Morgan-Greer - Nine of Rods

Rede Seeker

A bearded man in armor shown in profile. Behind him are eight Rods; he holds the ninth, carrying it across his shoulder. There is a breeze, either a natural air current or created by the man's pace as he walks - the mane attached to his helmet flutters behind him. All the Rods are of living wood - there are oak leaves attached to them. The man's armor is clean and polished. His beard is well maintained. The man seems in robust health - no exhaustion after a battle; no apparent injuries.

There are mountain peaks in the background - symbol of goals and aspirations.

Our man wears a glove, but it's not one of the glove patterns we see on the Five of Rods. Check the Six of Rods - the gloves look similar, although from the angle we can't see if there is a pattern on the back; the helmet has a similar shape and mane. The Victor in the Six of Rods is related the man in the Nine. One receives the Victory - does the other maintain it? He stands his post, backed by proof of past victories. He has earned his position.
 

minrice

I believe the man in the 9 Wands maintains the victory in the sense that he has/had a plan. Perhaps he is the "unseen" one, the brains behind the outfit! Seen or unseen he is the one who came up with a coherant, decisive plan.
 

Rede Seeker

Confidence and commitment

I love his posture - how unlike the Rider-Waite-Smith Nine of Wands. The Morgan-Greer Nine of Wands is not defeated. He is whole - body, mind, and spirit.

In the Northern Tradition/Asatru, we have the Rune Sowilo, Rune of the Sun, Rune of Success and Guidance to a Goal. In the Havamal (Writings of the High One in the Poetic Edda) there is a stanza describing Sowilo:

'I know an eleventh: If I lead
old friends into the fray,
I sing under the shield
and they fare into battle mighty and whole,
they fare from battle whole,
they are whole, wherever they go.'

('The Eddas: The Keys to the Mysteries of the North' by James Allen Chisholm)

The man's proud bearing, the yellow background and tint to his armor remind me of Sowilo and that stanza.