment that making people happy is all that is needed to make food delicious goes against the 1’s desire to “do things the right way”. A base 1 is, like the 3, concerned with competency. Food is delicious if the chef follows the recipe. It is delicious if it is “done right”. Therefore, while this quote doesn’t necessarily indicate a 7 base, it does go against both w2 enneatypes.
Fool's Heart, N/A: “Keeping his innocence till the very end. Perhaps this is the meaning of his existence.”
This is another subtle quote, communicating information in a way such that its significance may not be immediately apparent. The key idea here is “innocence”. Mike is “keeping his innocence till the very end”. This meaning is twofold: first, the childlike persona created by the fun-loving 7 base creates his appearance of being “innocent”; second, the disintegration to 1 means that he considers himself innocent of all wrongdoing — it is others who are bad or evil, never himself.
Puppet, Memory Sphere Season 7: “Who would have thought that a little puppet could have a mind of its own? Perhaps, it's the key character.”
This speaks to Mike’s surprisingly sharp wit and able scheming, concealed beneath a childlike facade. While his 7 base may make him appear on the surface to be simple and naive, he is ultimately in the thinking center of the enneagram. His fun-loving and outgoing attitude hides his detailed planning and complicated thoughts. While he may be just a performer in a circus — ostensibly dancing to someone else’s tune — he has plans of his own, and now that his circus family is dead, he sees himself as the “key character” in this story; he is the protagonist who will uncover the truth behind the circus killer.
Jester, Logic Path reached 1258 (S7): “Not all the green leaves are willing to set off the red flowers like he used to.”
This was a bit tricky to pin down. At first glance, it is somewhat devoid of any telltale traits. Upon closer look, however, it seems to map to Mike’s disintegration to a 1. The “green leaves” are just that: green, new, unused to some new situation. Being “willing to set off the red flowers like he used to” refers to being prepared to do what needs to be done, the way that someone else used to. In the context of Mike’s story, it reads as Mike feeling that he is the only one who can take the necessary steps to make things right, just like Bernard used to be the one who did what had to be done for the circus’s sake. The “red” here symbolizes danger, or perhaps the metaphorical blood on both their hands from the unsavory acts they’ve committed in the name of doing what they felt was the “right thing”.
Bohea, Memory Sphere Season 10: “People's smiles always cheer him up, and a rowdy crowd always makes him forget his fears.”
This one stands out as a remarkably overt display of the 7’s basic nature; though the first clause could suggest influence from the 2, it is the second clause that completes the thought, ultimately communicating that his chief desire is entertainment, not helpfulness. He wants to be swept up in the energy of the crowd, not to feel like he is serving somebody else, or making other people feel better. The 7 (especially with a 6 wing) quiets their own fears through engaging with the world through the lens of fun and excitement. The desire to forget the self and the troubles that come with their own existence is easily drowned out by spectacle. Entertaining others is an easy way to accomplish this goal.
Liliac, Call of the Abyss III: “It will be really boring if there is only one type of purple on the costume!”
Another very self-explanatory quote, this one displays the 7’s need for variety. The 7 is concerned with keeping things fresh and new, wanting to avoid boredom. In contrast, a 3 would be less concerned with whether something is “boring” than with whether or not it is fashionable.
Scarlett, Memory Sphere Season 11: “The brightest colour catches the most attention.”
Admittedly, this could go either way, since both the 3 and 7 engage in attention-seeking behavior. There’s not enough information to determine the nature of this desire, but is worth including since it can work to support a 7 interpretation.
Star Candy, Memory Sphere Season 7: “Let's enjoy the beautiful sparkles!”
The voice here is undoubtedly a 7, not a 3. It may describe it as “beautiful”, but with the emphasis on simply enjoying them, as well as “sparkles” generally being considered frivolous or fleeting in nature, the 7 reading is stronger. This quote sounds epicurean as opposed to performative (especially with the excited tone created by the exclamation point).
Trumpet, Memory Sphere Season 11: “I don't really like playing the trumpet during days off.”
This reads as the 7’s flighty, unreliable nature. As a standalone piece of information, it’s not in response to the ebb and flow of conversation; we are being told without prompting something that he doesn’t enjoy doing. That he’d bother to go out of his way to mention something he doesn’t like to do in his free time is far more 7ish than 3ish. The 7 is simply letting their thoughts — even their less polished ones — manifest as dialogue, whereas a 3 would perhaps think more carefully before speaking. The 3 may have activities they prefer to avoid, but they’re not going to risk looking unprofessional or lazy; specifying “during days off” implies that playing the trumpet is something Mike has to do for his work. Therefore, he’s saying that he doesn’t like working if he doesn’t have to — not something a 3 is going to readily own up to.
I will admit that I did a double take seeing the consensus vote on Mike’s enneatype. I had thought it rather plain to see that he is a base type 7, but apparently that is not the case. Perhaps his career as a performer is what caused the mistype, but it’s still strange to imagine a type 3 Mike. (I also got a bit of a chuckle out of seeing Mike voted as chaotic good when he’s clearly a chaotic neutral character. More on that in its own thread.)
As a character with a full set of deduction targets, several costumes, and accessories, there is an abundance of information on Mike’s character that I feel is vital in discerning his true enneatype. From his deductions alone, it’s quite obvious that he cares less about personal image or professional success than he does about trying new things and having a good time. Especially the parts of the deduction tree written from Mike’s first person perspective, it’s obvious that image and career is a secondary consideration, tied more to the 7’s desire to be entertaining than from the 3’s desire to maintain a “good image”.
Mike is a near-textbook example of a 7, with little to none of the 3’s characteristic concern with public image or external praise and material rewards. His interest in serving his own emotional needs and little else shows the 7’s compulsive thrill-seeking and future planning to avoid dealing with fear or anxiety.
His 6 wing manifests in the secretive side of his nature, and his attempts to accomplish his goals through discreet maneuverings. He avoids conflict and confrontation, when possible, again supporting a 6 wing rather than an 8. After the death of his fellow circus members, Mike disintegrates into a 1, exchanging the 7’s scattered energy for a tunnel-vision focus on self-righteous retribution.
I will admit that I did a double take seeing the consensus vote on Mike’s enneatype. I had thought it rather plain to see that he is a base type 7, but apparently that is not the case. Perhaps his career as a performer is what caused the mistype, but it’s still strange to imagine a type 3 Mike. (I also got a bit of a chuckle out of seeing Mike voted as chaotic good when he’s clearly a chaotic neutral character. More on that in its own thread.)
As a character with a full set of deduction targets, several costumes, and accessories, there is an abundance of information on Mike’s character that I feel is vital in discerning his true enneatype. From his deductions alone, it’s quite obvious that he cares less about personal image or professional success than he does about trying new things and having a good time. Especially the parts of the deduction tree written from Mike’s first person perspective, it’s obvious that image and career is a secondary consideration, tied more to the 7’s desire to be entertaining than from the 3’s desire to maintain a “good image”.
Mike’s second deduction target, entitled “The Secret of Juggling”, has this description line: “Throwing isn't just an interesting skill. It's what makes a juggler successful.” Now, if this was all it had to say about him, I would agree, a 3 interpretation wouldn’t be far-fetched at all. However, the deduction conclusion is what is truly significant here, as it is in fact a diary entry from Mike himself. The deduction tagline could be interpreted as a general statement on Mike’s career, or even as an opinion from Bernard himself. Meanwhile, the conclusion has this to say:
“Diary 1: Bernard said that the size and shape of the bag, as well as the type of filling, are critical. He refused my request to fill the bag with stones, stating that it was ‘hazardous’.”
We can see here that Mike is less interested in appealing to the expectations of others, and indeed, in maintaining a polished image, than Bernard is. What Mike is interested in is in fact trying out new things, even dangerous ones — his phrasing of Bernard’s response to his proposal shows that what he finds frustrating is feeling limited in his options. Mike doesn’t seem too convinced that his idea should have been rejected, and was less concerned with the practicality of it than he was in simply exploring the possibility. This is clearly far more indicative of a 7 than of a 3.
Now, based on what Bernard told Mike — namely, that he identified certain factors as “critical” to the bags used in juggling — we can infer that it is Bernard who is concerned about keeping up appearances, or doing things the “right way” (suggesting perhaps a base 1 or 3 for him). From this, we can further conclude that the tagline of this deduction target is indeed a reflection of Bernard’s thoughts rather than Mike’s.
This flows into the next deduction, “Artistic Acts”, with the description: “Creativity is what ensures that the stage performances continue to improve.” Again, this sounds like a statement from Bernard’s perspective, and perhaps offers us some insight into why Bernard treated Mike with the kind of leniency that permitted Mike’s later experimentation with acid and nitre. Since Bernard is the one in charge of the circus, he is the one concerned with constantly improving the show; because Mike’s creativity allows him to come up with new ideas (and gives him the natural charisma that propelled him into the position of audience favorite), Bernard is willing to let Mike get away with quite a bit.
Meanwhile, the conclusion for Artistic Acts gives us a summary for one of Mike’s own writings: “Notebook: The properties of Nitre and some ‘Test Records’ were recorded in detail.” The implication here is that Mike was not very concerned with how his experiments would directly benefit his performances; in fact, the notebook’s contents give a sense of unease, communicating a message in direct opposition to the deduction target summary. Not only is nitre entirely unnecessary in improving his performance as an acrobat, but Mike’s behavior seems rather secretive in nature. So, the purpose of this deduction target is to show a disconnect between the way Bernard perceived Mike and the activities that Mike was actually engaging in. Bernard saw Mike as an invaluable member of the Hullabaloo Circus, and assumed that the experiments and ideas Mike explored all went into augmenting said performances. Of course, by advancing along the deduction tree, it becomes increasingly clear that Mike’s area of interest had little to do with his professional success.
Taking a step back and analyzing the deduction targets for Mike from a more holistic standpoint, a certain pattern emerges. We can see that the first 5 deduction targets are separated from the last 5 in tone and perspective.
1) “Family: He's like a father; an ideal one.”
2) “The Secret of Juggling: Throwing isn't just an interesting skill. It's what makes a juggler successful.”
3) “Artistic Acts: Creativity is what ensures that the stage performances continue to improve.”
4) “A New Face: The circus is where people come and go. We always welcome new faces, and obviously, the beautiful ones.”
5) “ ‘Darling’: How people call each other often reflects the degree to which the relationship has developed.”
6) “Downcast: Watching a sad face can sometimes bring us some dark pleasure.”
7) “Carnival: Carnivals usually mean chaos, and chaos means opportunity.”
8) “The End: It's all over.”
9) “Encore: Audiences often say this hoping that the performer will continue performing on the stage.”
10) “Reappearance: Call their names and make them return to the stage once again.”
Laying them out side-by-side, it’s clear that the first five have summary lines that focus more on outward appearances, professional achievement, and success — all values of the 3. Key words can be picked out from each to support this conclusion: “ideal” from Family; “successful” from The Secret of Juggling; “improve” from Artistic Acts; “beautiful” from A New Face; “reflects” from “Darling”.
Meanwhile, the second half contain sentiments that are far more self-driven, or self-referential, yet less self-aware. Rather than seeking to appear a particular way in the eyes of others, there is an endogenously-generated drive based on the assessment of the appearances of those around the speaker. This way of approaching the self and others maps to the 7’s desire to forget the self through constant absorption in the external world. For the 7, there is a lack of consideration regarding professional success — real or perceived — and a greater emphasis on living in the moment. Plans for the future all funnel into goals that may not be practical or even fully fleshed-out, since stopping to examine their own thoughts and feelings can frighten the 7.
On top of this, the deduction targets undergo an overall shift in speaking style; while the first half of the deduction targets can be a bit longer, even bordering on long-winded, the second half are far more succinct but, again, less self-reflective. This displays the 7’s style of interacting with the world more than the 3, where focus can be more scattered in the search for instant gratification, although the analytical aspects of the mind center are still present.
What we see in the second set of deduction targets is the perspective of a more active, impatient person than the previous deduction summaries. There’s only one that contains a sentence with more than a single clause, and even then it’s to quickly connect two different concepts without having to go through the trouble of further explication. While indicative of a nimble mind, this cleverness manifests as an underlying impatience. Overall, the tendency in these deduction summaries is towards a more singularly outward-focused attention, with a desire to engage with the world without having to pause for self-reflection.
This pattern in turn suggests a split in the speaker for the first set of deduction target taglines versus the second set. While deductions one through four reflect Bernard’s perspective, six through ten are Mike’s. As for the fifth deduction, that’s the bridge; it’s where the speaker switches from one to the other, segueing into Mike being the deduction’s “voice” for both the summary and conclusion of each. Even more interesting, in fact, is the particular way the fifth deduction target implies an asymmetry in the perspective of the two speakers; the summary is a reflection of both Bernard and Mike’s understanding of the other, though the angle is skewed significantly when moving between the two.
While Bernard and Mike are simultaneously experiencing a shift in their relationship to one another, the directions of perceived development are not only incongruent, they’re fundamentally incompatible. The title and speaking style of this deduction further underline this imbalance; while the tone and pacing of the summary reads as Bernard’s voice, the conclusion and the name “darling” are clearly from Mike’s perspective.
The deduction conclusion is as follows: “Diary 2: I love Nitre! As long as it's mixed with water, even a hot summer's day can become refreshing! Bernard's reaction was hilarious, and he even called me ‘Dear Mr. Mike Morton’! Oh, Bernard, I want to hear it again. Next time, I'll make sure to put my cold hands down your collar.”
This casual and playful writing style is juxtaposed against the matter-of-fact — almost distant — statement on the nature of relationships in the summary, creating further dissonance within the deduction. It is implied, then, that Bernard’s opinion of his relationship to Mike has developed from one of paternal care (see the information given by the first deduction) to one of a more professional nature; Bernard is Mike’s boss, not his caretaker. Meanwhile, Mike has developed what appears to be homoerotic feelings towards Bernard, seeing the nickname “Dear Mr. Mike Morton” as a term of endearment rather than one of separation.
Referring back to the second deduction target, the subtle shift in Mike’s understanding of his and Bernard’s roles in their relationship can be further explored. While the contents of Diary 1 suggest that Mike does still see Bernard as a superior (one that he will listen to, if a bit begrudgingly), Diary 2 shows a significantly more excited response to what can be inferred to be reprimand from Bernard. Mike, it seems, has come to view Bernard and himself as interacting on equal terms, and thus, as eligible for developing a relationship outside the bounds of their previous connection. Similarly, Bernard no longer sees the power dynamic of their relationship as being defined by “guardian” and “child”; however, contrary to Mike’s interpretation, Bernard still very much sees himself as being the superior. In a sense, elevation from “child” to “employee” does put Mike on more equal footing with Bernard, but what Mike has failed to pick up on is the paradoxical increase in distance in their relationship, even as he is elevated to the status of “fellow adult”.
In these differing sets of expectations, we can see a clear conflict between a 7’s approach to relationships and that of a 1 (or a 3 with a strong connection to 1). While Bernard is concerned with the way the relationship is “supposed” to develop (e.g. the way a boss is supposed to treat an employee), the 7 is concerned with exploring possibilities and having fun. Further, the 7 is interested in relationships that are constantly changing, as a way of staving off boredom and maintaining investment in the other person. For many 7’s, the only way to preserve dedication to a single “other” is to NOT preserve some aspect of it. In other words, if he is to be limited in the individuals available for him to form attachments to, he must seek variety in the way the attachment functions.
Bernard seems to be interested in treating Mike as a proper adult now, one who has responsibilities and ought to know the proper way of behaving. His reaction to Mike’s experimentation with explosives is one of frustration, calling him “Dear Mr. Mike Morton” as a combination middle-naming of a misbehaving child, and a more professional way of addressing another adult. So, it can be said that Bernard appears to be straddling the line between criticism for a subordinate’s “improper” behavior, and a lingering fondness for his charge.
Mike, on the other hand, seems to have simply derived great amusement from the situation, whether or not he picked up on the remaining fondness Bernard held. His excited proclamation of love for nitre and his plans to put his cold hands down Bernard’s collar read solidly as a 7’s epicurean desire for pleasure and sensual enjoyment, rather than from any influence from type 3. In fact, it’s questionable if Mike was even consciously aware that Bernard was not as amused as he by the entire affair; indeed, his spin on being scolded is exactly the sort of reaction expected of the positive outlook of the 7.
Additionally, as opposed to the 3’s efforts to maintain a good image in the eyes of others, the 7 tries to hold onto a self-image of being okay through rationalization and positive reframing. As long as they don’t have to acknowledge negativity, they can feel comfortable and happy. At the same time, the 7’s rationalization goes towards thinking of what lies ahead, escaping from the limited present to a future with boundless possibility. What we can see Mike doing in his diary entry is just that: he chooses to see Bernard’s scolding as an expression of endearment, and has already skipped forward to thinking about fun or interesting plans for “next time”. Nowhere in this diary deduction is there even a whiff of the 3’s desire to appeal to the expectations of others, or appear competent and professional.
Following this split perspective, the deduction summaries fall squarely into the realm of Mike’s internal dialogue. Deduction six, Downcast, leads with the following: “Watching a sad face can sometimes bring us some dark pleasure.” When compared to some of the earlier deductions, the contrast is jarring. While the present or implied “others” were previously referenced in terms of interaction or as a source of expectations, here they exist solely as a source of entertainment. There is an absence of people-pleasing or even the sentiment that others are tools to be used; this falls far more in line with the 7’s desire to be entertained or to be entertaining, rather than the 3’s understanding of the give and take of unspoken social contracts.
More than that, the conclusion of deduction six gives us another glimpse into the shifting dynamic between Mike and Bernard:
“Diary 3: Bernard sent his regards to my beloved little ones. He thought the wounds on Joker's face looked more like ‘corrosions’. His suspicions really hurt me! Of course, I did lose a bottle of strong acid. Maybe I'll have to get another bottle before Bernard finds out about this ‘mismanagement’.”
While I admit to being unsure who Mike is referring to as his “beloved little ones”, the rest of this diary entry is fairly straightforward. Again, we see Mike’s bubbly and enthusiastic character, brushing off what are clearly well-founded misgivings from Bernard. Like with the scolding he received in the second deduction target, Mike — in a very characteristically 7ish way — responds with a playful attitude: “His suspicions really hurt me!” is expressed in a manner completely foreign to the 3, especially one who is experiencing a threat to their image in the eyes of someone they feel close to.
While it may be true that Mike is wounded by Bernard’s ability to suspect him of such a crime, he covers it up with humor, rather than going to the 3’s tactic of trying to prove his integrity or good character. Rather than indicating a wounded ego, Mike shows an avoidance of the negative; he distracts from a situation that could be emotionally difficult by covering it up with a joke, then quickly moving onto something else.
Now, Mike does engage in willful deceit (planning to cover up anything that may further implicate him), the ego fixation of the 3. However, the tone he takes is still one of measured amusement; his cheeky admission of incriminating evidence paired with his word choice “mismanagement” indicates an almost facetious attitude towards Bernard’s accusation, and more broadly, his concern with professionalism and image. After all, “mismanagement” is a term likely employed by Bernard in the past, as previous deduction targets indicate that he is a man who takes his work seriously. By placing this word in quotation marks, Mike expresses two things: first, that he is using someone else’s word; and second, that he himself does not hold the same values.
The following deduction, Carnival, starts with: “Carnivals usually mean chaos, and chaos means opportunity.” Again, there is a clear expression of the 7’s unstructured energy, always looking for the next exciting thing, chasing that high. While a 3 takes a more structured approach to reaching their goals and seizing opportunities, it is the 7 who sees chaos itself as being opportunity. In chaos, anything is possible, and the 7 finds this stimulating, even considering it to be an ideal situation.
Of course, when figuring out one’s enneagram, it is also important to consider the lines of connection. If the core type is uncertain, figuring out just one line can be enough to create a compelling case for one enneatype over another. The final deduction targets and the rumor about Mike, therefore, offer some vital pieces of the puzzle.
Deduction 8, “The End: It's all over.” Short, sweet, to the point, but overall somewhat disappointing. There’s not enough substance to really determine much more about Mike than we already know. But, when including the slightly lengthier conclusion, necessary context is provided. The conclusion follows thusly:
“Newspaper Clipping: The carnival killer remains a mystery. The public feels that the local police did not do a good job and has called for further investigations.”
Despite not being directly from Mike’s own diary or journal, this is still following his perspective; the framing of this information is key in our understanding of its significance. Clearly, this conclusion functions to tell the audience what sort of tragedy occurred at the circus, but also to include Mike as being a member of the public who holds this belief. This hints at the start of a 7’s disintegration into 1, where the focus goes from what is “fun” to what is “right” and “wrong”, edging into the unhealthy territory of becoming critical and punitive.
When faced with the death of his circus family, Mike, in an attempt to distract himself from the painful reality, jumps into action, hoping to escape the fears nipping at his heels. After suffering such a devastating loss, he wastes no time with mourning; he immediately goes to enacting a plan to deal with the perpetrator of the crime. We see in his next deduction, Encore, the following: “Diary 4: I scoured the city's mortuary and found everyone except the strange new couple. They were scheduled for the grand finale and couldn't sneak out.”
We see immediately another massive tone shift in the speaker, though we know that rather than crossing over from one character to another, it is Mike who is undergoing the switch in tone. In stark contrast to the chipper, playful mood of his earlier entries, this one is very matter-of-fact, very controlled. The 1’s desire to be objective and principled has overshadowed the 7’s energetic distractibility. From the rumor on his page, we know that: “Mike Morton is the most popular guy in the traveling circus ‘Hullabaloo’. After surviving the disaster, Mike Morton's only goal is to find the real killer who destroyed his home."
This solidifies the interpretation of Mike disintegrating into a 1. As a 7, his natural instinct when faced with the threat of loss is to reach for more, trying to gather close that which he feels is important to his survival and comfort. Unfortunately, this option has been denied him completely; he cannot have “more” of “nothing”, which is precisely what he has now that his entire way of life, his home, his family, has been destroyed. Faced with this harsh reality, Mike has dedicated himself to the single-minded goal of hunting down the one who dared to steal everything from him. The 7’s impatience is magnified by the 1’s resentment and anger, leading to his overpowering pursuit of a quite 1ish crusade against the wrongdoings of others.
This understanding of the text is only further supported by alternate translations of the original text, which provide additional information and insight into both the tragedy itself, and Mike’s perspective:
1) “Blonde curls, a lively spirit and clear blue eyes forever full of joy, Mike Morton was the most popular guy in Hullabaloo, the travelling circus. Hullabaloo was Mike's entire world, a world where slaughter should never have existed. Having survived from the tragedy, Mike would stop at nothing until he finds the one responsible for shattering his world.”
2) “Now desperate and having lost the only things that mattered in his life, Mike's only goal in life is to find the true murderer of those he cherished.”
In all three translations, we see the overwhelming sense of loss, devastation and panic driving him over the edge. Having found the bodies of his comrades, and having discovered what in his mind is the suspicious departure of the circus’ newest members, the last hopes of employing his instinctive response (read: avoidance) are dashed. All at once, Mike is forced to contend with problems and pain he is unaccustomed to coping with. He dips immediately into the unhealthy emotions of the 1, the 1’s feeling of being the only one who is Right and Good; he alone can know the Truth.
This reading is supplemented by the correspondence we have from Mike to a man by the name of Arthur Russell. Thanks to being included as content for both Mike and Murro’s character days, we have not one but two samples of his writing post-Hullabaloo disaster. Following on the heels of the Encore deduction target, Mike’s drastic tonal shift while writing stands in stark contrast to his earlier, livelier musings. Mike’s birthday letter is as follows:
“Dear Mr. Arthur Russell,
The investigation report you've sent last time was of great assistance to me. In regard to the animal tamer Natalie, also known as Margaretha Zelle, I wish to acquire further information on her upbringing as well as her life before the circus. Starting next week, I will be out of town for a while, and your salary will be paid in the same payment method per usual. There is no need to send in your report this time. I will pick them up at your residence.
I look forward to your reply.
Yours Truly,
Mike Morton”
We can see that he has adopted a very formal voice, adhering to proper etiquette and expressing his thoughts in an impersonal, emotionally distant way. Without knowing whose signature adorns this letter, one could easily be convinced that this was penned by Bernard. In fact, my first time reading this letter caused me a moment of confusion; surely it was a mistake, a particularly egregious error similar to the mistranslation of Priestess’ name. After all, how could Mike have been the one to write in such a clipped, formal style? Yet, here is Murro’s birthday letter:
“Dear Mr. Russell,
Due to unforeseen circumstances, your mission objective has been "eliminated" prior to the engagement of your employee.
Therefore, I regret to inform you that the remaining payment is beyond my obligation, as stated in our agreement. After all, no one could possibly uncover a fully-intact cranial remains within that pile of ashes.
I wish you well.
Your loyal customer,
Mike Morton”
There is no denying it, Mike did in fact send these letters. His playful, somewhat childish persona is just that: an act. Underneath it, he is incredibly capable and self-sufficient, and the letters seem to place a great deal of emphasis on the matter of “should” or “shouldn’t”, whether something “ought to be” or not. He must do the right thing, in the right way; he expects others to do the same. To the reader, there is a feeling that beneath the carefully controlled surface lies a mass of ugly emotions. There is anger. There is resentment. There is a gradual movement towards a breaking point. It is precisely this which led people to initially believe that Mike himself could have been the circus killer. The details are obscure, the content sinister, the controlled tone reading as hiding something — some dark secret. Murro’s birthday letter seems to imply that Mike has hired a hitman to “eliminate” somebody — likely Murro — but an incident (perhaps even one of his own making) has prematurely killed that person off.
What these letters show us is the 1’s methodical approach; they bear a striking similarity to Mike’s early deduction summaries, as though Mike were subconsciously attempting to borrow from Bernard’s more structured, 1ish mannerisms. With a professionalism and formality that is unassailable in its dignity, but with the base 7’s falsely cheerful tone and the 6 wing’s suspicious nature, Mike sends letters to this “Arthur Russell” character.
Why wing 6 rather than wing 8? Especially when given his apparent embrace of violent means? Well, despite his vengeful rage, he does display the 6 wing’s avoidance of conflict, when possible; as far back as the second deduction target, this is made clear. Mike’s reaction to Bernard denying his request was not to lash out, or argue; he simply moped about it later, when he was alone. Then, when Bernard suspected Mike of disfiguring Joker’s face, Mike’s response was again one of disappointment, not aggression.
The mere fact that Mike would say that Bernard’s accusations “really hurt” falls in direct opposition to the 8’s unwillingness to display weakness of any kind. Even in jest, exposing one’s own emotional vulnerability is not something a 7 with a strong 8 wing would be comfortable doing. On the other hand, the 6 wing is far likelier to allow this; one defense mechanism of the 6, after all, is to appear vulnerable in an attempt to elicit protective feelings from an authority figure. Further evidence is supplied by Mike’s Deduction Star 2020 quotes.
Quote: "Don't think I'll trust you so easily, you cute little thing."
Here, Mike is speaking with the playfulness of his base, 7, while communicating a 6ish difficulty in trusting others. Especially when directed at someone (or something?) “little” and “cute”, this suspicion really does play to the 6’s anxiety and doubt. Where an 8 may feel powerful and confident in the presence of something that appears defenseless, a 6 will be wary; it can’t possibly be so simple, right? Surely it’s a trap?
A 7 with an 8 wing would be more likely to find this mixture of traits endearing, perhaps even themself feeling some twinge of protectiveness. The 8, in general, tends to champion the underdog, desiring to defend that which is innocent or tender. Besides which, the 7w8 is far more blunt and forceful; if there is doubt of a person’s trustworthiness, the problem will be dealt with head-on. It is the 7w6 who will communicate a lack of trust in the lighthearted manner used in the quote; after all, the 6 wing doesn’t want to escalate the situation unless it becomes absolutely necessary.
What of this Deduction Star quote: "I won't let go of the person that destroyed Hullabaloo’.”? Does this not embody the 8’s ego fixation, vengeance? Well yes, but actually no. It’s easy to mistake his actions as being driven by this, as both the 7 and the 8 share an assertive Hornevian type. However, the 8 experiences threats as a challenge, a call to battle; the 8 will make their presence known, and the subject of their wrath will be aware that they have a target painted on their back. By contrast, the 7’s aggression is more of an entitlement, and need not manifest itself overtly all of the time. The 6 wing is what allows the 7 to readily employ the dishonest, underhanded scheming that Mike happily does.
8’s “holy idea” is truth, meaning a life-long search for truth and justice. Mike does not show any interest in such a thing until after the slaughter. His 7’s harmonic pattern of optimistic outlook is twisted into the 1’s focus of attention on what’s imperfect and must be made better. His active nature is turned toward a need to do the “right thing” in the “right way”, with the 1’s ego fixation of resentment driving his actions. But what is it that separates the 8’s vengeance from the 1’s resentment, and how does Mike display one over the other?
The 8’s need for justice calls for the righting of all wrongs, notably towards those they feel protective of, while the 1’s resentment stems from needing to do the “good work” that others won’t notice, won’t care about, or won’t make a “strong enough effort” to do. Not only did Mike not feel protective of his fellow Hullabaloo performers, but we see from the newspaper clipping that “insufficient effort” on the part of law enforcement played a significant role in Mike’s outlook. His search for the “truth” behind the killings, then, is the 1ish excuse for his own actions. His goal is “noble”, therefore, his actions are “right” or “necessary”. The final deduction, “Reappearance”, further solidifies this view.
Summary: “Call their names and make them return to the stage once again.”
Conclusion: “Invitation: Enclosed is a photo of a dark-haired woman with a name on the back - Natalie.”
We find out what he was sent that brought him to Oletus: the knowledge that Natalie is at the manor. Remember, now, that he has been investigating Natalie under the suspicion that she was involved; he had no real evidence. Still, he insists that he is after the “truth”. This falls in line with the 1’s strong sense of purpose, coupled with the need to justify their actions to themselves (and sometimes others as well). He has convinced himself that he is following logic and perhaps objective truth, when in reality, he is allowing his own judgements and unsubstantiated convictions to guide his actions.
Driving this point home is one of his dislikes being listed as “violent and rude people”. Yet, somehow, Mike seemingly hired a hitman, and may have had some involvement in Murro’s death. This is the hypocrisy of the unhealthy 1: it is evil and bad when others do it, but the 1 is exempt, since they are acting for a good cause. (On the other hand, a stronger influence from the 8 would allow for the admittance of double standards, but with justification along the lines of “law of the jungle” or “the strong devour the weak”.)
Considering all of this, Mike’s childish persona seems to be a product of a 7 base with a 6 wing; his desire to enact retribution upon the circus killer comes from the 7’s disintegration to 1, not from an 8 wing. Following the tragedy at Hullabaloo, Mike undergoes a transformation: his spirited, ludic nature turns condemnatory, moralistic, and ultimately, vindictive.
I may have been a bit hasty in voting Luca as a chaotic neutral character. After careful consideration, I have tentatively changed my vote to chaotic good. Certainly, how one interprets the fatal lab accident will influence the conclusion regarding Luca’s alignment. My thoughts may change once his deduction targets have been released. However, with all currently available information, this is what I have concluded:
The chief principle of the chaotic neutral is that self interest comes before all else; personal freedom justifies acts both good or evil. Often, this can lead to contradictory behavior and earn a reputation of flightiness and unreliability. The chaotic good, on the other hand, is interested in individual freedom, but also believes in being kind or helpful to others. While both of these alignments can be seen by others as selfish, the chaotic neutral is more interested in their own amusement or self-advancement than in “playing nice” with others.
A large part of why I think Luca leans slightly more good than neutral is that, across translations, he is described as being friendly a man who, while displaying pride and confidence, is also considerate of the ideas of those around him. Moreover, he is considered “too trusting” by others, indicating that he may make himself available to people (whether it be emotionally, socially, or otherwise) who may not necessarily be deserving of it. This falls in line with the chaotic good’s view of the essential goodness in others, and the subsequent desire to offer help to those around them even if it doesn’t offer any reward.
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