MBTI Type: ISTP

Stanton is a complicated man who sees the world as something to manipulate for his own personal advantage; he comes from nothing, but intends to make a name for himself, and if his methods are unscrupulous, well, that’s just how life is. He murdered his father by letting him freeze to death, then burned the body and struck out on his own, hiding from the police in a circus, where he quickly sees the potential in a medium act. He leans the complicated code book full of ‘tells’ (numbers associated with certain words, which fills him in on what to say) almost immediately, and quickly wants to implement it. It doesn’t bother him to steal, lie, or mislead people for profit. He is also a clever inventor, who comes up with a more interesting act for Molly (an electric chair and a big ‘sell’ for the audience, including casting a dwarf as her executioner), part of which is ‘just for show’ (the wheel does nothing but spin). Stanton is somewhat reckless and impulsive, often lost to the moment, but also able to adapt quickly—within the confines of his controlled environment. He has an exceptional talent for reading physical indicators and drawing low Ni conclusions from them; how Lilith holds her purse means it’s heavy, how she is dressed and acts means she is independent, which means the most likely thing she carries when she goes to ‘dives’ like this one is a pistol, and because she likes beautiful things (because of how she dresses), it’s no doubt a classy one with an ivory handle. Even though she warns him it’s dangerous to pull a medium stunt with the most powerful, wicked man in the city, he wants the money so he does it anyway—almost getting his girlfriend and himself killed in the process. He shifts between thinking on his feet (killing his mark, and running over his bodyguard) and planning (how he wants the night to unfold). Stanton underestimates Lilith and her intentions, trusting her where he should not, which almost lands him in prison. He has a lot of low Fe issues, being withdrawn but also charming and likable, inconsiderate of others’ feelings, unable to deal with his own sense of guilt for killing his father and inadvertently poisoning his mentor (or did he do it on purpose?), and sometimes losing his temper when under stressful situations.

Enneagram: 3w2 sp/sx

Stanton has always known he was ‘destined for something greater’ than his life, and has sought things that ‘I am truly good at,’ but is also capable and willing to adapt himself to whatever circumstances come his way. He uses his adaptability to charm people, win them over, and get them to like him, so he can further his own agenda, make money, and become more influential, to compensate for his sense of anger and powerlessness. Stanton becomes useful at first as a circus employee, then learns the tricks of the trade so he can help out on a medium’s act, then uses an innovation of an electric chair to appeal to Molly, then becomes a fake medium with an uncanny ability to read people. At the end (spoiler) when asked if he would like to be a geek (a wild man who kills chickens with his teeth for sport), in tears, he says, “It’s a role I was born to play!” His 2 wing uses helpfulness to connect to others, break down their defenses, and help them like him, but he is also prone to being ‘drawn into’ people and their schemes.

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