Nines are the easiest and the hardest for me to write about because I am one. It took a lot of soul searching and coming to terms with things I don’t like about myself to realize and accept that this is my number. Because, as all nines know, we tend to feel we are the least important and that our feelings are less valid than others, which leads to thinking that our number must also be the lowest.
It isn’t.
Every number represents a set of characteristics, tendencies, and motivations that tend to go together, and every set has upsides and downsides. Every individual has to go through some unpleasant self-discovery to get to the other side and enjoy the benefits of understanding these qualities.
If you think you or someone you know is a Nine, take a look at these popular Enneagram Nine characters to help you determine if your guess is right!
Well-Known Enneagram Nine Characters from Popular TV
Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings
Perhaps the quintessential example of a Nine, Bilbo Baggins doesn’t want to go to the trouble of having a big adventure. He wants to relax in his cozy house by himself. He doesn’t want to bother anyone, and he doesn’t want anyone to bother him. Which is why it’s so funny to us to watch his house get invaded by unwelcome guests who get their muddy boots everywhere and make a huge mess of his tidy pantry, not to mention all the inconveniences and conflicts of the adventure itself.
Eleven Hopper from Stranger Things
Shy, quiet, and observant, she didn’t escape from her captors until someone else forced her to. She struggles to use her powers until someone else, Mike, is in danger and needs help. Violence isn’t something she seeks out, but she’ll use it to protect her people.
Aang from The Last Airbender
Another trait of Nines is their ability to understand all sides of an argument and to have difficulty choosing a side, because of the conflicts it would cause with all the other sides. They want to be harmonious with everyone. Aang must stop conflicts and restore peace to the Four Nations through mastering each of the four elements. As a Nine, he has the desires and abilities to be a peacemaker.
Mufasa from The Lion King
Nines don’t usually seek out leadership roles because they come with so much conflict, but because of their peacemaking abilities, they can make excellent leaders. Mufasa is one such leader. He teaches Simba about maintaining harmony and balance in the kingdom, feels tremendous responsibility for his family and his subjects, and ultimately sacrifices himself to save his son.
Well-Known Enneagram Nine Characters from Popular Books
Julian Blackthorn from The Dark Artifices
What better example of repeated self-sacrifice is there than Julian Blackthorn? He sacrificed his childhood to run the institute, keeping his young siblings and mentally unstable uncle safe. While it may look like he didn’t care enough about Emma to confess his feelings, we find out that he cared so much about her and thought so little of himself that he was choosing to let her be happy how she wanted, even if that meant with someone other than himself. It wasn't weakness, it was self-sacrifice.
Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter
Another Nine in a position of leadership, Albus Dumbledore works behind the scenes against the forces of darkness. He is a mild-seeming person who keeps the peace and runs the school and speaks to everyone politely and respectfully—even inferiors and enemies. He also sacrifices himself to protect someone else.
Willova Calentine from Whisper of Weapons
Ah, Willova. She could be the epitome of an unhealthy Nine—not all Nines are stuck in such abusive situations. But because Nines tend to see other sides of an argument as well as their own and to sacrifice their desires to maintain peace, Nines can be easy to take advantage of. Willova’s brother, Drazdan, is verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive (not on the page) and Willova truly believes it is her fault. Fortunately for her, she finds a friend who gives her the courage and strength to remove herself from that situation and find out what her own dreams are.
You can meet Willova right now by reading the first two chapters of Whisper of Weapons for free without having to download anything!
The Challenge for Nines
Nines are peacemaking, self-sacrificing, and seekers of harmony. Their root desire is for peace of mind and peace among everyone around them. Their root fear is of separation and loss of relationships. So they struggle with conflict management and err on the side of avoiding all potentially negative interactions in order to feel like they are at peace with everyone. Sometimes this looks like good-hearted self-sacrifice, but ironically, it often results in resentment, bitterness, and withered relationships. And the other person may never pick up on the fact that the Nine was upset because Nines are terribly good at acting like everything is fine when it’s very much not.
If you have a loved one who is probably a Nine, remember that they tend to be more sensitive to stimuli especially in the context of conflict, and what sounds like a slightly raised voice to you is a raging shout to them. Stay calm and work with them to come to a real resolution, not just them agreeing to whatever you want to keep the peace.
Two great ways to show a Nine that you care about and value them are 1) to allow them the time they need to make up their mind on a decision, and 2) to remind them that your relationship is more important than an argument and you’re not going to ditch them if they disagree with you over something.
If you want to see an unhealthy Nine become a healthy, flourishing Nine, start Whisper of Weapons now and watch Willova's story unfold. She gets a POV in books 3, 4, and 5 as she become a more and more important character!
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