This little website is dedicated to "the most functional
dysfunctional relationship in comics and cartoons"!
That is - The Joker & Harley Quinn!
It's one of the most intriguing, complex,
bizarre and endearing relationships in the world of fantasy.
The relationship is a controversial
one for its abusive elements, and yet is also one much beloved by many fans
for its sophisticated undertones, speaking of consensual Dominant/submissive
dynamics, obsession and insanity.
It is made sympathetic by the participation of the highly identifiable
Harley Quinn, and intriguing by the participation in it by The Joker, arguably
one of the most sociopathic villains in the world of fiction.
This website celebrates it for all its complexity and subtlety and seeks
to provide a space where fans can find like-minds as well as hopefully
provide education and food for thought to those who are little informed
about it.
The Joker:
homicidal, sociopathic, without remorse, empathy or compassion.
A creature who delights in pain and misery as the ultimate joke. A perfect
nihilist, hedonist and criminal, he considers his every atrocity to be a
work of art, all designed to expose the fallacy and meaninglessness of human
existence as well as torment the person he considers to be his only true
equal and perfect foe: The Batman. Unlike other supervillains, Joker lacks
"motive" for his crimes. He has no goals such as power, wealth, fame or glory,
although he obtains these things throughout his criminal career. He has no
true objective or driving pathos that compels him to act. He does what he
does because he believes life is meaningless and the constructs of society
are false and empty. His only purpose is to expose this. The embodiment of
chaos and anarachy, he finds a natural opposite in Batman, who embodies order
and authority and has consequently become obsessed and fixated upon The Dark
Knight. Highly intelligent, skilled and cunning as well as charming and seductive,
he is an utter narcissist driven by his ego. It has long been said he is
incapable of love, and of building meaningful relationships with anyone...
Harley Quinn: ambitious, beautiful and
a little bit off, the young and naive Dr Quinzel went to Arkham Asylum seeking
fame and glory by writing tell-all exposes on the institution's infamous
inmates. Having slept her way to her medical degree, highly skilled at manipulation
and wiling to do whatever it takes to achieve her goals, she believes The
Joker will be her ticket to the big leagues. But she got more than she bargained
for. Taking advantage of her naivety and essentially soft-hearted nature,
Joker manipulated and twisted the mind of his psychologist until finally
she was hopelessly and obsessively in love with him. He distorted her world
view to match his own, holding her in his thrall until she finally snapped
and took up a life of crime by his side, recreating herself in his image.
Passionate, devoted, infatuated and obsessed, Harley loves Joker madly. It
would be a mistake, however, to think her story is a tragic one. Harley loves
her life of crime for the thrill and excitement of it and is a willing participant
in acts of mayhem, violence and murder.
Together: Being insane, both are incapable
of a functional, healthy relationship. The Joker, as a violent and narcissistic
creature, is physically and verbally abusive towards Harley, who strives
to keep Joker happy. He is abusive both because he cannot help it - human
relationships are alien to him, he is highly mercurial and has violent mood
swings reacts exactly as it occurs to him to do so - and because the psychological
manipulation and torment of Harley amuses him. Harley is often passive towards
this behaviour, accepting it as earned. However, when Joker makes what is,
to her, a true transgression, she doesn't hesitate to lash back with physical
violence of her own. She also displays masochistic tendencies and enjoyment
of his violent and dangerous nature. She loves him openly and effusively,
her principal motivation is to be by his side and fulfill his needs. If love
is unnatural to the Joker, it is all too natural to Harley, who is affectionate,
clinging, needy and unquestioningly adoring and devoted.
However, it would be false to say the Joker never demonstrates tenderness
or affection to his girl. Harley is unique in that she is the only person
to have survived so long by Joker's side, that he has shown affection and
love towards, as twisted as it may be. He even demonstrates need for her on
occasion and it seems to be something Harley has taught him - genuine attachment
and engagement with another human being, although he is incapable of expressing
this in any normal or healthy way.
His naturally dominant nature is complemented by Harley's naturally submissive
nature and whilst the relationship is most definitely abusive, there is also
a consensual element to it with mutually enjoyed sadomasochistic tones.
The Most Functional Dysfunctional Relationship: I have started referring to this relationship
in this way, but I should probably qualify it.
Although the relationship is enacted by two deranged lunatics, is abusive, dangerous and completely perverse, ironically
enough it is also highly functional.
Both characters are very comfortable with each other and have a warm familiarity and intimacy in their engagement. They understand each other -
even if they don't always behave precisely the way the other wants them too - and have a great deal of commonality and mutual investment together.
They work in a wonderfully symbiotic fashion, playing off each other and backing each other up. Harley, of course, is more fervent about this than Joker, but he acts when she truly needs it.
It is also, even more bizarrely, the longest-running romantic relationship of the 'major' characters in the entire animated universe.
There can be no doubt that as unhealthy, twisted and demented as it appears to outsiders, Joker and Harley both get a great deal out of the relationship and find
that it suits their personal needs and desires. Of course, not wholly (but what relationship does?) or completely, and there is a great deal of unsatisfactio and frustration in it as well,
but what seems undesirable to us is also a great deal of what both characters need and want. The key is remembering not everyone desires monogamous, vanilla, heteronormative standards in their relationships... and even psychos can love.
Fans: This relationship is most definitely
a non-heteronormative relationship that is highly complex with many subtle
undertones not immediately apparent to those accustomed to mainstream, homogenous
relationships and society's constructs of 'ideal partnerships'. It appeals
to many fans who perceive these undercurrents, even if they do not have the
language to express what it is they inherently understand.
The mistake is often made that fans of this ship condone abusive relationships.
This is not true. Fans instead acknowledge its abusiveness and that it is
unhealthy and undesirable in real relationships, and that that abusiveness
is tied to the mental instability of both participants. Fans also perceive
the consensual D/s elements of the relationship as well as the highly intriguing
premise of Harley stirring genuine emotion in the Joker alongside the seductive
concept of giving up everything for love from Harley's end.
Fans also acknowledge that human relationships in general are complex and
that when love is involved it can be difficult to make the decision to leave
what appears to the world as an undesirable situation. Fans acknowledge human
need is complicated and often inscrutable, and that different strokes work
for different folks - and that there can be many reasons why someone would
choose to stay in an abusive relationship that are not immediately apparent.
Just as there are many reasons why a sociopathic clown who doesn't hesitate
to kill has not yet brutally murdered the one person who, while she may vex
and frustrate him, loves him unconditionally, for who and what he is...
