Character Nines – Enneagram and Encaustic

CHRISTIAN WOLFF, NINE

With The Accountant 2 releasing to theaters, I took the chance to watch the first movie and enjoyed it. Wolff, the protagonist, is a high-functioning autist with a talent for math and numbers. However, as we learn in flashbacks, Wolff’s father, an Army officer, has trained him (or abused him) to be a martial artist and gun expert. Wolff’s accounting office in a backwater strip mall is a cover for his business with mafia-type clients.

I’m interested to look at Wolff’s character. He will have certain traits common to autists: sensitivity to bright light, loud noise, and touch. He is compelled to complete tasks. These behaviors will be the first thing we notice about him; finding his Enneagram becomes more difficult because we need to look beyond his autism. The showrunners — writer, director, and actor, Ben Affleck — must give us a complete person and not rely solely on his neurodiversity. Did they?

He’s physically competent. I don’t know if that makes him a Body Type, though. His father basically forced him to learn. What we do see is a determination of will in him. He won’t quit when he’s a child, and he won’t abandon his mission when he’s an adult. This is possibly a Nine’s sense of justice.

Although he longs to connect socially with other people, Wolff doesn’t seem like a Heart Type. We briefly meet a girl, Justine, at the medical facility who has a very difficult time with stimuli. Yet we can feel how strongly she wants to connect with others. This character feels like a Heart Type to me. Although she and Wolff are both autists, they handle the world differently.

I also wonder if people immediately assume that an autist with a mathematics gift is going to be a Head Type? Nothing about Wolff leans into that. Partly, the casting of Affleck, a large man, stops that. Typically a Head Type would be a smaller, slighter man. Also, Wolff processes the world physically rather than mentally.

You know, I started out with a Nine and I think I’ll end up there. I’ve never delved into Affleck’s roles, but at a glance he seems to always play a Nine. Think Batman and Good Will Hunting. Some actors, even the great ones, will settle into a niche. Spencer Tracy is beloved for it. I have no problem with an actor who knows his sweet spot. This is an action movie with an interesting backstory. Casting someone who reliably plays a Nine is good business, and it works. The movie is entertaining.

But it wouldn’t work as well without Wolff’s brother. We’ll need to take a look at his character, too, on another day.

MABEL MORA, NINE

If you’ve read my other two reviews of the Only Murders in the Building Enneagrams, you’ll know that I’m dissatisfied with the character details. Too much of the continuity of the show relies on great acting to paste over awkward writing.

However, Mabel is the most clear cut. She’s a Nine. We don’t see Mabel perform great physical feats or generally exhibit Body Type traits. We do see her sense of justice, of sticking to the murder mystery and her podcast partners because it’s the right thing to do.

Meanwhile, she also has the Nine’s emotional disconnect. Oliver can carry all the feelings for the group, and Charles can hold down the curmudgeon corner, and that leaves Mabel free to drift. In some ways she’s a blank. She’s a Nine who only engages on the margins.

Selena Gomez plays a solid part of the trio, yet she can’t match the generational experience of Martin and Short. Those two will upstage every scene. I can’t say how much of Mabel’s blandness is due to the writing or to Gomez. However, it’s a perfect fit for a certain kind of Nine.

MARTIN FREEMAN’S DR. WATSON

Why would this Watson stay with this Holmes? The traditional relationship has him chronicle their adventures, but this is only hinted at for a future project. His expertise as a doctor is glancingly mentioned.

It’s his return from the military. Watson misses the action and doesn’t know how to transition back to civilian life. At least, that’s what I see from the acting and very subtle writing clues. Watson is an adrenaline junkie, and Holmes provides the fix. It’s an interesting (and lonely) take on the doctor. He’s a man hanging by a thread. Integrating with society, finding a purpose — this is good storytelling. Freeman brings much subtext that is enticing. I’m more interested in his sidekick story than I am in the protagonist’s.

Well, that’s regretful.

So, who is a man that lets Holmes walk all over him in order to get a taste of the life he left?

Because Holmes is a Four, the obvious choice for Watson is a Nine. (They are incredibly codependent.) Neither of these numbers is a Head Type, which is fresh but also puzzling for a brainy detective genre. Watson likes conflict too much in this version to be a Nine. Unless . . . he’s an anti-Nine as Sherlock is an anti-Four.

Ah. I think this might be the case. They’re both true to their numbers by exhibiting the worst variations of their Enneagram. An anti-Nine seeks conflict in a self-destructive, uncontrolled way. He’s burning down the house by going against everything in which a Nine finds comfort and security. Normally a Nine likes when a Four expresses all the emotions they want to ignore. Except that this Four expresses no emotions at all, leaving the Nine to carry the load. It’s totally ill. These men are toxic for each other. Because the production is of a high quality, and because the acting is some of the best, the show has a hook. Everyone loves to watch Holmes mystify with his abilities. This version has a dark underbelly, though. It’s my least favorite so far.

KOMARAM BHEEM, NINE

This is our other RRR hero, the tribal leader. He’s such a Nine. Unbelievably powerful, and yet never seeking conflict until it knocks on his door, Bheem is like a boy when in the city. Raju is much more confident and worldly, taking Bheem under his wing.

When Bheem is roused, though, he is stronger than anyone else — physically and mentally. He is the perfect protector for his people. His indomitable sense of justice, even to the point of extreme suffering, is the only thing that can break Raju’s purpose. Throughout much of the film it’s hard to see how these two men can remain friends when all the truth is out, and yet they do.

Don’t let their energetic and glorious dance sequence deter you from appreciating the craft of the acting and filmmaking. Their jacked handsomeness is plot- and character-driven, I assure you. This is classically epic storytelling — reality is secondary — and these protagonists are the movie stars this genre deserves.

JUDE LAW’S DR. WATSON, NINE

He’s a caretaker of Holmes, a bridge between reality and Sherlock’s head. Of course, a medical doctor would indeed always evaluate the state of their patient (even when he’s a friend). Does Watson go beyond a professional involvement, though? He can’t seem to stop saving Holmes.

Tidy, brave, prepared — Sherlock himself names these traits for Watson. He’s also courteous. When Holmes insults his fiancee, Watson restrains himself in a public restaurant with a lady. He approves of her wine toss in Sherlock’s face, and he later, when alone with him, punches Holmes in the nose. This Watson has a physicality controlled by good manners.

The two of them are like an old married couple, sniping and circling, knowing everything the other is thinking. Holmes is so erratic (these days we would say he’s on-spectrum) that Watson initially seems grounded and normal.

He’s not, though! His co-dependency with Holmes is possible because they’re both strange men. Watson is just better at socially hiding it. What would he do if he couldn’t roll his eyes at Holmes? He’s able to pretend he’s a regular bloke by showing exasperation with Sherlock. This isn’t the traditional sidekick role. Law’s Watson is an actual character with separate motivations.

He’s a Nine. The competitive spirit between him and RDJ’s Holmes, a Seven, is appropriate for these numbers. And Watson is very much someone who thinks as a Body Type. He enjoys the intellectual pursuit with Sherlock, but he prefers his profession — tending to the physical — and clues that require him to interact with them. He is a Nine who pushes the edges of his Enneagram: a little bit daring and reckless, a little bit angry and injudicious. He hates himself for it, but luckily he can blame it all on Holmes.

HENRY CAVILL’S SHERLOCK HOLMES, NINE

Now, I love Cavill. He’s a real-life gamer! But, lol, does he always play his characters as Nines? Geralt the Witcher, Superman, and now Sherlock. All of these heroes have a cool distance from the problems surrounding them.

In the first Enola Holmes movie, Sherlock makes only a few brief appearances. Obviously, he detects. He also involves himself in his sister’s life reluctantly. It’s not his business; Enola is Mycroft’s ward. When he does poke in, though, he meets a mind that thinks like his own.

In the second movie we see more of him. He’s inebriated in one scene, which is what we expect of Sherlock. We’re not shown why, or told of his drug/drink choice. Instead, it’s presented as normal: the dude had a night out. It’s not the debauchery we associate with him. It’s almost like a box is checked.

Same for a brief moment when he lifts a violin.

Look, it’s not his story. It’s okay that Sherlock is only an outline of a known character. Everything we see, though, is not a Holmes who is a Seven. (That honor goes to Enola.) I mean, it’s a good choice. We don’t want carbon copies in the same show. And, it’s Henry Cavill busting the arm seams of a double-breasted frock coat! He can steal the scene right out from under everyone if they don’t keep him in the background. The judicial detachment of a Nine is a wise Enneagram decision for this Holmes. We believe he’s competent, famous, and not the protagonist.

Baxter, Nine

Since Baxter came up during the Molesley examination, let’s discuss her. She’s the one who eventually becomes Cora’s lady’s maid after O’Brien leaves. Thomas recommends her for the job; in exchange he holds her hostage. He wants to know the gossip upstairs and he’ll reveal her secret if she won’t dish.

And what is her secret? In a previous household she was convinced by an unscrupulous man to steal her employer’s jewelry. She served time and he went away free.

So, Baxter is malleable. She’s no Eight, One, or Three. She’s genuinely kind to others, even Thomas. This is a character with no Envy, so not a Two or Four. Because of her romantic feelings with Molesley, let’s rule out a Six (his Enneagram).

Five, Seven, or Nine? I want to say Nine. First of all, I like it as a companion number to Molesley. Also, I think the conflict inherent in Baxter’s crime is what torments her the most. Of course she’s embarrassed to confess to Cora, but upsetting the household balance, of putting Cora in the difficult position of deciding her fate, is more offensive to her. Molesley’s support — I would say his moral clarity, which is a source of peace for him — lends Baxter strength. Her past is not a drama for him, which makes it less of a drama for her.

MOANA, NINE

One part of Moana genuinely believes she will perform her duty, stay on the island, and lead her people as her father has done. The other part of her is desperate for adventure on the sea. Also, as a good chief she knows that the village is unsustainable. Rot ruins their plants and the lagoon has been fished out. When she finds the boats in the sea cave, she sees a solution and an escape rolled into one.

It’s in the nature of the genre that our heroine will be athletic, but I think we’re looking at something extra. Moana sails with no previous experience, shows physical daring and confidence, and is an excellent acrobat, which all suggest a Body Type. (Otherwise I would peg her as a Three. She has that indomitable will and lucky touch.)

She’s a Nine. It’s her misplaced dutifulness. A Nine will slide to Six in weakness. She meets her obligation to the village without passion. Only after she pursues her own way, sailing to return the heart and adventuring to find Maui, can she succeed. Even then, she needs to express herself physically: sailing among her people. I like it! She’s an enjoyable character who feels fresh, yet she hits all the appropriate beats and stays true to her Enneagram. Well done.

MATTHEW CRAWLEY, NINE

He’s a tough bird to pin down. At first Matthew is the usurper. Legally he is the heir to Downton, but the family doesn’t know him. Mary had plans, all ruined by the sinking of Titanic. Then he goes to war as an officer. He and Mary obviously have feelings for each other at this point because she gives him the fuzzy bunny for luck. But isn’t he also engaged to Lavinia? Lol, what a soap opera! And then he’s paralyzed, but then he recovers. Eventually, after many tribulations, he and Mary get married, only for him to die smiling in a car crash.

Does a character this chaotic have a clear arc?

Before the Downton writers put him through the wringer, Matthew’s a lawyer with no aspirations to the aristocracy. He lives with his mother, the Four. Wait, is he a Nine? That would explain why he and Robert, who only clash due to generational misunderstandings, basically feel the same way about the estate and duty. It would also explain why Mary is drawn to and repelled by him. Marrying a version of your father is a complicated prospect!

He and his mother are in that classic Four/Nine relationship where she experiences enough feelings for both of them, allowing him to keep a superior distance from all that emotional unpleasantness. It’s also why he can’t settle on a fiancee. Lavinia seems so peaceful and uncomplicated, right until she dies and dumps conflict all over Matthew’s lap. He loves Mary, but she’s an endless basket of conflict. When he finally stops dodging all the turmoil, he and Mary become a calm couple, bringing out the best in each other. Of course the writers must kill him at that point, lol. He’s gotten boring. (I think the actor ended his contract, but the writers were relieved, believe me! Heh.)

So, when all is said and done, Matthew ends up being a mini-Robert. Instead of a clash between the Earl and his heir — a more traditional plot choice — the show rolls Matthew around in a rain barrel. Hmph. Well, it worked for many seasons, although I will say that the racing car driver made for a more interesting Mary-husband. Sadly, I’m not sure he got enough screen time to develop an Enneagram.

Haha, I can’t even stay focused on Matthew during his own write-up. Sorry, my dear boy.

LORD GRANTHAM, NINE

My first instinct is that Robert is a Nine. He likes to keep the peace and avoid conflict. He also tries to be a fair manager of his household staff and his tenants. Every now and then he’ll go off, but mostly he likes it calm. Isis the dog is one of his coping mechanisms, and his ulcer is a sign that he doesn’t always succeed.

He kind of snaps into place, doesn’t he? I suppose he could possibly be a Two. All of the above traits could also fit. I’m going to say no, though. He attends and gives parties without a social person’s joy. His attitude is more one of duty. A Nine is always a good host, hoping to put people at ease and give them a good time. He’s also the only other family member who rides with the hunt.

Daughters who are an Eight, a Two, and a Three align with a Nine father, as well. Now I wonder about Cora!