DDD Tarot explanation — Acrobatic Silky (The Empress)

CHARACTER REASONING
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So I understand that a lot of people were expecting Aira for this card, which is understandable as it does fit her and she would’ve been my next choice—however, there are a few reasons why I picked Silky over Aira for this one. The Empress is often a card associated with motherhood and femininity, and the former especially applies to Silky as she herself was a mother. The Empress is also a card about compassion, nurturing, beauty and art—and in money and career readings it also indicates being an inspiration to those around you and being a sign of excelling at a creative field. Considering Silky was a mother raising a daughter all by herself, and also was teaching her ballet in her spare time between jobs (which the daughter greatly enjoyed), she slots into these traits quite nicely as well.
In reversed, the Empress can mean insecurity, disharmony, and overbearing/controlling tendencies. The disharmony and overbearing tendencies particularly come to light once Silky is already in her yokai form, leading to harming the people she intended to protect. Similarly, in money and career readings, the Empress in reverse may also mean that work may seem unfulfilling or that you do not feel confident that there is an abundance of money. It’s seen as a sign for you to make responsible choices and to not squander your money—though unfortunately, in Silky’s case, the choice to spend the money on her daughter’s dress ended up costing her dearly.

REFERENCES TO THE ORIGINAL CARD
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•	In the original card, the Empress is seen wearing a crown with 12 stars—though there’s not specifically 12 stars highlighted in the card with Silky on it, stars as a whole are still very prominently on display in the card. There is also a shooting/falling star seen in the sky… Though this is more so in reference to Silky’s fate.
•	The Empress is originally seen sitting on luxurious cushions and flowing red velvet. Though Silky is not seen sitting on her card, the red velvet is still subtly hinted at by the emergence of the red dress she gifted to her daughter and is wearing in her yokai form.
•	The symbol of Venus is originally represented by being displayed on one of the cushions that surround the Empress, but in Silky’s card it’s on display (upside down) among the hearts in her flowing hair.
•	The Empress is often associated with Mother Nature, as well as life itself; and therefore is displayed with a lush forest in the background. Silky’s scenery seems like a complete opposite with her in her death throes and with a city in the background, but this is a deliberate choice. A city is sometimes called a “concrete jungle”, which is still a small nod to the forest in the original card—just with a bit more of a cruel ironic twist to it.