Last week I posted my chart with Disney villains Myers-Briggs types. It turned into such a big post that I finally split it in half — Sensing types in Part One and Intuitive types today in part two (some of you probably saw the whole post last week. It was live for a few hours before I decided splitting it up would be more manageable). To re-cap, here’s my criteria for which villains are included in this chart:
- All Primary Members of the Disney Villains franchise show up here, except Chernabog.
- I then added a few other popular villains, paying special attention to the villains from films where I’ve already typed a Disney heroine.
- To keep the number of villains manageable, I decided not to type any of their side-kicks or secondary villains.
- I’m only typing the animated versions. This is mostly to maintain consistency, since sometimes the type changes in live-action reboots (such as Maleficent becoming more INFJ when she got her own film).
As I mentioned last week, if you compare this chart to the ones I made for Disney Princesses, you’ll see they’re almost opposite each other. The spots on the chart that stood empty for the Princesses (ENFJ, INTJ, INTP) now have at least one occupant and some of the spots bursting with princesses don’t have any villains at all. The biggest trend seems to be Feeling types equal “good” and Thinking types equal “evil” (which really bugs me, but that’s a rant for another time).
There’s not much to go on for typing some of the villains. They’re often caricatures of personality types rather than fully-fleshed out characters. By necessity, associating a villain with a certain types means looking at the most negative stereotypes of that type. But Disney typing is fun, so even when we don’t have much to work, I’m going to take a guess at the character. You’re welcome to shout-out in the comments about what you do and don’t like! Have fun 🙂
- Please note: I mostly type by function stacks, so if you’re not familiar with that part of Myers-Briggs theory you can click here to read The Simplest Guide To Myers-Briggs Functions Ever.
Hans — ENFJ
I love NF type villains. They’re not the typical choice for a fictional bad guy and their motives aren’t always immediately understandable, which is part of makes them an unexpected and unpredictable character.
- Fe: Types that lead with Fe often have the easiest time connecting with people. Which means they can be the most charming, manipulative villains you’ll ever see. Hans’ entire plan is based on charming one of the sisters into marrying him (which he does easily by creating an instant connection with Anna). He’s also writing a narrative that makes him “the hero that’s going to save Arandel” as he manipulates all Elsa’s advisors until they’re begging him to be king.
- Ni: This shows up in his long-term thinking. As the youngest of 13 brothers, he decided that taking over a different kingdom was better than the life he could see continuing on in the future at home.
- Se: Typically a fun-loving and risk-taking aspect of personality, which helps him charm Anna initially and also shows up in his physical skills like dancing and swordfighting.
- Ti: Logic is not an ENFJ’s strongest suit. Hans’ entire plan rests on getting people to feel the way he wants them to rather than not on something concrete and he doesn’t have a backup plan.
Hades — ENFP
There’s little disagreement that Disney’s Hades is an NP type and none at all that he’s an extrovert. People just can’t agree on Thinking or Feeling. Both ENxP types lead with Ne, so it comes down to whether he uses Fi/Te (ENFP) or Ti/Fe (ENTP) to make decisions.
- Ne: Stereotypical Extroverted Intuitive types are nothing if not quick-witted. Hades has a sassy one-liner or a snappy comeback to every comment. And while he does think long-term, he’s also constantly coming up with new ideas to keep the plan moving forward rather than focusing on strategic thinking (like an INTJ would).
- Fi: Hades is concerned with how he feels about his situation and the injustice done to him. He doesn’t relate to other people because his Feeling side is completely turned inward (in an unhealthy way; normal/non-villainous ENFPs connect with people quite well).
- Te: This function is concerned with order and control in the outer world. While it’s not typically an ENFP’s best developed function, but it does play into their motivations and how they make decisions. For Hades, the end-goal of his plan has to do with changing his outer world. And when he’s being persuasive, he focuses on bowling people over with fast-talking rather than emotional manipulation (as an ENTP using Fe might).
- Si: One way inferior Sensing can show up for ENFPs is a tendency toward withdrawal, depression, and obsessiveness. Hades shows the obsessive side most, though I think a good bit of his anger has to do with his forced withdrawal from society.
Ursula — ENTJ
ENTJ seems to be the go-to typing for Ursula on the internet. I’d wondered at first if she might be an FJ type since she uses people’s desires against them (which would indicate an ability to pick up on and manipulate people’s emotions), but it doesn’t really fit the overall “feel” of her personality. She’s more about dispassionate manipulation and forwarding a long-term goal.
- Te: Extroverted Thinking shows up in her bluntness, tendency to dominate conversations, and the way she uses people. We also see her literally extroverting her thoughts by talking about her plans out-loud. In general, Te is logical, ordered, and wants control in the outer world. Unhealthy, it can see people more as tools for advancing their goals than as individuals who deserve consideration.
- Ni: This function shows up as Ursula’s talent for long-term planning.
- Se: Ursula’s sensory side is in full display during “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Her body language, theatrics, and the fact that she seems to get some kind of thrill out of trapping people in spells speaks to someone feeding their Extroverted Sensing side (a function that’s stereotyped as focused on indulging the senses).
- Fi: Ursula’s feeling side is basically non-existent. She has zero empathy for people trapped in her webs of intrigue and the only emotion we see from her is anger during the final battle.
Clayton — ENTJ
Clayton is also typed as an ESTJ or an ESTP. I don’t really get an SJ traditionalist vibe from him, though, and he uses intuition too comfortably for it to be his inferior function (as it would be for an ESTP).
- Te: The most obvious aspect of Clayton’s character is that he’s a very straight-forward, take-charge person. He’s absolutely convinced he knows the best way to do things and he expects people to follow his orders. He has a logical motivation for trapping gorillas (300 pounds sterling a head) and a thought-out plan (“I should have followed my instincts and set traps for the beasts”). He also thinks everyone else should realize that his plans are the best ones (“You’re the captain. Just tell them you had engine trouble and give us two more days”).
- Ni: Speaking of Clayton’s plans, his auxiliary Introverted Intuition makes him open to being flexible with his strategies. He puts off his plan to trap gorillas to see if Jane can get Tarzan to reveal the gorilla’s hiding place (which, if it works, would guarantee they find gorillas). When that plan falls through, it doesn’t take him long to come up with a way to manipulate the situation.
- Se: Clayton loves hunting and seems to live in the moment — an Extroverted Sensing trait. But though he seems impulsive because he shoots first then checks what’s there, we know he’s not shooting at nothing. The intuition higher in his function stack picks up on enough patters that he knows Tarzan is there and that he’s not a gorilla. Having sensing low on his function stack also helps explain why, at the end, he doesn’t realize he’s cutting vines that will drop him to his death
- Fi: I’m indebted to a user called Whitewolf on Personality Cafe for pointing out that the way Clayton taunts Tarzan at the end is “something that a low Fi will say.” Shooting is something Clayton himself would do — it’s in line with his values. But he also knows (using Ni pattern recognition) that Tarzan won’t actually do it.
Ratigan — ENTJ
The villain of The Great Mouse Detective really should be an INTJ since he’s based on Professor Moriarty (one of the greatest INTJ villains in fiction). But he’s not. Disney made him more outgoing, more ostentatious, and far less subtle.
- Te: Ratigan leads with Extroverted Thinking, using it to create elaborate plans that other people describe as “monstrous.” His goals are never small and involve a systematic method for achieving power and holding on to it. He’s logical, organized (has a list for Fidgit), and very much ready for whatever his enemies throw at him (already has a plan in place to kidnap Flavisham’s daughter when the inventor decides not to help him).
- Ni: The Ni-Te combination makes both introverted and extroverted NTJs formidable strategists. Like other types that comfortably use Introverted Intuition, Ratigan notices patterns and is able to plan for and predict how things might go in the future. This helps him catch Basil and come up with an elaborate plan forgetting rid of him. His plans are also highly original — who else would think of replacing the Queen with a robot in the Victorian age?
- Se: Unlike INTJs (who rarely go to their Extroverted Sensing function unless they’re stressed), Ratigan is more comfortable using and indulging his sensing side. His lair is dripping with souvenirs of his heists, flowing with champagne, and set up for his comfort.
- Fi: Feeling is Ratigan’s least developed function. When things don’t go exactly according to plan (or go more slowly than he wants), he shouts at people or feeds them to his cat. Notably, he’s particularly sensitive to being called a rat. It’s what he is, but it’s not how he wants defined (self-definition is very important to types using Introverted Feeling).
Jafar – INTJ
There’s a good reason INTJs keep showing up as villains in fiction. They’re really good at masterminding complex, long-term plots and seeing them through to completion. Jafar demonstrates this beautifully.
- Ni: Forward-planning is something that Introverted Intuition, and Jafar, excels at. He’s been planning is take-over of Agraba for years and has two of his three wishes all ready to go. This is also a very private, inward-focused function, which we see in his evasive answers to questions.
- Te: This function dispassionately gathers data in the outer world by doing things like throwing other people at the cave to see what will happen. You’ll notice Jafar doesn’t bother with something “messy” like trying to manipulate people’s emotions — he goes straight for the more controllable magical or technological solution.
- Fi: Introverted Feeling is an inward focused process that’s not concerned with fitting in socially. Jafar doesn’t need the approval of others so long as he feels he’s right.
- Se: This function shows up as Jafar’s sensual side. The fact that it’s his inferior function also trips him up when he’s challenged. Rather than thinking things through with his Ni (or using Se effectively like an SP type would), he reacts impulsively to try and take out Aladdin.
Maleficent — INTJ
It’s no wonder one of the most iconic and terrifying villains in fiction was given the Mastermind personality type. While it’s unfortunate that the tendency to cast INTJs as villains has colored how people see real-life INTJs, Masterminds with an evil plot certainly do make compelling antagonists.
- Ni: Introverted Intuition excels at pattern recognition and long-term planning. When she decides to take revenge on the King and Queen, Maleficent embarks on a long-term plan of revenge spanning 16 years while Aurora is under a curse that will eventually kill her (or would have if some idiot hadn’t mucked things up).
- Te: Extroverted Thinking is a decision making process that wants the outer world to stay orderly and make logical sense. Unhealthy Te has a limited tolerance for others’ stupidity and isn’t shy about saying so (such as when she lashes out at her minions). With Te and Ni working together, she comes up with a revenge plot that’s designed to cause maximum fear and panic as everyone waits for the curse to work. And because she’s not going to make the mistake of trusting something so important to anyone else, she personally oversees the curse’s final element. She also sticks around after Aurora falls into her sleep to make sure someone knows “the mistress of all evil” has won.
- Fi: Dr. A.J. Drenth says that an INTJ’s tertiary Introverted Feeling contributes to their “desire to act as moral change agents” and play-in to their desire to implement “a grand vision.” I’m not quite sure what Maleficent’s ultimate plan is for how the world should look, but I’m sure she has one. In addition, unhealthy Fi tends to take things very personally and overreact to snubs (such as not being invited to a prestigious public event).
- Se: Like several other INTJ Disney villains, Maleficent is eventually defeated when she feels threatened enough to jump into the fight personally. At this point, she’s acting more than thinking, which is not the mental process INTJs are most comfortable with.
Scar –INTJ
And another INTJ villain. My INTJ sister says all the explanation I need for this typing is tell you to watch the movie because it’s obvious in every single line, but we’ll get a little more in-depth.
- Ni: As mentioned before, Introverted Intuition excels at long term planning and pattern recognition that keeps them several steps ahead of everyone else. Pair it with secondary Thinking and you get the Mastermind of strategy. Scar’s multifaceted plan to take over the Pridelands includes what should have been the perfect murder, a way to control the lionesses, and minions to do the hands-on dirty work.
- Te: In addition to working with Ni to construct Scar’s master plan, Extroverted Thinking has a low tolerance for stupidity. You can see this in how Scar treats the hyenas (I’m surrounded by idiots”). But because they’re controllable idiots he keeps them around. An INTJ won’t waste a perfectly useful relationship and every good villain needs disposable flunkies.
- Fi: Scar is convinced that he’s right and he doesn’t care about what others think. Introverted Feeling is very subjective and as their tertiary function it can be a blind-spot for INTJs, who are often tempted to ignore their emotions. Scar has been burying his hurt and anger, pushing it down to fuel his self-righteous crusade.
- Se: Once Scar has what he wants, he discovers it’s not enough to keep him engaged. Without something to plan and with the pressures of ruling a kingdom, he gets bored and stressed. So he listens to music, eats food (indulging this Sensory side), and alternates between enjoying it and acting like the world’s out to get him (inferior Se rarely trusts the outer world).
Frollo – INTJ
I could probably write an equally compelling argument for Frollo being an ISTJ (a guardian of tradition gone bad), INFJ (a severely ill “idealist” like Hitler), or an INTJ (as most bloggers argue). I did end up going with INTJ rather than an INFJ in an “downward spiral of ickiness” (to borrow a phrase from a Facebook friend). However, I’ve also provided an alternate argument for him as an INFJ since I had such a hard time making up my mind.
- Ni: This function always thinks ahead, projecting to the future and staying ten steps ahead of themselves. Frollo has this intuitive “gut instinct” that gypsies are society’s biggest long-term problem and guides every action by his compulsion to get rid of them. To quote Charity, “He looks at a BABY and says, ‘Hmm, one day he may be of use to me!’” Though Frollo is convinced not to kill Quasimodo because of what the Archdeacon says, he still turns Quasi into a part of his long-term plan.
- Te: Extroverted Thinking wants to maintain order and logic in the outer world. Frollo says “The gypsies live outside the normal order” and that’s why the must be destroyed. INTJs, particularly unhealthy ones, don’t innately see a need to concern themselves with others’ feelings and go straight for the most efficient method of communication. For Frollo, this typically involves giving orders, making threats, and setting ridged policies that force the people around him to follow the system he’s decided is best. The only time he uses emotional manipulation is with Quasimodo, which is probably because he’s reasoned that’s the most efficient way to control him. When first meeting Phoebus, he has every piece of their meeting logically laid-out so he can threaten him by alluding to the last captain’s failure with screaming from a whipped man in the background.
- Alternate argument: If Frollo is an INFJ, then he would be in touch with other people’s feelings and with society as a whole. This would explain his self-justification that he’s doing the right thing because he knows what the world needs even though no one else does. It would also tie-in with him caving to outside expectations and pressures when he decides to raise Quasimodo. If he’s using this function, then the way he set up the first meeting with Phoebus would be explained by his understanding that an emotional threat works better than a logical one.
- Fi: Frollo decides to raise Quasimodo when, for the first time “in his life of power and control Frollo felt a twinge of fear for his immortal soul.” It scares him that 1) something doesn’t make sense to his logical mind and 2) killing Quasimodo wouldn’t line up with his inner moral system. Healthy Introverted Feeling is concerned with living authentically in line with one’s personal views of how things should be. Not only is Frollo’s understanding twisted, but Fi is also one of the less developed functions for an INTJ. Frollo doesn’t trust his own feelings and he doesn’t believe other people can be trusted with their’s either, so he sets out to purge the gypsy threat that’s inflaming “the people’s lowest instincts.” While he lives by his own personal code and believes he’s “so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd,” he’s also out of touch with taking responsibility for his own emotions.
- Alternate argument: An INFJ would have Ti as their tertiary function. If caught in an Ni-Ti loop, INFJs can by-pass their Extroverted Feeling and become more tied to their private notions of what makes sense for the world. In that case, Frollo would be trying to impose the inner order he’s committed himself to on the outer world.
- Se: Frollo’s inferior Extroverted Sensing is on full display in “Hellfire,” the anthem of out of control passion that both disgusts and terrifies him. Even a healthy INTJ under stress can be tempted to overindulge in sensory pleasures and start feeling like the outer world is an enemy. Frollo’s even worse off, and his entire plan crumbles when he loses focus in the grip of his desires.
Dr. Facilier — ENTP
ExTP types probably make the best con men. Their disarming combination of an outward-focused perceiving process and tertiary Extroverted Feeling make them a charming personality type that can be good at manipulating people when they go bad.
- Ne: Facilier is thoroughly focused on manipulating the outer world (both our world and the one on the other side). Both Se and Ne could show up as his tendency to mess with spells and get bored easily. But I’m going with N instead of S as the type more likely to get interested in something abstract and otherworldly like voodoo.
- Ti: An analytical secondary function that wants things to “make sense” shows up in Facilier’s interest in making deals and balancing things out.
- Fe: A people-oriented function that helps him use other’s desires against them. Every time he tricks someone into his spell, it’s because he reads their desires correctly and then uses those desires against them.
- Si: Not very visible in the film, but underdeveloped Si can show up as obsessiveness, which he does demonstrate.
Yzma — INTP
Mad scientists typically line-up with traits of INTP types. Yzma’s no exception.
- Ti: Introverted Thinking is generally concerned with what makes sense to the individual. Even though Yzma’s plan doesn’t make much sense from an outside perspective, she’s very concerned with internal logic. It’s also worth pointing out that this is not a people-oriented function, hence Kronk’s observation that she’s not easy to get close to.
- Ne: This mental process constantly generates new ideas and possibilities. It’s most readily visible in Yzma when she’s brainstorming Kuzko’s demise. I’m also assuming she’s the one who created the secret laboratory (including levers that she no longer remembers why she included them in the first place) and invented things like her flying traveling traveling contraption. Extroverted Intuition is one of the mental processes most likely to come up with overly complicated, yet brilliantly innovative, ideas like that.
- Si: Types that use Introverted Sensing comfortably tend to be duty-fulfillers who invest themselves in supporting traditions. Yzma’s Introverted Sensing is less developed, but we see it in the way she has devoted her whole life to serving Kuzko’s family and her reaction when that part of her life is taken away unjustly. Si types often have their own sense of what’s right and don’t appreciate people who go against their internal sense of fair play.
- Fe: Inferior Extroverted Feeling helps explain why Yzma’s empathy is basically non-existent. Identifying with the feelings of others doesn’t come naturally to most INTPs (though healthy ones learn, of course). But for a very unhealthy, caricatured version of this type the comment “You should have thought of that before you became peasants” makes sense.
Click here to read Part One: The Sensing Villains.
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Like An Anchor 