MBTI Type: ISFP

Dawn is a deep well of emotions; she is easily hurt and upset by the unkindness of others or by being left out of things. Though she desperately wants to connect to people, she often states things that she is feeling that others perceive as somewhat blunt – and then feels bad at times and tries to take them back, such as when she informs Buffy that Spike has the hots for her (Buffy wants to know how, and Dawn says it’s obvious after spending time with him). She has to grieve alone, and doesn’t want to do so in the company of her sister – she needs to process what happened to their mother by accessing her own pain and moving through it. Though Dawn goes through a lot to try and resurrect Joyce, she realizes at the last minute that she can’t stand the thought of what her mother might become, what evil thing might take her form, and tears up the spell so she will never see her again. She feels such a need to be independent, she often fights with her sister about boundaries. Dawn also tends to react based on whatever she is feeling at the moment – despite everyone warning her that resurrection spells are dangerous, she steals the spell book and tries to perform the ritual anyway. She breaks into the Magic Shop to steal Giles’ book that reveals her true nature (as a Key) to her. Dawn tends to rush out of the house or go outside to be alone with her thoughts, sometimes heedless of the danger to herself (she knows the kinds of monsters and creatures Buffy fights, but that doesn’t register in her mind until she’s stuck in a dark alley with one). Dawn has occasional flits of insight, such as when she figures out the truth about Spike’s love for her sister, despite him not saying anything about it, but it’s all based on observing his behavior and picking up on subtle clues. Dawn can be rude under stress or when she’s upset, telling people off, refusing to obey her authority figures, and storming out of the house (refusing to talk about whatever is bothering her), but she also wants to come up with a “plan” from time to time and be part of the group.

Enneagram: 6w7 so/sp

I thought Dawn was a 4 at first, because of all the reactivity, her victim mentality (nobody likes me), complaining, and negativity, but as the series goes on, she showed more and more 6 / attachment tendencies. She needed others’ approval and acceptance, and was always trying to prove herself. Dawn wanted in on the “Scooby Gang” and tried hard to prove her self-worth to them, by being brave and taking (foolish) risks. She bounces back and forth between relying on her sister and the others for protection, and insisting she can do everything herself. Dawn can sometimes be reckless in her attempts to show others that she doesn’t care what they think, but when push comes to shove, she almost always relies on Buffy instead of her own self. She is both terrified and excited to discover her potential to be a Slayer, and then doesn’t want her sister to know in case she “doesn’t like it.” Dawn also shows assertiveness in how quickly she reacts to things, how determined she is to get what she wants, and in her ability to move outside her comfort zone and get things done. Like Xander and Willow, she’s also excitable and has a good sense of humor. While she tends to be negative and moody, she also wants to look on the bright side, re-frames things, and never knows whether to trust her positive hunches or not (she wants it all to turn out okay, she’s excited for her friends when they start dating again, and when things look bleak, she still is confident her sister can defeat evil). Under stress, she moves into a 3ish need to prove herself, is often arrogant, and makes quick decisions.