" Suicide Squad," one of this year’s most anticipated films, hits theaters on August 5. Unlike most summer blockbusters, "Squad" will focus not on superheroes but supervillains; specifically, those bad guys from the DC Comics universe.
Jared Leto leads an all-star cast as the notorious Joker, Batman’s arch rival. Also in the ensemble is Will Smith as Deadshot, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. This will be the big-screen debut for Harley Quinn, an occasional sidekick to the joker.
At least, that was all I knew about her. A huge nerd at heart, I wanted to find out more on this bizarre-looking character.
The information I found regarding Harley Quinn has led to me to the conclusion that Harley Quinn is not a villain.
Undoubtedly, Quinn has committed some hateful crimes in her life (i.e. Kidnapping, robbery), but there is an underlying motive for all of this: love.
Harleen Quinzel was once a student at a prestigious university in Gotham City. As a psychology major, Quinzel received exceptional grades and did gymnastics in her spare time.
Harleen’s intelligence and fascination with “Difficult Personalities” led her to take an internship as a psychiatrist at the Arkham Asylum.
It was here that Harleen met the love of her life.
One patient at the asylum known as the Joker stood out to Harleen so much that she begged the doctors for permission to analyze him. She knew the Joker had secrets, and she wanted to be the one he told those secrets to.
After pleading with the doctors for months, Harleen finally got her wish and sat down with the Clown Prince of Crime.
During their sessions, the Joker told Harleen of his life story. It wasn’t pretty — at least, according to him. The Joker painted his childhood as a tragedy, incorporating the elements of child abuse and depression. The tales the Joker spun for Harleen led the doctor to fall for the old Florence Nightingale effect — the doctor’s mere pity for her patient soon turned to love.
When the Joker escaped from Arkham Asylum, Harleen was worried about the fate of her patient. The Joker was eventually caught and brought back to the asylum after a nasty fight with Batman. Seeing the cuts on her patient, Harleen needed to go to him somehow.
He had made her laugh with his jokes; now she wanted to make him laugh.
Harleen went to a joke shop and stole a court jester’s outfit along with some practical jokes. She returned to the Joker’s cell fully decked out as Harley Quinn.
Her fate sealed, Harley Quinn’s new goal in life was to remain with her “Puddin’” for all time.
No arguments here, Harley Quinn’s love for the Joker is quite obsessive. But all of us are guilty of having fallen in love with the wrong person, and Harley is no different. Harley Quinn is not bad; she is just madly in love and wants to please her lover.
Still not convinced? Well, watch this.
