King of Wands

Magician Matthew Holtzclaw has carved out an interesting niche within a timeless profession; he not only mystifies audiences as a performer, but has also become a consultant for theatrical productions who want their special effects to have a magical quality all their own. "I'm often asked to find creative ways to kill people," he told me during an interview this summer. He also quoted Penn & Teller on the beauty of fake blood and violence: "Gory special effects celebrate the victory of art over cruelty." Holtzclaw recently participated in a New Yorker Festival panel discussion about magic, which you can watch here -- if you skip ahead to 25:00, you'll get to see see his amazing work in action.

The King of Wands is quite a multi-faceted character, just like his mate the Queen. After all, it's not just any one quality that's required to keep one at the top of one's game. The King sincerely believes that his battles will be won or lost depending on his own personal investment in them, not that of his troops. So he proceeds accordingly and trains tirelessly, exploring his own ideals and prejudices and techniques for signs of weakness or obsolescence, seeking counsel as well as counseling and motivating those around him. By showtime, he's already several steps ahead of the audience, his apparent effortlessness masking the incredible effort that has gone into every maneuver.

While he epitomizes willpower and visionary strength, he's no steamroller like the King of Swords. He doesn't have to be -- since his own personal inspiration is infectious and encouraging, it sets a standard that people genuinely want to aspire to. The victory of art over cruelty, indeed...