Mars in Scorpio or in 8th House in birth chart

These are the global energies of Mars in Scorpio or in 8th House that must be nuanced according to your birth chart, see the article Mars in signs; see also the article on the general interpretation of Mars.
The planet Mars is one of the attributes of the Animus in the chart, so it can indicate a Projection of it.
It informs about the man side, the action, the desire, the lover, our impulses, the libido, but also more broadly on our way of asserting ourselves, our combativeness and the latent violence which results from it, it manifests qualities in the colors of the occupied sign. See Mars in the birth chart of a woman for the specific influence of this planet on the Anima.

Mars in Scorpio : strength, resilience, and excessiveness

The planet Mars is in its nocturnal domicile here (see Rulerships), so its energy is able to express itself fully, but in a more subterranean kind of way—less directly than when in its domicile of Aries.

This is a very strong position for Mars to be in, and Mars in Scorpio people are very hard, harsh, aggressive, and courageous. We might say that their character is “strong” : they can rise to unlikely challenges, and if they do not want to do something, you will not be able to make them do it !

Their resilience is truly remarkable. It seems like the harder you hit them and the more they are at a low, turbulent place in their lives, the more they are able to use this energy to their advantage to come back even stronger, just when you least expect it. They have the ability to take a hit like a boxer and also to regenerate : they have a very keen survival instinct.

Their drive is equally impressive. They are able to concentrate their energy, focus it, and point it precisely in the direction of their choosing. It’s better to be their friend than their enemy, because they are also resentful and do not let even the slightest betrayal slide.

At their core, Mars in Scorpio people are taciturn, mysterious, and fairly antisocial, but their sangfroid is remarkable, and they may even create crises just to feel as though they are in charge and to take control of the situation.
Nonetheless, they are reserved and extremely secretive. They may often live several separate lives, which are very much compartmentalized, and they are easily able to hide large parts of their lives.

Their psychology is very complex, and it’s very difficult to see through them : they have a thick outer shell. Their ability to analyze other people’s behavior allows them to easily detect any unsaid things or little lies. Mars in Scorpio people may also have such an easy time gaining an edge over other people that they show themselves to be very manipulative, and they take pleasure in being dominant in their relationships.

They often have a very specific methodology for interacting with other people : they like to test people ! Their tests may come in a variety of shapes and forms, but most frequently they like to toss out a few cutting remarks just to throw the other person off balance, and thus get a look at the person’s true behavior behind their social veneer. They also like to tell lies in order to learn the truth; this is a strategy that they use to ensure that their partner will be reliable, which may be a bit mean, but is very effective.

Mars in Scorpio people have a personality that is very uncompromising, raw, impulsive, very over the top, often provocative, and even radical, and they assert themselves violently. They can’t stand things that are too “lukewarm” or vapid. They want things to be black and white, not gray, and in fact they provoke the same kinds of reactions in other people : either you love them or you hate them, and it’s practically impossible for anyone to feel indifferent towards them.
They have their own code of conduct and their own objectives, often with the simple end goals of attaining dominance and glory. As they get older, Mars in Scorpio people learn to channel their energy and better maintain their self-control, which makes them even more of a force to be reckoned with.

If they do not find a way to express their powerful Martian energy, it can turn against them, leading them to repress parts of themselves and become highly frustrated, and giving them destructive and/or self-destructive tendencies.

In terms of their libido, these people are spoiled : this is undoubtedly the sign in which Mars is the most sexual. Mars in Scorpio people are very needy and highly sensual, and they have a latent erotic side and a certain magnetic aura, which draws partners to them like moths to a flame and leads people to fantasize about them.
They like anything that violates the rules, is taboo, or spices things up. Things that are forbidden or extreme are erogenous for them.
Their fantasies are often centered around scenarios involving domination/extreme submission, exhibitionism, or adultery, and they often get exactly what they want in one way or another.
They are extremely possessive and jealous, and they play games in their relationships that always have to do with possessiveness. They have a hard time if they are dispossessed in any way, since they believe that mutual belonging is an important part of what love is.

Mars retrograde in Scorpio

Mars’ Retrograde motion does not make these people any less strong, but rather gives them a way to better channel their energy and better maintain control over their natural excessiveness.
Unfortunately, these people may also have trouble expressing themselves, and thus may repress their powerful abundance of energy, which may lead them to develop self-destructive tendencies or a tendency to harm others.

Celebrities with Mars in Scorpio

Mahatma Gandhi, Joseph Stalin, Mel Gibson, Marie Curie, Stephen Arroyo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kurt Cobain, Bruce Lee, Olivia Wilde, Martin Scorsese, Jimi Hendrix, Mao Tse-toun, Carlos Castaneda, Marilyn Manson, Bill Murray, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Schumacher, Bachar el-Assad…