INFJ 1w2 Characters

INFJs blend their long-term and big-picture thinking with a deep need to connect to others on an emotional level and communicate to them through a shared sense of purpose. Michael embodies this in how he handles his relationship with Sydney (which quickly becomes emotionally intimate) and his bosses (he often goes against them, to follow up his hunches, such as falling under an official investigation because he has gone behind their backs to research Sydney’s mother). Michael trusts his “gut instinct” about Sydney, and is quick to believe her story based on his instincts. He has an exceptional ability to focus on the long-term, larger goal ahead of them in the destruction of SD-6 and often reminds her that this is much bigger than she is, and that her role is of vital importance in the future of their covert operations. Michael tends to often believe he is right in a situation, and frequently his hunches prove to be correct; but he can sometimes fixate so much on his conceptual ideal of someone that he fails to see the truth of their duplicity. He has a warm demeanor and tries to deliver bad news tactfully, but also emotionally reacts to most situations – wanting to pull Sydney out of operations that he feels are too dangerous or that her cover has been blown; he does not want to be unfaithful to his wife, and easily admits to having fights with coworkers. He doesn’t mind opening up to the CIA therapist but becomes defensive in her implications that his interactions with Sydney are “less than professional,” because he wants to be seen as socially appropriate. He doesn’t mind Sydney venting to him, nor in venting to coworkers when something unfair transpires. No situation is impossible in Michael’s mind; he analyzes the motivations of those around him and checks them for logical consistencies. He believes any problem has a work-around and has confidence that they can find it with enough time and reflection. His arguments are logical but rooted in an internal consensus of what appears to be logical. He is able to step back and analyze his own feelings toward Sydney, and admit to his moral failings. Because he is fixed on the larger picture, Michael sometimes has trouble acting in the moment – at other times, he is impulsive and reactionary, taking opportunities as they arise in an attempt to help out or rescue a bad situation, without always thinking about the futuristic consequences (like, what happens if he is caught inside SD6!). He does not always have a good grasp on the finer details of a situation, but can objectively remember information and share it without becoming emotional.

Enneagram: 1w2

Enneagram 1s want to perfect the world around them, and ensure that they are doing the right thin inside of it. They can be moralistic as a result, which is why Michael so often clashes with Jack Bristow’s decisions. Michael wants to take the ‘higher ground’ or the moral high road, and doesn’t like to give people a free pass who break the rules, kill people, or use underhanded tactics that cause greater harm. He’s an idealist who needs to feel like he is doing the right thing at all times, which means sometimes lecturing others about the immorality or selfishness of their actions—he tells Sydney off at one point when she doesn’t want to participate in an op, because she is being “selfish” and thinking only about her own feelings (his own Fe response is “you owe this to other people”). Even though he loves Sydney, he struggles with whether or not his feelings are appropriate for her, and tries to back off while being her handler (it is “wrong” to love her, while being her contact at the CIA, and later, it’s wrong to cheat with her on his wife). His 2 wing wants to be helpful, and generous, and giving, and he crosses the boundaries of propriety at times in the process (such as by giving her a Christmas gift). When others call him out for falling for Sydney, he backs off from her, afraid that he’s doing the wrong thing, but is always the one to comfort her, whenever she gets upset. His emotions cannot help but get involved.