A Breakdown of Vision from Marvel: Taking Care of the ISTJ in Your Life

Vision: ISTJ

I love Marvel. I have had multiple Marvel movie marathons in the span of their cinematic lifetime, and I absolutely love keeping up with the shows. I was never into the comics, so I’m not as die-hard as some fans, but from a writer’s perspective, I think they do a great job with characters and story arcs.

I’m a Captain America girl all the way, and have of course been digging the Scarlet Witch arc. But one character that I didn’t expect to like so much was Vision.

He’s so unassuming, yet grounded (for an AI robot). He’s loyal, calm, and practical. He has a clear sense of duty, whether it’s to the Avengers, Tony Stark, or eventually Wanda. He can be stubborn, and too “by the book” sometimes, but his commitment to the ones he cares about always wins out at the end.

For anyone unfamiliar with Marvel, Vision is a character that Tony Stark, with the help of other Avengers, created in order to protect the planet. He is essentially a robot with artificial intelligence, who grows very human throughout the films.

More importantly for my purposes, Vision is also an ISTJ, also known as the Logistician or the Inspector.

How to spot an ISTJ

Chances are you know a few of them in your life. They bring a lot of groundedness and stability to those around them, despite their tendency toward hardheadedness. They are usually calm and quiet and like to keep to themselves. Yet, they feel happiest with a few close-knit people around them.

ISTJs either love the rules or are very rebellious of the rules. It’s more like once they determine what rules they agree with, those rules and the authority that enforces or provides them are law. They will follow these rules to a fault. However, particularly younger ISTJs can question authority a lot to figure out what most makes sense to them. They are very practical people.

Vision showcases these traits in Civil War when the team is divided by the Sokovia Accords and how much government interference will preside over them.

Vision says he is “on the side of life,” which makes practical sense to him. He is a robot with a literal code preset in his artificial genetic makeup. He cannot waver from this, and it makes logical sense to him that the Sokovia Accords would protect life after seeing the damage caused with Ultron.

Another reason I think he chose this side is because it’s the side Tony Stark took. ISTJs are incredibly loyal, standing by those they care about no matter what. It would make sense why he would stand by the side of the man who is essentially his father.

If you’re trying to figure out who in your life may be an ISTJ, look for the quiet loyal ones who have a propensity to stick to the rules, traditions, or some higher authority.

How to nurture an ISTJ

But from others, I think their most important needs are commitment, loyalty, and consistency. Wanda provided all these and more.

They were among the first Avengers to live on the Avenger’s compound. So, there is already a lot of consistency. WandaVision shows more about how they spent their time together. They did chores together, were considerate and helpful to one another, and seemed to have developed a routine. ISTJs thrive with all of this.

Wanda was also very clear about her boundaries. For example, she had to teach him to knock before entering her room and not just phase through the wall. Vision was a brand new being still learning how to be a part of this world. He needed structure, but I also think he greatly liked learning the rules because then he knew how to better navigate the social world.

ISTJs thrive best when they know what to expect. Spontaneous people may definitely be fun to them, but at the end of the day they really appreciate consistency.

The best way to care for the ISTJ in your life is to just show up and follow through. Whatever you say you will do for them, do it. Their relationship needs are simple: be honest, dedicated, and respectful. They don’t need much more than that.

Digging deeper

If you’re lucky enough to have an ISTJ as a friend or loved one, know that you have someone who is committed and loyal to you, and they expect the same. You will definitely have to deal with their stubbornness, but know that when it matters they will still be there for you no matter what.

There are things I love about the ISTJ personality type – they are calm, stable, steady, cautious, and conventional.

I have an uncle who is an ISTJ, and my best friend’s husband (who I’m also friends with) is one as well. They are abundant, but I’m glad for it. We need people like them in the world to be the ones who simply follow through and uphold values.

My uncle is very supportive to his family and others he cares about. When his brother was struggling with addiction and relocated to a far city, my uncle drove to him every week to check in on him, even though he didn’t agree with his life choices. He may not be the most open-minded, but when it counts he’s one of the people that always shows up.

Similarly, after the Avengers fought each other in Civil War, Vision realized greater than his commitment to the Sokovia Accords or to Tony Stark was Wanda, the one he cared about the most. These types don’t change their minds easily, but they often have the right priorities.

ISTJs are not an overly emotional type, nor do they do well with other people’s emotions. Like Vision, when it comes to feelings, they can seem like robots. It’s not that they’re mean or trying to be rude, but they are typically not the most tactful. They’re not the ones who are best at reading a room or understanding the emotions another person is going through.

However, ISTJs often make great parents and partners. They really believe in upholding their values, and family is usually high on their list. While visiting my best friend recently, I saw her husband interact with their son. He’s attentive, calm, and patient. Even though his two year old son was crying and not wanting to eat, he talked to him in a very rational way that I could tell soothed his son. Once his son had calmed, he engaged in real play with him, the kind that I don’t see from all parents. It was refreshing.

I think Vision was a great partner to Wanda, just like I think all healthy ISTJs make great partners. Vision was loyal, dedicated, and a team-player who stuck to the ones he loved. I’m glad there are plenty of people who have his personality type in this world.