Major Arcana
Death
The point where something worn out ends and becomes the ground for what comes next.
- ending
- release
- change
- threshold
- renewal
Upright meaning
An ending clears the ground for transformation. Let the old form pass cleanly.
Reversed meaning
Change is being resisted, so the ending drags on. Release must become active.
Symbolism
- threshold — The gate between forms.
- water — Crossing, grief, purification.
- crown — No status outranks change.
- animal-guide — Instinct knows how to pass through endings.
Lore
Marseille decks usually leave card XIII without a title; Arcanata paints a rider crossing an autumn river, a fallen crown in the reeds and new shoots beyond. It marks an ending that makes room: something has run its course, and letting it go clears space.
In daily life, this can close a chapter, end a habit, or show you what survives after a loss.