The Joker And Harley Quinn: A Harmful Relationship
The relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn is one of the most famous in the world of animation and comic books. They are two villains in Batman, but so charismatic that people have fallen for them. They are fundamental in Batman history and bring both humor and suspense to the fictional city of Gotham.
Of course, Batman would not be the same without the Joker… and the Joker would not have the same charm without Harley Quinn. But what kind of relationship do they have?
If we analyze the relationship a little and go a little deeper into the characters, we will soon realize that something is not right. In fact, Harley Quinn probably lives in a manipulative situation that she can not get out of.
The character Jokern
The Joker is from some unknown background. He alternates between versions of his past to make it look the way he wants and his character is wrapped in a halo of mystery. We know that his characteristic appearance (green hair, white skin and red lips) comes from the fact that he has fallen into chemical waste, which has changed his appearance forever.
The Joker, as his name suggests, is a joker. He has a circus-like appearance to say the least, and his macabre plans are accompanied by a humorous hint, card games and other elements that we associate with clowns.
Although he is not the only enemy Batman has, he is definitely the most charismatic. His character is unique, manipulative, lying, selfish and egocentric with a psychopathic profile. The Joker enjoys the suffering of other people and loves no one but himself. He seeks pleasure and a good laugh almost like a child, and does not care if someone is injured on the road.
The Joker has been represented in many different ways: in the comic book, the animated series, the movies and the various actors who have characterized him. His image and personality are very distinct.
The character Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn is the Joker’s eternal girlfriend that we got to know better in Mad Love. Her real name is Harleen Quinzel. She was an excellent gymnast and thus received a scholarship to the university. She studied psychiatry and received very good grades, even if it was not justified. Finally, she starts working at the mental hospital Arkham Asylum, where the Joker is admitted.
When she meets the Joker at Arkham, she is fascinated by his personality from the very beginning. In Mad Love we can see that he is honest with her and he talks about his trauma in the past. Later we discover that these experiences are not true and that Harley is not the only one who knows them.
But Harley is starting to fall in love. Blinded by love, she is unable to see that the Joker is a psychopath. She sees him only as someone who has suffered and that Batman is his greatest enemy.
So Harley steals a harlequin disguise to honor the nickname her beloved Joker has given her. She manages to save him from Arkham, and from that moment on, his criminal career begins. He will construct his character: a villain fascinated by jokes with a circus-like appearance and two hyenas as faithful pets.
For the Joker, Harley represents an opportunity to escape from Arkham. He sees her as someone he can trust because her devotion to him is endless. She falls head over heels in love with him and he takes advantage of the situation.
The Joker and Harley Quinn’s Harmful Relationship
The Joker begins to exploit her physically and mentally and even tries to kill her. But Harley is unaware of the manipulation. She is submissive and devoted, content with a minimum of affection. However, we can observe Harley rebelling in some episodes. She almost comes down to earth when she joins forces with Poison Ivy and tries to move on with her new friend.
Deep down, however, we understand that most of what she does is to impress the Joker. For that reason, the Joker’s opinion is fundamental and determines both decisions and actions. As you can see, the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn is a clear example of a harmful one.
Harley Quinn is always available for him. She dreams of getting rid of Batman because she thinks that in this way she can finally enjoy her relationship with the Joker. In other words, she seeks to justify the Joker’s behavior and always has arguments in his defense. She deceives herself by believing that their love is mutual and that, one day, they will live happily ever after.
The Joker’s reactions to Harley Quinn
Harley improves on one of the Joker’s plans to kill Batman. It turns out to be a very smart plan and she comes closer than ever in her attempts to put an end to him. The irony here is that it is the Joker himself who pushes her down from a building and saves Batman – all out of pride and an inability to accept that Harley has done better than him.
While we can sometimes see that the Joker has certain feelings for Harley, it is usually about manipulation rather than love. It is possible that the Joker feels something for her, but his pride and self-love are much greater.
Harley has idealized the Joker, their relationship and what it means. She has lost her mind completely because of her crazy love, which the Joker reaches with tiny proofs of love to maintain devotion.
The truth is that all of this has created a great deal of uncertainty at Harley. We see it when her great enemy Batman uses it against her and creates fear and insecurity, even if he only tells her the truth about the Joker.
Suicide Squad – an updated version
After the premiere of the movie Suicide Squad 2016, the characters of the Jokers and Harley became very popular. The Joker is played by Jared Leto – a well-known actor and singer for younger audiences – and Harley is played by Margot Robbie.
We’ve seen other Jokers on film, such as Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton’s film. Many believe that the best Joker, acclaimed by both audiences and critics, is the late Heath Ledger. However, there is no doubt that this new, updated version, which is aesthetically more in line with the present, has created a new image of the character and spread among the younger audience.
Although Harley Quinn had a great influence as a character, this was the first time that her character took the step to the white canvas, and her aesthetic renovation had a great influence.
In Suicide Squad , we do not go deep into their relationship. We see that the Joker is sometimes compassionate with Harley, but also very cruel. In addition, the Joker’s character is a bit in the shadows. Suicide Squad reflects Harley’s character better: her madness, her love for the Joker and even her desire to live a normal life and have a family with him.
The problem arises when we look at what it is not. The Joker does not stop being a psychopath and Harley does not stop submitting to him. They can be very charismatic, attractive and funny characters, and Batman would never be the same without them.
What the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn means
These two characters have taken on a life with their own rules and directions. They are the perfect villain prototypes in every way. However, the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn is a clear example of what we do NOT want: a harmful relationship.
Their madness is contagious, but also dangerous, and we must see them for who they are: fictional characters. Characters who are the archetype of the villain, which fascinates us. However, we must be aware that the relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn is completely sick and that this is something we can not allow in real life.
