Character Twos – Enneagram and Encaustic

KATE BOSWORTH’S LOIS LANE, TWO

As I previously mentioned, I only watched the first half of Superman Returns because I found it boring and painful.

Bosworth seems to be giving her Lane the same crusty personality Kidder gave. The production design undermines this portrayal, though. Lois’ hair is fluffy and styled rather than stringy and simple; her suit is tidy and professional rather than frumpy and thrown-together. Kidder’s Lois was razor sharp on the inside, while her physical presentation was slightly sloppy. Bosworth’s Lois is the opposite. Her interior life is a conflicted mess.

Honestly, I don’t want to remember or detail her personal disasters. Suffice to say she has problems, and this is no Eight. Kidder’s Lane has a breezy way of attacking life. Bosworth’s Lane cringes and sidesteps.

I feel bad for sounding so harsh. I like Bosworth as an actor. (Blue Crush, anyone?) I blame the showrunners more than I do her for upending Lois Lane’s strengths. Like Spacey’s Luthor, Bosworth’s Lane is unclear as an Enneagram number. My first guess is a wounded Two. It’s a terrible choice for a hard-bitten reporter. We have no sign of the girlboss Lane.

You know, I could delve deeper into her character, but I won’t. I didn’t finish the movie and now I won’t spend more time with Lois. Let’s forget this film exists, which seems to be the trend.

ROCKY (THE ERIDIAN), TWO

Rocky is a rock-shaped alien. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that; the trailers were generous in showing him.

Animated characters are similar to Rocky’s design: a voice actor provides one aspect of his personality; the illustrator (or in this case, the puppeteer) provides another layer. They can have an Enneagram, and so can Rocky. However, because he has no human-style face, the voice carries more of the load.

James Ortiz gives Rocky a very energetic voice; he loves problem-solving and is curious, asking many questions. He also has a dry sense of humor. He’s loyal to his species, his mate, and his new friend Grace. Rocky has a generous heart.

He could be any of the traits: Head, Heart, or Body Type. Because he’s the only Eridian we get to know, we can’t tell if he’s more physical than others, more sympathetic, or more cerebral. He’s our only example. With so many options, it’s tempting to call him a Null.

That wouldn’t be fair, though; he clearly has a personality. We’ll need to judge him by human standards.

His wit and exuberant physicality suggest a One. His adventurousness suggests a Seven. His sorrow at being alone in space suggests —

A Two. His little xenon sculptures are his Two Collection. The last half of the movie makes clear that Rocky is a Heart Type. I’ll say no more than that.

Fallout Enneagram: HANK MACLEAN, TWO

At the end of Season One I looked at the four Personality Enneagrams of major characters Cooper, Lucy, Max, and Norm. Reviewing what I wrote, I’m pleased to say that the Enneagrams seem consistent between the two seasons. I wouldn’t change my conclusions.

I also briefly mentioned Hank during Norm’s review, although I concluded that we didn’t have enough of his character to make a judgment.

Well we’ve got enough Hank in Season Two, lol. My biggest question will be: is he sane enough? What is inherent in Hank’s personality, and what is a product of craziness?

Let’s start with pre-war Hank. He’s earnest and motivated. In the corporate meeting with Barb where the mind control devices are presented, Hank leans in for a better look. He doesn’t match Barb’s horror at the implications for these things. His moral compass is already wobbly.

In Vegas he’s chained to a Vault-Tec briefcase and doesn’t seem to mind. He’s obedient to the corporation’s interests, a good cog.

Post-war, he’s happy to work toward their goals and he’s unfazed by the human deaths during his mind-control device experiments. I’m going to say that part of this is fan service to Fallout’s ethos. In the games, you can cheerfully play as a cannibal, for instance. That’s the tongue-in-cheek humor of the series. I’m not sure how much of this deranged science points to Hank’s Character Enneagram.

However, we have one small beat when Hank broadcasts (to the Enclave, we later learn). He expects that they’ll value and promote him. “When this is all over you’ll be begging me to help you.” His face at this moment is hard and serious. For me, this is the real Hank and the best clue to his character. In every other scene he’s content to be a worker bee. Here, we see his ambition. We see his anger and resentment at being overlooked. And then he’s back to his cheerfully insane personality.

This is an Envy person. He wants recognition not for his deductions or his science know-how or his work ethic. He wants it for his own status.

He can’t be a Three; a Three is naturally imbued with status and doesn’t need to seek it.

He’s a Two, and the mind control devices are his collection. That’s why he’s so content to experiment with them. He makes clear at the end of the season that he’s responsible for choosing Welch as the brain behind the devices. He likes her gentleness. All the people who wear the devices (through forced implantation) are also Hank’s collection, an extension of his original collection. They have Welch’s personality and her kind traits. Through this choice, Hank has put his stamp on the entire project.

What happens to Hank after the end of this season when, by wiping his own memory, he’s added himself to his collection?

IRIS, TWO

The Holiday has become a Christmas staple over the past 20 (!) years. Wow, has it really been that long? Well, then, it’s certainly worthy of a look at its Character Enneagrams.

When you first meet Iris, our English rose, do you like her? On the one hand, she has a generous and vulnerable heart. On the other, she’s seduced by an obvious and repugnant con artist. She wins us all over, though, when she gets to Los Angeles and takes such pleasure in her vacation.

Unlike Amanda, whose problem is herself, Iris’ problem can be left behind in England. She forms relationships with people — Arthur and Miles — who aren’t toxic. Her routine at home was a prison. Here she’s free. Iris, named after a flower that emerges at the end of winter, blooms in warm California.

This is a Heart Type. Iris is a Two. Her caring nature leads her to overextend her sympathy for Jasper, the cad. The sweetest personality in the Enneagram, a Two, can be manipulated by vultures, and Iris is a textbook case. Jasper expects (and demands) that Iris take care of him. It’s exhausting for her; she’s depleted by their relationship. Arthur, the elderly neighbor, is the opposite. He’s a bit grumpy about any caretaking, but he accepts Iris’ help. Her easy persuading is understood and appreciated.

We’re so happy to see Iris rewarded with the people she meets. She deserves to find true friends and love.

TAHANI AL-JIMAL, TWO

Tahani’s defining characteristic is Envy, which makes her a Heart Type. After that, discerning whether she’s a Two, Three, or Four becomes difficult. She has traits that fit into any of those Enneagram numbers.

The interesting choice is a Two. Her impulse toward charity work is genuine, even though it begins as a way to prove to her parents that she’s just as worthy of love as her sister.

She’s very successful at raising money for a cause, which could make her a Three. She’s also very emotionally connected, a Four possibility.

Ah, but she considers the morale of the neighborhood to be her responsibility. This is a Two. A Four would take more personal time. A Two won’t rest if they think they can help others. Also, that self-sacrifice convinces Tahani that she’s a good person. A Two, one of the most giving numbers of the Enneagram, can avoid introspection if their work is deemed to be important. Her own motivations, something she will eventually need to examine in the Good Place, are constantly set aside so she can uplift the community.

BUBBA BLUE, TWO

Who doesn’t love Bubba? Of course, like Jenny, he’s kinda fridged so that Forrest Gump can have feelings.

Is Bubba, like Jenny, also a Two?

I mean, he has a collection, which is a Man Two trait. He collects shrimp recipes!

It’s interesting that Forrest would surround himself with the same Enneagram. (Or, the showrunners would stick to writing the same kind of character who befriends Forrest and then dies.)

Bubba is a complete character, though. He’s written for laughs, but Mykelti Williamson gives us more than comedy (or pathos). We believe that he and Forrest have a connection strong enough to last beyond Bubba’s death. Making Bubba a Two is a wise choice.

JENNY CURRAN, TWO

She is a sexually-abused child who grows up to become a wounded woman. Drugs, hurtful boyfriends, rash choices, and suicidal moments are what we see of her. She wants to be a folk singer, like Joan Baez, but she performs nude (with her guitar as her modesty shield) in a strip club. She’s a character who breaks our hearts, but she’s also a plot device to break Forrest’s heart. Is Jenny actually a complete person, or is she only an archetype of pain?

At the end of the movie, Jenny is a real character. She’s grown, she has an arc, and she’s exorcised her demons.

But she’s also fridged, lol.

Okay, let’s dig. I immediately jump to Heart Type because she carries so much emotion. She’s not strong enough to be a Four — she would need power moments and not just trodden moments. She’s clearly not a Three. Maybe a Two? An abused Two can break into pieces like Jenny does.

I’ll take it. I like that her damaged Two is supported by Forrest’s Eight-to-Two confidence. It’s a good match beyond plot shenanigans. Also, when Jenny finds her strength, it’s in the healthcare field. A genuine Two at peace could choose that career.

OLIVER PUTNAM, TWO

The second character in Only Murders in the Building’s mystery-solving podcast trio is Martin Short’s Oliver, who is most definitely a Heart Type. He wants to connect so desperately with everyone he meets, from apartment residents to his theatrical partners. He thrives and shines when he’s around others.

Interestingly, he’s kind of a successful failure. At this point he’s broke and with no job. He’s been a movie mogul in the past, seemingly. Can someone this disjointed be a Three? He makes their silly podcast flourish somehow, which is something a Three would accomplish. Like Charles, Oliver’s not quite his Enneagram number. He bleeds over into a Four’s emotional turmoil and a Two’s vulnerability. Again, the actor makes us want to watch a character that may not mesh on paper.

He’s a romantic mess with Loretta. He bungles his connection to Teddy Dimas. A Three is much more sure-footed. His character design is slippery, and I’m leaning closer to Two than Three. And if he’s a Two, what is his collection? Movie memorabilia?

I’m tempted to call this a Null. I won’t, though, because Martin Short is too good to play multiple seasons of a Null. I do think his Two-ness could’ve been sharper in the writing. I don’t like that this show seems to put too much weight on the casting, which is brilliant, and less weight on the character details that underpin the actors. However, Oliver’s tender heart overcomes these missteps.

COLIN AND PENELOPE, FIVE AND TWO

Penelope Featherington, a friend of the Bridgerton family, has had a crush on Colin since the beginning of Season One of Bridgerton. It was inevitable that their romance story become the focus of Season Three. Will Colin, who has returned husky and handsome from his travels, finally realize that his neighbor across the street is the love of his life? And will Penelope’s secret break them apart?

We definitely have a Heart Type with Penelope. She thrives on watching social interactions. A wallflower, Penelope has learned to listen and observe. She’s deeply connected to the stories and intrigues she uncovers. And Colin’s three-season ignorance of her feelings has been wrenching for her. Her distance within her own family is also painful. She takes command, though, of her dowdy image and reinvents herself as an interesting and attractive marriage prospect.

I’m tempted to call Penelope a Three because she’s successful at navigating the Regency milieu. However, I keep getting pulled back towards a Two. Partly that’s because of the casting: Coughlan’s voluptuous beauty is more Two than Three. Also, though, wallflower Pen is so ignored. I don’t know if a Three would be overlooked. And a Three might not maintain a secret — she would be too proud and confident to hide her accomplishments. It is very Two to think of others and give energy to them while denying her own self. She must learn how to balance her own needs while remaining a caring person, and that’s basically the character arc they give her.

Let’s look at Colin, though. He might also be a Two. In romance, a couple shouldn’t be the same number. It’s like dating a sibling. Colin was not my favorite Bridgerton protagonist — he bounces around in his traits — so I’m trying mightily to be fair to him. In what ways has Colin been consistent over the seasons?

His treatment of Marina in Season One is very courteous and generous. Nothing requires him to behave like that; it’s his true character to be kind. He’s also naive and young. In Season Two, when he considers investing in the ruby mine scheme, he still seems naive. However, he twists it around and exposes the fraud. (Apparently, travel has made him wiser.) It’s also made him more haughty. He tells his friends that he’d never consider Penelope romantically. When he enters Season Three looking like an Errol Flynn archetype, the gentleness of his early character is gone.

My God, please, he can’t also be a Null.

Okay, let’s do the math. He’s not a Four — not witty enough. Not a Three — not determined enough. Not a Body Type — do we ever see him engage in physical activity?

Ah. This is a Five. World traveler, learning his own mind and studying the workings of society. It is so Five to miss seeing the beauty next door who has loved you for years. He’s kind of a social basket case while really trying to be a good man, which is proper Five-ness. Think of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. A Five can be stilted or brusque at first glance. The Colin of Season Three is a bit full of himself.

However, in his secret heart he’s a writer. Setting thoughts to paper is his ambition. How Head Type of him! I do think the showrunners cheated Colin by sending him overseas in lieu of actually showing his growth arc, and I think they could’ve measured his changes at home so that his character feels less erratic. I’m happy to call him a Five, though. His almost stodgy nature, evident across all the seasons, makes sense now.

Fallout Enneagram: MAXIMUS, TWO

Four main characters in Season One of Fallout have their own separate Story Enneagrams. We don’t meet Maximus until halfway through Episode One when he’s thrust upon us. It’s not a heroic introduction.

ONE

Fellow companions of the Brotherhood haze Maximus. In class he fails tests and looks like a dunce.