MBTI Type: ESTP

Dean is an opportunist used to leaping in and out of trouble, whether that includes ramming a monster with his car or having a one night stand with a hot waitress. He tells Sam that he only believes in “what I can see,” and often shoots down his brother’s more radical, intuitive leaps in logic for practical, hands-on solutions. He is quick to think and react on his feet, using whatever is at hand to fight with (grabbing chairs, throwing knives, firing off guns at close range, hurling himself over fences, snatching up a can of bug spray and a lighter, etc). Dean can be so present-focused (solve the problem, get out alive, move on) that he fails to see the big picture, unlike Sam, who makes choices based in a more logical place. Dean wants to trade the Winchester for their father’s life, but Sam remembers it has a limited number of bullets, and Dad would “be pissed if we wasted them.” He wants, instead, to save it for the Yellow Eyed Demon—the one they have been hunting since childhood (the big picture). Dean is creative in how he gets away with things and not always moral in his approach – he uses fraudulent credit cards, fake governmental IDs, and lies and manipulates his way through most situations. He also never wants to give up on the Impala, and faithfully works on her even after she is wrecked several times, building her back up from the engine to the exterior. Dean believes in quick fixes; blast them with rock salt, burn their bones, then call it a night and get back on the road. His logic is blunt, brutal, and facts-driven: if we can’t stop them from haunting this place, we’ll burn it down and then at least no one will ever get hurt here again. Dean can sometimes be callous and willing to make the “right” call, even if it is hurtful in some way; after his dad’s death, Sam accuses him of looping – not caring whom he hurts in his pursuit of “monsters,” and taking pleasure in ending them. Dean can be charming, persuasive, and simply flatter a girl in the hopes of getting her into bed, and is somewhat shocked when these tactics do not always work. He’s also more emotional than he lets on. Dean carries around the guilt of allowing Sam to be hurt by a monster as a child (because he “got bored” and left to play an arcade game) for decades, because his father was so disappointed in him, and that scarred him deeply. In some cases, Dean empathizes with a child, especially if they have something in common (they are the older brothers who have to “protect” the younger ones), and that makes him more open to an emotional exchange, but he hides his feelings beneath layers of bluntness and cynicism. He talks about how he’d never want “that life… of a house and a white picket fence; I’d kill myself,” but in reality, he makes decisions based on whether or not it keeps those he cares about safe. It’s not safe for him to stay, so he never does. Dean isn’t very good at theorizing on the fly, but does show occasional probing insights, especially into Sam’s motivations. He can be single-minded when he wants to be, such as in pursuit of saving his brother from hell, and is more realistic in his recognition of the future than Sam (there is no end to hunting; they will never be out of monsters, this is their future).

Enneagram: cp6w7 so/sx

Dean tries to present himself as an 8, the way his father is, but it’s all a façade—he crumbles whenever his father is around and becomes a “yes, sir!” man, showing his reliance on authority. For the entire first season, he is obsessively trying to find his father and hunt with him, recruiting his brother into it, and angry at Sam for causing trouble with their dad rather than just being obedient to him. He relies on all of his father’s old notes when solving cases, again hinting at his family-orientation (the mantra of the 6), his tendency to rely on strong outside expertise, and his super-ego need to do what’s right for everyone. Though Dean puts on a good front, he’s gooey and sensitive inside, often emotionally acting out when he gets upset, and constantly self-sacrificing for his loved ones and even perfect strangers. He sees and identifies threats everywhere he goes, is skeptical of what he cannot prove (he doesn’t just believe things the way Sam theorizes they might be real; he needs solid proof of angels and miracles), and shows fearful tendencies at times – such as his fear of flying or his certain superstitions. Dean uses humor almost constantly to disarm and appeal to people, but also to avoid his feelings. Deep down, he wants to “settle down” and have a normal life, but feels obligated to keep hunting things and protecting people. He minimizes all his own emotional needs, his aches, and pains. His 7 wing loathes thinking about sad things. Dean avoids his mother’s grave and his childhood house. He doesn’t like to remember his failures. He acts out to distract himself from pain, choosing activity, adventure, sex, or alcohol as a distraction.