Harley Quinn Character Analysis

I've been thinking about writing this for a while and with the trailer for Birds of Prey coming out I felt it was a good time to do this. Not surprisingly, I was not a fan of Suicide Squad. Let's pretend for a moment I haven't read the comics and don't know anything about these characters, the movie is still just not very good. It's predictable, the action scene's aren't all that exciting, and dialogue was okay with a couple witty things here an there. Not to mention it was Will Smith playing Will Smith as a resentful, mouthy, supposed to be badass, and Margot Robbie's main purpose was to be sexy and say crazy things. Add actually reading the comics and it's a mess.

But anyway, I was happy to see that Birds of Prey seems to offer some depth and actual character development to one of my favorite characters. I've hated that the last few years Harley Quinn has been reduced to a hot idiot that says crazy things and can kind of fight. There's so much more to the psychology of her character. She has a brain, is a real badass, and feels everything deeply. When she loves, she's all in, when she's mad or sad, she lets herself feel it and act on it. She might not feel the appropriate emotion at all times, but she doesn't hold it back. And it took her meeting the Joker to be like that.

So, let me start with pre-Joker Harley, Harleen Quinzel. She just didn't suddenly go crazy with the Joker, she's always had this dark, insane part of her. It was tamped down by society and being taught the acceptable way to act. She probably became a psychologist for the reason actors go to therapy, to understand the dark parts of our minds and reconcile with our humanity. And I know they like to say she slept her way through getting a PhD, but seriously, you know how many years it takes to get that? There's no way that every professor was going to just pass her for a bj, and there's no way she didn't pick up a lot on the way. The fact that she's been able to capture Batman and nearly killed him (if it wasn't for Joker's pride), get in and out of Arkham and do a shit ton of other cool stuff shows that she has a brain.

Now, of course to any psychologist the Joker would be very interesting. Who wouldn't want to get into that mind and figure out what makes him tick? When Harley starts her sessions with Joker she's seeing someone who is really unapologetic for letting his dark, wild passion free and not being held by societies inhibitions. He's the victim of societies strict rules, much like how she feels. He's the key to showing her it is okay to feel what you feel and let it free, to feel completely like yourself and not be ashamed. I can relate to this hardcore, just not as drastic.

I've had major depression throughout my life. During my middle school and early high school years was some of the worst. I literally felt crazy at times. I had this part of me that just wanted to do shit and feel free to be me, but it seemed like my instincts were always wrong, that everyone would think I was crazy if I was just me. So I hid it. I hid my passions, tamped down my feelings and acted like what I thought everyone wanted me to be.

During one of my very dark moments I met my "Joker". I've even talked about him, and like you would expect, things didn't end well with him. That's right, my best friend from the narcissist post. He gave me the freedom to be myself and not feel judged. He even told me I was crazy, but that was okay because everyone was but the happy people are the ones who accept every part of themselves. I was able to accept my dark parts and start to live (at least strive to) unapologetic of who I am. Yeah, I make sure not to encourage toxic traits that could hurt others, but even in my deepest darkest corners I don't truly want to hurt anyone.

I get it Harley. When you find that person that teaches you it's okay to embrace the darkness inside you, embrace the crazy, it's not easy to let them go. Even when they're hurting you. Of course my story is no where near as dramatic as Harley's, that's why I'm not a pop culture icon.

That's why I love the new Harley comics where she's on her own, she's done with Joker. She's strong for breaking that abusive relationship and is making it still being unapologetically herself. You go girl!

So I'm excited to see Birds of Prey, and hopefully future representations of my girl will embrace all of her like she learned to do.

#lifestyle #humor #comics #harleyquinn #birdsofprey #suicidesquad #batman #joker