The Walking Dead puts a lot of weight on its antagonists. Sometimes creating compelling, subversive characters that reign terror down on the main survivors, and sometimes create villains that speak in such ludicrous dialogue and are riddled with so many old cliches, that they are little more than a weak gimmick. The show has had its issues with character development in the past, and even now - new showrunner Angela Kang can’t fix everything all at once.
Part of the reason that the main survivors of TWD often seem flat and underdeveloped is that this show puts so much into its villains that it sometimes seems to forget that it’s the good guys that audiences are drawn to and attached to. The Walking Dead really wants to sell its villains to the audience, so let’s take a look at these notorious characters and figure out their MBTI alignments.
MERLE DIXON - ESTP (THE DYNAMO)
Merle was first introduced in The Walking Dead’s second episode. From that day on, he gained a reputation for being one of the show’s most iconic antagonists. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, Merle would not appear as a recurring guest on the show again until season 3, and he would then die in the fifteenth episode, This Sorrowful Life.
Merle’s legacy is simply iconic. He was definitely the show’s most complex, intriguing, completely hilarious antagonist. Merle was sardonic, crude, and fearless, making him an ideal ESTP.
THE GOVERNOR ESFJ (THE PROVIDER)
The Governor was first introduced in the third episode of The Walking Dead’s third season, and his reign of terror would carry over into season four until he was finally killed by Michonne and his former girlfriend, Lily, in the midseason finale.
The Governor’s arc and personality were quite interesting, even if it was overdone by the end. He appeared to have once been a normal guy, but the loss of his wife and daughter caused him to spiral into psychotic insanity. The Governor became a leader due to his charm and leadership skills, making him an ESFJ.
JOE THE CLAIMER - ISTJ (THE INSPECTOR)
The Claimers were introduced in the second half of season 4 and would act as the temporary villains for the rest of that season before Rick’s group finally conquered them. Joe was the leader of this group of antagonists known as The Claimers, named as such because they went around, well, claiming everything and killing people who got in their way.
Joe did not have the charm or leadership qualities that The Governor had, but he was able to garner himself a flock of followers. He acted as a powerful, all-feared leader, making him a fit for the ISTJ personality type.
GARETH THE CANNIBAL - ISFJ (THE PROTECTOR)
The story of the cannibals and Terminus is one of the more poignant and justifiable in The Walking Dead history. Gareth and his family were never evil - they were just ordinary survivors struggling in the post-apocalyptic world. That all changed when they were attacked by a rogue group of survivors, and as a defense, Gareth and the others became cunning cannibals.
Gareth was a twisted psychopath by the time he was killed off shortly after his introduction in season 5. As the leader of Terminus, he made is his mission to protect his people, making him an ideal ISFJ.
DAWN LERNER - ENTP (THE VISIONARY)
After the Terminus war, Rick and the gang left Father Gabriel’s church and ultimately ended up heading to Grady Hospital, where Beth was being held hostage. Dawn Lerner, a former police officer, acted as the leader of this makeshift community, and she was cold, calculated, and unflinching right up till the end.
Dawn is an often overlooked villain but she was cunning nonetheless. She made Grady Hospital her home like a true visionary, and she led her people fearlessly. Dawn is an ideal ENTP.
PETE ANDERSON - ENTJ (THE COMMANDER)
When Rick decided that he had a thing for Jessie Anderson after the group arrived in Alexandria late in season 5, the series delved into the background of the Anderson family and revealed that the patriarch - Alexandria’s resident doctor - was actually very abusive to both his wife and kids.
Rick executed Pete in the season 5 finale, so we never really got to see this full extent of his evil. But from what little we saw, he was clearly strategic and calculated, likely an ENTJ.
THE LEAD WOLF - ISFP (THE COMPOSER)
The Wolves were somewhat “filler” villains, acting to progress the plot in the first half of season 6 before Negan and the Saviors’ storyline was put into full swing. The Wolves didn’t have much of a backstory or a reason for attacking communities ruthlessly.
In a short time, though, we did get to know the lead Wolf, who was a quiet and strange man who most likely made a peculiar leader. He was cunning but low-key, a perfect ISFP.
SIMON THE SAVIOR - ESTJ (THE SUPERVISOR)
Simon was Negan’s right-hand man until he ultimately turned on his leader late in season 8, losing patience with Negan’s twisted ways of leadership. Simon wanted to take the Saviors for himself and become the new cult leader. He did attempt to execute this coup, but it failed and ultimately led to his demise.
Despite this, Simon is undeniably memorable and made an arguably better, more believable villain than Negan. Simon was hardworking, methodical, and orderly, making him an ideal ESTJ.
NEGAN - ESFP (THE PERFORMER)
Despite wanting to appear intimidating and menacing, Negan’s persona feels phony the majority of the time. He puts on the front of being a charming cult leader, but this entire idea turns out to have been something of a performance all along.
Negan is in the middle of his redemption arc now, but fans will not soon forget the terrible things he has done in the past. Negan is vivacious, spontaneous, and energetic, being the perfect fit for the ESFP personality type.
ALPHA - INTJ (THE MASTERMIND)
Alpha is truly one of The Walking Dead’s most terrifying, insidious, sinister villains. She was never a normal, everyday woman, even before the apocalypse. It’s conveyed that Alpha has always had an evil streak, but this was just fueled and worsened by the end of the world.
In the early days of the apocalypse, she abused her daughter and killed her husband. She also managed to create a massive community of survivors that is unlike anything the series has shown before. Alpha is undeniably an alpha, and she is a problem-solver at heart, making her a true INTJ.
