The Story Behind Scorpio

New improved version of this post coming soon! Read the new series here.

Scorpio is sensitive and emotionally volatile. They are loyal, proud and insightful, as well as enigmatic, persistent and driven. Scorpios can be mistrustful of others, but they would just see it as realistic caution, especially as they have such highly tuned bullshit detectors and are so aware of all the darkness in the world and in people. Their sensitivity to suffering makes them deeply compassionate, but they can struggle with weakness, either their own or that of others. Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Pluto.

Scorpio Myths

Killing the Lernean Hydra, the Second Labour of Hercules, is a fine Scorpionic tale. Hercules is ordered to slay the hydra who lives in a cave in the middle of a swamp and has been feasting on the locals and causing no end of trouble. The hydra is a bit like a serpent but has nine heads, and if you cut off one head, another three will grow in its place. So Hercules goes at it like the madman he is, trying to club the thing to death and hacking away at its heads, until he is exhausted and the hydra just keeps getting bigger and sprouting more blood-hungry heads.

Then Hercules tries something different. Remembering that the hydra can’t stand the light, he gets down on his knees and raises the beast above his head, shoving it into the sunlight. The hydra duly shrivels leaving just one head. But this head is immortal and hidden within is a precious jewel. Hercules buries the final head under a rock.

Job done.

Scorpio on Film

Flatliners © 1990 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc

Detectives who descend to the dark underbelly of the world to sniff out secrets and bring the truth to light, for example: Somerset and Mills in Seven.

Nelson the medical student who wants to die to find out what happens next and gets more than he bargains for in Flatliners.

Captain Willard and Colonel Kurtz who journey into the heart of darkness in Apocalypse Now.