The Apothecary Diaries Personality Types: Maomao
Y'all knew this was coming. Maomao is the only character I feel comfortable analyzing from this show so far, but I'm looking forward to getting to know the other characters better!
Maomao is probably the clearest example of her Enneagram that I can think of. Her MBTI is a little less obvious, but I still think it's quite clear. Here goes!
Maomao's Enneagram
Wound: Maomao's birth mother was mentally unwell and abused her, including by cutting off Maomao's finger. Maomao was then raised at the brothel that had employed her birth mother, though she was aware that her birth had damaged the brothel's reputation and irreparably destroyed her mother's value as a courtesan.
Wounding message: You are a burden. You must earn your right to exist.
Core desire: To avoid notice so she can focus on survival & her work as an apothecary.
Core fear: attracting too much notice and becoming a target
Defense mechanism: Maomao maintains a pragmatic, aloof approach to life. She avoids romanticizing things, and even avoids daring to hope things could be better for her.
Strengths: Maomao is curious, intelligent, helpful, cautious, calm, perceptive, dependable, objective, matter-of-fact, and independent.
Challenges: Maomao is reserved, secretive, obsessive, detached, cynical, nihilistic
When healthy: Maomao will stand up for what she knows is right.
When unhealthy: I'm not sure I know what she's like when unhealthy...
Looking at all of this, here's what connects when I go back to the Enneagram post:
Wound: 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9
Wounding message: 2, 5, or 7
Core desire: 5
Core fear: 5, 6, or 8
Defense mechanism: 5
Strengths: 1, 5, or 6
Challenges: 5
When healthy: 4, 5, or 9
When unhealthy: unsure, though I think 3 and 8 sound most likely
Maomao is an Enneagram 5.
Fives live in the Head center, and tend to underexpress fear. From Personality Path:
Fear is underexpressed in Type 5s by limiting engagement with the outside world. Concerns about being overwhelmed motivate Type 5s to withdraw from others. Anger can be triggered when personal boundaries are breached because this threatens the withdrawal strategy used to avoid anxiety. Shame or Sadness presents itself when Type 5s struggle with typical human interactions, which can be difficult because of their disconnection from the emotional world and their tendencies to isolate themselves from others. Concerns about being overwhelmed by their environment and the demands of others are often at the bottom of the three core emotions for Type 5s.
Shigure Sohma from Fruits Basket and Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran High School Host Club are both Fives.
Wing
The Enneagram Institute calls 5w4 "The Iconoclast" and 5w6 "The Problem Solver". Maomao, famous for solving problems, is pretty clearly a 5w6. From Truity:
5w6s are practical, helpful, and organized. While still fiercely independent, 5w6s tend to be more cooperative and loyal than other Fives. They excel in troubleshooting and solving complex problems.
Haruhi Fujioka is also a 5w6.
Subtype
I think Maomao is almost certainly not a SX 5, but I could see a case for either SP or SO.
Maomao at times seems to show a lack of regard for her own safety, from testing poisons on herself to casually discussing her potential execution with Jinshi. She is keenly aware of her position within the imperial hierarchy, or the hierarchy of Verdigris House. She is also very aware of which information could be dangerous vs. which information is crucial to share (and whether it's safe for her to share it openly). Where SP 5s are very focused on privacy and boundaries, SO 5s are more focused on knowledge and tend to almost hoard knowledge for use as protection.
For these reasons, I think Maomao is a SO 5w6. She is the first Social 5 I've analyzed. Description from EnneaApp:
Search for totems (symbols of the social group) which are sources of knowledge
Seek knowledge in totemic symbols such as scientific formulas/esoteric paradigms
Have preoccupation with mind as a source of power, attracted to realm of academia
Concerned with titles, degrees, credentials; relates socially through defined roles
Attracted to systems of study that yield big-picture accounts of social forces
Knowledge is power and forewarned is forearmed; insider information is protective
Belongs to some kind of "in-group" connected through specialized information
Likes to refine thinking with "people who know" in a setting that is free of small talk
May live in high society, knows the "right" people, belongs to the best clubs
Doesn't like to compete; will not jockey for rank; wants to be "called"/recognized
May enjoy speaking a professional language that only a few people understand
May appear haughty/condescending; may tell others how to do things quicker/better
More social than other fives; torn between group connection and wish for privacy
Tritype
With 5 as her Head type, I think Maomao's Gut type is most likely 9 (though I wouldn't rule out 8 or 1 just yet), and her heart type could be 3 or 2 (but probably not 4).
Maomao is fascinating because she wants to stay out of other people's business, but it's almost like she can't help herself. I don't think she really craves admiration, as a 3 would, nor do I think she wants to be central in other people's lives, as a 2, but I do think her desire to be helpful is slightly stronger than her desire to be successful.
With 2 in the mix, I think 9 would need to be her Gut type. 2s can be so intrusive and pushy; having a mix of 5 and 9 in her tritype really balance out that aspect of 2, whereas 8 would exaggerate it.
After reading the descriptions, I think 2-5-9 ("The Problem Solver"), 3-5-8 ("The Solution Master"), and 3-5-9 ("The Thinker") are all decent matches, but 2-5-9 seems like the best fit.
From Katherine Fauvre's website:
If you are a 259, you are caring, knowledgeable, and accepting. You want to be helpful, wise, and peaceful. You are naturally very quiet, soft-spoken, and shy, but observe and track everything going on around you. You focus on problems and enjoy tinkering and fixing things. You need companionship and avoid feelings of loneliness by focusing on the needs and concerns of others. You are the smart, reserved, and sympathetic, ‘people’ person. You can see how to fix things but struggle with inaction when overwhelmed.
Maomao is actually the first 259 I've analyzed in this series!
Maomao's MBTI
Sticking with my more recent format, here's how I see Maomao's mental processes:
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.
Maomao seems to use Ni quite strongly, and Se less so, making her an -N-J 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 again, they will introvert one, and extrovert the other.
Someone who introverts Thinking and extroverts Feeling will use their own internal logical framework 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 use 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.
Maomao seems to use Te quite strongly, and Fi to a lesser degree.
This would make her an -NTJ type.
I think it's more likely that Ni is her Dominant process than Te, making her an INTJ, also called "The Mastermind".
Let's look at what Dominant Ni looks like:
Can appear visionary. Connects unconscious images, themes, and connections to see things in new ways. Brainstorm internally with themselves. Trusts and relies on inner insights, which may be hard for others to understand. Keyword: Visioning.
When exaggerated:
unrealistic visions, only accept data that supports their theories, make things overcomplicated
Inferior Se:
obsess over external, small, unimportant details, overindulge in sensual pleasures (overeat, over drink, etc.), see environment as hostile and dangerous
And the description of INTJ:
Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance—for themselves and others.
This is a great description of Maomao! She shares this type with Prince Zuko of Avatar: the Last Airbender, and Kento Nanami from JuJutsu Kaisen.
Maomao's Personality Summary
Enneagram: SO 5w6 (The Investigator/The Problem Solver)
Tritype: 2-5-9 (The Problem Solver)
MBTI: INTJ (The Mastermind)
Maomao is perceptive, rational, and detached yet kindhearted. She connects discrete, seemingly disparate bits of information to solve medical and criminal mysteries and help others. She is extremely cautious as she remains hyper-aware of her rank in hierarchical systems, and the tenuousness of her safety, although she can forget her caution when she becomes lost in thought or obsessed with another mystery.
What do you think? Do you agree with my analysis? Why or why not?
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