Mystical wanderers,,,,hello. I, Troy Parrott, Tarot Pro, am continuing our journey through and exploration of the Tarot. In this series, we are examining each card of the Major Arcana, using a special North London themed deck of my own design. What do the cards hold in store for your future?

Today, we move on to Card IV: The Emperor.

IV — The Emperor

Upright

Authority, establishment, father figure

Inverted

Childishness, temper, petulance, domination, excessive discipline

The Emperor. He rules over all he surveys. See him on his throne, the scepter of his office in his right hand, the talisman of his victories in his left. There’s very little subtlety in the interpretations of this card. The Emperor is authority. He is your dad, back when you looked at your father with awe and wonder. He wears robes of crimson, and sits in front of mountains, representing the strength of his position and the immutability of his leadership. He is protector, ruler, and guide. He’s wearing ARMOR, ferchrissakes, who does that? Winners do, that’s who. Look at that goddamn crown.

The Emperor, upright, is a fair ruler. Yes, there are rules, but they are understood by all under his leadership, and those below know the consequences for breaking them. He is respected because he has experience, wisdom, knowledge, and above all, victories. He is the embodiment of #winning. Who can doubt it? That wealth of gravitas can also lead to a somewhat... prickly personality, but the upright Emperor is also capable of great warmth to those whom he favors.

You can probably guess what happens when the Emperor appears upside down — the rule is out of balance. Perhaps the Emperor suddenly becomes cruel for no reason. Perhaps the once-vaunted subject is subjected to harsh, even cruel, criticism for seemingly little reason. Relationships can spiral out of control. The inverted Emperor has suffered setbacks for whatever reason, and now abuses his power for selfish reasons. Why is that midfielder in the reserves? Why did the Emperor lose the throne room? Why is Dad so angry all of a sudden, and why did it happen in the third year of his rule? Maybe he’s not so special after all.

The Emperor is a card that directly deals with the idea of authority and power. If you draw this card, know that it can reflect on you personally — if you are in a position of power yourself — but can also shed a spotlight on your reaction to those who are in authority. Has the Emperor appeared in your spread? What can it tell you about how you view those who lead, perhaps when you yourself are merely an observer with no direct effect on how that leadership manifests?

Come back tomorrow and we shall discuss the next card in the Tottenham Hotspur Tarot.