Five of Swords
The Five of Swords signals betrayal, ruthless competition, and victories won at moral cost. Upright, it warns that others—or you—may exploit weakness, leading to embittered conflict and compromised ethics. Reversed, it points to unresolved disputes that fester due to pride, producing no true winners and reopening old wounds. The card urges caution about pursuing victory at any cost and recommends reflection to avoid long-term resentment and moral compromise.
Keywords
Upright
The Five of Swords warns of those who seek to exploit your lowest moments. This is the card of betrayal and malevolent rivalry. An embittered conflict brings out everyone's worst and most desperate impulses. Victories are achieved through unscrupulous means. You may compromise your morals to suit your ends.
Reverse
Your current conflicts remain unresolved and continue to fester indefinitely. Nobody wins, yet you continue to draw out this conflict for the sake of pride. You cling to the notion of winning out this contentious cycle, yet you know none of the sacrifices will be worth it. Old wounds are reopened, and long-dead resentments are revived.
Visual Description
A winged, nude female figure with long, flowing hair descends through a star-filled night sky while clutching three upright swords to her chest. Two additional swords are thrust point-first into a skull set on a low mound below her. Curving bands of stars and circular decorative patterns form a celestial backdrop in deep blues and pale violets, and the card shows the Roman numeral V at the top and the word 'swords' at the bottom.
Star Spinner tarot
💜 Please support creators. Buy official decks.
ℹ️ Disclaimer
All card images and descriptions are taken from public sources. They are used for review purposes only. All rights to these images and descriptions belong to their creators. If you believe there is a copyright infringement, please contact us at [email protected].