V – Five of Swords♠

Five of Swords warns of conflict and hollow victory, the battles that leave wounds on all sides. Attributed to Venus in Aquarius, this card bears the title Defeat—the bitter recognition that some victories cost more than they are worth, and that winning by dishonorable means is no true victory at all.

The Five of Swords asks you to choose your battles wisely, to value integrity over conquest, and to learn from defeat. The figure who has claimed the swords of the defeated looks upon their retreating forms with an expression that mingles triumph with isolation. What has been won? What has been lost? The card invites reflection on the true cost of conflict.

Corresponding to Geburah, Severity, in the airy realm, this card embodies the harsh lessons that come from the misuse of mental force. The Five of Swords reminds you that true success is built on compassion, not at the expense of others. It teaches that the sword of intellect, when wielded without wisdom or mercy, creates enemies rather than allies, and that the loneliest throne is one won through betrayal.