The Magician in Media

Sometimes it is difficult to connect with the archetypal energies of the cards. We know what they mean and how to interpret them but when it comes to fostering meaningful connections with them, we can get a bit lost. The figures themselves can seem a bit arcane.

I find it really helpful to look to pop culture for inspiration. I decided to start this series as a way to work through the major arcana and find pop culture equivalents for the cards. I am not going in order, but I will do every card.

I decided to start with the Magician because he is one of my favorite archetypes. He is crafty, cunning and he knows how to get what he wants by whatever means necessary. He finds the line between hero and criminal and he flirts with it. He is not a worshiper of chaos but rather he likes to create his own rules and rituals for his life. He is a rebel but in the sense that he works the system in place to his advantage.

In his glory he is a miracle worker. He seems to be able to find a way out of even the hairiest of situations. He is sly and cunning and he knows exactly how to play the game to his, or your, advantage. He is the guy you want on your side when the chips are down. He can make things happen and pull rabbits out of hats for you when he is on your side.

The shadow is someone who who is ruthless. He is the man who would sell out his own mother if he thought he could get ahead. He is manipulative and laser focused on the endgame. He is the sleazy salesman. He will find a way to get to his goal by any means necessary.

So here are a few characters from Pop Culture who I think play the Magician quite well (spoilers):

1. Alfred Borden, The Prestige

Alfred Borden is a good place to start as he is actually a stage magician in the movie The Prestige. In this film, Alfred is ruthless in pursuit of being the best in his field. He is obsessed, although he would see it as devoted, and he is willing to sacrifice everything in pursuit of his goal. Toward the end of the film, we realize that Alfred Borden is actually being "played" by twins. Each one pretending to Borden half the time. When one brother is playing Borden, the other is pretending to be his valet in disguise. No one, not even Borden's wife, knows this. One bother is in love with the wife, the other is in love with his stage assistant. When one brother losses two fingers in a trick gone wrong, the other has to cut off his fingers to match. The men are ruthless in their pursuit of perfection - so much so that they each only live half a life.

2. The Governor, The Walking Dead

The Governor plays the part of the savior in the Walking Dead. He has created a community in the face of chaos which inspires some of the group to trust him. He is charming and appears to be noble in the face of the hellish world that has developed. He seems strong and commanding and compassionate. This inspires Andrea to fall in love with him. Slowly, the facade falls apart and the Governor's true nature comes to light. He is obsessed with survival at any cost. He wants to maintain order in his community so he has created the illusion of power. When the walls tumble, so does the Governor. He tries to regain power, but is killed by Rick's group when he attaches the prison. This attack ultimately destroys the Prison altogether in a metaphorical "If I can't have it then no one can" motif. The Governor is a good example of what happens when the Magician in is shadow element is threatened.

3. Tony Stark, IronMan

Tony is a mad scientist in the best sense. He is not afraid to push the limits of what's possible. He is a creator of wonderful things. He is clever, cunning and perceptive. He knows where the proverbial line is and when to cross it. He is one of the good guys while also understanding that sometimes you have to dabble on the dark side to get stuff done. He isn't perfect like a Captain America or tortured like Bruce Banner or righteous like Thor. He is flawed, human and - at the end of the day - just a man in an iron suit. But he is a magician. He transforms himself into a hero. He is brilliant, charming and he doesn't take himself too seriously. He makes magic happen because he believes in his power which is the whole point, isn't it? Sometimes we have to bring in a rock star to get stuff done.

4. Saul Goodman, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad

In my own personal tarot deck, Saul is my Magician. He is the perfect embodiment of what the Magician can be on his good days and bad. In Better Call Saul we follow Jimmy McGill as he transforms himself into Saul Goodman. Jimmy is the light, ego side of the Magician. He is smart, resourceful and devoted to what he believe is right. He bends the rules, sure, but it is all in service of what he believes to be "right" or "moral" or "just". His morality is unconventional by societies standpoint, but his endgame is usually righteous. He loves Kim, a fellow lawyer, and one who likes to play by the rules. She turns a blind eye toward some of Jimmy's misdeeds. At one point she simply says she doesn't want to hear about it rather than asking him not to do it. I think this is important because Jimmy's morally ambiguous actions end up benefiting her on more than one occasion whether or not she is aware of it. Although Jimmy is guided by something "good", love, his actions are questionable, such as tampering with evidence, gas-lighting his brother and lying to those around him. It brings up the question "Is the wrong thing done for the right reason the wrong thing?". This is something I think the Magician asks us to think about often. If our endgame is just then does it matter how we get there? Each of us would answer this question differently and each of us would have varying degrees of morality when deciding where to draw the line. In Breaking Bad we see Jimmy as his full incarnation as Saul Goodman. Saul has left all socially constructed sense of morality far behind him. He is a sleazy lawyer who has a "guy" for everything. He has set up shop on the wrong side of the tracks and intends to stay there. I won't go so far as to say he is completely without morals, because we do see moments where he is deeply conflicted or genuinely caring, but he has fully devoted himself to his own moral code with little to no regard for the law. He has blood on his hands at this point, and there is no going back from that. Still, he is embodying the Magician. He is sly and clever and charming. He is always thinking ahead and he bends the rules of the judicial system to benefit his own ends. He takes Justice and turns it upside down. Only a real Magician can do that.

I hope this helps you all get to know the Magician a bit better. I will be back next week with the Fool!

If you are interested in grabbing a reading with me, come by my Etsy shop Lion Heart Tarot co. I am looking forward to working with you!

XOXO

#tarot #themagician #tonystark #ironman #bettercallsaul #breakingbad #thewalkingdead