Major Arcana · 17 of 78
The Tower
Lightning strikes a tall tower built on a jagged peak, blasting its golden crown into the air. Flames burst from the windows and two figures fall headfirst through a rain of sparks toward the rocks below.
★ Upright
The Tower is the sudden collapse of what was built on a false premise. Upright, it marks shock — a revelation, a breakup, a failure — that demolishes a structure you trusted. The lightning is brutal but accurate: it only strikes what could not have stood. What survives this card is the truth, and truth is buildable ground.
♺ Reversed
Reversed, the collapse is being postponed — propping up a doomed arrangement, dodging a disaster narrowly, or feeling the quake internally while keeping the facade upright. Controlled demolition is still available and far cheaper. Take the structure down yourself before the lightning does.