In this edition of CinemaTarot, I’m going to mashup the characters from Game of Thrones (the show, not the Songs of Ice and Fire books – because it’s CinemaTarot, not LibraryTarot). I’m pretty sure every single one of my nerdy friends will have something to say about these, so let’s do this. This one is the Lannister/Baratheon edition:
Joffrey Baratheon – The Devil – I actually struggled with this one a bit, because Joffrey is just a kid and the Devil is…well, he’s the Devil. However, I started remembering some of the things that Joffrey has done. He likes to kill animals. He is innately cruel. He seeks out opportunities to hurt, maim, impugn and just generally fuck with people BECAUSE HE CAN. That’s what makes him the Devil. Because he can. And let’s not forget that he had Sansas’s direwolf killed. The bastard. (!) He is a coward, and uses his position to hide behind. He excuses his actions with “I am the King”. Or the Prince, or whatever he is at the time. He craves excitement and attention and power, but he can only generate these things through negativity. If you stripped away all of princely attire, all of his gold and guards and protection – he’s just a frightened, spoiled little brat. Just like the Devil card – he only has the power that others allow him to have. Also, when his uncle slapped him, I rewound about ten times and watched it again. Tyrion Lannister – The Hermit- SPEAKING of slapping the hell out of Joffrey, here is my favorite character. Tyrion Lannister probably has the best character of anyone in GoT. He stands up for the weak, he doesn’t abuse what power he has (unless it’s for sex and alcohol), and he slaps Joffrey right in the face. Tyrion is well educated, funny and charismatic. What he doesn’t have is respect. Because of his stature and the death of his mother upon his birth, Tyrion becomes the target for his sister and father. I chose the Hermit for Tyrion because he trusts himself above all others. For his entire life, anyone that he’s trusted has betrayed him. His lovers, his family, his ‘friends’. Tyrion trusts himself and his books. His light shines only for him. “My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer and I have my mind… and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge. That’s why I read so much, Jon Snow”. – Tyrio n Cersei Lannister Baratheon – The Moon – I initially had the Queen of Swords for Cersei, but I was thinking about her motivations. Whether it’s acting for her brother, son, father, or for herself- she’s motivated by fear. She is afraid of her father – which turns into resentment. She is afraid of being separated from her brother, Jaime, until she becomes afraid of him. She is afraid of her son, Joffrey, and afraid FOR her other children. She is a wildfire, scurrying around with plots and schemes and plans all initiated to protect her from those fears. The Moon tarot card is about fear. It’s about manipulation, danger, deceit and self-gain. It’s about Cersei. She also has the best Resting BitchFace I’ve ever seen in my life. Tywin Lannister – The Emperor – Who can tell Joffrey to shush it? Who can out maneuver Cersei? Who can see Tyrion’s value while simultaneously devaluing him? That’s right – it’s the Emperor. The king without a crown. The Emperor card is authority, structure, domination and control. He’s also a father figure, which Tywin misses the boat on a bit. However, if he’s not exactly Father of the Year quality, he does keep his family first in his mind. First in money, in power, in influence and control. The world is a chessboard and Tywin plays beautifully. (You have no idea how difficult it was to not write a crappy spoiler in this one) Robert Baratheon – Knight of Wands – Robert’s entire life is about action. He’s unpredictable, enthusiastic and very much like a bear on the loose. He wants – he takes. Someone takes something of his? He goes to get it, and kills everyone who gets in his way. He is dismissive of his children, rough with his wife, and yet so connected to those who are loyal to him, that they would literally follow him anywhere and do whatever he asks. I think that Robert is/was a good person, but he gives way to his base impulses before thinking things through. Action action action, very little direction =Knight of Wands I think that Jaime Lannister is very much the Knight of Swords. He defines himself as a knight and a soldier. It seems his life would be easier, too, if he weren’t so intelligent. He knows that his relationship with his sister is off, but he is emotionally invested. He has killed people for the right reasons, but the reputation that follows him is one of a base murderer. It seems that Jaime would rather relax into the lowest denominator of what is expected of him, rather than rise to the potential that rests upon him. This is why I think the Knight instead of the King of Swords. For every rat bastard thing he does (Bran out the window), he does something brave and brilliant (saves Brienne). It seems as if when he IS a good person, it’s in spite of himself.
Next up, the Starks. Winter is Coming, and whatnot.
Melissa Cynova 
