Avatar: the Last Airbender Personality Types: Aang
My friend's kids have been watching Avatar: the Last Airbender for the first time, and it's made me excited about this series all over again. The original Nickelodeon show is one of those stories that's just about as close to perfect as it gets. The Gaang all have such distinct, complex, age-appropriate, and absolutely delightful personalities, and I've been spending a lot of time thinking about them and where they sit in the Enneagram and Myers-Briggs. So, I may as well kick off the next personality type series with the kid at the center of it all!
I'll be sticking entirely with the Nickelodeon series for my analysis of all AtLA characters, and won't be looking at the comics, Legend of Korra, or either live-action adaptation.
Aang's Enneagram
Wound: Aang was just 12 years old when he had the responsibility of being the Avatar thrust upon him, and he didn't really get to be a kid in the same way after that, being left out of games with his friends and having to take on burdens for which he wasn't ready.
Wounding message: You are the Avatar first, and a person second. You are the only person who can save the world.
Core desire: To enjoy his childhood for just a bit longer, until he's ready for the responsibilities he chooses to take on.
Core fear: missing out on life's pleasures (I was going to say "not being able to fulfill his role as the Avatar", but if that were his core fear, his defense mechanism would be hard work and focus. Instead, it's like he wants to cram as much fun and adventure into every day as humanly possible!)
Defense mechanism: Aang is always ready to defuse any situation with his playfulness and sense of humor
Strengths: Aang is charismatic, friendly, optimistic, a quick learner, creative, clever, playful, easygoing, spontaneous, and empathetic
Challenges: Aang can be flighty, flaky, irresponsible, unwilling to face his inner turmoil, afraid of responsibility, indecisive, and doesn't always take important things seriously
When healthy: Aang balances responsibility with being true to himself - both in his morals and his sense of fun
When unhealthy: Aang runs away from his problems
Looking at all of this, here's what connects when I go back to the Enneagram post:
Wound: 2, 7, or 9
Wounding message: 2, 3, or 7
Core desire: 7 or 9
Core fear: 7
Defense mechanism: 7 or 9
Strengths: 7
Challenges: 7, a bit of 9
When healthy: 2, 3, 7, or 9
When unhealthy: 5, 6, or 9
Aang is an Enneagram 7.
He's probably one of the best examples of a 7 in any media. It works especially well because he's a child - Sevens walk the line between child-like and child-ish, with the former coming out more when they're healthy (childlike wonder at and appreciation of the world around them), and the latter coming out more when they're unhealthy.
Sevens live in the Head center and tend to repress fear. From Personality Path:
Fear is repressed for Type 7s by staying on the move. Their fixation with planning is a subconscious strategy to ensure they don’t feel their core emotion of fear and anxiety by staying too busy to process it. Anger can be triggered if they feel they are being limited, cut off from their options, or being controlled. This threatens the core strategy of running from anxiety. Shame or Sadness can enter the picture when their lack of follow through, lack of discipline or commitment, or self-referencing tendencies harm themselves or others. A drive to avoid anxiety through incessant activity is often at the bottom of the three core emotions for Type 7s.
Wing
The Enneagram Institute describes 7w6 as "The Entertainer," and 7w8 as "The Realist." 7w6 sounds more like Aang to me.
Here's the description of 7w6 from EnneaApp:
Calm any sense of insecurity by being both productive & fun-loving
Has a good sense of humor; quick-witted and energetic; imaginative
Focus on life as positive; wants to create joy/make the world better
Can deplete self by being overactive; can be manic when unhealthy
Gojo Satoru from JuJutsu Kaisen and Momiji Sohma from Fruits Basket are both examples of 7w6!
Subtype
My guess is that Aang is either a SP or SO 7, and it's unlikely he's an SX 7. His focus tends to be on himself, the Gaang, or his role in the world as the Avatar.
The descriptions of the subtypes, both from EnneaApp and from Enneagram Explained, don't clarify a ton, which is interesting because SP is the stereotype and SO the countertype, though I do think one is more likely.
The Self-Preservation Subtype, as described by EnneaApp:
Work ensures that options remain open; likes to plan/stockpile interesting options
Soften survival fears by forming a crew who share their positivity and enthusiasm
Comforted by having goals reflected back by those who share similar values
Highly social; people are interesting and stimulating; seek a family-feeling
Family of choice (not birth): the few who can bring their piece of a "perfect future"
Love goes out to their chosen ones; can be a shark to the rest of the outside world
Loving but selfish; relentless about seeking well-being/getting their needs met
Defends the "circle and castle;" a sense of belonging is extremely important
May feel deprived easily; can become impatient, panicky, cranky, and demanding
Can easily pick up a conversation with someone where it was left off months ago
May have an image of a party animal (although don't see themselves that way)
Risks are usually measured rather than reckless; more dutiful than other 7 subtypes
Strong need to be entertained/entertaining; get joy from seeing others happy
Moved by colors and sunsets; love nature/outdoors; may be interested in mysticism
And the Social Subtype, also described by EnneaApp:
Has a strong interest in an idealized social order; "The grass is always greener"
Accepts limitation & obligations; sacrifice seen as temporary/linked with future goals
Tension between duty to others and desire to escape; hate being dragged down
Creates a large circle who share philosophical ideas & mirror sense of inner worth
Sees strength in numbers, are also keenly aware of the limitations that others bring
Dance a delicate line between need for acknowledgement and need for individuality
Handle the "burden of responsibility" by seeking variety and craving change
Stuffs longing for change; may harbor resentment/feel a martyr putting others first
Strong wish to equalize authority; egalitarianism guarantees personal freedom
Don't readily empathize with differing ideas/needs/difficulties; can be impatient
Mental agitation/scattered energy: completing a task/settling down can be difficult
Can be irresponsible when entranced by an idea; is drawn to the abstract; curious
On the outlook for an enjoyable conversation, wants an easy out when it gets boring
Like companionship but can't stand feeling trapped, or being controlled/coerced
So, in both descriptions, there are things that sound just like Aang, and things that sound wrong, but I do think SO is a slightly better fit, and this makes sense for him as the Avatar; of course his focus would be on his role in the community.
We all use all 3 instincts, anyway, so it's likely that SP is second in his "stack".
This makes Aang an SO 7w6
Tritype
I think Aang is a very clear example of his tritype of 2-7-9, The Peacemaker. He shares this type with Yuji Itadori of JuJutsu Kaisen!
If you are a 279, you are caring, innovative, and accepting. You want to be helpful, upbeat, and peaceful. You are very kind and tend to see the best in others. You focus on easy and comfortable ways of relating. You have a sunny disposition and are very kind and optimistic. You dislike any form of conflict or strife and use your sense of humor to smooth out difficulties. Your need for okay-ness can, at times, be seen as insensitive.
Aang's MBTI:
I want to do this part a little bit differently than I've been doing it. Bear with me (and please let me know if this format works for the MBTI sections!)
Information-Gathering:
Everyone uses both iNtuition and Sensing, but one will be more natural to rely on. Everyone will also introvert one of these processes, and extrovert the other.
Someone who introverts iNtuition and extroverts Sensing will be able to cut to the core of understanding something in a state of deep, solitary focus. They will gather sensory information through their experience in the present, preferably with others.
Someone who extroverts iNtuition and introverts Sensing will tend to brainstorm aloud, connecting many possibilities at once, and will rely on comparisons to past sense-memories in order to understand the present.
I think the first paragraph describes Aang better than the second, and I think he uses Se more than Ni. This makes him an -S-P type.
Decision-Making:
Just like with the two information-gathering processes, everyone uses both Thinking and Feeling to some degree, but will use one more naturally. And gain, they will introvert one, and extrovert the other.
Someone who introverts Thinking and extroverts Feeling will use their own internal logic to come to decisions, and will base their decisions on outcomes for the people around them.
On the other hand, someone who extroverts Thinking and introverts Feeling will rely on external logic in decision-making, such as rules, laws, procedures, checklists, etc... and will base their decisions on the kind of person they want to be, or the kind of person they see themselves to be.
This one was a little tougher, because I see elements of all of these in Aang, but I think the second paragraph was slightly more accurate to him. He struggles a lot with balancing his personal values with being the Avatar, which is why I think he uses Fi more than Te, making him an -SFP type.
Knowing his four processes (Ni, Se, Fi, and Te), and that Se and Fi are his preferred processes, the next step is to figure out whether he's Se Fi Te Ni, or Fi Se Ni Te (an E or I type; ESFP or ISFP).
I personally see Se as his most likely dominant process, and Fi as his most likely inferior process. Let's see how the Myers and Briggs Foundation describes these:
Se as dominant:
Acts on concrete data in the here and now. Likes to experience the world—active, talkative, and social. Trusts the present, what is tangible and real. Keyword: Experiencing.
When exaggerated:
overindulgence, hyperactive, overly talkative
Fi as inferior:
wild fantasies and visions of impending disaster (catastrophize the future), attribute meaning where there is no meaning, come up with extravagant visions of unseen forces of cosmic proportions
I think this all sounds like Aang!
This would make Aang ESFP, The Performer! A description:
Outgoing, friendly, and accepting. Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.
He also shares this with both Yuji Itadori and Momiji Sohma!
Aang's Personality Summary:
Enneagram: SO 7w6 (The Enthusiast/The Entertainer)
Tritype: 2-7-9 (The Peacemaker)
MBTI: ESFP (The Performer/The Entertainer)
Aang is defined by his sense of fun, his friendliness, his kindness, his ability to improvise, his desire for a positive, low-conflict environment, and his sensitivity to his role in the world as the Avatar.
What do you think? Did I get it right or wrong? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
