#torchwood s2ep12

[screaming-sparrow]

Jack Harkness' Tarot Reading in Torchwood S2EP12: "Fragments"

Listen, I've been DYING to talk about this scene and yesterday on call with @seenonacid I finally figured out what it all means.

Disclaimer: I'm not a tarot expert, I'm just deranged about Jack Harkness and I like tarot readings.

Let's start with figuring out what type of spread this is exactly. I couldn't find any with only 6 cards that looked anything like this, so I landed on it being a modified version of the Celtic Cross Spread:

Now, that means the card representing the things that are behind him is The Tower, which represents disaster, destruction, upheaval, trauma, sudden change and chaos.

This definetely corresponds with both him losing his place with Rose and the Doctor as well as his ability to travel time at all (because of his wriststrap not working properly anymore). The biggest changes are his immortality and him now having to walk the slow path, waiting until he can meet the Doctor again.

The card that represents him is one that does so quite literally, depicting him in armor: the Jack of Swords (aka the Knight of Swords). The Knights keywords are assertive, direct, impatient, intellectual, daring, focused, perfectionistic and ambitious, all of which definetely fit Jack as a character quite well.

I like the way the card is described on labyrinthos.co: "Once the knight sets forth towards his goals, there is absolutely no stopping him. He doesn’t see - and he doesn’t care - about any upcoming challenges. " I also really love the way that him being the Knight of Swords supports the soldier motif his character has had since his first appearance in Doctor Who.

The card that describes what is before him is a bit ominous as well, Three of Swords. It represents heartbreak, separation, sadness, grief, sorrow, upset, loss, trauma and tears. Compared to the Tower, this card isn't as lifechanging and negative though, the type of grief it describes is one that simply comes with being alive.

It definetely matches Jack and his immortality, because, as Torchwood shows as well, loss, seperation and trauma are constants in his life. Whenever he gets knocked down he gets back up though, which is what Three of Swords symbolizes.

I assume that the card in the bottom right represents the people influencing Jack, because it's The World, a card that symbolizes completion, achievement, fulfilment, sense of belonging, wholeness, harmony and travel.

I assume it refers to the person that influences Jack the most, even in his abscence: the Doctor. He brought Jack this sense of belonging and fulfilment that the card refers to and changed him into the more caring and self-sacrifing person he is in Torchwood.

Above it is The Moon, which represents illusion, intuition, uncertainty, confusion, complexity, secrets and the unconscious. This card shows Jack's hopes and fears.

It's meaning of uncertainty especially makes sense, considering Jack is newly immortal with no one to help him figure out what happened to him or how to cope. This uncertainty never goes away, even after meeting the Doctor again so many years later.

The last card is the outcome: Ace of Cups. It symbolizes love, new feelings, emotional awakening and creativity.

I love this card as the final part of the spread because it's so optimistic compared to the rest of it, yet it rings incredibly true. After everything, Jack did find love again in form of the Torchwood team and will probably continue doing so until he eventually finds his end. The eventual outcome of everything horrible that happens to him is always love.