MBTI Type: ISTJ

Ego is all about food; that’s the reason for his existence and his way of living, and he cares more about it than anything else. He has become an expert on food, a connoisseur, and someone who “doesn’t swallow” anything he does not like, therefore he is skinny. He complains that he grew bored with a particular restaurant, because it only ever served the same things over and over again, and that he wanted more variety – but he does not go looking for it himself, nor attempt to spice up his own life. His moment of transformation comes when Remy serves him ratatouille and immediately, Ego is sent back to his childhood, where his mother served him that same dish. It triggers a powerful memory for him of pleasure, safety, and happiness, that transforms his attitude and makes him warmer and more kind-hearted, honored to meet the talented rat who prepared his meal (even though it shocks him at first), and more open to new experiences (he tells them at the end to ‘surprise’ him with dessert). Ego is quite critical and cranky, often blunt in how he criticizes people through his columns and goes straight for the jugular; he has a rational reason for all of his statements, even the more cynical ones, and doesn’t see the point in pleasing anyone if it doesn’t agree with his personal feelings on the subject. But once he likes someone, he opens up to them and is not nearly so severe.

Enneagram: 5w4

Ego has made his life into an obsession with one particular thing (food) and in self-denial, since he doesn’t over-indulge in anything – he won’t eat anything he doesn’t like, he rarely ventures out in public, but writes his columns tucked up in his loft, and he doesn’t really care what others think of him. Ego is a harsh but fair critic, objective and withdrawn. He has not made any friends, is not friendly to his waiter until the end, after he has changed, and keeps his life small. His 4 wing has an elitist streak; he thinks he is better than other people, with superior tastes, he looks down on them for being mundane and unable to impress him; he is rarely impressed by anything, and expects others to fail him.

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