2014 - Gevurah - 300: Rise of an Empire

It begins as a whisper... a promise... the lightest of breezes dances above the death cries of three hundred men.  That breeze became a wind.  A wind that my brothers have sacrificed.  A wind of freedom, a wind of justice, a wind of vengeance.

Queen Gorgo, 300: Rise of an Empire

Since 300 was pretty much the ultimate Martian film anyway [at least by what people typically consider to be ''Martian''] what better than to re-release it in 2014, The Year of Gevurah as its own sequel - 300: In the Navy . Effectively the same brutal violence but on seas of blood, instead of in the Hot Gates.  Continuing our exploration of the Unifying Colour Theory we'll again look over the classic associations of Geburah/Gevurah and then look at how the ''film-makers'' inserted them into the film.

TITLE: Geburah, Gevurah, Strength, Severity
METAL: Iron (Iron Ore)
OTHER TITLES: Din - Judgement, Pachad - Fear
MAGICAL IMAGE: A mighty warrior in his chariot
GOD-NAME: Elohim Gibor
ARCHANGEL: Kamael, Angel of Courage
VIRTUE: Energy, Courage
VICE: Cruelty, Destruction
HOST OF ANGELS: Fiery serpents
MUNDANE CHAKRA: The right arm
SYMBOLS: The scourge, the spear, the sword, the spur, the chain

BLUE, RED AND YELLOW

Like in the introduction scene to Star Trek: Into Darkness, 300: Rise of an Empire actually weaves the three primary colours of the middle triad of the Tree of Life, i.e. red, blue and yellow - and while blue dominated Star Trek, red obviously dominates 300:Rise of an Empire. In the first movie the Spartans were characterised by their bright red costumes, in this one the Athenians wear blue.  These costumes are shed fairly quickly to fight bare chested (though with helmets) but when they are worn they are rapidly sprayed with red blood.  The blue whether it takes the form of the ocean, or the Athenian uniform, is continuously drenched with red.  Yellow (and gold) is reserved for Xerxes and we'll deal with that in its own section.

SEA OF BLOOD

BLOOD AND IRON [COSTUME DESIGN]

In a film where swords, spears and blood-spray are ubiquitous there is little need to explain those features of Gevurah although one thing is worth pointing out from an alchemy point of view.  We have discussed how the distinctive red costumes of the Spartans couldn't be in the film in any significant way since the Spartans were only around at the end of the war between the Persians and the Athenians and this deprived costume designers of their easiest option.  However the red of Gevurah comes from its association with iron and iron ore (which is red), and therefore metallic black iron was used as a costume for a great deal of the enemy characters including Artemisia - bearing in mind that they all end up drenched in blood. 

ATHENIANS IN RED

QUEEN GORGO (SPARTA)

CHARIOTS

When the Chariot is drawn in Tarot it can be interpreted as vehicles.  When we talk about mighty warriors in their chariots for this film, we are talking about the men (and woman) in their ships.  These galleys are their vehicles of war.

ARTEMISIA

IRON THRONE?

The principal antagonist is called Artemisia, and she is representative of the ''vices'' of Gevurah - cruelty, destruction, wrath, vengeance, ruthlessness etc - as opposed to our erstwhile hero, Themistokles, who represents the virtues - bravery, valour, courage, strength, athleticism, brotherhood. 

''YOU FIGHT HARDER THAN YOU FUCK''

XERXES

Xerxes is not the principal antagonist and as such is not shown in the colours of Gevurah or in fact in much of the movie.   

This scene is replete with Qabalistic imagery from Tifereth, our yellow Sefira.  Tifereth is associated with Christ, and the dead and risen God-King, although in this scene we see a Jesus looking Xerxes going through what seems to be an inverted baptism producing an anti-christ like figure at the end.

XERXES WALKING THE PATH

After being drenched in yellow and emerging as a ''Golden God'' Xerxes walks a yellow path very much like a path from Tifereth on the Tree of Life.  At the end of this ''path'' he teams up with Artemisia, dressed in red cloth and iron mail, who clears a bloody way for him during a palace coup so Xerxes has effectively ''walked the path'' between Tifereth and Gevurah to become Elohim Gibor - The Mighty/Strong God.

COUP IN RED

FIERY SERPENTS

FIERY

SERPENTS

During one of the naval battles Artemisia uses suicide soldiers with explosives attached to their backs to spread fire amongst the Greek fleet.  As the ships are blown apart and the sailors sink into the flaming ocean they are eaten by sea serpents.  Several reviewers of this movie commented on the randomness of giant sea serpents being inserted but you know why they were.  All decisions are by the numbers.

SPARTANS

And then the Spartans arrive to save the day unfolding their red striped sails in the background of the final battle between Artemisia and Thermistokles.

War is coming to Greece.  And only a tidal wave of heroes' blood can save them.

Artemisia, 300: Rise of an Empire