MBTI: -NTJs Are Always Villains


It’s brought up on forums, it’s talked about between those who are interested in MBTI, and it’s right there, between the lines of type description. It’s only natural that fictional villains would lean toward the -NTJ types.

Is it the power they desire? The control of others? The will for total freedom?

Yes, yes, and yes.

Looking at the list of AFI’s 100 Heroes and Villains, I would be willing to argue that a third or more of the villains on that list are -NTJs. Definitely one in the top three. You know his name.



But just a cursory glance over the list and an intermediate level of knowledge (as well as having watched the movies of course) will have you looking at a list featuring a major number of -NTJs. Here’s a few just to give you an idea.

50. Alonzo Harris (Training Day)- ENTJ

49. Auric Goldfinger (Goldfinger)- INTJ

48. Verbal Kint (The Usual Suspects)- INTJ

46. Hans Gruber (Die Hard)- INTJ

24. Gordon Gekko (Wall Street)- ENTJ

18. Bruce the Shark (Jaws)- INTJ

"Don't you realize, Quinn? It was ME, the entire time, planning every step to lead to this very moment..."

“Don’t you realize, Quinn? It was ME, the entire time, planning every step to lead to this very moment…”

Alright, 18 is a joke but you get the idea. Out of twenty-five villains including Hannibal the Cannibal, that’s six out of twenty five already. But what do Detective Harris, Goldfinger, Kint and company all have in common? Well for one, many of their master plans involve money. Jeez, Gekko from Wall Street lives for the stuff. So money is something, but they’re not all after money are they? Money from a robbery is a bit too simple for these guys isn’t it?

They’re not looking for “one last score” before they put away the tools and move on for a better life like a Guardian villain might. They’re not in it solely for the rush or adrenaline that a bad guy of the Artisan variety might admit to doing.

"All of it. On drugs." -ESFP

“All of it. On drugs.” -ESFP

But while any idiot with a gun can rob a convenience store, these guys clearly aren’t after just a quick buck; they rob in the millions, executing complicated plans that, if they’re ruined at all, will be by the guy who knew next to nothing and had “blind luck” on his side.



On top of that, money doesn’t seem to be the only motivator for these guys. It’s what the money affords them. The -NTJ villain doesn’t even care for what the money says about them, in regard to status or popularity.

If the -NTJ villain seems to value money at all, it may be because society values money, and if I have the most of it, I win! It’s often times money they go after, but it’s the power of money they’re concerned with. If the character doesn’t have a normal social standing, it might be something else they’re after to feel the power they want.

"Society made me this w- Nope, can't say it."

“Society made me this w- nope, can’t say it.”

Take the Emperor in Star Wars for example. Money seems to be of no object because he has influence, something money can buy, but ultimately influence trumps the monetary system. How many times has a more qualified person been passed over for a job because the guy in charge decided to hire a friend? Influence, baby- it’s what really runs the world.

But the Emperor (INTJ) hardly seems to have a need for any more money than he has. He controls the senate, and eventually dissolves them. After killing all the Jedi in the galaxy, he, technically, becomes the most powerful figure in the universe due to not only his control over the largest army ever assembled, but his knowledge of the force gives him an edge no one else could match. Until a whiny farm boy was trained by an old man and a muppet of course, but you get what I mean.


To add to that, Hannibal’s goal in Silence is simply to be entertained (at least in the beginning). He’s a prisoner and there are very few things for him to do. Money means nothing, so he entertains himself by gaining leverage over Clarice Starling, conversationally. He brings up her childhood, taunts her, and makes her feel inferior at times. Like I said- power.

If you’ve ever known an -NTJ (and they really are that type), you’ll know them to be highly critical of everything and most people if you’ll hear them out. A Rational trait overall, but -NTJs might make their observations known as a way of planning to actually change things. If you’ve heard them say something about your boss, don’t be surprised if at a certain point, they begin to move up the ladder themselves.

Or destroy the ladder and move forward in a tank, crushing everyone and everything.


I’m not implying that they’re all backstabbers or anything. But they’re extremely pragmatic; working long hours and they leave little room for error. They’ll pick out the smallest detail to remove it if it’s slowing things down at all. On top of this, INTJs have Fi third and ENTJs have Fi last. This is to say that people aren’t their first priority.

Aside from not having the greatest understanding of the human mind, the -NTJs don’t really care either. They interested in things, concepts, and pushing those things together for an idea to move forward.

Unfortunately, they live on this planet with people who need to be involved in many cases. This can be be aggravating for the -NTJ that just wants things to be done rather than put up with all the baggage that comes from dealing with humans. If the person or people have no problem doing exactly what the -NTJ says, everything is fine. This is why fictional -NTJs often have no friends, but plenty of minions, as talked about before.


Yet while real life INTJs and definitely ENTJs have friends, the arguments and disagreements that come about by being friends with them may have to do with the -NTJ being too controlling, too rude, and display a regular unwillingness to change their negative habits.

In fiction, the dedicated drive of the -NTJ can cause them to become frustrated with those that don’t share their vision and they either become overlords, when control is widespread but the puppeteer is rarely seen (INTJ), or Warlords, when the villain asserts their authority themselves and you clearly don’t have a choice (ENTJ).


Notice that Rationals are often portrayed as villains but it’s the -NTJs that are usually the arch-villains. This may have to do with the fact that -NTJs do crave power and control while -NTPs desire understanding, which is, in itself, a form of control but not to the same extent that the -NTJs want it. -NTPs in villainous form are more likely to be portrayed as the mad scientist that performs inhuman experiments on others “just to see what will happen.”

Their Fe gives them an advantage as far as manipulation is concerned with the Fi used by -NTJs isn’t concerned with manipulating- “PEOPLE JUST NEED TO LISTEN TO ME.”

So take the -NTJ you may (or may not) know and apply their personality to a fictional setting. More likely than not, they’re going to be a villain. They’re intelligent (or at the very least, competent), desire freedom through control (“When I’m the only telling EVERYBODY what to do, nobody can tell ME what to do.”) and one of the most obvious traits- cold. Hardly do these things make a hero.

When they do make a hero however, expect the same pragmatism and coldness you would get from a villain, albeit on the proper side of the morality spectrum. Though their loyalties may be questioned even then about the side they’re on occasionally.

See, we just can't have this all over the place. It's just too much.

See, we just can’t have this all over the place. It’s just too much.

Credit for the idea of this article goes to Josh, an ISTP. He spends his days doing “X-treme Sportz” and living life to the fullest like the stereotype of an ISTP does. This is definitely him, though.


Credit for the suggestion of why -NTJs are always villains goes to Maigan, an ISFJ who probably doesn’t want her picture up here so I’m posting a picture of this-


7 Responses to “MBTI: -NTJs Are Always Villains”

  1. Have you checked out the TV version of Fargo yet? Its hard to deny that something is very wrong with Lorne Malvo. He’s apparently is so completely intimidating that he can Jedi mind trick people into doing things. Maybe INTJ or INTP?

    • Taylor Says:

      I’ve seen very little of it, but from what I gather, at least between INTP and INTJ, Malvo is closer to INTJ. But don’t quote men, I haven’t seen much. I’ve had a friend tell me to check it out too though so I might do that. But INTJ is closer to being more intimidating because of their demeanor, as is typical for TJ types. TP is more because of what they can do. Not that you asked, but there it is.

  2. A couple more names to this rogues gallery.
    Frank Underwood from house of cards. Hyper-machiavellian and pragmatic, this guy will do anything to become the next president of the United States! Not sure if he is ENTJ , ENTP or INTJ though.

    The Wire
    Stringer Bell – INTJ
    Marlo Stanfield – INTJ

    South Park
    Eric Cartman – ENTJ

    American Gangster, Frank Lucas -INTJ

    The Departed, Frank Costello- ENTJ

    Scarface, Alejandro Sosa- INTJ

    lost, Ben Linus – INTJ

    There’s probably more, but in the fiction world NTJs with all their planning etc, can’t help but do bad. Any other reason apart from the power lust? Would it kill them to do good?

    • For my money though, one of the best, most classic I’ve seen is Hans Gruber from Die Hard. Watch the scene where he says shoot the glass on account of McClane running barefoot in a gunfight. Must be NiTe there or something.

      • Taylor Says:

        I agree with the ones I’ve seen; Scarface, Departed, American Gangster, South Park. It could be something ingrained within us that too much power is a bad thing. But I don’t think it’s all power lust, though that’s what it becomes for the sake of the story. It’d be interesting to see more -NTJ heroes but you’re telling a very specific story with protagonists like those so I guess it’s difficult to write and would have to be the focal point in some way as well.

  3. Hannibal the Cannibal is clearly an INFJ. He really does care about her feelings, via Fe, and that’s how he gets his jollies. “He entertains himself by gaining leverage over Clarice Starling, conversationally. He brings up her childhood, taunts her, and makes her feel inferior at times.” Manipulation of that type is very INFJ. I don’t see INTJ having the emotional literacy for that. He even has a sort of morality which keeps him from eating her because it would be impolite after the strings he pulled for him. INFJ!
    As an INFJ…uh, not like I’d know…uh…

  4. Horror Watcher Says:

    There is an article in personalityhacker.com about INTJs and how they try to avoid people because they are afraid that those people will hurt them emotionally. (Third Fi)
    If you have seen the BBC Sherlock you would know that Sherlock Holmes in that series is a great example for that and all the things he does comes from his Third Fi so i think Sherlock can be a representation for an INTJ hero.

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