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sunnyskywalkerI've been griping a lot about this book lately, so it's time to look at some of the positive aspects instead. (I liked Chapter Six much better than the previous five!)
The pages of sabaac at the beginning of Chapter Five both frustrated and intrigued me. I felt like there was a lot going on, but that Wolverton was dragging it on much too long for something most readers wouldn't know how to follow. I wanted to know what he was talking about. So I did some research. And I grew more and more impressed with Wolverton's knowledge and attention to detail. (Why couldn't he apply that to more parts of the book?) This passage is so much fun when you have a better idea what it's all about. In a geeky way, of course. But isn't this Star Wars, and a book? Geekiness is the name of the game!
Now, I knew almost nothing about Tarot other than the little I'd heard about the Hanged Man and the Lightening-Struck Tower via Harry Potter discussions. So I'm not really able to judge how reliable my sources are. I've mainly used this site for reference, and much of my summary is paraphrased from there. If anyone knows of a better or more reliable site, let me know! I'm obviously a complete novice at interpreting the cards, too, so what follows is just my best guess. I'd love to hear other people's takes on it, especially if they are more knowledgeable than I.
Han starts with three cards in the dark suit: "the two of sabers, the Evil One, and the Idiot." I think "dark" does not mean "evil" in this game (regardless of Han's half-formed superstition), but rather feminine energy, emotions, and inward focus. While this hand is somewhat relevant to Han, I think the cards are more for Leia. In a sense, Leia is the hand Han has been dealt.
The two of sabers is the two of swords, a minor arcana card which represents blocked or repressed emotions, avoiding truth, and stalemate. In the Rider-Waite deck, the two of swords shows a blindfolded woman crossing two swords over her chest. (Hmm...) Because it is minor arcana, it refers mainly to a specific situation. In this case, Leia is denying her true feelings for Han. She is avoiding thinking about whether Isolder (and his mother) might have motives besides their stated ones, what Hapan society is really like, and what marrying Isolder would actually mean. And she is trying not to have to choose yet.
The Evil One is the Devil, a major arcana card which represents bondage, materialism, ignorance, and hopelessness. The Rider-Waite Devil shows a man and a woman chained together at the Devil's feet. Because it is major arcana, it refers to a bigger issue than the two of swords. Leia is not just caving in on this one issue; she is allowing government officials, public opinion, and the needs of the New Republic to control her actions and emotions in general. She is not just impressed by Isolder's good looks; she is just generally confusing appearances for reality: she confuses Isolder's occasional use of "please" for a courteous nature, she confuses the outer beauty of Hapes and the Hapans for peace and justice and inner beauty, and she confuses just about everything Han says as boorishness rather than concern or hurt feelings. She is ignorant of the dark side of Hapan society, of the possible downsides to marrying Isolder, and her own feelings - and she's trying to stay that way. Though Leia doesn't seem to lack hope on the surface, I think she does feel that she has no choice and can't expect better. (This is one place where the card also applies very much to Han. He's sure losing hope quickly.) This isn't about one little mistake. These are major issues that will plague Leia if she doesn't acknowledge and work on them.
The third card is the Idiot, or the Fool, a major arcana card which represents beginnings, spontaneity, faith, and folly. Two of the Fool's opposing cards are the Devil and the two of swords. (Clever Wolverton! Now keep that up!) The Fool is the first card in the major arcana, and progressing through the arcana makes a narrative called the Fool's Journey. The Fool means there is something new or unexpected, and that there are many possibilities ahead. It's about doing something not in the plan or seizing the day. It's about having faith that life is good and everything will turn out fine. It's about listening to your heart and taking what looks like a crazy chance. (Getting off-topic, this is totally a Qui-Gon card.) I think this card applies equally to Han and Leia. Things are changing for him too, obviously, and he also needs to have faith after getting so down with Zsinj-hunting and Isolder's arrival. Leia has a big choice to make, and the opportunity to realize that she has always had more choices than she thought, which would be a major life change. She needs to learn to believe she can be happy rather than just a dutiful servant of the New Republic, and she needs to listen to her heart and do the crazy thing by marrying the scoundrel instead of the prince.
This is "a weak hand in the dark suit." Forget numerically - it means Leia has some major emotional struggles going on. She's going to have difficulty dealing with the other two cards and following the Fool. Han has "won the last several pots by playing the light arcana," which probably means he is not very good at dealing with these emotional issues either, and has been more successful dealing with Leia's (and his) actions rather than emotions. I don't need much convincing to believe that.
Next comes the Columi's hand: the Commander of Coins, the Commander of Flasks, and the Queen of Air and Darkness for the light side. I think the light side here means actions and masculine, outward energy rather than "goodness." So I'll look at Han for this hand.
The Commander of Coins is the King of Pentacles/Coins, a minor arcana court card, a card which represents enterprise, skill, reliability, and support. The King of Pentacles finds opportunities, succeeds at his goals, is handy and good with practical matters, is dependable and responsible, helps others, and is stable and calm. Han has always had some of these characteristics: he is good with his hands, finds a way out of every jam, and despite his professed cynicism, he always comes back to help his friends. In the movies, he became increasingly dependable, helpful, and responsible, finally becoming a general in the Rebellion. He's become even more like this by the beginning of this book: he's a general in an established government, and he's ready to settle down and marry Leia. He's still moody and sometimes rude, and he's still impulsive and not entirely reliable - but less so than he used to be, and he is much better at things like remembering anniversaries. This card is partly about who Han is, and partly about who he is trying to become.
The Commander of Flasks is the King of Cups, a minor arcana court card which represents wisdom, calmness, tolerance, diplomacy, and caring. This one is about understanding people and guiding them, staying calm, accepting others, helping others get along, and helping and healing others. Han has started to learn this - he gives thoughtful gifts now, for instance - but he still doesn't know how to say what he thinks without antagonizing people or how to keep from getting angry and upset so easily. He definitely has trouble seeing things from Isolder's or even Leia's point of view. I have issues with Luke's characterization in this book, but I think Wolverton meant Luke to be much like the King of Cups, someone who has qualities the other characters need and who can guide the others. Right now, Han isn't just physically separated from Luke; he is also spiritually separated from Luke, in that he does not have the qualities Luke has. (And Luke probably needs Han to help him get his feet back on the ground, at least in this book.) Isolder also seems calmer and more diplomatic than Han, but to a much lesser degree - he is a blend of both. The two kings complement each other, one having more practical knowledge and the other more spiritual wisdom (but both directed outward). It's like the pair of Han and Luke, or Han and Isolder - alike in some ways, but different and complementary in others. They all need to learn from each other.
This one was tricky to identify, but I think the Queen of Air and Darkness is the Moon, a major arcana card which represents fear, illusion, imagination, and bewilderment. The Moon can represent getting in touch with the unconscious or entertaining wild ideas - maybe Han getting in touch with his emotions. But it is also about anxieties and nameless dreads - like fearing Leia doesn't love him anymore, or his nightmare about the Empire as a many-headed beast in the fog. And it's about being lost and confused - Han isn't sure where he's going anymore, either fighting the Empire or in his relationship with Leia. And it's about self-deception and illusions. I'm not sure about the last with respect to Han, unless he was deceiving himself that the relationship was fine or that he wasn't doing much good against the Empire. This is a major arcana card, so it might indicate that such fears and bewilderment are a big issue for Han. He's been prone to pessimism and not knowing what he really wants since the first movie, and it's definitely believable that this is still a problem. A reinforcing card is the two of swords, one of Leia's cards. Her similar issues are reinforcing his, and vice-versa. It's an unhealthy cycle they need to break out of.
This is "nearly an unbeatable hand" for the light suit. Both kings have skill and wisdom of their own kinds, and are stable and helpful. The moon has its downsides, but also has the potential for some imaginative, wild ideas the King of Pentacles and the Fool could take advantage of. Han (and co.) has enough strengths that he is close to "winning"; he just needs to overcome a few things and get that extra point.
The dealer gives Omogg "Moderation, upside down," which is a Jedi in their deck. Moderation is Temperance, a card about balance, compromise, cooperation, health and healing, joining together, and synthesis. Again, I think this is Luke/qualities Luke has which the others lack. The card is upside down, meaning these qualities are blocked or lessened somehow. Literally, Luke is not there. Figuratively, Han, Leia, and pretty much everyone are having trouble finding balance and cooperation. In the game, the upside down position means that the points go toward the dark suit rather than the light, so maybe that means that these qualities would help overcome the negative aspects of the Devil and the two of swords, or that what the characters need is inner emotional balance (which they lack) rather than outward social harmony (which they have). Probably it means both. But Omogg discards it to avoid letting the dark suit win (not wanting to deal with the emotions?), so readers know the characters are going to get even more unbalanced. The middle of the book needs conflict, after all!
Now to the Gotal's hand. The Gotal is playing the dark suit, like Han. He already has the Queen of Air and Darkness, Balance, and Demise.
This Queen of Air and Darkness is probably for Leia, then. It reinforces the two of swords and adds fear and illusion to the mix. Leia has been deluding herself and repressing her true feelings, but now she is taking it to a much higher level. She's afraid of what she feels (Luke even said so), she's sticking her head ever deeper in the sand (assassins? nah, still no problems, and I think it might be love...), and she's lost her sense of self and her ideals (abandoning democracy will help democracy, really!). She's going to get even more lost and bewildered as the book goes on.
I'm not sure which card Balance is supposed to be. I've narrowed it down to the Wheel of Fortune or Justice. I'm inclined to say it's the Wheel of Fortune because balance is a big part of the wheel and there are better synonyms for Justice than Balance, but Justice is holding scales, so... I'll just list both. I think they both work, anyway. Again, if anyone knows more about this than I do, please let me know!
The Wheel of Fortune is a major arcana card about destiny, turning points, and movement. It's about accepting fate or experiencing a big change of direction. And it's about cycles and patterns and interconnectedness - all parts of the wheel are connected, and what was the top becomes the bottom, etc. (Cue "Circle of Life.") Leia (and the others, and the galaxy) is at a major turning point in her life. She's being pushed into an entirely different life than she had planned, and she can either go with it or make another reversal and take the unexpected, "foolish" choice. She needs to figure out which she is really meant to choose, probably, since Wolverton is laying the groundwork for lots of destiny stuff with Luke. Her personal life is connected to her ideals and her public, political life more than she knows or wants to admit, though the connections are being shoved in her face now, and all that is going to get connected to the witches-and-destiny stuff soon. Or rather, the witches and destiny will help her figure out the other issues. Zsinj ties the two plots together - warlords like him are influencing the New Republic officials to favor an alliance with Hapes (prompting Leia's inner journey), and Zsinj controls Dathomir (the outer journey). (Okay, that is actually very smart of Wolverton.)
Justice is a major arcana card which represents justice, decision, responsibility, and cause and effect. It's about doing what what is fair and right without bias, assuming responsibility for one's actions, examining all the evidence, and connecting the dots. And it's about truth. This card opposes the two of swords, one of Leia's first cards; she needs to embrace this card. Leia has been trying to dodge decision-making by not breaking up with Han or accepting Isolder's proposal and has been acting romantically toward both of them. She needs to decide. She has been ignoring any evidence that makes Hapes or Isolder or the marriage plan look suspect because of her feelings, and she needs to think about things impartially. She has been treating Han pretty badly, and has been slowly betraying her ideals, but doesn't want to accept the consequences of that.
Maybe Wolverton was trying to avoid deciding between the Wheel and Justice, and picked Balance as something that could be either. Tricky man.
Demise is death, a major arcana card representing ending, transition, elimination, and inexorable forces. Leia is ending a major stage in her life, and I don't just mean that she's going to stop being unmarried soon. I think it's about going from being dominated by the Devil, the Moon, and the two of swords to embracing the Wheel or Justice and the Fool. It's about getting back in touch with her ideals, rekindling her love for Han, and learning to look more at essentials than at the pretty exterior. And since Wolverton/Fate has decreed that Han/Leia shall be the pairing, it's about accepting that fate ;-)
The Gotal gets the seven of staves. This is the seven of wands, a minor arcana card representing aggression, defiance, and conviction. This card is about taking what you want, shooting first ;-), defying outside pressures, standing firm on your convictions, and knowing what you want and that you are right. This card could help Leia combat her fears, uncertainties, and self-delusions - i.e., it could win the game for the dark hand. But the Gotal discards it, just as Leia has discarded her firm convictions and defiance. So we know things are going to get worse before they get better and the book is going to be a lot longer. It might be significant that the Gotal discards the seven because he doesn't want Han to win. The downside to this card is that it can represent over-combativeness, and Leia has already had some pretty silly arguments with Han because she wanted to make him see her point of view, to "win," rather than to discuss and understand. They've always been like that with each other. So this card shows both what Leia needs and what she needs to work on.
Han thinks he needs an Idiot's Array to win. It takes a creative approach, requiring an Idiot (0), a two, and a three rather than cards that add up to twenty-three. But instead of this Fool-centric hand, Han gets Endurance, which makes a natural sabaac. Endurance is Strength, which represents perseverance, endurance, strength, patience, compassion, persuasion, and influence. It's about not letting setbacks get to you, staying the course, maintaining composure, tolerating and forgiving, guiding indirectly, and being strong through things like persuasion and love rather than through force. I think it's important that Han did not get a sabaac with the Idiot's Array. Leia already has the Fool, and winning with a Fool-centric hand might be too much Fool's influence. She already takes unexpected paths and crazy chances; she needs to reconnect with that, not go overboard with it. To put it more concretely, she knows how to seize the moment and fall in love with the scoundrel, but she doesn't know how to stay in love or maintain a long-term relationship. What she really needs is stamina, the resolve to stick with those unexpected paths once she's taken them, and to learn to temper her strength with patience and understanding. Han needs this too, I think, and so it's appropriate that this is his winning hand. His hand and Leia's reinforced each other negatively earlier, so if one of them breaks the cycle, it might help the other too.
Like with the Endurance card, all of "Leia's" hands probably apply to Han too. He's stronger in the light suit/actions/outward focus aspects, but weak in the dark suit/emotions/inward focus. He doesn't seem as indecisive as Leia, but he hadn't asked her to marry him until Isolder showed up, so maybe he isn't that different from her after all. And he's also been growing pessimistic, afraid, and lost lately. Likewise, Leia is better at dealing with actions and the outside world than with her emotions. Both of them lack Temperance. So both of them have similar issues and need to "win" with that Endurace card.
Interestingly, this is not the last round of the game. There's one more. We don't know the details, just that Han wins. Maybe that's Wolverton's way of saying that even after this book is resolved, it isn't the end; there's always another adventure, and our heroes will come out on top somehow. Hey, it was true until lately...
The pages of sabaac at the beginning of Chapter Five both frustrated and intrigued me. I felt like there was a lot going on, but that Wolverton was dragging it on much too long for something most readers wouldn't know how to follow. I wanted to know what he was talking about. So I did some research. And I grew more and more impressed with Wolverton's knowledge and attention to detail. (Why couldn't he apply that to more parts of the book?) This passage is so much fun when you have a better idea what it's all about. In a geeky way, of course. But isn't this Star Wars, and a book? Geekiness is the name of the game!
Now, I knew almost nothing about Tarot other than the little I'd heard about the Hanged Man and the Lightening-Struck Tower via Harry Potter discussions. So I'm not really able to judge how reliable my sources are. I've mainly used this site for reference, and much of my summary is paraphrased from there. If anyone knows of a better or more reliable site, let me know! I'm obviously a complete novice at interpreting the cards, too, so what follows is just my best guess. I'd love to hear other people's takes on it, especially if they are more knowledgeable than I.
Han starts with three cards in the dark suit: "the two of sabers, the Evil One, and the Idiot." I think "dark" does not mean "evil" in this game (regardless of Han's half-formed superstition), but rather feminine energy, emotions, and inward focus. While this hand is somewhat relevant to Han, I think the cards are more for Leia. In a sense, Leia is the hand Han has been dealt.
The two of sabers is the two of swords, a minor arcana card which represents blocked or repressed emotions, avoiding truth, and stalemate. In the Rider-Waite deck, the two of swords shows a blindfolded woman crossing two swords over her chest. (Hmm...) Because it is minor arcana, it refers mainly to a specific situation. In this case, Leia is denying her true feelings for Han. She is avoiding thinking about whether Isolder (and his mother) might have motives besides their stated ones, what Hapan society is really like, and what marrying Isolder would actually mean. And she is trying not to have to choose yet.
The Evil One is the Devil, a major arcana card which represents bondage, materialism, ignorance, and hopelessness. The Rider-Waite Devil shows a man and a woman chained together at the Devil's feet. Because it is major arcana, it refers to a bigger issue than the two of swords. Leia is not just caving in on this one issue; she is allowing government officials, public opinion, and the needs of the New Republic to control her actions and emotions in general. She is not just impressed by Isolder's good looks; she is just generally confusing appearances for reality: she confuses Isolder's occasional use of "please" for a courteous nature, she confuses the outer beauty of Hapes and the Hapans for peace and justice and inner beauty, and she confuses just about everything Han says as boorishness rather than concern or hurt feelings. She is ignorant of the dark side of Hapan society, of the possible downsides to marrying Isolder, and her own feelings - and she's trying to stay that way. Though Leia doesn't seem to lack hope on the surface, I think she does feel that she has no choice and can't expect better. (This is one place where the card also applies very much to Han. He's sure losing hope quickly.) This isn't about one little mistake. These are major issues that will plague Leia if she doesn't acknowledge and work on them.
The third card is the Idiot, or the Fool, a major arcana card which represents beginnings, spontaneity, faith, and folly. Two of the Fool's opposing cards are the Devil and the two of swords. (Clever Wolverton! Now keep that up!) The Fool is the first card in the major arcana, and progressing through the arcana makes a narrative called the Fool's Journey. The Fool means there is something new or unexpected, and that there are many possibilities ahead. It's about doing something not in the plan or seizing the day. It's about having faith that life is good and everything will turn out fine. It's about listening to your heart and taking what looks like a crazy chance. (Getting off-topic, this is totally a Qui-Gon card.) I think this card applies equally to Han and Leia. Things are changing for him too, obviously, and he also needs to have faith after getting so down with Zsinj-hunting and Isolder's arrival. Leia has a big choice to make, and the opportunity to realize that she has always had more choices than she thought, which would be a major life change. She needs to learn to believe she can be happy rather than just a dutiful servant of the New Republic, and she needs to listen to her heart and do the crazy thing by marrying the scoundrel instead of the prince.
This is "a weak hand in the dark suit." Forget numerically - it means Leia has some major emotional struggles going on. She's going to have difficulty dealing with the other two cards and following the Fool. Han has "won the last several pots by playing the light arcana," which probably means he is not very good at dealing with these emotional issues either, and has been more successful dealing with Leia's (and his) actions rather than emotions. I don't need much convincing to believe that.
Next comes the Columi's hand: the Commander of Coins, the Commander of Flasks, and the Queen of Air and Darkness for the light side. I think the light side here means actions and masculine, outward energy rather than "goodness." So I'll look at Han for this hand.
The Commander of Coins is the King of Pentacles/Coins, a minor arcana court card, a card which represents enterprise, skill, reliability, and support. The King of Pentacles finds opportunities, succeeds at his goals, is handy and good with practical matters, is dependable and responsible, helps others, and is stable and calm. Han has always had some of these characteristics: he is good with his hands, finds a way out of every jam, and despite his professed cynicism, he always comes back to help his friends. In the movies, he became increasingly dependable, helpful, and responsible, finally becoming a general in the Rebellion. He's become even more like this by the beginning of this book: he's a general in an established government, and he's ready to settle down and marry Leia. He's still moody and sometimes rude, and he's still impulsive and not entirely reliable - but less so than he used to be, and he is much better at things like remembering anniversaries. This card is partly about who Han is, and partly about who he is trying to become.
The Commander of Flasks is the King of Cups, a minor arcana court card which represents wisdom, calmness, tolerance, diplomacy, and caring. This one is about understanding people and guiding them, staying calm, accepting others, helping others get along, and helping and healing others. Han has started to learn this - he gives thoughtful gifts now, for instance - but he still doesn't know how to say what he thinks without antagonizing people or how to keep from getting angry and upset so easily. He definitely has trouble seeing things from Isolder's or even Leia's point of view. I have issues with Luke's characterization in this book, but I think Wolverton meant Luke to be much like the King of Cups, someone who has qualities the other characters need and who can guide the others. Right now, Han isn't just physically separated from Luke; he is also spiritually separated from Luke, in that he does not have the qualities Luke has. (And Luke probably needs Han to help him get his feet back on the ground, at least in this book.) Isolder also seems calmer and more diplomatic than Han, but to a much lesser degree - he is a blend of both. The two kings complement each other, one having more practical knowledge and the other more spiritual wisdom (but both directed outward). It's like the pair of Han and Luke, or Han and Isolder - alike in some ways, but different and complementary in others. They all need to learn from each other.
This one was tricky to identify, but I think the Queen of Air and Darkness is the Moon, a major arcana card which represents fear, illusion, imagination, and bewilderment. The Moon can represent getting in touch with the unconscious or entertaining wild ideas - maybe Han getting in touch with his emotions. But it is also about anxieties and nameless dreads - like fearing Leia doesn't love him anymore, or his nightmare about the Empire as a many-headed beast in the fog. And it's about being lost and confused - Han isn't sure where he's going anymore, either fighting the Empire or in his relationship with Leia. And it's about self-deception and illusions. I'm not sure about the last with respect to Han, unless he was deceiving himself that the relationship was fine or that he wasn't doing much good against the Empire. This is a major arcana card, so it might indicate that such fears and bewilderment are a big issue for Han. He's been prone to pessimism and not knowing what he really wants since the first movie, and it's definitely believable that this is still a problem. A reinforcing card is the two of swords, one of Leia's cards. Her similar issues are reinforcing his, and vice-versa. It's an unhealthy cycle they need to break out of.
This is "nearly an unbeatable hand" for the light suit. Both kings have skill and wisdom of their own kinds, and are stable and helpful. The moon has its downsides, but also has the potential for some imaginative, wild ideas the King of Pentacles and the Fool could take advantage of. Han (and co.) has enough strengths that he is close to "winning"; he just needs to overcome a few things and get that extra point.
The dealer gives Omogg "Moderation, upside down," which is a Jedi in their deck. Moderation is Temperance, a card about balance, compromise, cooperation, health and healing, joining together, and synthesis. Again, I think this is Luke/qualities Luke has which the others lack. The card is upside down, meaning these qualities are blocked or lessened somehow. Literally, Luke is not there. Figuratively, Han, Leia, and pretty much everyone are having trouble finding balance and cooperation. In the game, the upside down position means that the points go toward the dark suit rather than the light, so maybe that means that these qualities would help overcome the negative aspects of the Devil and the two of swords, or that what the characters need is inner emotional balance (which they lack) rather than outward social harmony (which they have). Probably it means both. But Omogg discards it to avoid letting the dark suit win (not wanting to deal with the emotions?), so readers know the characters are going to get even more unbalanced. The middle of the book needs conflict, after all!
Now to the Gotal's hand. The Gotal is playing the dark suit, like Han. He already has the Queen of Air and Darkness, Balance, and Demise.
This Queen of Air and Darkness is probably for Leia, then. It reinforces the two of swords and adds fear and illusion to the mix. Leia has been deluding herself and repressing her true feelings, but now she is taking it to a much higher level. She's afraid of what she feels (Luke even said so), she's sticking her head ever deeper in the sand (assassins? nah, still no problems, and I think it might be love...), and she's lost her sense of self and her ideals (abandoning democracy will help democracy, really!). She's going to get even more lost and bewildered as the book goes on.
I'm not sure which card Balance is supposed to be. I've narrowed it down to the Wheel of Fortune or Justice. I'm inclined to say it's the Wheel of Fortune because balance is a big part of the wheel and there are better synonyms for Justice than Balance, but Justice is holding scales, so... I'll just list both. I think they both work, anyway. Again, if anyone knows more about this than I do, please let me know!
The Wheel of Fortune is a major arcana card about destiny, turning points, and movement. It's about accepting fate or experiencing a big change of direction. And it's about cycles and patterns and interconnectedness - all parts of the wheel are connected, and what was the top becomes the bottom, etc. (Cue "Circle of Life.") Leia (and the others, and the galaxy) is at a major turning point in her life. She's being pushed into an entirely different life than she had planned, and she can either go with it or make another reversal and take the unexpected, "foolish" choice. She needs to figure out which she is really meant to choose, probably, since Wolverton is laying the groundwork for lots of destiny stuff with Luke. Her personal life is connected to her ideals and her public, political life more than she knows or wants to admit, though the connections are being shoved in her face now, and all that is going to get connected to the witches-and-destiny stuff soon. Or rather, the witches and destiny will help her figure out the other issues. Zsinj ties the two plots together - warlords like him are influencing the New Republic officials to favor an alliance with Hapes (prompting Leia's inner journey), and Zsinj controls Dathomir (the outer journey). (Okay, that is actually very smart of Wolverton.)
Justice is a major arcana card which represents justice, decision, responsibility, and cause and effect. It's about doing what what is fair and right without bias, assuming responsibility for one's actions, examining all the evidence, and connecting the dots. And it's about truth. This card opposes the two of swords, one of Leia's first cards; she needs to embrace this card. Leia has been trying to dodge decision-making by not breaking up with Han or accepting Isolder's proposal and has been acting romantically toward both of them. She needs to decide. She has been ignoring any evidence that makes Hapes or Isolder or the marriage plan look suspect because of her feelings, and she needs to think about things impartially. She has been treating Han pretty badly, and has been slowly betraying her ideals, but doesn't want to accept the consequences of that.
Maybe Wolverton was trying to avoid deciding between the Wheel and Justice, and picked Balance as something that could be either. Tricky man.
Demise is death, a major arcana card representing ending, transition, elimination, and inexorable forces. Leia is ending a major stage in her life, and I don't just mean that she's going to stop being unmarried soon. I think it's about going from being dominated by the Devil, the Moon, and the two of swords to embracing the Wheel or Justice and the Fool. It's about getting back in touch with her ideals, rekindling her love for Han, and learning to look more at essentials than at the pretty exterior. And since Wolverton/Fate has decreed that Han/Leia shall be the pairing, it's about accepting that fate ;-)
The Gotal gets the seven of staves. This is the seven of wands, a minor arcana card representing aggression, defiance, and conviction. This card is about taking what you want, shooting first ;-), defying outside pressures, standing firm on your convictions, and knowing what you want and that you are right. This card could help Leia combat her fears, uncertainties, and self-delusions - i.e., it could win the game for the dark hand. But the Gotal discards it, just as Leia has discarded her firm convictions and defiance. So we know things are going to get worse before they get better and the book is going to be a lot longer. It might be significant that the Gotal discards the seven because he doesn't want Han to win. The downside to this card is that it can represent over-combativeness, and Leia has already had some pretty silly arguments with Han because she wanted to make him see her point of view, to "win," rather than to discuss and understand. They've always been like that with each other. So this card shows both what Leia needs and what she needs to work on.
Han thinks he needs an Idiot's Array to win. It takes a creative approach, requiring an Idiot (0), a two, and a three rather than cards that add up to twenty-three. But instead of this Fool-centric hand, Han gets Endurance, which makes a natural sabaac. Endurance is Strength, which represents perseverance, endurance, strength, patience, compassion, persuasion, and influence. It's about not letting setbacks get to you, staying the course, maintaining composure, tolerating and forgiving, guiding indirectly, and being strong through things like persuasion and love rather than through force. I think it's important that Han did not get a sabaac with the Idiot's Array. Leia already has the Fool, and winning with a Fool-centric hand might be too much Fool's influence. She already takes unexpected paths and crazy chances; she needs to reconnect with that, not go overboard with it. To put it more concretely, she knows how to seize the moment and fall in love with the scoundrel, but she doesn't know how to stay in love or maintain a long-term relationship. What she really needs is stamina, the resolve to stick with those unexpected paths once she's taken them, and to learn to temper her strength with patience and understanding. Han needs this too, I think, and so it's appropriate that this is his winning hand. His hand and Leia's reinforced each other negatively earlier, so if one of them breaks the cycle, it might help the other too.
Like with the Endurance card, all of "Leia's" hands probably apply to Han too. He's stronger in the light suit/actions/outward focus aspects, but weak in the dark suit/emotions/inward focus. He doesn't seem as indecisive as Leia, but he hadn't asked her to marry him until Isolder showed up, so maybe he isn't that different from her after all. And he's also been growing pessimistic, afraid, and lost lately. Likewise, Leia is better at dealing with actions and the outside world than with her emotions. Both of them lack Temperance. So both of them have similar issues and need to "win" with that Endurace card.
Interestingly, this is not the last round of the game. There's one more. We don't know the details, just that Han wins. Maybe that's Wolverton's way of saying that even after this book is resolved, it isn't the end; there's always another adventure, and our heroes will come out on top somehow. Hey, it was true until lately...
Tarot was actually created for card games!
Date: 2006-10-27 12:07 am (UTC)If you like tarot cards and games then go to Google and search "jeu de tarot" or "tarock"
Re: Tarot was actually created for card games!
Date: 2006-10-29 10:00 pm (UTC)