I had this card come up in a reading for me, today. My heart sank when I looked at it. The figure does reject and desert the cups, yes, and like you said, with no obvious reason or rationale. That's the frustrating part. Feelings are not always rational. But, they're feelings, nonetheless, and they carry weight.
The figure is dissatisfied where he's at. He feels incomplete and he's not sure why. He can't understand why those 8 cups are dissatisfying. His mind says - this should all be enough, more than enough. Look at what you've got. The cups *seem* full and maybe they are actually filled to the rim but for some reason, the cups don't carry that one *thing* he feels is *now* missing.
For a long, long time, the cups and whatever they represented, were enough. But, not anymore. He asks - what is this missing thing? Maybe he doesn't know. I don't think he likes having these feelings. I think it's an overwhelming process for him. I think there are times when he's mad at himself for feeling the way he does. He knows his feelings will affect others in his life and he doesn't want to feel responsible. But, he also knows that if he *stays*, a part of him continues to die - because those cups don't and can't *feed* him anymore nor can they *quench* his thirst.
He looks up and feels the pull of the Moon (into the unknown) and fears it as well but it's not *only* the Moon that influences and guides him. There's also the light of the Sun which reassures him that although he may not know what he's looking for, he'll recognize it when he sees it. But, he's got to take that journey or he'll never know. He carries a sense of passion and desire. His Will is reflected in the red of his cloak and shoes.
Yes, those 8 Cups do reflect a "real love" but there is a yearning for something *more* or something *different*, a draw towards something *new* but not necessarily to get away from what IS - because to move towards something to get away from something else carries its own set of issues. It feels more like an inner calling and one that can't easily be ignored. That's where the significance of the #8 comes in for me (as was explained by Shardz). It can feel like a never ending cycle until you make the decision to break it. Just some thoughts.