Set: The Devil

Set has been associated with darkness and nighttime since the dawn of civilization. Originally a protective deity, he eventually became the embodiment of the desert storm, the hostility of foreign powers, and the destructive power of chaos personified. Set represents the cataclysmic forces that wipe the slate clean, clearing the way for the forces of Ma’at and order to evolve and rebuild ever greater structures and civilizations atop the ruins.

He became the original murderer when he killed his brother Ausar in a fit of uncontrollable rage, and he symbolizes pure passion and fury at its zenith.

Themes

The main theme of the Set Devil card is quite possibly the hero’s greatest obstacle: destructive bondage, including physical, emotional, and spiritual. Destructive bondage manifests itself in many forms: addiction, depression, dependency, materialism, abuse, loss of free will, dark psychic energy, and powerlessness.