# The Devil

**Arcana**: Major | **Number**: XV

## Upright
Bondage, materialism, and the shadow self. The Devil represents chains that are self-imposed -- addictions, dependencies, and patterns you choose to keep. This card exposes what controls you by revealing you have always had the power to leave.

## Reversed
Release, breaking free, and reclaiming power. The reversed Devil signals liberation from what held you captive. The chains fall away once you decide to remove them.

## In Technical Context
You are trapped by a dependency, vendor lock-in, or sunk-cost fallacy. Acknowledge the chain, then break it. The migration cost is real but finite; the cost of staying is ongoing and growing.
