ISTJ: Michael Eddington, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Sentinel, the Expert

Eddington undergoes a major character switch when he becomes a villain. After a couple of years serving quietly in the background, he jumps ship (or station, as it were), and goes rogue. He’s more aggressive and dramatic as a crusading Maquis than he was as a law-abiding Starfleet officer, leading me to believe he’s operating out of his lower functions when he makes the change. Eddington sees himself as the hero of his own story, but to Starfleet and Sisko, he’s a terrorist.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

At first, Eddington seems like a good old-fashioned, reliable Starfleet officer. He joined with the ambition of being a captain, like everyone else, but ended up in security. That department doesn’t typically lead to command, but he still stuck to his job and did it well. Sisko asks him why he doesn’t just transfer over to the command division, but Eddington doesn’t seem interested in a big change at this point.

Of course, that could just be because he has other things brewing.

Eddington eventually reveals himself as a leader in the Maquis, a terrorist group dedicated to protecting Federation colonists left behind in Cardassian territory after new borders are drawn. The Maquis, and Eddington, don’t believe they should have to leave their homes for any reason. Though they’re offered many alternatives, they hold their ground and refuse to leave no matter how poor their living conditions grow.

Eddington appreciates the real, hand-grown, fresh food he raises and eats as a Maquis. He doesn’t like the taste of replicated food, and recognizes the exact menu selection he’s given as a prisoner. His whole existence as a Maquis feels more natural to him than his outward presentation as a Starfleet officer.

ISTJ: Martok, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Sentinel, the Expert

When typing the Vulcans of The Original Series, I observed that most of them are ISTJs. The orderliness, logic, and composure commonly associated with the type just suits them. Turns out our two favorite Klingons are also Si-doms, and Worf and Martok find ways to tear apart their types’ expectations with a fury.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Martok has worked long and hard to get where he is. He comes from a lower-class, “commoner” background, and never forgets it. He was the first in his family to apply for officer training, but he was rejected thanks to a negative vote from the legendary Kor, who believed that those without noble blood should not be allowed in the ranks of officers. Martok holds this against Kor for the rest of his life, and refuses to speak to the man when he joins his crew for one last mission.

Martok had to work as a common day laborer due to his rejection, but he never gave up his original plan to become an officer. He served as an orderly on a Klingon warship and finally earned a field commission from his General when they fought invading Romulans. Sadly, Martok’s father had died by the time he accomplished this, and Martok carried that sore spot with him as well, nursing his grudge against Kor.

ISTJ: Miles O’Brien, “Star Trek: TNG/Deep Space Nine”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Trustee, the Steward

Chief O’Brien was dubbed DS9’s Everyman character, one the writers could throw into any manner of weird and wild adventure and see how he bore up. Since the ISTJ is the most abundant personality type in MBTI theory, the role makes a good fit. Whether facing temporal anomalies on TNG, or bumpy-headed aliens on DS9, the Chief brings a down-to-Earth perspective to a far-out place.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Chief Petty Officer Miles O’Brien has a long record of service with Starfleet. His early assignments directed the path of his later career, moving from tactical to engineering, and then specializing in transporter operations after he performed a nifty trick to beam his crew out of an emergency. While he’s humble about his own accomplishments, he’s proud to be part of the established institution of Starfleet. He also boasts of his Irish lineage, as it includes a king and a union leader.

O’Brien experienced a great deal of combat as a young enlisted man during the Cardassian Border Wars. In court, he’s counted as an expert witness based on the number of combat missions he’s run, and the recognition he’s received. As steady and useful as the Chief is in such situations, he doesn’t love his memories of being a soldier.

The war colored O’Brien’s view of Cardassians for the rest of his life. He frequently calls them “Cardies,” and he’s slow and stubborn to trust any of them he meets. Even the Cardassian war orphan who stays with the O’Briens only bonds with Miles after they realize they both dislike Cardassian food. The Chief witnessed the many atrocities the Cardassians committed, but he tells one Cardassian that what he truly hates is what he became because of them—a killer, even if it was in combat.

ISTJ: Odo, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Sentinel, the Trustee

Introducing a shape-shifter to the main cast of a Star Trek show meant that we had the chance to see him turn into all kinds of cool stuff. The limits of television storytelling, however, meant that certain restrictions had to be imposed on his powers. Odo must return to his gelatinous state every 15 hours to regenerate, or he loses coherence. Also, judging from the unfinished shape of his face, he isn’t very good at imitating people (so, no Mystique-style infiltration missions for him).

Thus, despite his fluid body, Odo has the most rigid personality on DS9.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Odo keeps to a predictable schedule—the shopkeepers on the Promenade can set their chronometers by his passing when he makes his rounds. He’s a reliable and trustworthy Security Chief, impartial in his judgments whether he’s serving the Cardassians or Starfleet, because he’s only interested in the real facts of the matter. Starfleet keeps him on after they take over Deep Space Nine, thanks to his familiarity with the station and its denizens.

Odo makes a skillful investigator, picking up on details in his environment that build a picture of the crime or suspects he’s studying. This makes it especially difficult for Quark to get any shenanigans past him. Even when Quark seems to have innocuous motives, Odo suspects him, because past experience has taught him that, “You’re always up to something.”

Odo prides himself on his knowledge of humanoid nature, and often uses the phrase, “It’s been my observation—“ when explaining something he’s learned about them.

ISTJ: Katherine Pulaski, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Sentinel, the Trustee

Doctor Pulaski’s hard to like—at first. For one, she replaces Dr. Crusher during Season 2, a character who fit the show much better, and whose return the next year was much welcomed. Second, she doesn’t like Data, and unlike the entertaining sparring between Spock and McCoy, her cracks at our logical friend come off just plain mean.

And yet, she’s a damn fine doctor, looks smart in her “skant-variant” uniform, and eventually comes around on Data—she’s practically beaming with delight at him the last time we see them together. Even though she wasn’t the right fit for the Enterprise-D, it’s kind of maddening how much I miss her being around.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Like another crusty old doctor before her, Dr. Pulaski remains resolutely old-fashioned. She doesn’t use the transporter, and enjoys Riker’s hands-on cooking with real food. When the power goes out on the ship, she’s shocked to find her medical staff doesn’t know how to do their job without their technology. She has to instruct a med tech on how to make a splint for a crewman with a broken leg, assuring him it will do the job just as well as an instantaneous bone-knitter.

Pulaski doesn’t accept the fact that Data’s a live person at first. She calls him “DAT-ah” instead of “DAY-tah” and doesn’t understand why he’s so concerned about the difference (“One is my name,” he says, “The other is not.”). She perceives him only as a machine, and treats him rather disrespectfully, amused that he would even think he could be more. It takes time and personal experience working with him to overcome her initial perception and gain confidence in his abilities. By the end of her year on the Enterprise, Pulaski’s one of Data’s biggest advocates.

ISFJ: Guinan, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”

ISFJ – the Protector, the Cultivator, the Steward

Hold on to your fancy, saucer-shaped hats, ladies and gentlemen. I know Guinan is typically held up as the archetypal wise old INFJ, but I believe the evidence shows otherwise. The Enterprise’s unofficial second counselor draws not on psychic-like insight, but on centuries of wisdom to guide her troubled patrons, along with the galaxy’s most open listening ear.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

The one reference in dialogue that we have to Guinan’s intuition is in “Yesterday’s Enterprise”—and that’s by an alternate Picard in a divergent timeline. Guinan senses that something is wrong, and Picard is inclined to believe her based on nothing more than her word. It’s supposedly her Intuition that knows without being able to explain it that this timeline isn’t right.

But what she’s sensing is that this isn’t the Enterprise it’s supposed to be. The lighting is too dark, the uniforms too fascist, the corridors too crowded—there’s an officer who doesn’t belong here. This is all based on her previous experience with the proper timeline. She knows that the militaristic Enterprise isn’t right not because of an intuition that leads her to a psychic-like conclusion, but because her experiences in the environment are all wrong.

(Why she’s the only person who notices the time-shift is another problem. Non-canon fiction suggests that her time in the Nexus gave her insight into other timelines and realities. However, as I’ve said before, superpowers don’t count as cognitive functions.)

ISFJ: Worf, “Star Trek: The Next Generation/DS9”

ISFJ – the Protector, the Cultivator, the Steward

Worf seems so sturdy and reliable standing up there behind the horseshoe on the bridge, it’s tempting to think there’s not much going on with him. He’s a Klingon, he fights, he likes honor. Oh yeah, and he’s a man torn between two cultures, the first of his people to join Starfleet, a survivor of multiple losses and tragedies—and the only character to be a regular on two Star Trek series.

For this profile, I’ll cover material from both series that Worf was on—TNG and DS9, which is eleven years’ worth of Worf, plus movies. *cracks knuckles, starts typing*

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Worf is a great example of how Si-dom can be idealistic. He’s more Klingon than any Klingon, devoted to the traditions of his people despite being raised by Humans. His Sensing function doesn’t so much hold a concrete definition of the way things are, as it does an internal structure that tells Worf the way things should be. He loves the old tales and yearns to live life according to their example, despite what every warrior around him is doing to actively damage and dishonor the Klingon way.

He’s extremely sensitive when other Klingons try to suggest he’s not a real Klingon, and will start a fight with anyone who wants a demonstration. Although…he likes prune juice. Chilled. So, go figure.

Worf spends a lot of time practicing his skills, mastering the movements that he’ll need later in battle. His quarters are decorated with Klingon artifacts and artwork, reminding him of his people’s culture and traditions. He listens to just a ton of Klingon opera in his down time. He leads Mok’bara classes for the crew, a Klingon martial art that looks like tai chi, requiring careful physical focus and mental concentration—very much a kind of meditation that also includes physical exercise.

ISTJ: Jim Gordon, “Batman: The Animated Series”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Sentinel, the Trustee

Without Commissioner Gordon, Batman would just be a crazy person in a costume punching thugs. Jim Gordon imparts legitimacy to the Dark Knight’s crusade by extending the hand of the law for his help, and speaking up for him when others doubt him. He’s a steadfast crime-fighter and a family man—the kind of cop the city needs but doesn’t deserve.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

When we first meet him on the show, Commissioner Gordon has known and worked with Batman for some time already. They have an established relationship and trust built up. Detective Bullock and other citizens of Gotham try to pin various crimes and disasters on Batman, but Gordon recognizes that the activities of Man-Bat or Scarecrow don’t match Batman’s MO. He sticks to what he knows of the Dark Knight, and trusts that his proven character will win out in the end.

Gordon takes a careful, cautious approach to his work. While Bullock always wants to charge ahead, Gordon holds him back until he’s sure the moment is right—such as the pre-arranged signal he has with Batman. He doesn’t always suspect the outlandish twists and turns he encounters in the supervillain-perpetuated crimes he investigates, but he pursues the crazy ones like any other criminal, and puts them away.

ISFJ: Talia al Ghul, “Batman: The Animated Series”

ISFJ – the Protector, the Cultivator, the Steward

This could be a long shot. Talia’s vital to the Batman mythos, but her appearances in B:TAS leave us with a lot of mystery about who she is and what’s driving her. In one episode, she’s working under false pretenses the whole time, and in the next, she’s apparently fallen instantly in love with Batman.

I broke my “original TV episodes only” rule in gathering material, and re-watched the movie Son of Batman for a little more help, so let’s crack this case open and see what there is to learn about the enigmatic and evocative Talia al Ghul.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Talia’s physically adept and stealthy, with years of training in the Society of Shadow’s ninja skills. This is purely my own interpretation of course, but I feel like her battle prowess isn’t an instinctual thing like it is for Catwoman or Harley. She’s just as bad-ass, but more deliberate, delivering a series of confident moves honed over years of practice; and she isn’t always as quick to adapt to a changing situation.

Talia’s also resolved to help her father follow through on his plans for world-cleansing, until she has her perspective shaken up by her encounters with Batman. She was raised in the Society, and seems eager to return to it, even after she’s been on the outs for a while after helping Batman stop one of their plans. She always goes back to her father, standing by his side no matter what and bringing him back to his senses whenever he loses it after a dunk in the Lazarus Pits.

ISTJ: Mr. Freeze, “Batman: The Animated Series”

ISTJ – the Inspector, the Sentinel, the Trustee

(aka: Dr. Victor Fries)

Mr. Freeze got a major overhaul for The Animated Series, losing a lot of cheesiness and gaining a tragic backstory that became the template for villain-creation going forward. If you want an example of how the best villains are the heroes of their own stories, look no further than Dr. Victor Fries, the most empathetic character Batman ever had to take down. If your heart doesn’t break just a little bit for this guy, it might be made of…well, you know.

Dominant Function: (Si) Introverted Sensing, “The Study”

Victor Fries’ basic desire isn’t really villainous at all. He just wants his wife back. He keeps a snow globe with a dancing figurine of Nora to remind him of his goal, and talks to her as if she were still present with him. He promises to always remember her the way he first knew her—young and healthy and beautiful.

The sleazy CEO of the company Fries works for is the real criminal of the story, so Victor’s obsession looks pretty noble by comparison, even when he embezzles from the company to fund his research. After the CEO (one Ferris Boyle, voiced by soon-to-be Joker Mark Hamill) attacks Victor and causes the accident that turns him into a cryogenic monster, Mr. Freeze has one more bad memory to fuel his cause. Now he wants a cure for his wife and revenge on Boyle.