Design of Rider Back playing card
Apparently, Russell & Morgan, the forerunners of the United States Playing Card Company, decided to produce a line of cards. Employees were asked to suggest an attractive name for the new product, and a printer, "Gus" Berens, offered "Bicycle." His idea was enthusiastically accepted, and the “Rider Back” made its debut in 1887. Since then, while the Bicycle brand has featured dozens of different designs, the Rider Back has never gone out of production.
The picture here is the traditional "rider back", a double-ended design montrer a cherub, ou “CUPID, Angel of Love” riding a bicycle. This mischievous little Angel has been around for many millennia, appearing in many guises. The Cherub appears suddenly near people who need a little l’amour in their lives, so that he may attune himself to them plus readily. Once attuned to his target he may automatically sense which people the target thinks he ou she could most readily fall in l’amour with. He then uses his Bow to cause these people to fall in love. Although he only really needs to shoot the object of his target's desires to cause a l’amour bond to form, he usually shoots both to ensure that the l’amour will last for a long time, therefore greatly furthering his Word. Cupid, while normally jouer la comédie like a child, is an intellectual, and focuses on his targets gaining emotional and intellectual love, rather than simply the lustful l’amour that is so fleeting (and serves Hell). He also keeps a female colombe vessel, for keeping an eye on those amoureux he has brought together. Although the Symphony is supposed to dictate the ebb and flow of l’amour between humans, Cupid isn't above going back to his targets who are having a little trouble, and 'shooting' them again. He has also been reported to have an influence on the Destinies of some of the greatest amoureux of all time. Now, CUPID'S BOW, a celestial, ou heavenly, artifact, is this small, almost cute short-bow always appears in Cupid's hands when he assumes Celestial form. He may cause it to disappear at will, and may summon it just as easily. It is essentially a part of him, a gift from God when he was granted his “Word”. He can sense its location, and almost never parts with it, but there have been occasions when he has allowed others to use it for his amusement. For a cost of 1 Essence, he may create an Arrow for the Bow. This Arrow is approximately 1 foot long, with pure white feathers on the shaft, and an arrowhead in the shape and color of a BRIGHT RED cœur, coeur SYMBOL. Cupid may shoot this Arrow at anyone he can see, and almost always hits (there have been memorable occasions when he missed, but no one really gets hurt, and it's all in the name of fun). If the target fails Cupid's Forces a negative target modifier, and they will fall madly in l’amour with the first person they see for a duration of months. After this time hopefully real l’amour will have developed and Cupid won't need to shoot the person again, but as noted above, he will if he has to. Over the years, Cupid has become rather adept at causing distractions to make sure that the target sees the right person after being shot, so as to avoid annoying mistakes.
Okay so what do we have here? Let’s summarize.
1. Lucas’s dream sequence, features a card trick dealer/love guru named GUS, who is enlisted to help him find love. Could Gus in fact be his Cupid?
2. So then, if Cupid/Gus sees Lucas, uses the game as a means of attuning himself to Lucas’s true desires, Lucas then picks the Queen of Hearts (IMO a symbolism for Brooke in many ways) while Gus watches a happy Brucas. At this point he shoots Lucas with his arrow, maybe even Brooke as well, she is the only one who is featured along side Lucas during the card trick.
3. We then see Gus and Lucas at the airport…when he realizes that Lucas has failed par believing that toi can CHOOSE who toi love, he and Peyton, the negative modifier, the first person he sees in real life, fall madly in love…hence the cheese factor of Leyton in Vegas, and the way that Gus laughs at Lucas’s ignorance.
4. I see Peyton as his distraction, the one that cupid would know Lucas would “most readily fall in l’amour with” He knows that Peyton is a good distraction, because she would come to the airport, not Brooke, but after a couple months, as a dit hopefully “real love” will have developed, and he won’t have to intervene. But he will if needed!
5. Gus’s words to him in the airport about not choosing love, how it relates plus to destiny, what’s in the stars, and that women are smarter (he witnesses a very cunning Brooke with Lucas in NYC), all hint towards Leyton demise (IMO). If spoilers indicate that something Gus says causes him to question his decision, I’d for sure bet on it being about that.
Please tell me what toi think…
