Card of the Week: The Hermit

The Jungian archetype of the wise old man is a classic literary figure, often appearing as a stock character or even as a cliché.  But true wisdom can only come from long experience.

The Hermit represents the search for truth and wisdom outside of traditional teachings, using caution and introspection, often having withdrawn from public view.  He is taking his time, taking stock, reviewing where he has been and where he is going.  This card may suggest the importance of mastering details, whether from an outside guide or from becoming a guide to others.

Inverted, this card is a reminder that isolation can be taken too far.  Overcaution may lead to paranoia and undermine the entire point of an inner journey.  Stay receptive to advice.

In “Requiem for Methuselah”, the Enterprise crew is infected with an epidemic of Rigelian fever.  To create the needed antitoxin, Doctor McCoy must quickly process large quantities of the rare mineral ryetalyn.  Ships sensors locate a sufficient supply in the nearby Omega system, on the small planet Holberg 917-G.  Initially believing it uninhabited, Kirk, Spock and McCoy beam down to find it claimed by Flint, as a retreat from Earth.  Eager for them to depart, Flint offers to use his M4 robot to process the ryetalyn more quickly than the Enterprise could.  While they wait, Flint entertains them with food and drink, classical art and music, and eventually introduces them to Rayna, who Flint initially claims is a ward.  Flint later reveals himself to be over 6,000 years old, and Rayna to be an android he created to keep him company in his exile.