A Tarot Reader Dives into Euphoria’s Archetypes
by: Dani Espinosa
Every writer knows that a great character does not just appear out of thin air. The most memorable characters are the ones that have a unique voice, with their own interests, conflicts, and goals. Their life isn’t easy; they face obstacles, and are forced to grow while we watch them react to the world around them. While creating a character can seem like an endless task, leaning on archetypes can help cut through some of the confusion. Archetypes are sets of traits or patterns of behavior that are easily recognizable and often used in literature and TV. If you work with archetypes they lead to a standard of what a character’s purpose is and what their journey may consist of. As someone who writes and loves film, I’m usually quick to catch on to who the hero and villains are, as well as breaking down the characters I like and why I treasure them.
Much like how movies have their general tropes of characters and distinct roles in the plot, tarot as a practice has specific archetypes assigned to each card. As a tarot reader, it is my job to understand the basic interpretations of the traditional 78-card deck and relay those messages. To be a great reader is able to bridge the gap between all of these cards as well as the energy of the person being read and analyzed during this intimate process. It’s in that of understanding the cards where I find that my constant media analysis helps me as a tarot reader- and vice versa. Archetypes help build a story around the imagery that makes up these cards– and as an avid movie and TV fanatic, I’ve realized they can also help us see our favorite movie and TV characters in a new light.
Euphoria is my recent binge obsession, much like the rest of the world. Visually, it is stunning, and while the actual pace and storyline can be a little all over the place, I can’t lie and say I haven’t been hooked. The characters are truly what I have been invested in- and their growth (or lack thereof) through these last two seasons has been fun to explore and learn from. Adding an element of tarot and zodiac signs to their character breakdowns has helped me understand the central figures of Euphoria in a way I wasn’t able to while I was first watching the show. I also think it’s helped me realize that to create characters that really matter and make an impact on people, you want to create someone that speaks to people beyond just that first watch on screen. And whether that means you connect to them through other mediums/art forms or you simply use new tools and categorization methods for understanding who they are, there’s no right or wrong way for approaching characters.
Here’s my take on the Euphoria characters as Tarot cards and the lessons they reveal to us:
Maddy, The Empress:
The Empress in tarot is representative of femininity, warmth and royalty. While Maddy seems like a cold and calculating person in season one, we see a really different side of her come out in season two. Now single and no longer messing with her toxic ex-boyfriend, Nate, Maddy is super sweet and nurturing to those closest to her. This soft and vulnerable side to her is the result of taking time to be on her own and becoming comfortable with herself. Like The Empress, Maddy is a super impressive figure, always poised and looking calm, cool and collected. Even after she is betrayed by both her ex and best friend, she keeps her head up high like the queen she is (even after having to *ahem* take care of business).
Cassie, The Moon:
Complicated characters sometimes do not have positive character development, and what Cassie undergoes in season two is a complete collapse of the individuality and strength she found last season. For this reason, Cassie most resembles the energy of The Moon card in tarot. The Moon is all about mystery, illusions and delusions. We think we know Cassie at the start of season two, but by the end, we see a whole new person unravel at the seams. Throughout the season, Cassie’s character takes a deep dive into the shadow side of herself, bringing to the surface all of her insecurities and fears. Her overall journey in this season also shows us just how far people are willing to go when they refuse to face reality. More importantly, the final reveal of the truth? Brutal and intense- but also incredibly freeing.
Rue, The Hermit:
Rue is such an interesting mix of being wise beyond her years- yet also incredibly self-critical and self-destructive . That makes her a perfect Virgo, represented by The Hermit in tarot. Probably due to her struggles with sobriety, Rue self-isolates a lot and tends to need long breaks from the outside world in order to get back to herself. Much like The Hermit, she helps guide the series through analyzing both her own situation and that of her peers. It’s great to see that eventually, Rue is able to learn from her own mistakes and make better choices. However, as we all see, not one part of that journey overall was easy. For someone so young, Rue has gone through a lot and will have years of stories to tell one day; if only Rue was more willing to open up to others, she may realize the value that comes from sharing her experience with others.
Nate- The Devil:
Nate is a prisoner to his own demons, with his toxic beliefs and behaviors constantly holding him back. He also has incredibly unhealthy relationships in his life; his parents, Cassie, Maddie, etc. These toxic connections severely affect how he navigates the world around him- just look at how messed up his view on love and relationships is! While it does have a super negative connotation, The Devil in tarot does show us that we do have the choice and individual power to break the chains that bind us. However, to overcome our own vices and flaws, one must hold themselves accountable to their own toxicity. Thankfully, this is something Nate is just beginning to do by the end of season two, but the real test is how he will handle future situations when he is already triggered.
Jules- The Fool:
The Fool is all about fresh new beginnings- and blindly taking risks without 100% certainty that it will work out. Jules is a very optimistic person and has big aspirations and expectations for her life- but that sometimes means she’ll jump into decisions without fully thinking them through. This season, Jules has learned the hard way: sometimes risk pays off - and sometimes it doesn’t. What is admirable about Jules is that they always see the cup half full, and thus another amazing experience is right around the corner, waiting to be explored. We can only hope that next season, Jules is able to see these experiences for what they really are at face value, and not get caught up in the excitement and thrill of a lesson disguised in adventure.
Kat- Death:
Death in tarot sounds dark and gloomy, but in reality is a really promising card. In order for new beginnings to take place, sometimes things must be allowed to die, doors must be closed, etc. However you want to put it, for something new to come in, the old that takes up space needs to be removed. Kat embodies this energy of transformation and rebirth throughout both season 1 and season 2. We see her fully step into a more sexually bold and empowered sense of self as she explores the taboo world of sex work in season 1 and embraces her body in an environment that hasn’t always been kind to her as a fat girl in high school. While she unfortunately doesn’t get much of a strong storyline in season 2, we’re able to see the difficulty that is coming to terms with the huge growth and changes she made in the previous season settling down. The Death card is not an easy emotional headspace. Dealing with letting go of the old you to transform and be reborn into a new version is not easy work. As we can see with Kat, it can lead to a lot of self-doubt and self-sabotage when you’re not ready to follow through with that new growth. But, it is comforting to know that growth is not a linear path and that no matter how many times she may mess up, Kat has the opportunity to reinvent herself as many times as she wants.
Once upon a time, Dani Espinosa was a college student at The University of Tampa, majoring in advertising and public relations, with plans on becoming the next Olivia Pope. In her last semester, she got the chance to work on a documentary in Thailand- and thus was born her love for film production. Since then, Dani has taken on freelance content strategy for nonprofits and small media companies, as well as teaching herself how to edit through personal projects. Currently, Dani is a Post Production Assistant from 9 to 9; all other free hours goes straight to volunteering at TLL, reading tarot cards, caring for her fur baby Milan or binging the newest show on Netflix.