The Suit of Swords deals with intellectual pursuits and challenges. The Sword cuts through problems and can divide systematically. The tension in this suit is between lofty intellectual needs, and the mundane needs of the moment. The suit also confronts mortality, and the legacy we hope to leave. This creates another sort of tension: between the individual, who passes away, and the society, that keeps them alive through memory.

The numbered cards are each inspired by a lyric from one of the ten original songs on the album. Though they do not follow the track order of the disc, they fit a mirrored structure similar to that of Divers. The court cards are each styled after a prominent bird from the album.