Guest post by Fanta, INTJ

Vikings (2013)

Dominant Te: Earl Haraldson’s motivation is the establishment and respect of his authority. He is chiefly concerned about his power and social status in Kattegat, and will take action swiftly to keep the order and ascertain his dominance. When Ragnar challenges him publicly about exploring the West, he immediately perceives his ambitious behaviour as a threat to himself and stubbornly refuses to go with this plan, a fact he later confesses to his wife. He sends spies, attempts to salvage his authority by claiming  Ragnar’s plunder upon his return, tries to seduce Rollo to his side, and attacks Ragnar’s home after he walks freely out of his trial. Haraldson clearly states his instructions to the people working for him, and is unforgiving when they fail to deliver. His decisions seem cold and logic and have little consideration for other people’s feelings, including his own daughter’s, whom he marries to Earl Bjarni to secure lands and power.

Auxiliary Si: Haraldson is close minded and inflexible when presented with the novel idea that there are bountiful lands to the West. He prefers to rely on past experiences and continued success of the raids to the East, and feels his leadership is built on upholding traditions and making people respect the rules. He compares things he experiences to his past; he even goes so far as to admit Ragnar reminds him of his younger self despite their enmity.  Following the murder of his two sons, he never quite adjusted to this dramatic change in his life, and the present constantly reminds him of this event. He is convinced that he is surrounded by enemies and does not trust others easily, and is easily manipulated into believing so by listening to subjective hints presented by his wife.

Tertiary Ne: Haraldson knows when his position of authority becomes precarious, intuitively grasping the shift in power when he and Ragnar confront each other publicly. He also senses when Ragnar or Rollo are up to something. Haraldson is suspicious, and will not believe any stories or even his own intuition until presented with concrete proof. He initially does not want to believe Ragnar’s claim about the existence of the West even if he knows in his heart that Ragnar is right. He tortures Rollo because he does not believe him when he says his brother is dead.  Vikings believe their fate is already sealed by the gods, so Haraldson consults the Seer numerous times in his search for more facts. Once faced with the undeniable reality that the West exists, he finally sees the potential in this situation and takes it into account when planning his future position in Kattegat.

Inferior Fi: Haraldson is a stoic man who does not talk much about his emotions. He agrees with his wife when she accuses him of lacking care for his family. He has to convince her when he confesses he respects Ragnar despite their quarrel. Haraldson is insensitive to his daughter’s unhappiness in the arranged marriage, saying it is “not so bad” in comparison to the gruesome murder of his sons. He has buried his melancholy and grief deep within him, and only expresses it by showing his wife the locks of hair he kept as mementos. Haraldson seems to have subconsciously developed a moral code by acting fairly in the duel with Ragnar even if he could have taken advantage by sticking to rules. He accepts his fate calmly at the end, not for tradition, but because he feels relief he will finally reunite with his sons in Valhalla.

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Note: Haraldson is mostly portrayed as a stereotypical ESTJ villain, with thugs and bullies doing his bidding.