Arcus Arcanum - The Emperor

This card is a fairly standard archetype of male power. A man sits in a deep red fur suit with a crown on his head while holding a baton with a reindeer on top of it. He is very Santa Claus looking, much like The Pope in the Marseille pack. In many older packs The Emperor sits sideways looking at The Pope or The Empress, but in this card he looks straight ahead, maybe this is to signify his determination to do things his own way with no apologies.

He has an incense burner at his feet like The High Priestess has in her card, maybe this is to show honor to unseen forces. His facial expression is neither stern or jovial. He appears to be a person with a balanced personality that knows how feel compassion, but can keep his composure at will. I see him the father figure of the Major Arcana.


Freddie

I never thought of him as resembling Santa Claus, but you're right! (Much thinner, of course.) How come I never noticed that reindeer before? He resembles the European figures much more than the American one (as is to be expected). There's a sword at his side but he's not holding it; he holds his scepter and has the other arm akimbo; that looks to me to be a "no-nonsense" expression. Calling him a father-figure plays in with this, because arms akimbo is a common stance of parents relating to children. He is in charge, stern or benevolent as the case warrants.

And where the High Priestess's brazier is merely smoking, his is blazing. It's in keeping with all the ram's heads on the brazier and on his throne: Aries is a fire sign.

These four--including the High Priest--seem to exemplify the four elements: water, earth, fire, and air, in that order. But a little of other elements can be found in all.