Major Arcana (Protagonists and Antagonists)
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0 - The Fool (Big the Cat and Froggy)
Big the Cat and Froggy are no strangers to taking days one at a time. Like The Fool, every sunrise brings new chances to do anything at all, be it thrilling kart races or simple pond fishing. Their easygoingness often leads to unexpected adventures, from the Space Colony ARK to Soleanna—but like fishing, spontaneity is an old friend.
However, innocence may turn into ignorance. The Fool reversed embodies carelessness, evidenced by Froggy’s oft wanderings and Big's clumsiness. While Big treasures his poliwog pal above all else, that reckless dedication has often led to distraction and endangerment, such as battling an almost-perfect Chaos.
The Fool must prepare to learn from their encounters and use that experience to better appreciate each morning.
Upright Keywords: beginnings, innocence, easygoingness, spontaneity
Reversed Keywords: ignorance, carelessness, recklessness, distraction
1 - The Magician (Miles “Tails” Prower)
Miles “Tails” Prower is the brainpower behind many of Sonic’s adventures. As The Magician, he creates inventions—such as his mech, the Cyclone—to rival the speed, strength, and superpowers of his peers. Tails’ resourcefulness even solves problems without tech, such as through the utilities of his dual tails, which were once derided by others.
Yet Tails’ youth may cause unforeseen issues to the game plan. Lack of foresight represents The Magician reversed: although Tails is skilled in mental games, he has been tricked by more clever foes, like during the fake Chaos Emerald gambit. At times, his childish (if commonplace) fears cripple his willingness to act according to the mission, such as his fear of ghosts during the Hang Castle incursion.
The Magician must support his extensive abilities with a grounded focus to succeed.
Upright Keywords: intellect, innovation, resourcefulness, power
Reversed Keywords: lack of foresight, poor planning, gullibility, childishness
2 - The High Priestess (Amy Rose)
With hammer and fortune cards in tow, intuitive action embodies Amy Rose. As The High Priestess, she aids others—like Birdie and the Koco couple on Kronos Island—in attaining their desires, even if it plunges her into the unknown. Her innate empathy also resolves clashing morals and motives, such as sparking Shadow’s change of heart during the Space Colony ARK incident.
Yet even wisdom is dulled by passion, as is The High Priestess reversed. Amy’s affection for Sonic clouds her judgment, and her resulting temper strains interactions with others when they seemingly judge her focus. Furthermore, idolization causes her to forget her own competence and instead wait on others to save the day, be it Sonic during the Little Planet incident or Gamma while aboard the Egg Carrier.
The High Priestess’ spirituality forges tight bonds, so long as her intense emotions are kept in check.
Upright Keywords: intuition, desires, mystery, empathy
Reversed Keywords: passion, clouded judgment, idolization, lack of self-image
3 - The Empress (Maria Robotnik)
The late Maria acts as a white sheep in the Robotnik family. She is The Empress, her hope in the endless beauty of life fueling her unwavering optimism: from everyone on the ARK to a time-displaced Big, she never fails to offer a kind audience to others’ problems. As such, her nurturing support of Shadow continues to help him maintain order for the Earth she loved so much, even when faced with opposition from those like the Black Arms.
But Maria’s violent end haunts all who knew her when The Empress is reversed. From Eggman’s lack of confidence within the family to Gerald’s abandonment of ethics, Maria’s static presence as a young martyr leads to the very disharmony she sought to cure. Even after Shadow promises to live in the present, his main insecurities often stem from his past with Maria and he may falter when reminded of her.
The Empress celebrates life’s abundance, but may lead to a lack of growth in pursuit of it.
Upright Keywords: beauty, nature, kindness, nurture
Reversed Keywords: lack of confidence, static, disharmony, insecurity
4 - The Emperor (Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik)
Calculated control is craved by Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik, The Emperor. A master of mechanics, Eggman can be depended upon to hatch a new (and grander) plan after every defeat, always at the command of his seemingly endless army of Badniks. Oddly, Eggman seems to crave a paternal relationship despite his obsessive rigidity, as evidenced by his growing relationship with his “daughter” Sage.
However, Eggman’s obsession with world domination outweighs his positives in The Emperor reversed. He refuses to see reason when it violates his plans, and his stubbornness causes issues when working with Sonic against a greater evil such as the Deadly Six. Eggman also usually treats his creations poorly, abusing or disregarding them if they don’t adhere to his standards, like Orbot and Cubot or (more notably given the existence of Sage) Belle.
The Emperor’s authority can lead to both success and abuse toward those around him.
Upright Keywords: authority, dependability, structure, parental aspirations
Reversed Keywords: over-control, stubbornness, rigidity, abuse
5 -The Hierophant (Espio the Chameleon)
Knowledgeable in the art of ninjutsu, Espio the Chameleon is nothing if not dedicated to his cause. This traditionalism of The Hierophant tempers the rambunctiousness of Team Chaotix and allows them to achieve their (usually monetary) goals. Espio also values morality and strives to overcome those with ill intentions, seen in his consistent distaste for Eggman’s presence and employment.
Despite these traits, Espio can fall victim to egotistical vices when The Hierophant is reversed. His unconventional company leads to a sense of superiority and he is not above such dishonor like abusing naivety, seen during the Mirage Express incident. Furthermore, his binary interpretation of honor may cause him to be overly harsh against others regardless of external circumstances, such as against Mr. Tinker.
The Hierophant’s dedication to principles is highly admirable, yet he must be careful to stay open-minded towards others.
Upright Keywords: knowledge, dedication, traditionalism, morality
Reversed Keywords: ego, superiority, dishonor, ignorance
6 - The Lovers (Vanilla the Rabbit and Vector the Crocodile)
The Lovers, Vector the Crocodile and Vanilla the Rabbit, are “opposites attract” incarnate. They aren’t as different as they may seem, however: both are dedicated to protecting whom they love and helping others. Vector’s high-energy career allows Vanilla some excitement in her life, while her calm reason grounds his lofty ideals.
Yet The Lovers’ differences may still cause imbalance when reversed. Vector's temper and monetary motives can drive others away, and Vanilla rarely sugar-coats what she disapproves of. Their personalities may pit Vector and Vanilla against each other in certain topics, such as how to respectively “parent” Charmy and Cream.
The Lovers can face anything so long as they openly communicate.
Upright Keywords: love, kindredness, dedication, alignment
Reversed Keywords: differences, imbalance, conflict of interests, disconnect
7 - The Chariot (E-123 Omega)
E-123 Omega strives to overcome his status as an Eggman robot. As The Chariot, he wills defeat onto his creator and “siblings” to prove himself as the superior victor. Though his mind is artificial, Omega is determined to protect his friends despite his goals, including rescuing the Resistance during the Phantom Ruby incident.
Once The Chariot is reversed, Omega’s focus manifests poorly. His brazen disregard for safety precautions has him go into situations with guns blazing, even ones that require different strategies. This can lead to him becoming incapacitated—like during the Metal Virus outbreak—forcing him to rely on others for repairs.
The Chariot possesses much ambition but needs to control his aggression to work effectively.
Upright Keywords: overcoming adversity, victory, ambition, determination
Reversed Keywords: unfocused, poor self-control, aggressiveness, incapacitation
8 - Strength (Knuckles the Echidna)
Strength is both physical and mental, and Knuckles the Echidna possesses both. His might and stamina allow him to pulverize obstacles and glide long distances, and he rarely runs away when the going gets tough. Power is also seen in his compassion for the Chao of Angel Island, and he finds purpose by guarding the Master Emerald.
Knuckles’ vulnerable spots become evident in Strength reversed. His isolation on Angel Island instilled naivety into him, leading to him doubting his perception of events when manipulated by others, most commonly Eggman. Always jumping into action may lead to Knuckles becoming overwhelmed by a stronger or smarter foe, like against Sage on the Starfall Islands.
Strength’s body and mind can aid those in need, but he must take time to adjust to each situation.
Upright Keywords: strength, courage, power, compassion
Reversed Keywords: vulnerability, self-doubt, brazenness, feeling overwhelmed
9 - The Hermit (Blaze the Cat)
The Hermit, Blaze the Cat, is introspective at heart. She prefers to trust and rely on her own judgment, but not without reason: in the case of the Solaris incident, only she could seal Ibliss. Although aloof on the surface, Blaze is sensitive to others’ emotions and seeks to help and guide friends like Silver on their journeys.
Blaze’s detached temperament becomes more prominent when The Hermit is reversed. Bullying towards her pyrokinesis in her youth caused her to become withdrawn and view her powers as a burden only she could handle. As such, her social graces can be stilted or even sharp at times, with rambunctious personalities like Marine especially getting on her nerves.
The Hermit’s independence allows her to solve many issues alone, but may lead to overly anti-social mentalities.
Upright Keywords: introspection, self-reliance, aloofness, guidance
Reversed Keywords: loneliness, withdrawal, reclusiveness, unsocial
10 - Wheel of Fortune (Rouge the Bat)
Rouge the Bat lives for lucky breaks and big scores as Wheel of Fortune. Oftentimes, decisions she makes lead to chance moments that seem preordained—her hunt for Eggman’s “treasure” led her to discover the dormant Shadow, her former teammate, before everyone else. Amongst her values are sticking with those she believes in (even if considered controversial), especially her fellow Team Dark members.
When Wheel of Fortune is reversed, Rouge is resistant to certain changes. Although she promised Knuckles to stop her line of work, she eventually fell back into the habit, which often disrupts his protection of the Master Emerald. Additionally, Rouge is not always forthcoming with her motives: her conflicting interests as a GUN agent status and jewel collector recurrently give her missions, like on Project SHADOW, bad turns.
Wheel of Fortune has good graces on her side, but needs to make sure bad karma doesn’t catch up, too.
Upright Keywords: good luck, fortune, destiny, deep bonds
Reversed Keywords: resistance, disruption, poor control, setbacks
11 - Justice (Shadow the Hedgehog)
Justice is the law that Shadow the Hedgehog lives by. In seeking the truth of his past and purpose, he creates a code of morals which few can deny or defy—even his “father,” Black Doom, has fallen more than once to his ideals. From keeping his promise to Maria to helping Rouge with her latest schemes, every task receives Shadow’s utmost dedication in seeing to fruition, even if said task is obtaining concert tickets for Amy’s birthday present.
But Justice may deal a heavy hand when reversed. Shadow was more than willing to sacrifice all of Earth to avenge his dear friend, and his callous treatment of Infinite created more problems down the line than necessary. Additionally, his curt attitude comes across as dishonestly suspicious even in altruistic moments, like during the murder-mystery part of Amy’s aforementioned birthday party.
Justice’s quest for truth leaves undeniable effects on others, but its ramifications remain to be seen.
Upright Keywords: justice, truth, morality, dedication
Reversed Keywords: revenge, unfairness, dishonesty, lack of accountability
12 - The Hanged Man (Sage)
The Hanged Man, Sage’s existence is one of shifting perspectives. Initially, she lacks any hope in defeating THE END, instead suspending Eggman in Cyberspace to “protect” him while chalking Sonic and his friends up for death. But further interactions allow Sage to develop more complex feelings and give favor to action over statistics.
When The Hanged Man is reversed, Sage’s toxic traits appear. Despite learning how to love and care for others, she does little to stop her creator’s tendency toward evil, primarily concerned with restoring order so HE can throw it into chaos, instead. Her unemotive nature also causes delays in defeating THE END due to her resistance to divulging critical information to those who can help.
The Hanged Man is receptive to new angles of approach, but her emotional detachment still leaves room to improve.
Upright Keywords: shifting perspectives, surrender, confinement, letting go
Reversed Keywords: apathy, negative approach, delay, resistance
13 - Death (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Death is a form of change, and Sonic the Hedgehog lives for all kinds of evolution. Although his adventures never last forever, he never forgets any foe and friend he meets, with many becoming fixtures in his life. And as seen during the Black Knight incident, Sonic’s not opposed to transforming into the “bad guy” so long as the wind—and all within it—remain free.
Sonic is not without his dependencies, even if he believes he doesn't have any. When Death is reversed, he resists having his mind or opinions changed by anyone, even if he actively makes situations like the Zeti incident worse. He frequently relies on his usual tricks to win battles: while mainstay transformations like Super Sonic are effective, he usually doesn't have immediate backup plans if they don't work.
Death offers new beginnings, but fear of the unknown may win out.
Upright Keywords: change, endings, new beginnings, transformation
Reversed Keywords: lack of self-awareness, dependencies, resistance, repetition
14 - Temperance (E-102 Gamma)
As Temperance, E-102 Gamma’s “purpose” in life is at the forefront. Intended by Eggman to be a balanced and effective killing machine, he approaches every situation with a measured calmness, which allows him to have a change of heart once meeting Amy. When it becomes clear that his existence is at the expense of Birdie’s sibling, he undergoes self-termination to restore peace to their family.
Once Temperance is reversed, Gamma’s robotic nature hinders his perspective. Due to the naivety that comes from new life, he cannot conceive of ramifications beyond the present. Once changing his objective to “free” his brothers from Eggman’s control, he never considers alternative options to destroying them completely: in his haste, he forgets the aid that Amy and her friends could offer in reaching full autonomy.
Temperance is honor-bound and craves harmony, but is prone to reckless action over thought.
Upright Keywords: balance, calmness, perspective, peace
Reversed Keywords: short-sightedness, naivety, hastiness, extremes
15 - The Devil (Metal Sonic)
While Sonic has many foils, none are as enduring as his robotic doppelganger, Metal Sonic. The Devil, he twists the basic facts of his namesake into corrupted versions: Sonic’s competitiveness turns into an obsession to win, his kindness towards the less fortunate into subjugation, etc. Metal Sonic, like Eggman, is also not above cheating to win, often receiving upgrades to somehow edge Sonic out at every turn.
Proving his superiority is Metal Sonic’s greatest sin, seen when The Devil is reversed. As a result, he’s emotionally detached from everything BUT besting Sonic—even his loyalty to Eggman comes into question in certain situations. This betrayal is not always without merit: Metal Sonic has been known to be much more of a threat once independent from his creator, like during the Neo Metal Sonic incident.
The Devil amplifies his darkest aspects to free himself from outside influence.
Upright Keywords: shadow self, obsession, violence, cheating
Reversed Keywords: superiority, detachment, betrayal, independence
16 - The Tower (Gerald Robotnik)
Grief utterly disfigured the merits of Eggman’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. The chaotic destruction inherent to The Tower led to Gerald planning genocide of all of Earth, uncaring of his remaining loved ones caught in the crossfire. Instead, losing Maria turned into a revelation of revenge that overrode any logic the kindly Gerald had left.
Before Maria’s death, however, Gerald had more altruistic traits as The Tower reversed. He worked tirelessly to find a cure for his granddaughter’s illness, even taking her up into space to delay its spread. Although he also made a questionable deal with Black Doom to complete Project SHADOW, Gerald’s fail-safes in the form of Shadow and the Eclipse Cannon ultimately thwarted the Black Arms’ initial conquest.
The Tower is pain personified, yet taking steps to lessen tragedy is not for naught.
Upright Keywords: tragedy, chaos, disaster, upheaval
Reversed Keywords: preventing tragedy, focus, delaying the inevitable, stabilization
17 - The Star (Cream the Rabbit and Cheese)
Cream the Rabbit and her Chao Cheese always look on the bright side of life as The Star. Incredibly friendly, they treat new acquaintances with kindness regardless of first impressions, becoming some of Blaze’s first friends in Sonic’s world. Cream’s positivity even extends to a spiritual level, virtuous enough to even reach the Reverie as a “conduit” by Eggman.
Cream’s naive fears become a flaw when The Star is reversed. Spooky places like Hang Castle are cripplingly frightening to her, and violence of any kind leads to her despairing about its purpose. However, these negative aspects of life let her value positive ones, such as teaching Emerl emotions so he can be more free-thinking and sentient.
The Star’s faith is inspiring to all so long as she staves off any hopelessness that crops up.
Upright Keywords: hope, contentment, positivity, spirituality
Reversed Keywords: fear, despair, disconnection, self-image
18 - The Moon (Emerl and Gemerl)
Formerly known as Emerl, Gemerl’s allegiance has passed through many hands as The Moon. Created in ancient times as an unstable, shapeshifting destroyer of civilization, he was programmed to always feel danger and anxiety toward others by Gerald. Both identities’ inability to control his subconscious from outside influence became ill-intended obstacles several times, such as during the Hyper Eggrobo incident.
These negative traits are ultimately quelled when The Moon is reversed. Sonic and friends’ companionship allowed Emerl to form a fun-loving personality, and even being reprogrammed by Eggman as Gemerl was not enough to snuff out this side of him. Now living with Cream and her mother, Gemerl has released his fear of his intended purpose and given himself a new one of protecting his family.
The Moon’s anxiousness makes him assume many forms, but the right people can allow him to be himself.
Upright Keywords: illusion, instability, insecurity, subconsciousness
Reversed Keywords: self-identity, truth, release of fear, purpose
19 - The Sun (Charmy Bee)
Bubbly and energetic, Charmy Bee loves to find fun in every situation as The Sun. Always eager to volunteer himself for the Chaotix’s latest scheme, he values success and fame just as much as his boss Vector. Despite being polar opposites, Charmy nonetheless maintains enough confidence in himself to act responsibly while working alongside Espio on missions, such as during Dodon Pa’s Grand Prix.
Charmy’s youthful immaturity while The Sun is reversed becomes more grating than charming. During the Neo Metal Sonic incident, his unrealistic expectations for wealth from their “client” turned into him repeatedly stinging Eggman for seemingly not measuring up to that ideal. Furthermore, the Black Comet incident sees Charmy being relatively clueless about his goals despite his ego, and he only manages to break Shadow out of brainwashing by hitting the ARK’s computer while tantruming.
The Sun is positivity personified but his childishness often acts as an obstacle to goals.
Upright Keywords: positivity, fun, success, confidence
Reversed Keywords: childishness, unrealistic expectations, cluelessness, ego
20 - Judgment (Silver the Hedgehog)
Dreaming of absolution for the future, Silver the Hedgehog is Judgment. When given a lead by Mephiles, he doesn’t hesitate on deciding to travel to the past and kill the supposed Iblis Trigger in order to save his world. When further incidents such as The War to Take Back the Planet affect his future, Silver time and again strives to defeat evil and rebirth his timeline into prosperity once more.
Judgment reversed is best seen during Silver’s more neurotic moments. His quest during the Solaris incident ultimately stemmed from malicious hearsay, and his determination to save his timeline made him not analyze the clues that he was being manipulated. Additionally, Silver becomes frustrated when he cannot immediately solve problems, turning these failures into a form of doubt against himself.
Judgment’s decisiveness and determination are his greatest strengths, but self-doubt may hinder them.
Upright Keywords: judgment, absolution, decisiveness, renewal
Reversed Keywords: false hearsay, poor self-awareness, ignorance, self-doubt
21 - The World (Tikal)
The World is vast and full of achievement, and Tikal embodies the culmination of one's self-concept. Keenly aware of how all living things are integrated within one another to thrive, she goes against the tendencies of her tribe to befriend Chaos and the Chao without ulterior motives. Although her story is complete following the Chaos incident, Tikal’s connection to the Master Emerald continues to allow Knuckles—the last of the echidnas—a sense of belonging.
However, The World reversed sees Tikal unable to complete her goals. Although she was successful in sealing Chaos for a time, her solution was not efficient enough to prevent him from breaking out and wreaking havoc on Station Square. However, Tikal never gives up on returning Chaos to normal, and ultimately they both find personal closure after ascending to heaven.
The World remains at the end of every quest, and may even heal ancient wounds long forgotten.
Upright Keywords: achievement, completion, community, belonging
Reversed Keywords: unsuccessfulness, inefficiency, delays, personal closure