MBTI: Wolverine- ISTP
Everyone’s favorite underdog and star of one of the worst movies of all time is unsurprisingly, also the Action staple of personality types: Cold, dangerous, and with a plethora of dead girlfriends in his wake.
With Days of Future Past due out in the coming week, we might as well type the Canucklehead. His personality and adventures are too intriguing to leave untouched. But don’t actually touch him; being prone to berserker barrages and all.
ISTPs are known to often go into unexplained fits of rage that just leave everyone around them confused. “Why is he acting this way?” “What just happened?” are questions friends of the ISTP will ask each other after it’s all over and you may never get an explanation. The ISTP’s auxiliary Se and will lead them into the here-and-now as an underdeveloped tertiary Ni can have them doing and saying things they wouldn’t had they looked just a little further into the future.
All this and their inferior Fe can keep them from properly emoting. While the ISTP’s intuitive cousin, the INTP, also uses inferior Fe, they may express this awkwardly, if at all. But the ISTP may choose to express themselves angrily in the face of confrontation or a situation where they’re unsure of how to act. This is to explain the Wolverine syndrome of generally being laid back until he freaks out; normally uncharacteristic of him.
Another trait of the ISTP and Wolverine, is the feeling to get away from the idea they’re being controlled. One of the better known traits of Wolverine is his rivalry with Cyclops, the stern leader of the X-Men. Often times Wolverine has had no problem taking orders from Summers. But in many cases arguing ensues due to Wolverine’s refusal to do everything he’s told.
Like listen to the Canadian government. Squares!
Interesting trait, seeing as how often Wolverine has been used throughout his torrid, violent history. As Keirsey says of the entire Artisan clan, their view of the past tends to lean toward the cynical. It’s not that all of their pasts are as tragic as Wolverine’s (Who’s is?) but the lessons the learn or stories they remember most often remember will usually be something with a bit of a contemptuous edge to it.
As mentioned, Logan’s got more dead girlfriends than you can poke a stick with as ISTPs often do in fiction. James Bond, Dominic Toretto (Ugh), Paul Kersey of Death Wish: all of them are survivors of a woman (or more than one) that didn’t live to grow old and often because of the ISTP’s lifestyle rather than their own sins. While any type can play a part in the Action/Adventure genre, it’s the ISTP that will lead viewers and readers down the darker, grittier path.
Why? In part because they’re driven to action and less inclined to crack a joke at any given moment. It’s not that they’re so serious-minded as much as it is that the upbeat demeanor just isn’t their thang; playing it cool is.
And though anybody can and has been the underdog at one point or another, it’s the ISTP whose status is forever the underdog. This may have something to do with their unassuming nature and while it’s practically been played out, Wolverine will always fit this because it’s not like he’s getting any bigger. His general height is billed at 5’3 which is less than the average height of most women around the world. And this man goes toe to toe with the Hulk.
One thing people tend to confuse once the movies start coming out are the true intentions and ideals of a character. Once Maguire played Spider-Man, the nerdy and sarcastic Web Head became soft-spoken and innocent. Once Affleck played Daredevil, Daredevil was hated. And now that Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine in seven (!) movies, he’s associated with screaming at everyone and being a dick.
Wolverine can be this, but is more inclined to be the anchor of the team (when he’s actually there) as opposed to looking for a fight at any given opportunity like the movies present. In the comics, Wolverine takes on several proteges and is even headmaster of his own school at this point. While he’s known for making enemies, he’s made just as many friends.
Wolf friends!
But is the Hugh Jackman Wolverine still an ISTP? Yep! Similar to The Fast and the Furious’ Toretto, the ISTP stereotype comes in the form of cartoonish badassness. You know what I’m talking about. Always scowling, always on the verge of crying when talking about the past, blah blah blah.
All in all, Wolverine’s ISTP status is concrete in the way he’ll always carry the “mysterious stranger” effect with him.
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