MBTI: Hawkeye and the ISTP Teammate


Since I’ve probably got more characters on here typed as ISTP than any other type, why not do every major version of Clint “Hawkeye” Barton, where, though people may not want to believe it, every version is an ISTP. And just like your own type, they all act slightly different yet the type is still the same. What kind exactly? You’ll have to check it out, cowboy.

And this isn’t just different types of ISTP, as was a similar article with a few Game of Thrones characters, but rather how the ISTP plays into team dynamics using Hawkeye as a model. Specifically his 616 version (The original comic book counterpart), the 1610 version (The “Ultimate” line of Marvel comics), and the Marvel Cinematic Universe version.

Though he could be accused of lacking real depth as a character compared to the bigger names on the Avengers roster, it’s also this pliability that allows writers to do with they want while keeping the core traits intact. It also makes for a character that never needs to hold back in a fight because they’re usually fighting someone more powerful than them. And that’s usually fun.

616 HAWKEYE- Soul of the Team ISTP


As one of the longest running team members of the Avengers, you don’t get to be one of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” by having no powers and sucking. With the ability to turn just about anything into a weapon, Barton is shown to excel in what he does and he’s really come through in recent years with his well received solo series and Deadpool team up. A better match than Deadpool and Cable I’d say.

This is one of the rarer types of ISTP you find on the team and it’s what can get this version confused with being a feeler. Something of a joker, Hawkeye is also bit of a jerk and not nearly as powerful as certain members but still he persists and makes his talents as useful as Iron Man’s suits or Cap’s shield. He’s like the inverse of Iceman. Burn. Skilled in archery thanks to a circus, 616 Barton’s contributions to the team, aside from his skill, is his enduring attitude toward the team. While others may allow their personal demons to affect their place on the team, Barton stays reliable.

Also, steady hands.

Also, he retains steady hands.

As we’ve mentioned previously, the ISTP is extremely loyal to close ones, at times putting themselves in worse positions than the ones they’re protecting just to protect them and approach life with a “live and let live” attitude that makes others around them feel at ease without being worried of being judged. From this, any member on the team can go to Barton with their issues and not have to feel as though they’re starting a fight.

From this “live and let live” attitude comes a “it is what it is” belief as well, which Barton shows during his “first” death at the hands of an attacking Kree warship. And he willingly gives his life to destroy it, seeing his own life nearing an end already from a well placed shot from a Kree warrior. Over the years he’s played various roles that needed to be filled, been on multiple teams and even led several. Or he may just done his own thing; whatever the case called for.

Every team needs a “Soul” as it were and Barton exemplifies this well. If Cyclops and Cap are the face of their respective teams, Beast and Barton play a similar role to each other.

1610 “Ultimate” Hawkeye- The Team Lone Wolf ISTP


Also known as the Lancer, if 616 Hawkeye is the Beast of the team, this Hawkeye is the Wolverine. How can a Lone Wolf be on a team? Exactly. Though they’re on a team and play their part, everything about them screams that they hate everyone.

Though he started out enough like his original counterpart and weapons master as did his teammate and partner Black Widow, his outfit and his life took a turn for the insane when his family was killed by an “anti-Avengers” team known as “The Liberators.” Finding out Widow was behind it all, he instantly begin his mission to end her, as well as adopt a new costume with a mask and target on his forehead.

The outfit matched the attitude as well, with 1610 Hawkeye fitting the Team Lonewolf ISTP; causing fights, refusing to back down from anything that remotely appears like a confrontation, and just all around not giving a crap about how he acts. This is the team player that’s a player in the loosest sense as it almost seems like they stick around for the supplies being a part of a team can provide. Eventually a need for the company of others will arise as it did with Wolverine and the X-Men (Ultimate and 616 universe) but that doesn’t change their personality entirely, rather lets the reader know they’re not all bad- they’re still a hero after all.

In reality people who act like this are generally just acting out. Clearly, if they wanted to be by themselves they would just leave, but since they don’t, it hints at deep seeded issues they don’t know how to process and act like babies because of it. Inferior Fe anyone?

How is this Hawkeye ISTP? He’s the stereotype of the renegade underdog that takes no crap and mostly causes it. Ti (Introverted Thinking) will generally have the user naturally and quickly break down a situation but their secondary Se (Extroverted Sensing) is what causes them to not only act quickly but to also get themselves in some stupid situations that didn’t need to be happen in the first place.

See this? This is the kind of thing I'm talking about.

See this? This is the kind of thing I’m talking about.

Unlike the 616 counterpart, this Hawkeye’s Hawk…eye wasn’t all due to natural ability and practice but by cybernetic enhancements as well. While maybe not as realistic, this makes more sense to me for the guy to be as good as he is. Then again, here’s a video of archers shooting a bunch of tiny objects as they move through the air, among other impressive feats with a bow and arrow. So maybe 616 is onto something.

In any case, after the murder of his family, Ultimate Hawkeye switched from bows and arrows to firearms for a while, to complete his transformation from another talented guy on the team to the nihilistic hard head. Y’know- the guy most ISTPs think they are in real life. Ohhh….

MCU Hawkeye- Badass in the Background


While many have crapped on the big-screen version of Hawkeye, let’s slow down a second. With a nice nod to him in 2011’s Thor movie, where many didn’t even recognize Jeremy Renner at the time of its release (making for a SECOND nice nod to those who were on the up and up), his expanded role in The Avengers is what had so many questioning how much he actually mattered to the same team that features Captain America and the friggin’ Hulk.

Yet when he was turned to the dark side, him and a handful of other brainwashed soldiers took on an entire helicarrier and really raised some hell for the newly formed team. Seriously, does no one remember that? He took on an entire faction of SHIELD. Sure a blow to the head is what changed him back strangely enough, but remember his reaction to it all? Something akin to a shrug and a “Eh. Back to work.” sufficed when all was said and done.

Point is, this is the guy on the team who plays a similar role to the Soul, but a little bit of Lone Wolf mixed in to take away from his emotional moments, but he’s not nearly as much of a jerk. This is the ISTP most ISTPs will play in their group of friends. He’s not the heart or the face, but the hands that get dirty when things need to get done.

Or just keep things secure from the ground. Whatever they need.


His role is given a bit more depth in the sequel as well, and while I won’t post any spoilers here since the film was released less than a week ago at the time this article was posted, his part on the team remains; he’s not as powerful, but he does what he can and makes it count.

What makes this Hawkeye ISTP is again, the preference for breaking things down in a quick and logical manner. Not all ISTPs are going to have as bad an attitude as 1610 Hawkeye and very few are going to have the will to be wherever you need them to be, but any ISTP worth their spot is at least going to be the guy that comes through when others fail you or you need a steady voice of reason to keep things balanced. ISTPs excel in areas that require a cool head when others are panicking. The downside to this may be the ISTP viewing anything outside of their own normal modes of expression as outlandish or over-the-top.

Still, it’s good for any team to have an ISTP around if for no other reason than adding in a constant source of action/entertainment.


10 Responses to “MBTI: Hawkeye and the ISTP Teammate”

  1. Skinny Pete Says:

    The author of this article is an insult to sentient intelligence.

  2. azurestratos Says:

    “Y’know- the guy most ISTPs think they are in real life.”


    Now you’ve said it. That was good. Its so rare to have others call out some of the ISTPs. No offence to fellow ISTPs, but yeah, its cool, just be what you want to be.

    Though I wouldn’t be surprised if there are ISTPs genuinely like Hawkeye 616. In that case, they wouldn’t care for the joke. They would’ve something better to do.

    • Taylor Says:

      Heh, yeah most of them can take a joke so I should be alright. Unless any of them actually are stealth ops that use a bow and arrows.

      • azurestratos Says:

        If any type is better suited to get away with jokes, or anything for that matter, it’d be ENTP. Plus since INTP/ENTP/ISTP enjoy good Ti sarcasm.

  3. FlowenRain Says:

    This typing is something I have previously seen for the character but had not imagined it having some truth. Normally the ISTPs I see in fiction are depicted much like 161-Hawkeye or even like Oliver Queen in Arrow, but its good to know someone else believes they can be less edgy in tone too very much like 616-Hawkeye, but of course still concrete. I like it even better that Natasha and Clint have a history together and provide a contrast between two fictional individuals of the same type.

    • Taylor Says:

      Yeah it seems if it’s not the sullen lone gunman with a dark past, it can be tough to identify an ISTP with Barton as a case in point.

  4. Hi Taylor, usual outstanding job. By a coincidence, screenwriter Matt Bird published this recently:


    I think Hawkeye is a case of what you call ‘retyping’ – when writers have deliberately changed a character’s MBTI type.

    The Earth-616 Hawkeye (‘cool guy with sunglasses Hawkeye’) doesn’t resemble the one I grew up with in the slightest. If we look at the old Avengers stories of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, we
    see that Hawkeye is a) regarded as a loudmouth by the other characters and b) is obsessed by how others see him. Warm, friendly, boastful, argumentative, prima donna-ish, show-offy… He sounds a lot like your profiles of the Human Torch and Jessie Pinkman.

    This description by you of the Torch sums up the old Hawkeye perfectly:

    ‘This is exemplified in reality by the way ESFPs have a way of seething whatever emotion it is their feeling outward to everyone around them. They don’t need to say anything- you can just sense it and it rubs off on you like dirt. Storm’s Extraverted Sensing is obvious in his act-before-thinking approach to everything. If he wants to have fun, he goes all out. If he wants people to know he’s mad, he doesn’t hesitate to raise his voice…’


    Finally, take a look at this, from Avengers #189, in which Hawkeye kisses Deathbird. I wouldn’t call this ISTP-ish, more ESTP or ESFP:

    He got Shi’ar cooties in that one.

    • Taylor Says:

      I agree, Hawkeye is one of those characters that didn’t ever seem to have a set of concrete traits much different than say, Daredevil, for the first several years if not more of his existence. He, along with a lot of other characters just kind of performed the action as needed with special gifts and weapons but everybody always seems to be smiling and yelling whatever they say. I need to read this article, seems pretty insightful.



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