Blue Rose Tarot
Created by Paula Gibby
Produced by Soul Guidance, 2001

The Book says: He is the Emperor. Like the Empress, he has many gifts to offer a journeying Fool. He brings logic, order and structure to our physical world. He provides protection with the force of his will and the strength of his arm. He defends us from those who would threaten us and maintains the boundaries of what is ours. Because of him, we dwell safe and secure.

The strength and magic of the Great Father lies in that dual capacity to provide not only the force of his protection, but also the enormous strength of his love. Strength and tenderness combine in him and it is important to remember that, while he is a great Warrior, he is also a great Father.

TarotBroad’s Buzz: I think Yul Brynner as the Emperor was very appropriate. Every fiber in his body shouts his confidence, self-esteem and absolutely conviction that he is wise and knows what is best for his people and his family. His arrogance is both obvious and somehow touching. You get the feeling that he is a benevolent tyrant. I have to be honest – I’ve never seen The King and I (I just can’t sit through MGM style musicals). But even in my two favorite Yul Brynner roles (Ramses in The Ten Commandments and Chris in The Magnificent Seven) he embodies the positive and negative aspects of The Emperor.

He believes that his decisions are for the best and will benefit his people. Sometimes his arrogance makes him unable to see how self-serving they may also be. His pride ensures that you have to be very cautious in how you approach him. But he is not unreasonable or unable to listen to reason. He may be stubborn and set in his ways, perhaps even trapped by his position and the weight of its responsbilities. But he is not mean-spirited or unnecessarily harsh. He is a protector and a leader, and will do what is necessary to carry out his duties to the best of his abilities.