Fiction often imitates life, yet it also has the advantage of being able to bring more obscure things into focus. That is the case with many personality types.
In fictional characters INFJ characters are more common than in the real world. That is because this personality type is the rarest of the Myers-Briggs sixteen personalities.
Today, we are going on an exploration to better understand the INFJ personality by meeting some of the most recognized fictional INFJ characters.
You will recognize the majority of these and the others are waiting to be discovered.
Let's get started.
Who is the INFJ Personality?
Breaking down the letters INFJ gives us an initial look into these individuals.
I – Introverted people need time alone to re-energize. Dealing with people drains their energy.
N– People who think iNtuitively focus more on the abstract world of ideas and possibilities and less on facts and details.
F– Feeling people take into account how their decisions will affect others emotionally and strive to act accordingly.
J- Judging individuals like things laid out in a well-formed plan and don't do well with spontaneity.
Those with INFJ personalities are creative and idealistic. They live their lives based on a strong internal set of values that don't always coincide with the rest of the world.
This often makes the individual feel like they are on the outside looking in. They have a strong drive to help others and make the world a better place.
These individuals often take on the role of mentor, sage, or shaman. Because they have the ability to understand others on a deep level, they are good at knowing what will “work” when leading others. They are also great listeners.
INFJ people do what they can to try and keep the peace. However, they do have their limit and will walk away permanently and not look back if the need arises.
Some of the dangers faced by INFJ people are that their vision may not always be one that is worthy of striving so hard for. Some may have the idea that the ends justify the means.
These individuals can be moody and are prone to isolating themselves, especially when going through difficult times.
Some real-life examples of people with INFJ personalities include:
Now, let's take a look now at some INFJ fictional characters
25 Fictional INFJ Characters
1. Amelie Poulain`
The lead character in Amelie is a shy, private introvert. She exhibits a strong moral base and the all-or-nothing thinking that is common in the INFJ.
She is well-organized as she fights for justice. As is typical, she is very good at standing up for others but not so good at vocalizing her own needs.
2. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan is dedicated to the Jedi cause. He fights to keep it alive with everything he has, even when it means making a sacrifice his personal life in the pursuit of the greater good. He trusts his instincts, which rarely fail the INFJ individual.
This is what helps him know how to get through to others on the emotional level. His unwillingness to make rash decisions is firmly based on the INFJ cautiousness.
His ability to influence others is something that is often seen in this personality category.
3. Rose Bakater
Rose Bakatar, from Titanic, won the hearts of millions. Her empathic nature combined with great compassion and allowed her to try and save others when she herself was in great danger.
She truly believed in the greater good and that the needs of the many outweighed the needs of one.
This is so common in the INFJ. Rose was also the perfect example of one of the traits not often thought about in one so compassionate.
That is called the “door slam”. Even though she loved her mother, she was able to break away when she needed to in order to save herself emotionally.
4. Remus Lupin
Harry Potter offered us a look at many rare personalities, two of whom fit the INFJ profile. The first of these is Remus Lupin.
Remus struggles to stand up for himself and his introverted personality makes it difficult for him to relate to his peers. However, he has great intuitive powers about his students and knows exactly how to guide them toward realizing their true potential.
And he does it without making them feel pressured. As a true guide, he leads them in the correct direction and they get there without realizing they are on the journey.
5. Atticus Finch
Atticus Finch, from To Kill a Mockingbird, is a shy man who doesn't seem to fit the lawyer profile we have come to know. Yet, this quiet, unassuming man has a vision of a better world that he feels impassionate to help create.
Like others who share this personality profile, he can't have a dream and not work to make it into a reality. He faces ridicule and is often mocked, yet he stands strong in his beliefs and remains both calm and focused.
6. R'As al Guhl
All personality categories have some villains and the INFJ category is no exception. R'Asal Guhl appears in Batman Begins, and shows us how this looks. R'As wants to see a better world just as others in this category do, he simply believes that it doesn't matter how you get there.
The end result is worth whatever it takes. His strong insight into others helps him motivate them to see things his way. This is also true of the INFJ.
7. Norman
We find Norman in The Promised Neverland. Norman has a long-term vision of what he wants to happen and he has the innate ability to charm others into doing what he believes needs to be done to realize that vision. He has the ability to recognize patterns in the way other behave.
This allows him to intuit how they will react to certain situations and he then adapts his behavior to create the best scenario.
He truly wants what he feels is best for everyone and makes all his decisions based on that. He is wise and kind-hearted, typical of the INFJ.
8. Plutarch Heavensbee
Plutarch Heavensbee is brings the INFJ character to The Hunger Games. Plutarch has the trait of being able to understand humans deeply and he uses this to the greatest advantage possible.
He has a great vision that he knows won't play out well unless he can use some manipulation.
By using his power of observation and understanding of human characters, he knows what will and won't work in any given situation and uses that knowledge to his advantage to get others to go along with him.
While this may seem less than noble, the cause he is working toward is a noble one and he knows it is for the greater good, even if he has to go into some gray areas to get there.
9. Cole Sear
We meet Cole Sear in The Sixth Sense. Cole is yet another example of how the INFJ can intuit how others will react and can adapt his actions to best get his point across.
His has always had a sense that is common in those with this personality, the feeling of not quite belonging.
He also demonstrates the typical talent as a mediator, as he tries to work with both the living and the dead.
10. Louise Banks
Louise Banks, in Arrival, shows the great need to see the bigger picture and not just what is readily seen. She wants desperately to learn to communicate and bring people together in understanding.
Her intuition often has her knowing things others don't seem to understand. Her great compassion is something she demonstrates to everyone around her.
She knows there is a deeper meaning to things and that she has a purpose to fulfill, but has yet to find it so she keeps questioning and searching. Unable to give up on finding what she knows exists.
11. Jay Gatsby
Those who don't know Jay Gatsby well might think he was an extrovert because of his habit of throwing large parties.
The truth is that he doesn't really enjoy the parties, but the woman he loves does and he is hoping she will eventually show up at one.
He is both an idealist and a romantic and his dream is to have the love of his life. As with all INFJ personalities, he is willing to work hard and do all he can to make that dream a reality.
12. Albus Dumbledore
Albus Dumbledore is the second Harry Potter character on our list of fictional INFJ characters. Wise and thoughtful, he takes time to think things through and come up with a plan before embarking on anything.
True to the mentoring nature of this personify, he leads the students, especially Harry, on a path that will help them realize their true potential.
Dumbledore's wisdom has led him to a position where he can make use of his powers to create the better world he sees.
13. Nina Sayers
Nina Sayers, from Black Swan, is the ideal demonstration of the INFJ person striving for perfection.
She practices dance endlessly, striving to be the best there is. She is the perfect picture of the extremes this personality type can go to if not careful.
She over-analyzes everything and is very inflexible. When she sets out on a path, she refuses to change course no matter what.
This can be good to an extreme, as in her dancing, but can lead to frustration and even burnout and depression.
14. Edward Cullen
Twilight introduces us to Edward Cullen. This introspective, often brooding character makes all of his decisions based on what he believes is best for the woman he loves.
He is willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary to see her happy and safe.
He is an excellent listener, which helps him in understanding people and knowing what they are thinking and how they will react.
Granted, he can literally read minds, but it takes intuition to translate those thoughts he hears into what actions are likely to occur.
15. Galadriel
Galadriel has one of the most intense airs of all the Lord of the Rings characters. This is nothing strange for the INFJ, who is often a mysterious figure to those around them.
She has a natural ability to read people and her compassionate nature makes her put others first in all matters.
She follows her intuition to determine what moves she need to make in order to keep things from falling apart and her compassion allows her to do things others may not understand but that she knows in her heart are the correct actions.
16. James
We find James in The End of the ****ing World. James values harmony so much that he often hesitates before either speaking or acting as he tries to find the best way not to offend anyone.
He is a very private person who doesn't allow others to see the damage he has suffered from past trauma. As he starts to work through that trauma, we see the normal INFJ empathy begin to emerge.
17. Ted Mosby
In How I Met Your Mother, Ted Mosby is completely dedicated to those he loves. He shows the true INFJ loyalty often.
He has a strong need to take care of people, even those who don't seem to appreciate his efforts. He is an idealist who is always seeking a deeper meaning in life.
His personality leads him to fill the role of mentor extremely well. He doesn't have the intense goal of changing the whole world for the better, but he does strive to make the world a better place for those he is close to.
A smaller scale than most with this personality, but still as strong.
18. Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson is the perfect example of how the INFJ often does not fit in with the world around them. Her intense drive to do what is right in every case often goes unappreciated by the family she must deal with daily.
She is always striving to do her best and has a very strong sense of inner moral values that she refuses to compromise. She uses her music to make the world around her a better place for everyone.
19. Will Graham
Will Graham is someone we have come to know in Hannibal. This detective has such a strong ability to read people that he can literally put himself in the minds of the killers he seeks to stop.
He is an excellent strategist who comes up with creative ways to bring justice to those he seeks. He does often over-analyze things, but this makes it possible for him to do his job in a way that puts other detectives to shame.
20. Haku
Besides enjoying a favorite hobby of many with the INFJ personality, chess, Haku, from Spirited Away, has many other traits of this personality type. Haku is an idealistic dreamer. He has a strong moral standard and is extremely ethical.
He cares deeply for others, but is cautious in letting them see who he truly is. Haku is difficult to get to know, but when you capture his heart, he is fiercely protective and loyal. He is also very creative in his ideas to get the things he seeks.
21. Yoda
No list of INFJ characters would be complete without mentioning Yoda. He has done what so many with this personality strive a lifetime for, achieved perfect balance in his emotions.
He is a great mentor and is a wise counselor. He also demonstrates the INFJ trait of seeing things in black and white. You either do or you don't do, there is no try.
That could be the INFJ motto. Yoda also demonstrates the need this personality type has to spend time alone. He is comfortable with himself and doesn't need the validation of others.
22. Lady Malisandre
Lady Malisandre doesn't even try to fit in with the social norms of the others in Game of Thrones. She is guided by her own inner values and visions of what she believes the future might be.
She is very much in tune with the emotions of others and demonstrates great empathy to those around her, even those she disagrees with.
23. Michael Scofield
In Prison Break, we meet Michael Scofield. He shows the typical need to protect by ending up in prison to help his brother.
Throughout the movie, he demonstrates his willingness to sacrifice for the greater good and he never fails to keep fighting for justice.
He puts others first in every case. Michael shows that the INFJ character can be found in the most unlikely places but still finds a way to follow a dream.
24. Princess Zelda
Like many with an INFJ personality, Princess Zelda often seems disconnected with the world around her. She lives much of her life internally, with a very active mind.
She is a peacemaker who guides others to a better world that she has envisioned for many years. She is quickly willing to sacrifice herself for her homeland and remains ever loyal to those she cares about.
25. Elizabeth Bennet
Ending our list is Elizabeth Bennet, from Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth is a fierce fighter for justice and a formidable opponent to all who will stand in her way. Unlike most INFJ personalities, she is willing to stick up for herself when necessary.
She just as strongly stands up for others and follows her own moral code with a determination that borders on stubbornness. Social norms? Elizabeth doesn't care about them. What she cares about is a world where justice is served and compassion is a given.
Final Thoughts on Fictional INFJ Characters
In both the real world and the world of fiction, the INFJ sees the world as it could be. They strive for perfection within themselves and guide others into becoming the best they can be. We can all use an INFJ in our lives.
As you seek to understand others, it helps to first understand yourself. If you are interested in learning more about the Myers-Briggs Personality Profile, check out this handy guide.
Get acquainted with some of the above fictional characters with INFJ personalities if you aren’t already… and you will paint a great picture of what those with this rare personality category offers the world.
And if you're looking for more resources on people and characters with different personalities, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 31 Famous Fictional Characters with INFP Personality
- 31 Famous Fictional Characters with ISFJ Personality
- 43 Famous People & Celebrities with ISTJ Personality Type
Finally, if you want to identify YOUR personality type, then take one of these 11 personality tests to better understand what makes you tick.
