Please note this post focuses on the Zodiac for the Northern Hemisphere and is mostly based on personal taste & for fun. However, uncomfortable subject matter may be mentioned. Always check reviews or a resource like Unconsenting Media for TW: before watching any film recommendations.
IT’S SCORPIO SEASON!
An anarchist with a blade that slices through the veil of deception. Independent and does not ask for forgiveness or directions. Soulful but selective, smart as a whip, secretly a softie. Allergic to the ingenuine, finetuned to detect anything fake. Her personality, alluring yet ominous; her heart, treasured only by the VIP worthy; her mind, a brew of quick-wit.
Masters of weaving protective webs, Scorpio wants to control their narrative, despite loving to share space when they feel safe. Often comfortable in the skin she’s in and strategic in her choices, without announcing either, Scorpio’s silent leadership knows no bounds. Underlying her taboo, this esoteric enchantress entices a strong rapport for respect.
She is, after all, the Sorceress of the Zodiac.
Scorpio Season itself is immersion, the deep dive into the murky waters of the Psyche… and hopefully NOT getting stuck in the drain pipe of the Past. Time to shadow work your way into healing and make it avantgarde while you’re at it. Opening Pandora’s Box to the fact that we all have a Shadow Side, the shared “spooky season” of Halloween, Samhain and Day of the Dead are all on brand for the reign of the often misunderstood Mistress of the Dark.
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SCORPIO STATS
Element: Water
Symbol: Scorpion
Modality: Fixed
Duration (tropical): October 23 - November 22 (approx)
Body: Reproductive system, sexual organs, genitals, hips
ARCHETYPE & SYMBOLISM
As Fixed Water, Scorpio is the 8th Zodiac Sign of the Astrological Year. Their midseason seat grants them as a Queen of Transformation, ushering the spiritual movement between two realms.
The Scorpion’s significance exceeds the threat and trepidation of its powerful poison. Though the association with danger is warranted and its venomous sting a valid metaphor for Death, scorpions are more likely to retreat into a hidden place than auto-react with harm. More importantly, and often overlooked, this mysterious creature is extremely resilient. Their ability to thrive in harsh environments is a testament to their keen knowing of the process and artistry to analyze, strategize and survive.
The Scorpion holds legend in many ancient cultures as a Spiritual Guide. In Egypt, the elongated arachnid species was symbolized as a safe carrier of the soul within the Life-Death-Rebirth cycle. Scorpio in Greek mythology, sent to challenge Orion by Earth Goddess Gaia, was a humbling reminder to man that there are greater powers beyond their perceived strengths and egos that they will never be able to defeat (in Modern Astrology, this tracks well, as Scorpio transits along with Pluto and Mars are quite humbling for humans).
Immensely hardworking and heartfelt about who and what she cares about, perhaps Scorpio seems “cagey” and befalls the elusive and creepy cliches due to her coveted privacy… but within the lifeblood of Scorpio brews shrewd discernment of exchange and a preservation hellbent on creative crescendos.
SCORPIO LETTERBOX’D
Scorpio Sun shimmers in the alt archetypes of the iconic Sign itself, represented in film by the Vamp.
A centuries old trope that the silver screen indulged in at its very early invent, the Vamp was immediately a cinematic star. Anna Wong and Theda Bara glamorized this persona with flawless femme fatality, drawing from bad girls of the Bible like Lilith and literary witches such as Morgan le Fay. Often dressed to kill, the Vamp can be a literal vampire, favored most in The Hunger (even though the word ‘vampire’ itself is never uttered) to horror B-movies like Lair of the White Worm or Grace Jones in the simply titled Vamp.
The metaphorical desire to defy nature is a subject we explored in “Bathory as the Blood Moon”, themed in films like Death Becomes Her and Neon Demon. At the the end of the day, the Vamp is just femme with her own agenda and desires - sometimes overtaking - penned by male writers with Freudian fears of feminine passion and power as fodder for evil. It makes sense that Scorpio is highly associated with sexuality: their all-knowing and harbored sensitivity can sometimes find itself trapped within the body, a catalyst of tension that can only be cured by release.
Scorpio Moon. Beneath the quiet, polite, polished veneer is safe-guarded tenderness and immense devotion, willing to reach all the way in once trust is achieved. A seeker aching to taste truth, once that trust is lost, a Scorpio Moon could destroy everything in their path. Though very much swayed to fight for what’s right, Scorpio goes a step ahead of Libra’s interpersonal lovers playbook of justice and may take their lessons too far. Hell hath a Scorpio Moon played or betrayed. Found in the raw high school hell of Heathers, Carrie, Jennifer’s Body, Doom Generation, the revenge movies of Ms. 45 and Lady Vengeance and the heartfelt sci-fi war machine vs. man-in-love against the system of Dune and Blade Runner.
Scorpio Rising. Though the Kenneth Anger film of the same name doesn’t personally resonate with this placement, there’s an aspect of the leather-bound seedy underbelly that sparks the inquisitive Scorpio. Recognizing the chaos of compulsion, piqued by murder mysteries and psychological thrillers... Looking into the mind of a monster (Silence of the Lambs, The Cell) or, in the light-hearted, finding intellectual thrill in putting together the puzzle pieces (Knives Out, Clue) is a Scorpio Rising’s cup of temptation.
Introspective Scorpio Risings are able to see the darkest, sickest parts of humanity as a worthy terrain of exploration IF it leads to answers and hopefully means of safety for the vulnerable. Even sacrificing some of themselves, risk is a Scorpio Rising’s gift where redemption or rebuilding is concerned. Willing to see what society would rather not look at AND play the game with devils, excavation is Scorpio’s specialty, not just because telling the Truth is important, but because the Truth can also set us free.
THE LADY IS A VAMP
There is no Femme Fatale fashion code but cutting-edge looks - wardrobe as armor and smoldering eyes as warpaint - certainly caresses Scorpionic sensuality. Extending from the Vamp, the Femme Fatale was implied in the skintight slips of the flapper era to 1940s noir films introducing the sharpness of suits, further echoed in classic 1950s Bettie Page BDSM silhouettes.
Black lingerie became an undressed expression of Femme Fatality, later contextualized by fashion photographer Helmut Newton and designers Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. Donning Chanel's "Rouge Noir" on her talons (a shade simply known as "Vamp"), even when objectified and reduced to her prowess, there is no denying that in her blood-red lipstick… this part seductress, part man-eater fashion fascinates by defying expectations, easily stabbing holes in any foe who crosses her path with the spike of a very sharp high-heeled shoe.
CUPID-BOW BITCH
There is something about darkwave in all its more morose forms, from the 80s until today, that feels absolutely appropriate for Scorpio SZN. The metallic tinge crawling into the echo of a dreamy yet pulsing underworld, slick with emotive undertones, matches the mood. And into the darker months, enjoy a sonic celebration and a mourning as days grow shorter and nights colder, the name a nod to 1920s silent black-and-white icons like Louise Brooks, Cupid-Bow Bitch.
Additionally, though sharing a bit late as we paused to process the global tragedy happening, our cinematic electronic playlist is also a favorite. Perfect for brooding bangers for Autumn Eclipse Season and retro-waved for Wintry Retrogrades, Neon Noir is a throwback for jilted lovers and futuristic damsels-in-distress. Think replicant romance, Godard sci-fi, Metropolis.
We love any recommendations for our Spotify and Letterboxd lists! Feel free to comment about any suggested additions. PLEASE NOTE, we are having some issues with our Instagram (the app in general and some unwanted users) and will be taking a small break. Scorpio New Moon for Substack upcoming.