MBTI Type: ESTJ

Cersei has a strong nature that enables her to pursue her goals, to ruthless heights. She charges into situations and takes control of them, to almost a reckless degree (Jamie said she was braver than any boy). Her child-self ruthlessly wields power against a seer, to force her to reveal the future to her. Cersei has an authoritarian manner and doesn’t like it when others attempt to usurp her power. She married as a political alliance, endured his attentions, and is prone to making tactical decisions, regardless of her heart (such as being prepared to kill her children rather than let Stannis take them alive). Cersei delivers, bluntly, the brutal truth of reality – what happens to women in wartime. She has a lot of past hurts, digging into her subconscious and influencing not only her relationship with her father and Jamie, but also her decisions; Cersei went through an arranged marriage to someone she hated, so she does not wish that on her daughter. Her father’s brutal method of dealing with her, casting aside her desires, and forcing her into submission influences her behavior around him. The one constant in her life is Jamie; she cannot imagine her life without him, and is angry when circumstances tear them apart. Cersei is very familiar with tradition and “how the world works,” and has worked, for thousands of years; she has a pragmatic attitude about it, that is both full of resentment but also willing to work inside it, to get what she wants. Her ability to change tactics allows her to maintain an upper hand, but she does not always foresee all outcomes or anticipate how quickly things can fall apart. Cersei knows that Margaery is a threat and tries to undermine her, but completely missed the truth about her son’s murder and who was involved. She has a tendency to have a bleak outlook on life, and to think the worst might happen; in doing so, she plans for different potential outcomes. She has a marginal interest in supernatural things, such as prophecies heard in her childhood. Cersei often feels the need to assert her feelings, when it is neither tactically advantageous nor wise (“I should wear the pants, and you the gown”). Her emotions are intense, unstable, and private; she allows no one else to share in her grief and whenever her feelings do flare up, they are awkward or childish. When she says that she understands what it is like to face losing a child to Catelyn, she means it. She would not say it, if she didn’t (inferior Fi).

Enneagram: 8w9 sx/sp

Cersei has a lot of scorn for Sansa, whom she sees as weak and ineffectual, an emotional person who allows her feelings to dictate her decisions — and she resents that her father believes she has a similar weakness. Cersei has done many things she did not want to do, for pursuit of power. She often targets, singles out, and then dispatches their enemies, reacting from pure instinct to protect herself and her loved ones — having her brother throw Bran from the Tower because he saw them together, refusing to yield when tortured and humiliated in front of her enemies (instead, walking naked through the streets, her head held high, and then deciding to kill them all). She tries to choose brides for her sons that are easy to control, and dislikes Margaery because of how easily she manipulates Joffrey. Cersei takes what she wants, mouths off to her husband (who has been known to slap her), and does not like her own emotions, which she represses. She is aware of power, how to use it, and when to hold back on it — alas, her son does not share this tendency, and makes the mistake of killing Lord Stark. Her 9 wing numbs her to whatever she does not want to experience. She can be withdrawn and out of touch with herself, but also willing to compromise from time to time to keep the peace.