Nine of Swords

Element: Air

The Nine of Swords draws inspiration from Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in the film Joker, which earned him the Best Actor award at the 92nd Academy Awards. This card evokes the helplessness of waking from a nightmare in the middle of the night—painful, desperate, and even depressive. Joker perfectly portrays the energy of this card. One unforgettable scene shows the character forcing a smile with his fingers, masking anguish behind a facade.

In this card design, Cat Bart plays the Joker—alone in the cold night, trying to resist the storm. In the mirror, he "puts on a smile" while inwardly overwhelmed by despair, clutching only a pistol. The artwork uses satire and irony to underscore the deep meaning behind this card.

Keywords: Anxiety, despair, fear, helplessness, inner pain

Relationships:
1. Emotional problems  2. Anxiety and suffering  3. Inescapable emotional entanglement

Career & Study:
1. Challenging issues  2. Unease and restlessness  3. Avoidance and despair

Finance:
1. Poor financial outlook  2. Difficulty making decisions

Mental & Spiritual Health:
Trapped in sorrow and emotional repression

Keywords: Suspicion, self-protection, fear, hesitation, internal conflict

Relationships:
1. Mutual distrust  2. Emotional torment  3. Cold war or emotional tug-of-war

Career & Study:
1. Feeling stuck  2. Fear and anxiety  3. Proceeding with extreme caution

Finance:
1. Continued financial hardship  2. Complicated problems

Mental & Spiritual Health:
Facing issues directly, beginning to move forward