If you’re going to be traveling around the world and killing some of the most difficult people in the world to get near, like Villanelle, then you’re going to need some lethal skills, a plan, and a whole mess of gumption. If you’re planning to carry out all those international assassinations with an intelligent, perceptive, and obsessive MI5 agent, like Eve, tracking your every move feverishly, then you’re going to need all of that and a truck-full of luck.
How do these two strong and capable women keep their cool under the immense pressure placed on them by work and each other? Let’s find out by discussing their Myers-Briggs types. Spoilers for season one ahead.
Bill Pargrave: The Virtuoso - ISTP
Bill Pargrave has worked long and hard for MI5 both in and out of the field. He is intelligent, quiet, and frankly, getting a little too old to deal with all this nonsense. The one saving grace in Bill’s life is, ironically, his work. When it’s not being interrupted by bureaucrats (or Eve), that is. Bill is at his very best when he is alone, has a task or goal in front of him, and has the freedom to accomplish that goal however he chooses to do so. But what else can you expect from a man so high up the government ladder? One thing is for sure, Bill certainly died doing what he loved.
Nico Polastri: The Consul - ESFJ
Nico Polastri is intelligent, compassionate, understanding, and perhaps most of all, reliable. Nico is the backup that Eve can call when she has nothing else. He is constantly there to support her work, which he typically finds morose, much like Eve’s dark sense of humor. The relationship Nico and Eve sharing is very loving, respectful, and mature.
They talk about everything together, whether or not Eve is “technically” allowed to speak on the subjects outside of work. By the end of season 1, we can see just how used to Nico’s presence and support Eve is, but if the first season has taught us anything it’s that Eve’s life is about to change massively. And it may cost her those closest to her.
Elena Felton: The Architect - INTJ
Elena is the kind of person that has her whole life, and certainly, her career mapped out in a series of short term goals, leading to bigger goals, which eventually lead to her becoming a bonafide spy. While she hasn't had many people willing to take her side and fight with her for her goal like Eve has, she is immediately willing to quit her path towards her dream career when a better option becomes available. An option that gets her in very close quarters with her hero, another powerful woman in Killing Eve, Carolyn Martens. Elena may seem like just another desk worker, but anyone looking close enough, like Eve has a habit of doing, will see much, much more.
Konstantin Vasiliev: The Protagonist - ENFJ
It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the world who could possibly be capable of handling Villanelle for as long as Konstantin seems to have been able to. Konstantin is constantly trying to balance the needs of the assignment and his employers with Villanelle’s temperament and affinity and passion for violent and bloody ends.
Konstantin alone, perhaps with the exclusion of Villanelle herself, is the only person on the board playing every single side. He is energetic, charismatic, and a brilliant tactician capable of manipulating many moving pieces at once. Villanelle may be his queen but without proper attention, she’ll end up putting him in checkmate herself. We’ll likely see Konstantin return for season 2, hopefully, slightly more cautious than when we last saw him.
Kenny Stowton: The Logician - INTP
Kenny is a typical introverted gamer and computer nerd. His social skills may not be at their peak, which uniquely qualifies him to be locked up alone in the dingy, dank, office of a government-sanctioned conspiracy theorist. Kenny is also earnest and straight to the point. He’s not one to waste time beating around the bush and relies mostly on numbers, hard facts, and anything he can find on a computer to drive his investigations. Kenny may not be the agent to send when there’s sophisticated fieldwork, involving charisma, manipulation, and grace, but he’ll get you any information you need to know when it counts. A man in the chair if there ever was one.
Carolyn Martens: The Commander - ENTJ
Carolyn Martens is a woman who the knowledge and experience to intimidate nearly anyone seated opposite her. She is a highly trained, incredibly intelligent, poised, and powerful woman who has absolutely no reservations when it comes to wielding that power.
Regardless of whether or not that power happens to stretch the limits of what one might consider “legal”. Carolyn is capable of identifying and drawing out the potential of her subordinates, as we see when she plucks Eve out of relative obscurity and gives her the chance to spread her wings and grow as an agent.
Villanelle: The Entertainer - ESFP
Villanelle is reckless, petty, violent, and impulsive. But she’s also brilliant, capable, charismatic, and seemingly always several steps ahead of anyone who is even aware of her existence. Villanelle enjoys the finer things in life. From fine garments and food to travel and lodging, Villanelle spares no expense when it comes to self-care. Or caring for those she loves. Towards the end of season one, Villanelle points out that Eve has seemingly lost everything due to her obsession, but at least she got some nice clothes out of the deal. Long-winded master plans may not be her strong suit, but Villanelle is more than capable of working her way out of just about any situation.
Eve Polastri: The Debater - ENTP
Much like many of the other women on that surround her, Eve is very extroverted. Always thinking out loud and surrounding herself with people whom she knows she can bounce ideas off of, whether that be her husband, her former boss, or the assassin she’s chasing. Eve is very quick-witted and the only thing that seems to work faster than her brilliant mind is her mouth. Eve needs her thoughts and word to manifest in the real world, which means she spends much of her time talking out her theories with anyone who will listen. Even if it’s just herself.