Suit of Wands (Behind the Scenes)
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Ace of Wands (Avatar)
For the Ace of Wands, I thought the Avatar from Forces condensed the themes of potential and growth into the most concretely visible arc. As your player character, they’re set up as an inexperienced newbie thrust into a planet-spanning war against Eggman—which, be honest, how well would you ACTUALLY handle that situation if it happened in person? Despite Forces’ issues, I do think it’s fun that the Avatar naturally improves and gains new skills as the player does. The reversed Ace of Wands shows some more realistic—if frustrating—side effects of just jumping straight into combat, with the Avatar being easily scared by Infinite for most of the game. Overall, I think the Avatar was a decent attempt at including more player customization in the franchise, even if it’s very easy to dog them for their shortcomings. I included the default Avatars seen in promotional materials for the art—dubbed by the fandom as Gadget, Fuchsia, and Corvin—doing a team huddle. I considered having their arms go up in a high five pose, but realized I needed to show most of their bodies if I wanted to cram all their heads in, so they’re stacking their hands on top of each other instead.
Two of Wands (Trip the Sungazer)
For the Two of Wands, I wanted to make sure the differences between it and the thematically similar Two of Swords were clear—both deal with multiple paths to choose from, but the Wands version takes more steps to improve oneself versus the Swords. As such, I chose Trip to represent this card: she wants to do the right thing but is easily bullied into doing bad by Eggman and Fang. Even then, she tries her best to please her partners, but her clumsiness results in more insults than praise. So it’s no surprise that she quickly betrays Eggman and Fang and stands up for herself once shown actual kindness by Amy, is it? Of course, the reversed Two of Wands’ withdrawal and self-doubt don’t go completely away, with Trip still being very shy and not always able to stand up for herself. The art is of Trip contemplating her helmet, a symbol for doing what others want her to do without regard for herself, with a pensive expression on her face. The composition was more similar to that of the Rider-Waite version in the thumbnail, but I wanted to enlarge Trip on the canvas to make her helmet more visible.
Three of Wands (Belle the Tinkerer)
For the Three of Wands, I wanted to feature Belle the Tinkerer, as I think her character growth plays along with the themes of growing confidence the best. Her position as a “good” Badnik makes her not quite fit in anywhere, so seeing her work to make a place for herself amongst the Restoration is satisfying. But even as becomes more outgoing, Belle doesn’t forget her robotic roots to fit in, aiming to make a future where Badniks and organics can live together going forward. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t still cling to the past, but I don’t fault her for it: she’s one of the few people to have gotten to know Mr. Tinker before he was returned to being Eggman, being his surrogate daughter, so I don’t think it’s outrageous that she has issues fully moving on from him. I originally wasn’t quite sure what to do for the composition on this one, but I ended up having Belle go over some blueprints with Omochao. I wanted Omochao in the deck somewhere and I thought he was a good robotic pal for Belle to have here!
Four of Wands (Marine the Raccoon and Ariem)
For the Four of Wands, I was stuck between Marine and Ariem as the representative, as I thought both fit the card for different reasons. Then I decided to have both of them on there through their combined origins as alternate-world characters! Both feature the relevant themes of homes and communities as part of their characters, with Marine being the most prominent (friendly) resident of the Sol Dimension and Ariem holding dominion over dreamscapes. I also think in a meta sense that their introductory games—Rush Adventure and Dream Team—are some of the more upbeat in terms of theming, featuring fun visuals departing from the usual art style and colorful stages and music galore to make a refreshing change of pace from the standard releases. However, the reversed Four of Wands is not completely absent, as Marine is kinda sorta annoying sometimes and drags the team down at points—even if she’s trying her best—which leads to several conflicts. And Ariem has little reason to suspect that Cream would be used as a sockpuppet for Eggman to invade the Reverie, leading to her and her home’s entire existence being upended and thrown into chaos. I didn’t do anything too spectacular with this card’s art so I could fit both characters in, but I wanted them to acknowledge and greet the viewer in the same fashion as they do Sonic and friends in their games.
Five of Wands (Babylon Rogues: Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow, and Storm the Albatross)
For the Five of Wands, I wanted to feature a borderline example of allies in the form of the Babylon Rogues. Although their sharp tempers and victory-seeking ways often put them at odds against Sonic and friends, I’d argue they’re never really outright cruel enough to qualify as foes, even helping prevent disaster in several Riders games. I especially like how their weird anti-hero role plays out in the IDW comics as a sort of neutral force that lurks around and only works if the pay is good. Usually, the sportsmanship of the Five of Wands reversed DOES pop up sometimes once the dust settles after the Rogues and Sonic team up to defeat the bad guys, with them playing by the established rules of each Riders game’s races to win fair and square. For the art, I had Jet, Wave, and Storm playfully arguing about who knows what, harkening back to their introductory scene in the first Riders game: I think it sufficiently shows off how prickly they act with one another while also hinting toward the affection underneath such debate.
Six of Wands (Barry the Quokka)
For the Six of Wands, I decided to go with our favorite microwaver in the franchise—Barry the Quokka! I feel like the Six of Wands is similar to the Ace of Wands—and Barry to the Avatar— due to their themes of self-esteem building, but this card reads more like seeking the approval of others versus the Ace of Wands’ needing to succeed for themself. While Barry does improve themself during The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, becoming adept at problem-solving and breaking out of their shell, they also are prompted to do so to impress Sonic and his friends. But even Tails and Amy did not notice Sonic’s poisoning like Barry did, proving the importance of them sticking to their own guns, as the lack of confidence from the Six of Wands reversed ensures that the truth didn’t come out until it was almost too late. Originally, I considered having Barry dig through the trash in the thumbnail for the Six of Wands, but I was unsure if that read well for the card’s meaning. Instead, I had Barry with the Conductor, the latter patting the former’s head to congratulate them on a job well down: one of Barry’s potential futures has them continue to work on the Mirage Express, so perhaps they took over the Conductor’s position at some point?
Seven of Wands (Shahra)
For the Seven of Wands, I decided to use the other Secret Rings rep in SONIC THE TAROT with Shahra. The reversed meaning of this card deals with failing resolve and giving in, which is what Shahra succumbs to unbeknownst to Sonic; she had been using him to collect the World Rings to deliver to her abusive lover Erazor Djinn. Although she knows these actions to be wrong, Shahra still longs to remain enmeshed with Erazor over doing what she thinks is just, which is actually a kinda nuanced way to depict a toxic relationship in a Sonic game. Of course, with the help of Sonic and his wish, Shahra eventually gathers enough courage to refuse to play along with Erazor’s plans, even protecting Sonic from his sneak attack. Her situation would be extremely difficult for anyone to go through, and Sonic's understanding is one of the reasons I enjoy this era of the franchise. As the other half of the companion set with Erazor’s Knight of Swords, this card’s art is oriented pretty similarly, except Shahra is reaching a stopping hang out in front of her instead of clutching a World Ring. The other three World Rings not on the Knight of Swords—the Purple, Red, and Green ones, which were used by Sonic to transform into Darkspine Sonic—are featured on this one.
Eight of Wands (Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel)
For the Eight of Wands, an upbeat card focusing more on action than contemplation, I thought Mighty and Ray would be good choices. The Classic games notably have simple plots in order to focus on the fast-paced gameplay, and this duo are indicative of that. Mighty combines Sonic’s speed and Knuckles’ strength to create a quick-on-his-feet bruiser, while Ray’s skilled enough to regain altitude while gliding when his similarly-airborne peers cannot—a combination that excels at scrambling Eggmen. Their presence in the more problem-solving-based SegaSonic the Hedgehog also speaks to their sharp intellect when put on the spot. But the missed opportunities of the Eight of Wands reversed are mayhaps more notably, as Mighty and Ray seldom show up in games, even being absent outside of cameos for over two decades. I do appreciate that they’re increasingly being given the chance to participate in the franchise again, even if they’re not always considered mainline allies. It was important to me to make sure this card reflected the energy and carefree nature of Mighty and Ray, so I had them running/gliding with each other toward a new adventure.
Nine of Wands (Princess Elise the Third)
For the Nine of Wands, I wanted to give an honest chance to Elise’s character. I think she’s often (unfairly imo) mocked in analyses of Sonic ‘06, but outside of the infamous kiss scene, I don’t think she’s bad at all. Elise doesn’t have the field skills of the other characters during the Solaris incident due to being sheltered for most of her life, so it’s understandable that she’s easy to capture, even in the same vein as traditional depictions of Nintendo’s Princess Peach. But Elise also seldom gives up, especially once she finds more self-esteem through her friendship with Sonic. The time shenanigans of Sonic ‘06 allow her perspective on how her kingdom and the world around her operates and recognition that she has all the strength she needs to survive herself, even if Sonic is gone. Of course, I recognize that Elise getting repeatedly kidnapped by Eggman is VERY frustrating, but poor proactivity and wisdom are also found in the reversed Nine of Wands. I wanted the card art to have Elise contemplating her forward path, but while the thumbnail originally had her in some hall of her ancestors’ portraits, I decided to have the final art be of the moment when Elise decides to turn herself into Eggman to protect her people.
Ten of Wands (Merlina)
For the Ten of Wands, honoring Black Knight was very important to me, so I was thrilled that Merlina fit this card so well. Merlina is another example of a borderline ally, considering she turns out to be the final boss, but her redemption in the end made me feel like she should be included in the Wands. Anyways, heavy burdens and obligations characterize the Ten of Wands, which Merlina carries an abundance of due to her knowledge of Merlin’s deceit and Camelot’s fall. She feels so responsible for preventing this ordained event that she’s willing to halt time forever if that means everything will remain as it is, which Sonic rightfully points out will not solve anything. Merlina becoming receptive to his words and allowing herself grace is seen in the reversed Ten of Wands, as Sonic is able to make her see that life being finite is why it’s worth living. Fittingly, this art is set during that moment and features Merlina with the carnation she’s been carrying the entire game. Also Caliburn is here, I really just wanted him in the deck somewhere and didn’t have room to give him his own card, so cameo it is!
Page of Wands (Chip and Yacker)
For the Page of Wands, focusing on sidekick characters from Unleashed and Colors—Chip and Yacker—seemed the most appropriate. Both are very playful and energetic: Chip seems fascinated with every new societal aspect of Earth he learns about, and Yacker has enough levity to joke about Eggman’s appearance despite his troubles. They also aid in the player learning the Werehog and Wisp gimmicks of their respective games. But their more stubborn and reckless sides come out with the reversed Page of Wands. Both Chip and Yacker cause certain problems that Sonic must fix, with the latter even getting kidnapped by Eggman due to wandering off. And once Chip learns of his true identity as Light Gaia, he tries to wave off Sonic’s help entirely even though it’s clear he’s in over his head. The card art features Chip and Yacker enjoying the Chocolate Chip Sundae Supreme and Sonic ice cream bar respectively, because I thought it summarized their lightheartedness well. Also I wasn’t originally intending to include Yacker, hence his absence in the thumbnail.
Knight of Wands (Sticks the Badger)
For the Knight of Wands, Sticks’ inclusion might seem a bit odd, given she’s mostly associated with the Boom continuity. However, her cameos in Runners, the Olympic games, and Frontiers leads me to believe that she is considered part of the main canon now. Regardless, Sticks is nothing if not zealous for life, having a love for adventuring and scavenging that leads her to tag along with Sonic and friends on numerous incursions. Her impulsiveness—which usually causes the most interpersonal conflict Sticks is involved in—manifests in her dislike of technology and her quick instincts to beat the crud out of it, notably feeding into the reversed Knight of Wands’ volatility. Also of note is the theme of exclusion: Sticks has made very scant appearances of late, with her cameo in Frontiers only being a verbal mention by Amy. Honestly, I would love to see her come more into the fold, as the more female characters we have the better, ESPECIALLY if they’re not perfect, either. I had Sticks swinging through the jungle for this card’s art because I feel like she needed a dynamic pose to convey her energetic spirit.
Queen of Wands (Jewel the Beetle)
For the Queen of Wands, no one felt a better fit than Jewel, the leader of the Restoration. She is initially unsure in her role as Amy’s successor, but her determination to see the job through certainly helped her become the efficient leader she is today. I also like that despite her meekness, she doesn’t take grief from anyone, letting Clutch know exactly how she felt about him! Of course, her backing down in that situation shows the downsides of the reversed Queen of Swords. Jewel is also what I’d affectionately call an office homebody, usually not heading out to deal with the action herself in favor of dealing with the paperwork and aftermath from the sidelines. I think this usually works out well, but if you’ve been keeping up with the comics as of this writing (the Clean Sweepstakes Arc), you know that doesn’t always end well. This art is of Jewel at her desk at the Restoration HQ, waving at the viewer and welcoming them in through her role as director.
King of Wands (Diamond Cutters: Tangle the Lemur, Whisper the Wolf, and Lanolin the Sheep)
For the King of Wands, I kicked around which of the Diamond Cutters to do until I decided on all three of them (sans Silver and Duo for obvious reasons). As the Restoration’s rapid-response team, Tangle, Whisper, and Lanolin’s athletics and Wispons allow them to take action against threats as soon as they occur. I like that they all seem to generally like each other and consider everyone friends and equals despite Lanolin’s formal leadership role; the problem with the main Sonic cast being so large is that we rarely get to see them interact with EVERY other friend they work with, so it’s a nice change. Naturally, the Diamond Cutters have issues with impulses and tempers like anyone, especially (and understandably) Lanolin. Tangle’s decision to name the team the Diamond Cutters in the first place really hurt Whisper, and only discussing it deeply mended that hurt. But that’s another thing I like about the Diamond Cutters: they’re able to make amends with one another and understand their different perspectives even if they don’t immediately agree with them. The three of them are charging forward into action on this card art, which was a tad tricky composition wise given the three characters and their puffy body parts. So Whisper can fly now, wow!