ESTJ 3w4 Characters
Anne Dudek’s Amber Volakis (nicknamed “Cutthroat Bitch” by House himself) might be one of the most polarizing characters to ever enter Princeton-Plainsboro on House MD. She’s efficient, competitive, emotionally guarded, and terrifyingly smart. But underneath that ruthless exterior lies a complex mind and a fiercely loyal heart, especially when it comes to Wilson. Let’s crack open the psyche of this unforgettable character through the lens of MBTI and Enneagram and see what really makes Amber tick.
The Commander in a Lab Coat: Extraverted Thinking
Her behavior during the selection process is ruthlessly competitive, and always looking for ways to exploit the situation to her benefit—she undermines others, takes credit for their ideas, and manipulates the situation in ways that come across as arrogant and cold to the other applicants. She exploits their weaknesses in an attempt to get them disqualified; she feeds information to House or sabotages their reputations, with an “the end justifies the means” approach. When Thirteen or Kutner introduce an out of the box idea, Amber challenges it by saying it doesn’t fit the facts of the case or the test results don’t prove it. Amber is delighted to be in charge, and values productivity and results.
When Experience Becomes a Weapon: Introverted Sensing
Amber pushes for practical solutions and becomes impatient with theories that seem disconnected from the evidence or the details of the case. Despite her tactics to win, Amber often insists on following proper medical procedures. This causes her to clash with others who favor intuitive diagnosis (like Thirteen, House, or Kutner). She would much rather operate off the facts in front of her, and gather evidence from previous case files, trusting in them to deliver positive results. She argues with House a lot over unorthodox treatments, pointing out how it could backfire and kill the patient, or saying “that’s not how it’s done,” or “there’s no precedent” for this. She deliberately observes House’s behaviors and figures out how to use them to her advantage (and she observes the other members of his team and uses what she finds out against them). In one episode, we find out Amber has taken over managing Wilson’s schedule, diet, and work routine, in order to make him more efficient.
Playing the Long Game: Extraverted Intuition
She can brainstorm possibilities, but her use of Ne is strategic and for the purpose of solving the case when one theory is proven wrong. She does not stay in the competition by being efficient alone, but by using psychology on her competition, analyzing House’s psychology, understanding the kinds of people he keeps around, and behaving like them. In another episode, Amber suggests a rare side effect from a routine treatment, one nobody else considered because it’s too unusual, as a potential reason for why their treatment isn’t working.
Limited Feelings: Introverted Feeling
Amber struggles to be emotionally open or to think about what others feel as she cuts her way through them; she cares deeply for Wilson, but is unsure of how to express this in a meaningful way other than to give him “choices” in the relationship. She has rare moments of emotional honesty, particularly in her final episode, in which she shows us how hard it is for her to articulate her feelings (rather than a flowery speech, she just tells him that she’s going to miss him). She shows her affection for him by giving him options, pushing him to be more assertive, taking care of his routines and health, and providing a nice home for him. She died, because she went to pick him up drunk, and didn’t want him to risk his life driving home. Amber never lies about a patient’s condition or manipulates their treatment, nor compromises on their medical care. And she objects when House puts lives at risk for his own gain.
Climbing the Ladder in High Heels: The Enneagram 3
Amber gets nicknamed “Cutthroat Bitch” by House, because she’s willing to do anything to win a spot on his team, including stealing ideas from her classmates, manipulating the situation, and throwing her coworkers under the proverbial bus. She is incredibly driven and ambitious, constantly striving to prove herself, especially in her professional life, and she has to be in charge even in her relationship with Wilson. (He just goes along with what she wants or tries to think of what she might choose, and she orders him to buy the mattress he wants and stick with it, even if she doesn’t like it.) She’s always seeking success, whether it’s in her work as a doctor or in her personal relationships. She’s competitive not just to win, but to prove she’s the best, most resourceful person on the team, who isn’t hindered by petty things like ethics. When she wants something, she can turn on her charm and be manipulative, convincing others she is on their side or a patient to give her what she wants, but when it gets right down to it, Amber brushes aside emotions and focuses on what needs to be done, and on doing it well.
The Iceberg Has Depth: The 4 Wing
Amber has moments where she feels misunderstood and struggles with the idea of fitting into House’s team; she doesn’t necessarily want their acceptance, so much as their respect, but their inability to understand her does cause her some pain and frustration. She can be catty and mean, making snide remarks about others’ intelligence or their inability to separate emotion from the reality of what needs done. She withdraws sometimes to process whatever she’s internally dealing with, and has a deep need for a genuine connection in her relationships. Amber believes she’s more deserving, smarter, and more competent than everyone else, and acts like it, even if it alienates them. She is condescending to those she sees as less competent and doesn’t hide her disdain for people who are wasting her time.
Hard to Love, Impossible to Ignore
Amber may have earned her brutal nickname, but she was more than just a cutthroat competitor. She was fiercely loyal, deeply driven, and surprisingly complex. Her sharp mind, biting wit, and final act of self-sacrifice made her unforgettable, not just to Wilson, but to every House fan who saw the steel and sorrow beneath her brilliance.
