FNV Characters Through The Lens Of Tarot Archetypes - Part 1 (for real this time)
soooo. it's been two years. and i finally managed to finish descriptions for 7 cards to put into a single post, as i had wanted to do originally. here are the old notes for what this post was supposed to be, edited for relevancy:
i've shortly covered The Fool and The World in this post, the former in more detail, so i will likely try to do 3 parts with 7 Major Arcana in each (so 21 in total, excluding The Fool). also it's to be noted that this is not "fnv characters as major arcana", mostly because i connect a character with an archetype while highlighting specific aspects of both, as there obviously can never be a perfect match. that being said i do have a lot of thoughts about the concept of a full fnv-themed tarot deck bouncing around in my brain (mostly bc the official fo4 tarot deck sucks BIG time in terms of character to card relevancy and even BIGGER time in terms of any actual symbolism (as in there is zero))
also: this will be based off of the most commonly known Waite tarot, partially because i think Al*ster Cr*wley was a dick and partially because i genuinely do not have the energy to explain to myself and everyone here the metric tons of symbolism the Thoth tarot has to yall
anyway let's get into this
I - The Magician - Arcade Gannon
This seems to be a universal conclusion among all the people even remotely interested in combining fallout and tarot, and i honestly agree! The Magician, above all else, is about creation and knowledge - inquisitive, motivated and competent, in his upright position he moves towards his goals with certainty and enthusiasm, always exploring the new and incorporating it into his framework of operations. There are two limiting factors, however, which can hinder his journey - doubt and pride, as demonstrated in his reversed position. Both of these can be seen in Arcade in very different contexts, for he is doubtful about his abilities and endeavors, but takes great pride in his ideals and beliefs, which sometimes can be quite a negative. This is best demonstrated by two moments in dialogue with him that both occur in your first meeting in the Fort - his attitude towards his research vs. his thoughts on what future is best for New Vegas and surrounding territories. He's very explicitly characterised as an idealist (and i almost wish that side of him had been explored a bit more in terms of how the courier engages with it), yet one who's not confident in himself at all and often prefers a more passive approach within his community. With this, he possesses not only The Magician's strengths, but also his weaknesses and struggles, making him more than fit to be represented by this archetype.
II - The High Priestess / The Papess - Chrisrine Royce
Here is where things get more complicated. I've thought about The High Priestess for a long time, both separately in conjunction with The Hierophant, as these two cards are connected in much the same way as The Empress and The Emperor. While the latter pair represents all things earthly in their mundane reality human passion (more on them below), the former are more focused on "the above": the arcane knowledge, the subconscious, the unknown. As such, who better to represent those aspects than the Brotherhood? As The Hierophant's counterpart, The High Priestess represents knowledge itself as the ultimate goal, rather than the dogmas and laws stemming from that knowledge. In her upright position, this resonates with Christine's already strikingly vast knowledge of various technology both known to the Brotherhood and not, which is only broadened by her visit to the Big Empty and eventual residence in the Sierra Madre. At the same time, the reasons that led her there resonate much more with the reversed High Priestess - one where her patience and attentiveness dissipates, leaving behind blinded judgement and subpar decision-making. Still, in her journey Christine manages to achieve closure and, in a way, a sort of peace as the 'warden' of the cursed casino. And I think it's there that she is fully realised as The High Priestess - knowing, subtle and mystical, yet inevitably static, almost as if suspended in time and space.
III - The Empress - Julie Farkas
As previously mentioned, The Empress serves as an earthly or "so below" counterpart to The High Priestess's "as above" aspect - she is strongly associated with giving life and the energy of creation, care and growth. She represents the archetype of the wise and loving mother, nurturing everything around her and utilizing knowledge hidden from others to further her pursuit of health and harmony These qualities in her upright position correspond to Julie's natural proclivity to help the people around her, be it by medical treatment, organizing and managing relief efforts, or researching long-term solutions to existing hindrances to her efforts. She's much more educated than many people of Freeside, and this only further motivates her to apply her knowledge in altruistic endeavors and, when possible, share it with others. That being said, The Empress can still be susceptible to the woes and difficulties of everyday life, and her faith in her ability to bring joy and life into the world can falter when there are many obstacles ahead. We see these reversed position qualities in Julie when she talks about the situation in Freeside as it is when the player visits her for the first time - stressed and overwhelmed by the lack of supplies, the stream of patients, as well as the tension between locals and arrivals from the NCR, she can't help but openly lament the state of things to whoever lends an ear. It's all the more revitalizing to her, however, when she's able to work together with the people around her and see the fruits of her labor.
IV - The Emperor - The King
I assume there's little surprise to why i chose to pair up these two - The Emperor in his upright position is a just and level-headed leader, establishing laws necessary to better the lives of people around him, always grounded in reality when it comes to expectations and maintaining the system he is in charge of. You may ask: but isn't The King striving for people to have the freedom to do what they desire, for each man to be a king of his own? And you are, of course, right, but this philosophy doesn't discount the actions he takes to de-facto rule Freeside. He rewards those who help the community (e.g. sending his men to reward the Courier with supplies if they have a positive reputation) and punishes those who exploit it (e.g. the investigation and subsequent disappearing of Orris the conman bodyguard). That being said, however, The King is no perfect man, and is susceptible to qualities often associated with The Emperor reversed - hesitant, indecisive and vulnerable to being manipulated, he's blind to the lies laid before him by his most trusted subordinate, which renders him borderline inadequate when it comes to resolving the conflict between the locals and the NCR citizens peacefully. Still, when confronted with the state of things, he's able to adjust to it instead of refusing to accept the facts laid out before him, therefore maintaining his status as an earned and deserved authority among his people - a King and an Emperor indeed.
V - The Hierophant / The Pope / The High Priest - Elder McNamara
Another Brotherhood member - like I said, his card is closely tied to The High Priestess, both associated with knowledge hidden from others. But where The Priestess seeks knowledge independently, rarely sharing it with others, in his upright position The Hierophant - originally meaning a person who brings other people into the presence of what is deemed holy and sacred - in his upright position aims to enlighten others under his care. That being said, however, he establishes a system even more rigid than that created by The Emperor, valuing dogmas and laws above everything else. As the elder of The Brotherhood's chapter, McNamara is quite literally a religious authority, upholding traditions that have existed for hundreds of years before him, passed down generation by generation. It makes sense, then, that The Hierophant's reversed qualities are reflected in his flaws - where some of the rules he enforces become distorted, straying from what they were meant to be, whereas others are sidestepped altogether. But McNamara's biggest mistake is, of course, clinging to self-isolation, even when it hurts his chapter - his devoted congregation. Driven by the fear of complete extermination by outside forces, he refuses to budge, even when directly confronted with the impending consequence of this continued stubbornness. Still, this does not render him incapable as a shepherd of his flock - all his actions are, at their core, fueled by his mission to keep his people and his teachings safe.
VI - The Lovers - Johnson and Ruby Nash
Now, you may think that this is an odd choice, given how little screentime they get in the game, and I admit that I had to dig into subtext and implications here quite a bit more than for the other characters. After some rumination, though, I still decided to go with these two to represent and be represented by what's often considered to be one of the most deceptively difficult to interpret of the Major Arcana. Despite its seemingly simple nature, The Lovers often speak less about romantic love as we know it and more about unity, balance and choice. They ask us: which decision should we make, and will we be able to do so confidently, leaving behind what we deem no longer needed for our life? I think the Nashes embody this upright meaning well - "through thick and thin", they stuck together for what we can surely assume to be many years, and their union seems to me a peaceful and fulfilling one. Whatever strife and turmoil they'd experienced, they'd overcome together, achieving a relatively calm and safe life many wastelanders are denied by their circumstance. That being said, it's very possible there's some disappointment hiding behind that peaceful existence - an unfulfilled ambition or a sense of having made the wrong choice in life that The Lovers reversed often represent. Johnson and Ruby have both lived a long life; it stands to reason they might have some regrets about the past, and we really can't be sure they've let go of them. Whether it is so or not, though, we can be sure both of them own up to the past choices they made and now make what they need of what they have, whatever it may be.
VII - The Chariot - ED-E
That's right - our favourite robot is here as well! Call me biased, of course, but I think ED-E fits into this archetype incredibly well. Drive, confidence and moving forward, whether literal or metaphorical, are key upright characteristics of The Chariot. This is a card of optimistic yet grounded determination, portraying someone on a clear path to their goal, unafraid of the obstacles that will no doubt meet them on the way. Of course, this can very easily be associated with ED-E's journey to Navarro - having traveled over two thousand miles when we find them, they bear the marks of their journey all over their frame, having persisted through the harsh wasteland. That being said, they're obviously not immune to circumstances beyond their control - in their case, the two .308 rounds from a raider sniper that rendered them non-functional and landed them on the counter of the Nash residence in Primm. Such sudden, uncompromising and seemingly unfixable problems are exactly what the reversed Chariot often represents - the charioteer kicked out of their seat, their chariot knocked over and stuck in a ditch. Still, not all is lost, and with a little help ED-E can get back in the air and - without further interference - eventually continue their journey (as is portrayed by their ending where the ED-E My Love quest is not completed)... or perhaps change their route altogether; after all, there's no shame in choosing a different destination while on the road.
thank you for reading this all the way through! i'd love to answer any additional questions or perhaps hear your own suggestions or takes on certain characters/cards if you have them <3
p.s. i happen to have an entire document describing what i imagine a whole new vegas-themed tarot deck to look like, each card of both major and minor arcana! it's been sitting in my drive for years now, and there's still some stuff i want to add, but if anybody would like a look, i'd be glad to share!!
