Sherlock (BBC): Jim Moriarty (ENTP)
Ne:
“Red alert! Red alert! Big, red, bouncy, red alert! Klingons attacking lower decks! Also cowboys in black hats and Darth Vader. Don’t be alarmed! I’m here now, I’m here now! Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Miss me? Miss me?”
“Sorry boys! I’m soooo changeable! It is a weakness with me. But to be fair to myself, it is my only weakness. You can’t be allowed to continue. You just can’t. I would try to convince you. Everything I have to say has already crossed your mind.”
The first and most obvious thing you notice about Moriarty (from BBC’s Sherlock) is how random he is. Most of his speech is riddled with random references and puns of some kind or another. By his own admission, most of his plans are subject to change; and his actions seem to be driven mostly by boredom or whatever mood he finds himself in. He freely admits to Sherlock that everything he is doing is in an effort to stave off his boredom. He especially likes to mess with Sherlock because he feels that Sherlock is the only one intelligent enough to mentally spar with him. Moriarty’s Ne is seen all throughout his plans and the messages that he sends, like the story of Sir Boast-A-Lot that he broadcasts to Sherlock.
Moriarty frequently pulls off his plans in an extravagant and showman like fashion. A particular instance of this is when breaks into the display that was holding crown and royal robes of the English monarch. Before breaking the case, he etches a message for Sherlock into the glass then proceeds to dawn the royal garments. He seats himself on the throne to wait for the police to come arrest him. What’s more, he did this all just to mess with Sherlock and prove that he could get let off from the charges even though he very obviously committed the crime.
Ti:
“That’s all people really are, you know: dust waiting to be distributed. And it gets everywhere … in every breath you take, dancing in every sunbeam, all used-up people.”
“Not in your mind. I’ll never be dead there. You once called your brain a hard drive. Well, say hello to the virus.”
Sherlock: “People have died.”
Moriarty: “That’s what people DO!”
Moriarty has his own subjective logic with which he uses to view the world. He does not hold to any conventional facts or standards on how the world works. Instead, he develops his own logic for why things are the way that they are and comments about how all others are not intelligent enough to see the world the way he does. Moriarty is seen on numerous occasions growing impatient with Sherlock’s attempts to rationalize his motives and plans. He berates and yells at Sherlock for trying to apply conventional logic to explain him. Afterward, Moriarty usually goes on to explain his Ti logic and continues to scold Sherlock for not tracking him, his actions, or way of thinking. Of course, Moriarty possesses the typical, jaded and cynical mentality that Thinkers are prone to.
Fe:
“This is the story of Sir Boast-a-lot. Sir Boast-a-lot was the bravest and cleverest knight at the Round Table. But soon the other knights began to grow tired of his stories about how brave he was and how many dragons he’d slain. And soon they began to wonder, Are Sir Boast-a-lot’s stories even true?”
“In a world of locked rooms, the man with the key is king. And honey, you should see me in a crown.”
Moriarty uses his Fe as a way to manipulate and control others. His main strength is the network of people that he has under his control, whether that be through black mail or other means. Like the quote above demonstrates, he is good at manipulating other’s opinions and framing things in his favor. He loves being the center of attention and messing with people. His final plot to destroy Sherlock is Fe in nature. He wants to destroy Sherlock’s reputation and completely discredit him in the eyes of others. His unhinged and somewhat psychotic behavior is the result of the combination of Ne-Fe. (Ne being off the wall and creepy, and Fe knowing how to get to people).
Si:
“I gave you my number. I thought you might call. Is that a British Army Browning L9A1 in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?”
Moriarty’s Si comes out in all the little details and clues he leaves Sherlock when he is playing his different games with him. He knew what details he needed to leave Sherlock to throw him off in there first meeting. (things like signalling that he was gay etc.) He thinks out many of the details for his various plans and even prepared a video clip reflecting that Sherlock would choose to kill Mycroft over Watson in the last episode. This being a detail that Eurus comments on. However, outside of the realm of his own plans he doesn’t pay much mind to the day to day details and even throws out his plans in favor of improvising.
Hi there, reader! If you enjoyed that article, leave us a quick comment to encourage us to keep writing. In addition, if you've found our content helpful in some way, please consider Buying Us A Coffee to support our efforts and help keep this website running. Thank you!
Can strong Ni users be so quirky as Ne users?
It depends on what you define as quirky. While a strong Ni user can be just as eccentric, they probably won’t come off in the same random and off the wall way that a strong Ne user would.
I was thinking If a Ni Dominant could be scattered or have a crazy style; I read about Doflamingo’s fashion and just ask myself If an INFJ, or maybe an INTJ, could be that way.
Ni can be scattered but more in an absent minded or forgetful way. Not in the rapidly switching focus from one thing to the next way. Having a crazy style can tie back to Se in some cases. We typed Doflamingo as a ENFJ. You can check out the article here: Doflamingo if you want to see our explanation to why.
Thanks dude! You guys have an amazing way to explain this theory. I’m from Brazil.
Any reason why he cant be typed as an INTP? If so why?
I feel like the two quotes in the Ne section encapsulates most of the reason that he can not be an INTP. His over arching focus throughout the whole show is not internal logical consistency (Ti) but quelling his boredom (Ne). If he was an INTP I would expect to see less of the random in your face behavior that he exhibits constantly. Also, you look to the inferior function for a character’s greatest weakness. His is not his Fe. As a matter of fact, he utilizes his Fe to manipulate others quite well. Si, on the other hand, he struggles more with. You can see in the scene on the roof with Sherlock, when Sherlock begins laughing at him. He instantly jumps to ‘what did I miss?’ His fear here is that he looked over something, and Sherlock picked up on it.
I’m starting to believe I’m an Entp, after all and stuff, but, every Entp that I’m know is a joker/PAIN-IN-THE-ASS, got it? –Pause to laugh– And I’m not that at all! Is something wrong with me? D:
I couldn’t say. lol 😛
Not sure on this one. Where is his Fe except manipulating people? I’d say his motivation to overcome Sherlock is Fi biased and his moral ambiguity (as well as Sherlock’s) and emotional outbursts make an argument for inferior Fi. And is he really random? Maybe he want to make an impression for Sherlock to get ahead that he is random and can’t think ahead. His schemes though are long term and thought through and Moriarty ALWAYS comes to Sherlock very prepared from his very first appearance (manipulating Sherlock with his big game, making impression that he needs government plans, capturing John, hiring snipers). His mimics and acting are pure tertiary Se, its not based on feelings except few moments of anger. I know few ENTJs who are great at putting a funny face. ENTJs can manipulate people via schemes, understanding connections between people, motivations, facts, logic, etc. Also how his inferior Si manifested? He is completely against status quo and rules. His show at the tower and sitting on the throne looks very tertiary Se.
Though I agree that he points himself how random he is and how his actions cannot be expressed via logic as good argument for an ENTP.
Moriarty is one of the clearest examples of an ENTP out there. He only wants to defeat Sherlock because he is bored. It has nothing to do with Fi values. He also demonstrates very clear Ne in his generally random and fantastical nature. Anyone taking on Sherlock would have to demonstrate some level of future planning. Other types are capable of doing this as well. Moriarty wants a challenge, and in order to rise to that challenge, he has to come up with an elaborate plan.
His inferior Si manifests exactly how we explained. For starters, Si is not about following the rules – Si users are prone to doing that, but it’s not an absolute rule, and nor would it apply to the tertiary and inferior users. Si is more about detail orientation, and introverting sensory information. Plus, one typically shows a level of distaste for their inferior function. Hence, an inferior Si being “completely against status quo and rules” would make sense.
His Fe is demonstrated as described in the article as well – manipulation and focus on destroying Sherlock’s reputation. Tertiary Fe is mischievous and nature, and since Moriarty is a villain, this is a perfectly logic way for him to use his Fe.
Still not clear on Fe. ENTJ can manipulate too. When Moriarty speaks his face expression doesn’t really present his emotional state and manipulating with Fe means manipulating with emotions. He mimics his emotions with Se. I’ve seen examples of ENTJs who are bad displaying emotions in social situations and mimic them with Se (like Tony Stark for example) though it can be noticed that their face expression is not related to their emotions.. Suddenly killing himself on the spot is pretty Se thing to do. And why ENTP would do that?. They would need to consider many future implications and ideas to go with such a hard decision. Moriarty also takes action very differently from Euros who really doesn’t use facts but emotional state of her enemies (who is INFJ). He destroys Sherlock reputation contradicting facts and setting up his framed image rather than manipulating police with their feelings. Moriarty also has no problem telling his plan and thinking outloud each time he speaks with Sherlock and definitely enjoys power and status as greatest world criminal. Also he shows emotional outbursts with extreme anger .
When Moriarty says “That’s what people do” is not exactly good Ti example because that actually Te phrase because people dying is a general fact. Once again, Moriarty can say whatever he wants about his randomness, he is liar. He never came unprepared for facing Sherlock and he is really long-term planner. Planned Big game, revenge from being imprisoned, mass destruction code, Sherlock identity erased and final fall – multi-layered many staged plan. He also was able to build massive criminals network which he uses to his advantage. Planned
ENTJ get bored easily too because they are extraverted and have tertiary Se and everything is very easy for Moriarty except Sherlock (you made the same argument in Sherlock typing). Moriarty doesn’t express feelings or empathy at any point which ENTP would do. Moriarty enjoys thrills same way as Sherlock and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty: being imprisoned and beaten, going to prison again and setup crime scene himself though he uses other criminals in his plan.
Moriarty also demonstrates acting and showman skills at his arrest sitting on the throne as proclaimed criminal king, setting up the whole The Reichenbach Fall scene with Staying alive music for his grandiose final.
How Moriarty demonstrates Ne except saying he is random? And argument that he comes up with many plans to take down Sherlock is not argument really, ENTJs are even more capable of that.
Moriarty simply might not speak of his true intentions because they are inferior Fi based (he will naturally reject them) such as envy and hate for Sherlock as he is world hero and he as he said has to be an old-fashioned villian)
“When Moriarty speaks his face expression doesn’t really present his emotional state and manipulating with Fe means manipulating with emotions.”
I’m not sure where you’re getting this. Moriarty is incredibly expressive, and basically mocks emotions with his face, which is something low Fe would do. Are you seeing his true emotions? No, but that’s not what Fe is about. Notice though that Moriarty enjoys getting a rise out of people, like that random woman he messed with in the courthouse. That would be indicative of mischievous tertiary Fe – doing something intentionally to provoke an emotional response out of someone.
“Suddenly killing himself on the spot is pretty Se thing to do.”
People act like only Se users can do physical actions. Killing himself was incredibly random, and could even be an argument against Se since he was literally killing off his physical self just to win a game.
“Moriarty also demonstrates acting and showman skills at his arrest sitting on the throne as proclaimed criminal king, setting up the whole The Reichenbach Fall scene with Staying alive music for his grandiose final.”
This is Ne – creating a dramatic scene. An ENTJ wouldn’t waste their time doing this. High Se might. Tertiary Se is unlikely to.
“Red alert! Red alert! Big, red, bouncy, red alert! Klingons attacking lower decks! Also cowboys in black hats and Darth Vader. Don’t be alarmed! I’m here now, I’m here now! Did you miss me? Did you miss me? Miss me? Miss me?”
This one of the quotes from the article’s Ne section.. and it demonstrates random Ne humor. NTJs would not say this. It’s too all over the place. Moriarty says this type of stuff a lot.
“Moriarty doesn’t express feelings or empathy at any point which ENTP would do.”
Moriarty is a villain with low Fe. Low Fe in this setting is not empathetic or genuine. It is used as a weapon.
“Moriarty simply might not speak of his true intentions because they are inferior Fi.”
Inferior Fi users express a general distaste for emotions and weakness. Sherlock does this. Moriarty does not, hence not inferior Fi.
“Moriarty can say whatever he wants about his randomness, he is liar.”
I’m not saying that Moriarty claims to be random. I’m saying that if you pay attention to his speech and the leaps he makes, he is. Look back up at the Darth Vader quote.
Why only Ne creates dramatic scene? And why Moriarty wouldn’t waste time for this? He was preparing for that moment long time ago.
How killing yourself can be random? I don’t think anyone even a complete psycho would randomly do that, because ITS THE END. Its possible that Moriarty came up with that as very last contingency plan to ensure that Sherlock will certainly lose. IF he didn’t plan that, making SO fast killing decision is not something ENTP do, they are naturally not that decisive especially in ending yourself. Its Se trait to just jump into the action. ENTPs adaptability is different from ESTP adaptability. ENTPs are not in tuned with their surroundings and taking actions. They are open-minded and in tuned with ideas, possibilities, keeping their options open. In general it is not widely accepted that Ne doms can think very fast on their feet and adapt to surrounding, they will have a head in clouds usually.
My point is that Moriarty doesn’t slip between many future possibilities and options – he has a clear vision dead and framed Sherlock and the world on his knees. He step by step achieves that using many deep and long-term plans.