#moon rambles into the void

[illumalux]

Life Series Victors as Tarot Cards

A presentation on why we’ve got it all wrong when it comes to grouping life series victors.

This post will continue on with the implication that ZombieCleo is a Victor, simply because she is. She won real life, therefore she's a victor. Argue with the wall.

Now, I see your celestial trio of the first three winners. This should never change. This feels the most apt, it centers perfectly, and each of the things it represents are present in multiple different categories. Obviously in space, as everyone has adapted to, but also in a Minecraft world, and what I see as more important: in a tarot deck.

Think about it this way.

The Watchers, in whatever form you think they (or we) take, are collecting these Victors. Each one means a different thing, survived a different landscape. While I understand the celestial motif of the first three Victors, and how it fits into their characters, I would argue that many others are far too grounded for that.

It’s a collection, remember? What is better for assembling a set than a deck of cards? Especially ones that meddle in Fate, something the Watchers seem to adore.

So here are the cards each Victor represents, with card meaning and my defense as well. This will go in chronological order of the seasons.

Before I continue, I just want to give a disclaimer. Every tarot deck has a slightly different explanation for what each card means. The definitions I use are a mix of three of my decks and the official Rider-Waite-Smith deck's explanation, so if there are inconsistencies with what your deck says or what you know, please don't come for me.

Grian, Third Life:

XIX. The Sun

Beyond the obvious desert motifs (a whole extra post in and of itself), the Sun is representative of not only Grian's gameplay, but also how the Watchers (those collecting this deck) feel about him. Grian is one of them, so he naturally starts out in their good graces, with a greater level of respect.

Rider-Waite-Smith defines the card as one of success. Of course the Watchers will gloat when their baby wins. Even if he wasn't meant to, it did inevitably mean that throughout his game, Grian was inarguably one of the largest sources of negative emotions, second only to the Red Army. Again. Extra post on its own. When he won, it saved anyone the satisfaction that might negate their negativity, alongside the delicious outpouring of grief that was the final duel of Third Life.

Reversed, the Sun is a card of depression. As I just touched on, one of the most defining moments of Grian's game was his final victory. When the ending came down to himself or his greatest ally, he went about it in the way that caused probably the most pain to both parties involved. It pushed him to the very brink, ending in him defining his own ending just moments after winning.

Scott, Last Life:

XVII. The Star

Even ignoring the starborne origins and headcanons, as well as the crown of stars included in his skin (Void below, these posts write themselves) this one looks like a super simple explanation, but actually requires me pointing out something that may not be obvious to some Watchers: Scott, in every game and Iteration has made it a point to rebel against the rules in whatever way he can. I could go into full detail, but thats a lot of words and I don't need anyoen to get bored. (Void, this series and side tangents that require other posts)

In third life, a game about death and destruction, and the originator of factions, Scott took a very different route: he got married and built a house in a flower field. When grief finally found him, he refused to give the Watchers any satisfaction, literally crystalizing his grief into a part of his character design (and one that would remain for two to three more seasons, depending on your thoughts on the coral pieces). In Last Life, he is the singular person in all five seasons (technically two, but shhh this is more dramatic) to withstand the Boogeyman curse, something the Watchers installed purposefully to make people kill allies. Double Life, obviously, as Scott rejecting the soulmate the Watchers gave him. Limited life, in which kills gave more time, Scott did not die a single time without giving life freely, either to an ally or a temporary ally.

That got long. Anyways. Scott's game has always been one of hope, spreading positivity and refusing to be pushed around by the Watchers. And that's exactly what the Star means. Upright, this is a card about hope and perseverence, pushing through challenges, which is exactly what Scott does. He refuses to let the Watchers' actions upset him and continues to play the game for his friends and for the future and nothing else.

Even reversed it still fits. Reversed, the Star means loss or abandonment. I've already used up too much time on Scott here, so I'll let you pick your favorite instance of that.

Pearl, Double Life:

XVIII. The Moon

This one is far and away the easiest. Like the previous two Victors, Pearl's story connected her with her symbol even before she won. But blood moons and wolf packs aside (as that's a whole different post for a whole different day) when you take a look at the definitions provided, it becomes even clearer.

The Moon is a card of transformation and change, as well as revealing one's inner self. Rider-Waite-Smith attributes hidden enemies, darkness, and terror with The Moon. While I'll happily analyze every single one of Pearl's actions as the Scarlet Pearl, I think this one is plenty self explanatory. After her rejection early on in the game, she immediately isolates herself and latches onto the night motifs, leaning in to what everyone expects her to be.

The reversed meanings also explain Pearl's arc in Double Life perfectly: confusion, mixed messages, and disbelief. This perfectly encapsulates Pearl's feelings at the very beginning of the game via her rejection by Scott and subsequent abandonment by Martyn in an attempt to get back into Cleo's good graces. Her instinctual reaction is one of shock, not understanding why Scott would choose to pick a soulmate when she was right in front of him.

Martyn, Limited Life:

XVI. The Tower

One of my favorite cards, the Tower is instantly recognizable. While most of my analyses aren't about how the card looks, I feel like it's important to share this time around. The most common image consists of a tower and one or both of two elements: lightning, and people falling. As a card, it represents sudden change, destruction, and chaos.

If anyone here is not yet convinced that I'm correct, please go rewatch Martyn's last LimLife episode, then come back and argue.

You're back? Great. We agree? No? Fine, I'll explain.

This fixates mainly on his winning game, but I'll touch on the rest of his games as well. LimLife ended with a huge betrayal on Martyn's part, one characterized by being so insanely sudden. (Of course it's the Watchers meddling. But the Tower isn't always about your own choices being your downfall.) He quite literally snapped as if hit by lightning (see description of the card), and this spells the beginning of the end for him.

Similarly, in all of his other games, Martyn finds himself with one pivotal moment that spells his downfall. The Red King, Betrayal at the Southlands (and honestly his worst move in DL was abandoning Pearl to try and beg for Cleo's forgiveness).

Funny enough, the reversed meaning of this card is almost a perfect match. I don't think this needs too much more explaining.

Scar, Secret Life:

X. The Wheel of Fortune

I adore Scar in these games. Every single season seems absolutely plagued by chaos. The worst season, obviously, was the one in which he gained his crown. Poor guy was just trying to make friends, and it seemed like every new secret was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

The Wheel is just what it sounds like: it's the card of luck, destiny, and fate. I won't add a new paragraph for the reversed meaning here either, as it means the exact same thing as upright, but with negative connotations in the form of bad luck and misfortune.

Scar is plagued by the whims of luck left and right. It seems like, more than any other player, Scar is unable (whether by others, fate, Watchers, what have you) to take full control of his own story and take actions that he wants to take, instead limited to where the current takes him.

But in the end, that chaos is what gives him his win. The lack of alliances and freedom that the game forced on him was what eventually lead him to be unmoored and able to volley his pain wherever he wanted, leading to a mostly painless win.

Cleo, Real Life:

XIII. Death

A little on the nose, I know, but which of these choices aren't? For a series entirely based on improv, there are a stupid amount of coincidences present.

Now, I know this is far and away the shortest series, so I'm going to analyse Cleo as a player across all of her seasons, not just her winning game. Sorry Real Life. You should have been longer.

While the meaning of the Death card may seem obvious, it's twofold in actuality. In some historical decks, even, the card is instead named Rebirth. I know how ironic that is that the zombie is the one who stands for death and rebirth, but again. Blame the stupid narrative, not the poor me trying to make sense of it.

In what my lovely mutual Honor called "phoenix behavior", I'm going to focus specifically on her deaths and rebirths, specifically BigB's betrayal in LastLife. Cleo takes her death hard, as anyone might. But her rebirth comes with change. The minute she respawns, it's with a different understanding of the world around her. She immediately embraces the change that has been given to her, burning down the Fairy Fort and ditching her alliance for a new one.

The reverse captures Cleo as a character over her seasons better than anyone on this list. While the upright meaning of the card is change, reversed it signifies stagnancy, obsession, and immobility. This can be seen almost perfectly with her thoughts on alliances. Scott remains forever in her good books, even over the course fo multiple seasons, simply because he has never wronged her. Even when they aren't direct allies,she still cooperates with him whenever, simply because she retains her previous feelings about him. The same can be said for BigB, but in the opposite direction. From the moment of the betrayal onwards, she refuses to trust him, going so far as to warn Pearl away from allying with him in LimLife.

Bonus: Jimmy Solidarity, the Canary

XII. The Hanged Man

But Moon! you shout, throwing your complimentary bucket of popcorn at me. Jimmy isn't a Victor! He's the exact opposite!

Yep.

That's why he's so soggy and why he goes on this list. You wanna argue that he doesn't have the same lore impact as a Victor? Too bad. Can't hear you. Jimmy gets his own card.

Initially, I was kinda sad that I already used the Tower, because that's the portent of doom and gloom or whatever, perfect for a canary. But then I spied an even better, even more Jimmy card.

The Hanged Man is the card of sacrifice. While I could go on a whole rant about the Fool's journey and how it is represented in the Life Series, that is Extra Tumblr Post Number IDK Anymore. Instead, today I'm going to stick to the basics. To specify sacrifice, the card doesn't just mean giving up. It signifies self sacrifice specifically. And what is Jimmy if not a semi-willing first sacrifice to get the chaos rolling?

How many times has he gone out to stop his friends from being the one who has to herald the change? The canary knows that he will sing the final notes, but so long as he can ensure the miners don't have to, he will descend once more.

Conclusion:

Now. Did I spend more time on this post than I ever did on an English Lit essay? Maybe. But as much as I love the space motifs this fandom has, I fundamentally disagree when we get to the latter winners. Come on, guys. Tarot decks are right here.

If I missed anything, or I misrepresented a player's game, please tell me. I can't be everywhere at once, and I'm always happy to learn more about some of the players I don't watch as regularly.

Anyways, this was way more fun to write than I expected. If anyone wants to see me give cards to the rest of the players who have yet to win, or an analysis of anything a mentioned in my tangents, please let me know.

Special thanks to @honorsongs who kept me company through this whole process and gave me many a suggestion when I lost my train of thought.

#moon rambles into the void #life smp winners #life series #traffic smp #trafficblr #scott smajor #zombiecleo #grian #inthelittlewood #goodtimeswithscar #jimmy solidarity #tarot card organization supremacy #why wouldn't the watchers want to collect them to keep in a box lets be real #what else are we doing by organizing them? #pearlescentmoon

[killerpancakeburger]

Between Poe Dameron, Moon Night (3 for 1 deal), and Miguel O'Hara, Oscar Isaac really be out there making me fall for too many fictional men...

#rambling into the void #miguel o'hara #moon knight #marc spector #jake lockley #steven grant #atsv #across the spiderverse #star wars #poe dameron

[wereh0gz]

Super Sonic: burning hot, shining bright like the sun itself and flying as fast as a shooting star. His demeanor is light and free, yet he moves with purpose. His light is bright and blinding, but his warmth nurtures life around him, makes flowers bloom at his feet and causes people's hearts to race. His smile beams and brings hope to anyone who lays his eyes upon it. He is the embodiment of positivity and hope, a beacon of light in the darkness of despair.

Dark Sonic: frigid and dark like the emptiness of space. Silent and statuesque, he moves rigidly, yet so quickly the naked eye can't follow. He drains the light and warmth and life around him and leaves nothing but cold air and death in his wake. His face is blank, his eyes pure, white nothingness that inspires fear upon any who lay their eyes upon him. The beacon of hope has been snuffed out, he has become one with the darkness itself.

#ramblings #i like opposites ok #also hot take but the opposite of the sun is not the moon but the void of space #the moon is an extension of the sun. it reflects it's light in the night when the sun can't be seen #the void is the abscense of light and warmth. it is dark and cold #and yet one cannot exist without the other #hm. hmmmmm. that sounds familiar. i wonder if we've seen this theme before. hmmmmmmmmm. #yeah i really like this specific dichotomy lmao #light gaia dark gaia. super sonic dark sonic. yeah

[synintheraven]

So EACON is at the end of this week and I'm so fucking excited and awfully worried and I'm not even going

Anyway anyone wants to come pat my back and tell me I suffered the entire year only to get something good out of it at last?

#this is a major #kyra's ramblings #sorry my expectations are in the moon rn I just wanna have more than two stupid drawings to post 😭 #two of my faves might get custom drawings but also I'll get nothing I hate it here dude #anyone wants to be my sugar daddy? 🤪 #will exchange *drawings for a plane ticket and 2 mins with Arnas #okay that got very sad real quick #personal #? #kinda bc who cares #delete later #mind the rambling I like screaming into the void then sit like that dog meme saying “I'm fine” while everything around is on fire

[sketchy-tour]

A silly thing to randomly say maybe but I was thinking about it again. Yall are always free to take silly inspiration from my artstyle/the way I draw. I feel like trying to imitate cool things you see others do in art is a big part of the process in learning how you like to create and do things. So ye, if you ever feel bad for taking some light inspo off of my art aesthetics, don't! As long as you're not outright tracing or reposting, I really don't mind!

#text post #just rambling #sometime thoughts come to my brain and I wanna shout it into the void lmao #so here I am #I FEEL like I've said this before on my blog but it was ages ago during my sun and moon phase #just before my little social media crisis lmao #but ye #you see something I do in art and go “man that looks cool maybe I can do that too” I say go for it #Cause I learned the same way. Still do. I see an artist do something that makes their work pop and I'm like #“hmmm can I soak this into the style I already have to further build onto it?” #I understand not all artists are comfy with their work being taken inspo from. Cause some people get rattled when a style looks identical #when it can be hard to tell the two artists apart #I get that; that specifically isn't super fun to deal with. I admit I've never had to deal with it? But idk. #I personally think its fun the few times I've had people take a little quirk from my art style and starts using it too #but thats just me!!! I'm not everyone #okay ill shut up now

[drowningincaffiene]

would it be, like, weird if i DM'd some classmates and just, like asked how they are doing?? coz we are abt to go our separate ways and well,, i did kinda grow up with these people...hm

#no one is active rn but i just wanted to talk in the void #it wouldn't be weird right? #idk .. #moon rambles

[flamingredanon]

More thoughts on the Wilford thing I've been slightly rambling and how his predicament could've happened.

Maybe during his leadership Wilford's timeline came with a really tough choice, possibly sacrificing one person or another or something that would've put the Toppats in harm's way no matter what, and Wilf was not happy with any of the choices.

So with all the stubbornness he could muster, Wilford attempted to make his own choice in the matter, one that he thought was going to be the best for everyone.

The timeline or his powers did not like that and in a blink of an eye, Wilford was completely removed from the world and no Toppat knowing what really happened to him.

Worse yet, in Wilford's attempts to make a new option, led to none of the options being chosen and thus dooming everyone possibly involved to a bad time.

And Wilford could only watch from whatever void of time or chaos he was thrown into, not getting to interact with the world untill a certain someone decided that he was going to rob a bank vault one fine day.

#mod lizzy rambles #sir wilford iv #timeline powers #this whole au idea feels like the stanley parable except the narrator is just as impulsive and chaotic #and neither henry or wilford have any idea what to actually expect next #*dark darker yet darker plays with a slightly happier key* #*possibly holds up wilford and terrence having good vibes being similar to the vibes of henry and charles* #*for now i roll back into the void into my blanket nest of comfort against the red moon* #timeline wilford au

[n0maku]

ANYWAY despite how I usually throw up a bunch of screenshots and such of undertale/deltarune news stuff when it comes out- I’m probably not doing that this time since I don’t really have anything to note/add to any of it haha There’s a lot in this Papyrus Q&A (and thus screenshots) and it is very lovely and charming! It’s nice to see those skeletons again. For those who haven’t looked through it and have interest, here’s the link to the Papyrus Q&A answers page

#papyrus q+a #nomakuposts #nomakuspeaks #fun fact my highest note post is one of my posts on the alarm clock dialogue hahaha #...lot of bot activity on those though siiigh i found a LOT to report from my alarm clock dialogue posts #oh well. it's in the past now. #anyway if it turns out people have interest for some reason i COULD slap my new screenshots into a post for yall? #geez i don't even know how many fellas followed me for undertale nonsense #nowadays i mostly hide in the void queueing reblogs #making original posts (like this) once in a blue moon #maybe i should post more ramblings and such on here sometimes #talk more on here n such #i've been pretty quiet here the past whatever number of years haha

[transgenderfivepebbles]

science is an exercise in gratitude, i think

#ramblings #i'm basically unable to feel gratitude without guilt for having a good life #but the truths of the universe. the very nature of the world we live in. there's no possibility for injustice in that #no one can take away the perfect alignment and sizing of the moon between us and the sun that lets us have TWO kinds of eclipse #no one is denied the beautiful strangeness of water and hydrogen bonding that lets life as we know and experience it exist #the scattering of light in air that grants us pretty blue skies and fiery sunsets cannot be unfairly given or taken #me when i am sentimental over physics #it's a million miracles stacked on top of each other. what offering from the void could usurp the gift of life already given #i need to lie down

[slugghee]

darkrai uses it/its always. it/she, it/he, it/they, whatever, but always it/its

cresselia uses she/her but she is not a woman. she is a Goddess. Do you Understand

#ramblings of a slug #ppl will see darkrai in its puff-sleeved ballerina dress and go MAN SPOTTED #WRONG!! agender 🫵 #this is lighthearted and all but i do find it strange how in every spinoff darkrai is consistently gendered male #let it be free in the gender void... #cresselia is the High Priestess. The Sylph of the Full Moon. she is not a girl

[ryles-comfort-room]

I think as a person I truly live to love. Whether it be a person, flowers growing on the side of the highway, the acoustic version of my old favourite songs, myself, the moon, I always feel so much more alive when I let myself be overflowing with love.

#Shout out to a buddy of mine who occasionally sends me pictures of the moon when they see it #Bro’s a real one for that #We both do it and just go “her :)” 10/10 interaction #I know you see this mf I love you o/ #Also rip my partner as well #I have to restrain myself from just sending them paragraphs like this on the daily #Sometimes I do but I think shit like this ALL THE TIME so I don’t want it to get overwhelming LMAO #But this is my chunk of void to yell into so y’all have to deal with it <3 #ryles rambles

[illumalux]

Listen. I don’t know if this has been put out into the universe yet, but I’ve gotta dump out my thoughts.

We all know Season 2 Scott hates poppies. He’s said as much on multiple occasions. 

Now. The reasoning that he’s said (as far as I’m aware) is that poppies killed his parents. And for the sake of my argument, I don’t even care if that was joke or not.

I think that’s what he’ll say when he’s asked about it, even though that’s not the truth.

I think that Scott is scared of poppies because they remind him of something he doesn’t remember. He hates poppies because they carry with them so many memories of experiences that he’s never experienced. He hates them because they feel like promises long forgotten, like sorrow, like emptiness. 

He hates them because he’s scared of those feelings.

#scott smajor #listen man it's late and I have Thoughts(tm) #empires s2 #empires smp #flower husbands #this man and the motif he picked have given me so many emotions and y'all have to suffer for it #idfk man it's just the poppies #moon rambles into the void

[age-of-moonknight]

Can I just say youre my favorite account on this app.

I really like your commentary on the tags, man <3

Shoot, favorite account on the whole of tumblr.com??? !!!! Thank you so much, anon, for saying that because I'm going to treasure this message 'till the end of time and you genuinely straight up made my week. 🤍🖤 Please excuse what may be repetition of a sentiment I have expressed here before, but I still can't get over how you (and the other individuals who have said as much and who I equally appreciate almost beyond words) also derive something from what all some random guy leaves in the tags and how novelly, indescribably happy it makes me, so thanks again! I'll keep on posting no matter what, but it is doubly, I guess, motivating??? energizing??? knowing that I'm sharing this with other people and there's the possibility of perhaps brightening their day a little as well. :D

#Knight mail #all y'all are way too kind and I really appreciate it #intellectually my brain has recorded the documented fact that multiple people not only read the unsolicited essays I leave in the tags #but enjoy them (and I reiterate I cherish those comments beyond measure) #nonetheless catch me still looking like the caveman Spongebob meme whenever I read a note/reblog saying as much #or an ask notification pops up #someday my brain will figure out that thinking I'm just talking into a void whenever I post is the root of some major cognitive dissonance #in light of those established facts and I'll be able to ditch that mindset entirely hahaha please be patient as I work that out😅🤣 #in the meantime yeah thanks for sticking around all and for the lovely comments (as I do read everything here even if I can't always reply #due to this being a sideblog); you willingly spending time around my account is humbling #and it is my absolute pleasure to keep doing something I love: ramble about Moon Knight alskdfj

[akkivee]

SO BAD ASS TEMPLE IS MADE UP OF THIS MONK VKEI ARTIST AND LAWYER AND THE MONK KUUKOU IS A VERY GOOD BOY LIKE THE LITERAL INCARNATION OF THE SUN BUT HE ALSO HAS THE BURNING RAGE OF ONE THAT MANIFESTS WHEN HE SEES SOMETHING WRONG IN THE WORLD AND JYUSHI THE VKEI ARTIST IS ALMOST KUUKOUS DIRECT OPPOSITE HES THE MOON TO THE SUN A BIG CRYBABY BUT THE THING ABOUT THE MOON IS THAT THERES A DARK SIDE TO IT AND JYUSHIS DUAL PERSONALITIES MIGHT BE AN ALLEGORY TO THAT BUT HE ALSO HAS A HIDDEN ANGER ABOUT HIM AND THEN THE LAWYER HITOYA IS SHOWN TO BE GRAPPLING WITH HIS ANGER TOWARDS INJUSTICES TOWARDS THOSE HE REALLY CARES ABOUT SO BAT HAS A SUBTLE THEME OF ANGER AND THAT JUST ONE OF THEIR—

#vee queued to fill the void #i like dropping hints i overthink bad ass temple 🙂 *is not fcking subtle lmao* #lol i knew i wanted to make this post but because i think too much about bat i could not decide what even to ramble about #but i don’t think i rambled about this topic!!!!!! #i like to think kaigen was a little bit of a manifestation of bat’s collective anger 😌 #jyushi’s anger manifests differently from kuukou’s and hitoya’s #but it’s there lol like flat out stated in bat debut drama track #and like???? i said the anger is jyushi’s dark side but what if it’s actually the light side because he’s no longer bottling up his anger #like he blames himself so much what if he like??? didn’t and directed it elsewhere???? #but there’s some futility in that so it’s probably jyushi’s dark side of the moon lol #i wish i could connect hitoya’s anger to stars lol #i think the goddess hitoya named himself after is also a goddess of stars???? themis of justice and stars???? #but idk i’ll think up something lol

[astrxealis]

once again i love ffxiv and think it's so funny that you have magic so much magic but you have Guns. too.

#⋯ ꒰ა starry thoughts ໒꒱ *·˚ #and one very very very powerful mage hses a gun at some point in the story to just. shot down someone (who doesn't die yet thankfully yeah) #IT'S AMAZING ... anyway that aside i love the lore of ffxiv so much #and how they incorporate things from other final fantasies into xiv and the world is just so huge and amazing oh god i love it so much #gunbreakers! gunblades! where they came from and what the word came from too it's amazing #and then you have yk. the source the first the void the 14th ..... all so very interesting places #it seems like each world is sort of inspired especially by a certain ff game too. 3? i think for the 1st (not sure abt this) and 4 for 14th #and some bits in the game also . yeah. like you have kain references ... 8's squi/noa ..... 9 stuff in enw msq... anima............ #yeah! yeah #and each place has their own little lore. like ishgard! crystarium! ala mhigo' #you have the twelve and you have the tribes and the primals. you have the moon you have the dragons #you have robots you have fantasy rabbits on the MOON you have just. so many stuff #and i love ffxiv sooo much for that ..... there's high fantasy there's sci-fi there's etc and it's amazing #you have ivalice too! oh man. loved that #so yeah. rambles over for now fusvdjsbdjbdja

[spooky-nanners]

dumb lil theory/hot take:

harrow shot marc twice for both marc and steven, but jake shot harrow three times; one for each of them

#rambling into the void #I have literally nothing to back this up but tell me jake wouldn't #but like just a delightful little bit of spite almost #you shot my boys? here's one for each of us #idk I just think he's neat and that would be kinda poetic #good for him #jake lockley #moon knight