Tarot Ending Explained:
The movie Tarot is a new supernatural horror film that uses some familiar horror tropes and a cast of murderous entities to explore the age-old question of whether a person’s fate is truly predetermined and influenced by the stars, or if every individual has the capacity for growth and change. Based on the 1992 novel Horrorscope by Nicholas Adams, Tarot is now playing in theaters everywhere. The movie features a group of students who go on a weekend getaway and end up discovering an old deck of tarot cards in the mansion they’ve rented. One member of the group, Haley, starts performing readings that quickly turn from harmless to concerning.
A group of friends return from their vacation and start getting killed one by one by different creatures based on their final tarot card reading. They soon realize that the deaths are connected to their readings, but are unable to stop the creatures from killing them off. Seeking help, they consult an occultist who had faced a similar ordeal with the tarot deck in the past. With the help of the occultist, the remaining friends face the tortured spirit bound to the cards. Haley performs a reading on the spirit, successfully reversing the curse of the cards and destroying the spirit in the process. Tarot Ending Explained
Tarot Ending Explained:
How Does Haley Destroy The Astrologer
In the climax of the story “Tarot”, Haley and Grant face the spirit of The Astrologer. The Astrologer was a peasant woman who cursed the people who killed her daughter in the 1790s. She bound her soul to the cards through a dark ritual and sacrificed her own life. Haley had been using a deck of cards for readings when she discovered that the characters within the cards, also known as Arcana, had come to life and were carrying out her vengeful revenge against anyone who used the deck. The curse made it impossible to destroy the cards, leaving Haley to confront The Astrologer herself.
Haley came to the realization that if the cursed cards affect whoever has a reading done, then she could reverse it onto The Astrologer herself by doing her reading. During her reading, Haley discovered that The Astrologer was still in pain, tortured and grieving over her daughter’s cruel and unjust death. Haley was able to empathize with The Astrologer’s grief, as she had also lost her own mother to an illness. The reading and Haley’s empathy helped to free The Astrologer’s tortured spirit, thus destroying the deck and breaking the curse. Tarot Ending Explained
How Does Paxton Survive The Fool
According to his reading, Paxton makes a foolish decision by separating himself from his remaining friends. Almost immediately, he is pursued by one of the Arcana from his reading, The Fool. The Fool teases and taunts Paxton as he tries to return to his campus room. Eventually, The Fool corners Paxton in an elevator and appears to kill him in the same manner as Paxton’s deceased friends. However, the scene ends abruptly before Paxton’s supposed death, and unlike Elise, Lucas, or Madelyn’s deaths, there is no visible blood or body shown.
In the movie, Paxton makes an appearance at the very end after Haley destroys the deck and frees The Astrologer. He arrives just as Grant and Haley are leaving the mansion, and notes that Haley’s reading predicted his unexpected arrival. Paxton quickly explains that when The Fool was about to kill him, his roommate Todd opened the elevator, causing The Fool to vanish. Though the explanation may seem simplistic and unsatisfying, the moment is intended to be humorous. Tarot Ending Explained
Why did the characters keep leaning into their readings?
In horror movies, characters often act foolishly by separating themselves from the group or entering dangerous places without any valid reason. The same is true for Tarot, as each character is alone when they are killed by their respective Arcana. However, Tarot provides an explanation for this behaviour. The characters are acting in accordance with their personality traits, as outlined by their Tarot reading.
For Example, in the situation where the car breaks down and the entity is outside, Madelyn leaves the car unexpectedly. Haley’s reading had noted that Madelyn has a tendency to flee from things, and that is exactly what she does. Paxton, on the other hand, is described as being headstrong, which explains his stubborn insistence on going to his dorm room to “wait it out” in safety. Although the characters’ decisions lead them to their inevitable deaths, it is explained that it is an element of their personality that is unavoidable. Tarot Ending Explained
Tarot’s Ending Sequel Setup
In the movie Tarot, the spirit of The Astrologer is released and the deck of cards is seemingly destroyed. Although this does not necessarily suggest the possibility of a sequel, the movie establishes a considerable amount of lore, even if it comes through exposition dumps. A prequel to Tarot could explore the origins of the cards or another time when the deck was used, such as the Woodstock music festival in the 1960s. This could make for an enjoyable period piece.
The concept of tarot and the characters depicted in the deck itself were not fully explored in the movie, which could potentially lead to a sequel even if it’s not directly related to the deck used in Tarot. All three main characters – Haley, Grant, and Paxton – survived the events of the movie, which opens up the possibility of them dealing with another version of the deck, having already experienced it once before. However, Tarot received mixed reviews early on, which makes a sequel unlikely, even if it manages to turn a profit on its modest budget. Tarot Ending Explained
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The Real Meaning Of Tarot’s Ending
Haley’s final reading and confrontation with The Astrologer brings in another commentary on fate. Haley manages to connect with The Astrologer by empathizing with the great loss she has suffered. Like The Astrologer, Haley was stuck in her own grief after her mother’s passing and kept doing readings to see if her fate could be changed. However, she proves that just because a person has suffered a tragedy or any other terrible fate, it doesn’t mean they have to remain on that path.
Every individual has the potential to evolve and transform themselves. Although your horoscope and astrological sign may suggest certain traits, it does not mean that you are bound to those traits. Every person has the freedom to make their own decisions, and this allows them to alter their destiny at any given moment. Essentially, the Tarot’s conclusion emphasizes how little a person’s supposed fate actually influences the outcomes in their life.
Tarot Ending Explained.
Find Showtimes For Tarot
Theatrical showtimes from Friday, May 3 onward can be found via the links below:
