#pleased

Source details and larger version.

i started with one simple question about connors character in pleased. somehow, my tarot cards decided that wasn't enough and gave me an entire character study instead. i had way too much fun with this not to post it.

i think that, looking at all the readings together, this character gives off a very different energy from what i was expecting. i don't see him as a traditional hero, nor as someone who can easily be classified as "good" or "bad." instead, he comes across as a deeply psychological character, full of layers and contradictions, whose greatest battle takes place both within himself and in the world around him. more than someone defined by his own actions, he seems to be defined by the choices he has to make and by the emotional consequences they carry. i have the feeling that the audience will change their opinion of him several times throughout the film, with each new revelation exposing another layer of his personality.

one of the things that stood out to me the most was his narrative role. the cards don't suggest a classic protagonist, the kind around whom everything revolves, but they don't feel like a secondary character either. the energy is much closer to that of a co-lead or someone who occupies one of the story's central roles. what's interesting is that his importance seems to come less from the amount of screen time he has and more from the impact of his choices. it's as if he quietly reshapes the entire narrative without always being at the center of the action. he may not solve every problem, but the story simply wouldn't unfold the same way without him.

if he appeared in the opening scene, my first impression would be overwhelmingly positive. the king of cups conveys someone calm, emotionally intelligent, and immediately trustworthy. he feels like the kind of person who naturally becomes a source of stability for those around him. depending on the story, he could be the one trying to mediate conflicts, keep everyone together, or simply preserve calm when everything starts falling apart. but the reversed six of pentacles shows that this first impression doesn't tell the whole story. there's a significant imbalance hidden beneath that composed exterior. it could represent guilt, an emotional debt, an unhealthy dynamic, or even manipulation that he's caught up in, whether willingly or not. not because he's manipulative himself, but because he seems to carry situations that are far more complicated than he lets on. the feeling is that he knows much more than he reveals and carefully chooses what other people get to see.

the reversed seven of cups as his greatest fear doesn't feel like someone overwhelmed by endless possibilities, but someone who fears clarity. it feels as though there's a truth he already suspects or perhaps even knows but would rather not face. it can also point to a fear of making a final decision because he knows there'll be no turning back. this connects beautifully with the reversed queen of cups as his narrative role. i get the impression that he's deeply tied to the emotional core of the story. he could be someone who awakens powerful emotions in others, someone who suppresses his own feelings, or someone whose presence acts as a mirror for the other characters. the nine of cups feels like a deeply internal ending. rather than defeating someone else, his journey seems to be about finding peace within himself and finally letting go of a burden he's carried for a long time.

when i look at the character's essence, that complexity only deepens. the two of wands shows someone strategic, observant, and always thinking ahead. he doesn't feel impulsive; instead, he seems like someone who has learned to calculate every decision because he knows mistakes carry consequences. meanwhile, the reversed emperor alongside the five of swords suggests an ongoing conflict with authority, control, or established systems. it could represent someone who challenges those structures, but also someone deeply shaped by manipulation or abuse of power. there's even the possibility that he fears becoming exactly what he's fighting against. the king of wands together with the reversed page of pentacles reinforces a strong sense of insecurity. while others see him as capable and naturally suited to lead, he seems to constantly feel like he isn't enough. there's a clear sense of impostor syndrome: the more responsibility he receives, the more he doubts himself.

what truly drives this character also defies expectations. the reversed nine of swords doesn't speak to me of ambition, but of emotional survival. i get the impression that he isn't trying to defeat someone else, but to overcome trauma, guilt, anxiety, or a constant state of psychological tension. this aligns perfectly with the eight of swords, the moon, and the two of pentacles. i see someone trapped by circumstances much larger than himself, surrounded by uncertainty, secrets, and confusion, desperately trying to maintain some sense of balance. the eight of swords suggests an emotional or psychological prison. the moon reinforces themes of hidden truths, distorted memories, manipulation, and uncertainty. meanwhile, the two of pentacles makes me think of someone constantly divided between two loyalties, two realities, or even two identities, trying to keep opposing forces from destroying one another.

the final readings reinforce that impression. i don't get the sense that he's simply reacting to events. instead, he's a character whose choices quietly reshape the story. what caught my attention the most was the position regarding his profession or function. the king of cups alongside the three of swords doesn't point to a specific job so much as the role he fulfills. he feels like someone accustomed to dealing with pain, whether his own or other people's. that could certainly translate into a profession involving human suffering, such as a doctor, therapist, psychologist, or caregiver, but i think the cards are speaking much more about his narrative function. he serves as an emotional anchor for those around him. he's able to remain calm in chaos precisely because he understands pain so deeply.

the rest of the cards reinforce that interpretation. the reversed page of swords suggests someone who investigates quietly, keeps information to himself, or carefully chooses what he reveals. the six of swords together with the tower makes me think he's helping someone survive a profound emotional collapse or guiding them through a life-changing rupture. meanwhile, the reversed three of cups, reversed page of wands, reversed seven of wands, and reversed world speak of broken relationships, conflict within groups, isolation, and cycles that refuse to end. there's a constant feeling that he's trying to prevent the mistakes of the past from repeating themselves.