With the growing hype surrounding the August 5th release of DC's "Suicide Squad," many fans have questioned how the film will portray the relationship between the Joker (played by Jared Leto) and Dr. Harleen "Harley Quinn" Quinzel (played by Margot Robbie). Fans of the proclaimed "power couple" have always grappled with the nature of their relationship, questioning the extent of how unhealthy it is.
No matter which medium (comic books, TV shows, video games) you look at, the relationship between the two villains involves horrendous acts of physical and emotional abuse. Harley and the Joker always share a dangerously co-dependent relationship. The characters emotionally manipulate and physically abuse each other, portraying all of the tell-tale signs of an unhealthy relationship (more often than not, it is the Joker victimizing Harley).
Everyone is wondering how director David Ayer will portray the Joker, and more importantly, if he will victimize Harley. In an interview with MTV, Dr. Wind Goodfriend, a researcher at the Institute for the Prevention of Relationship Violence at Buena Vista University, claimed, "If [Harley]'s going to be portrayed as a victim of abuse who continues to embrace that abuse and continues to go back to that abusive perpetrator, I think that viewers who are currently or former victims themselves could be re-traumatized by that because they are going to personally respond to the abuse that they see on the screen. If the Joker hits her, I think that people who have experienced that will respond to that on a visceral level, much more than people who have only heard about that or who have never really thought about it."
It has already been confirmed that "Suicide Squad" will include a scene of the Joker torturing Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Harley's former identity as the Joker's psychiatrist before falling in love with him. In another interview, producer Richard Suckle states, "I don't think it's a surprise to say that the Joker and Harley relationship, and a good portion of the story, is very important in this film, so you can draw from what you want. But, the Joker/Harley relationship is key and it's something that is very important in this movie in addition to the actual Suicide Squad themselves and the mission they're going on."
The total extent of the relationship between Harley and the Joker is still unknown. Some have rumored Harley will leave the Joker, although I'm skeptical it will be anything but consistent with how it has always been.
