Disney Typed: Hades

ENTP

“We dance, we kiss, we schmooze, we carry on, we go home happy. What do you say? Come on.”

“I’ve got 24 hours to get rid of this bozo, or the entire scheme I’ve been setting up for 18 years goes up in smoke, and you are wearing his merchandise?!?”

It takes a special individual to have buggy yellow eyes, spiky teeth and flame hair and still be able to bring sexy back.  This is Hades, Lord of the Dead.  Hi, how ya doin’?   Is it any surprise that Hercules’s Hades is my favorite Disney villain?

There were just too many good Hades quotes so I had to narrow them down to my favorites.  Though they aren’t nearly so smooth if not read in James Woods’s voice.  Apparently before he came to the part, Hades was just menacing; not wise-cracking and quick on the draw.

So I’d venture a guess that it’s unusual to have the villain and the love-interest be the same personality type in a Disney movie.  The protagonist maybe, but the love interest?  Well… especially a female love-interest.  But Hades and Megara are a good verbal match so it was a well played move.  Apparently whoever made Hercules likes their ENTPs.

Like most ENTPs, Hades is in love with himself.  I don’t consider this a villainous trait unless that love keeps you from loving other people too.  But hey, how *can* you love other people to the fullest if you don’t find sexy in the mirror?  That’s all I’m saying.

Perceiver villains are not the norm (poor INTJs esp) so when a P villain comes along you can usually either expect him to be really dumb or really epic.  Js act first, Ps watch first.  Sometimes this means that Ps aren’t in the game or make stupid mistakes… but sometimes it means that they’re reactive, observant and awesome.

Xanatos Speed Chess as explained in the TV Tropes link (my first TV Tropes link but certainly not the last), is watching and altering your existing plan on the fly and is played especially well by NPs, though I’m sure an adaptive enough J could pull it off with a different sort of grace (more likely an IJ, who acts based on principles, not the other way around can quickly see the larger picture in the moment).  The Dark Knight’s Joker embraces this with philosophy (INTP) and as a non-evil version, Po in Kung Fu Panda (ENFP) is excellent at adapting according to circumstance.  And obviously, the trope-namer David Xanatos (ENTP) from Disney’s Gargoyles showed the world how studly his speed chess could be.  ENTPs might not be the best planners, but we adapt in style.

Hades is not an incredible planner, but what he is is reactive; adaptive.  He waits, watches and observes, using understanding of the motivations and workings of his targets and poke them to the heart when necessary.  He understands why Megara is cynical, knows what Zeus won’t be watching for and, most of all, knows exactly how to get to Hercules.

After manipulating Hercules right where it hurts and finally getting him to give up his physical strength, something he knows from observation has made Hercules feel alone all his life, and then showing him that everyone Hercules believed knew him and believed in him really doesn’t, Hades says:
Hades: “Now you now how it feels to be like everyone else. Isn’t it just peachy?”

Even when you want to punch him for his creepy use of his people-reading, you can’t help but feel charmed by him… well I can’t. 😉

I hope this isn’t too much of a spoiler; he doesn’t win.  :O In a Disney movie?!  If you put two ENTPs at odds in a movie only one can come out on top (though it will be a war of style and banter) and usually it’ll be the one with the curves…

And so I leave you with Hades’s final words:
Hades: “What d’ya say?  It’s happy ending time.  Everybody’s got a little taste of somethin’ but me.  I got nothin’.  I’m – I’m here with nothin’.  Anybody listenin’?  It’s like I’m – What am I, an echo or something? Hello?  Hello?  Am I talking to, what, hyperspace?  Hello, it’s me.  Nobody listens.”