When Leo energy goes wrong
An astrological analysis of Elliot Rodger, the infamous "Incel" killer
Jupiter has just entered the sign of Leo, and we’ve just witnessed the full moon in Capricorn. What better person to talk about in this article, than someone whose natal Jupiter was placed in the sign of Leo and whose Moon was in the sign of Capricorn?
Meet Elliot Rodger.
Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger was born in the morning of Wednesday, the 24th of July 1991 in the UK. Rodger’s family would eventually relocate to the United States, where Elliot grew up and spend most of his life. Elliot was socially awkward and struggled to fir in with his peers. He has a notoriously difficult personality and ended up achieving fame - rather infamy - with his “Incel“ manifesto and his rampage that resulted in multiple people killed and his own death by suicide.
There are a few theories regarding Elliot’s ascendant, but the most realistic one, in my opinion, is the one according to which his ascendant was at 29 degrees of Leo. Here’s Elliot’s birth chart.
First impression of the chart
At first glance, what catches the eye is the strong mix of Leo and Capricorn energies. The Sun being at the very first degree of Leo, while the ascendant being in the very last - anaretic - degree of Leo. The anretic degree is often associated with culmination or crisis, whereas the first degree is commonly associated with the early stages. That said, it would not be surprising if the archetype of the first degree of Leo would be an archetype of a persona that still carries some Cancerian “baggage“ and who is yet acquire the mastery of what means to be a Leo.
Speaking of mastery, it is also worth mentioning Elliot’s natal moon in the sign of Capricorn. Moon in Capricorn is considered to be in the sign of her detriment. The Moon is associated with motherhood, safety, nurturing, family, memory, even ancestry. The sign of Capricorn is the a cold sign. The cusp of Capricorn signifies the winter solstice, and the animal symbol for Capricorn is a sea goat.
Capricorn is also associated with mountain goats. When we speak about Capricorn we speak about seriousness, ambition, probations, hard work and perseverance. The planetary ruler of Capricorn is Saturn. Because the Moon is in the sign ruled by Saturn we say that Saturn is the dispositor of the moon. Saturn in Elliot’s chart, is in the sign of Aquarius. Aquarius is also the sign of Saturn’s domicile: it’s a sign where Saturn feels at home, where it is strong. Saturn and the Sun are both domiciled and in a tight opposition, and this, my dear readers, is indeed the main point of tension of this chart.
An internal tug-of-war
The opposition between the Sun and Saturn is the tightest applying tense aspect in this chart. A tense aspect is an aspect - such as opposition (180 degrees) or square (90 degrees) that brings certain challenges to the chart. Opposition, as the name indicates, can signify a certain antagonism, and this chart is the perfect example of it.
On one side we have the Sun, at home int he regal sign of Leo. Leo is the sign of fame, the spotlight, the flamboyant and the grandiose. Opposite to the Sun, there is Saturn. Saturn is the planet of delays, frustrations, trials and tribulations. Saturn is also associated with fear and endings. Saturn in Aquarius, means that the “old men with the rings” was in the sign of groups and collective.
This state of contradiction manifested itself in Elliot’s life through a crippling social anxiety and long standing mental issues, which coexisted side by side with an inflated sense of self-importance and an arrogant approach to life. Elliot often referred to other people as being lesser than him. He never managed to fit in in social groups, part due to his deep-rooted insecurities, which was only made worse by his superiority complex.
Another aspect worth mentioning, is Chiron conjunct to the Sun. Chiron is the wounded healer of the zodiac. It represents our primal wound, but also signifies the potential for healing and growth. It was clear that Elliot had a wounded sense of self. A wounded ego who refused to relate to his peers and was tormented with a very fragile self-esteem.
Further markers of inner turmoil
Because Jupiter just entered Leo, let’s talk about Elliot’s natal Jupiter. At the time of Elliot’s birth, Jupiter was at 19 degrees Leo, forming a very tight square to Pluto. Jupiter was in the 12th house, the house associated with isolation and self-undoing. Jupiter, regarded as the great benefic in astrology, is said to enhance and augment everything it touches. With Jupiter in the 12th house is is an interesting coincidence that Elliot was very much antisocial and spent most of his time in isolation.
Also, the placement of Pluto, right on his IC, is interesting on its won. The IC (Imum Coeli) is associated with the home, family and one’s upbringing as well as one’s inner landscape. Pluto on the IC seems to indicate that Elliot’s upbringing might have been marked by power dynamics. This has been confirmed by Elliot’s family and was also described by Elliot himself in his own written recollections. The son of divorced parents, Elliot often manipulated his progenitors and adult caretakers to get what he wanted.
The square between Jupiter and Pluto might as well be a representation of Elliot’s radical beliefs. Elliot saw himself as the “Supreme Gentleman“ and expressed lust of power and desire for revenge on those who he perceived has having wronged him. Those radical beliefs might have been what drove Elliot to act out on his cruel intention and eventually led to his demise.
Vanity and materialism
Elliott was a very vain individual, who loved to flaunt his wealth and prided himself on dressing with the best designer clothes and accessories. This translates very well his Taurus midheaven. Taurus likes material comforts and cares a lot about possessions and wealth. Taurus is rules by Venus, and Elliot had Venus in his first house, the house of the self. Combine this with a last-degree Leo ascendant and no wonder why he was so obsessed with his image!
Also, the second house, which is the house associated with ones possessions and values, has the cusp in the sign of Virgo, thus being ruled by Mercury. Elliot’s natal Mercury was at 27 degrees of Leo. Ostentation was Elliot’s favourite hobby and bragging was something Elliot was good at. Moreover, the fixed star Regulus was conjunct Elliot’s ascendant and his Mercury was nearby. Regulus is the royal star, associated with the heart of the lion. Its planetary nature is akin to Jupiter and Mars. One might wonder if this is another astrological symbolism for Elliot’s delusions of grandeur and rampant misanthropy.
Trouble relationship with the feminine
The Moon and Venus in a man’s birth chart refer to how a man relates to the feminine. If Venus symbolises the type of woman the man may feel attracted to, the moon relates to a man’s relationship with his own mother and, ultimately, his wife.
Freudianism aside, Elliot had both Venus and Moon debilitated. The moon - as was already mentioned - was in the sign of her detriment and Venus was in the sign of her fall. They do form a nice harmonic aspect between them (a trine, which is 120 degrees in angle) but, in addition to both being debilitated, have some further malefic influences on the mix.
Venus is conjunct Mars. Mars is regarded as the minor malefic (with Saturn being the greater malefic). Elliot was very fussy about his preferences. He felt entitled to a “hot blonde girl” - the archetype of western beauty. He was quick to pinpoint other people’s physical ugliness but, at the same time, was himself very sensitive to criticism. Venus conjunct to Mars illustrates a “love-hate“ dynamic. And Elliot personified this to a T. He lusted for the hot blonde girls in the sororities but he also hated them and would often insult them and antagonise them. This conjunction fell on Elliot’s first house, further evidencing the love-hate stance as a central part of his personality.
His Capricorn Moon was conjunct Black Moon Lilith, Uranus and Neptune. Black Moon Lilith is commonly compared to the archetype of Pluto. She symbolises power struggles, inadequacy, taboo and refusal to conform with the norms. In the sign of Capricorn and conjunct Moon, this further reinforces the idea of emotional repression and resentment towards others. Uranus in the mix gives some quality of emotional volatility. Elliot was known for his emotional outbursts. Neptune is often associated with delusion and disillusionment. All this in the 5th house of romance and self expression speaks for someone whose emotional state was deeply affected by delusional views on romance that end up in disappointment, thus fuelling further resentment and emotional hostility. This disturbed state was an integral part of Elliot’s self expression, and was conveyed in his written manifesto.
Closing remarks
We examined Elliot Rodger’s chart, peeling it layer by layer, like an onion. And much like an onion, the challenges in this chart, combined with Elliot’s life choices can easily make one cry.
While Elliot became known for the worst reasons, it is important to keep his story as a cautionary tale of the consequences of the un-evolved expression of a chart. It is important, however, to emphasise that difficult aspects in the chart are not a sentence. A highly challenging opposition or square can indeed bring a fair share of trials and tribulations, but also great potential for growth and wisdom.
I hope you liked this article and that this analysis could bring some valuable learning on the darker side of astrological placements and the ways it can manifest. Let me know your take in the comments and feel free to share some constructive feedback.
Happy Mercury retrograde!