Beware the temptation to abuse your power when the King of Swords Reversed appears in your reading. Generally, when right side up, this card indicates someone who expresses good judgment and has earned the right to sit in a position of authority, upholding the values of truth and intellectual prowess. However, when retrograde, this king loses that sense of calm and collected authority, and is instead much more prone to abusing that authority, and relying on underhanded tactics to get what they want, even when it is completely unnecessary. This reversed king is not above manipulating others in order to get what he wants, and will use his sharp mind for largely negative purposes or selfish reasons, and often sees the world exclusively in black and white, rather than many shades of gray.

If you find yourself dealing with someone who fits this description, then you must beware their tendency to manipulate others or use people to their own ends without consideration. This person may intend to use you without you even realizing it, and it could serve you very ill to continue to allow yourself to be used in such a way. If, however, this card seems to reflect your own behavior, then you must remember that you can only manipulate and control others for so long before it comes back to bite you, and people will not forget how you pulled their strings when you were in a position of authority.