Puddin’ Policy
This is tumblr user diiscordia’s policy regarding shipping with Joker rpers.
Please do not reblog this post for any reason.
While Harley’s love for and devotion to the Joker both remain a fundamental part of her character and origin in this portrayal, the key differences in the DCEU depiction of this is the fact that Harley’s obsession with and codependence on the Joker is MUTUAL, and the directorial choice made by Suicide Squad director David Ayer to cut any scene where the Joker was abusive to Harley (I do not accept cut scenes as canon). As a result, the key differences in my portrayal of Harley focus on a mutually loving and respectful relationship with the Joker, in addition to Harley’s agency as a character and as the Queen of Gotham City, which is a title taken more seriously on this blog than in some depictions. As such, I have 3 rules for writing Joker x Harley.
Previous incarnations of the Joker and Harley, particularly in Batman the Animated Series as well as in Harley’s crossover into the many varied comic book series, have depicted their relationship as one-sided, manipulative, and abusive; however, as dysfunctional and volatile as their relationship is, my #1 rule is that the portrayal here will be one where the Joker is just as reliant and fixated on Harley as she is with him, in essence, a mutual infatuation. In the DCEU depiction of their relationship, Joker spends essentially the entirety of Suicide Squad obsessing over her, trying to find her, and orchestrating an elaborate scheme to bring her home not once, but twice. Every scene of the Joker in direct contact with Harley illustrates him looking at her with a fixed, hypnotic gaze. I want to write my Harley with a Joker who is a man obsessed, a man consumed– even if he may not want to be, or might find himself conflicted by these feelings:
As this is an origin movie, the Joker defines her in a lot of ways, so I think for the first time we see the Joker in a “relationship.” (Ayer)
It was interesting to explore a different side of the Joker that I don’t think audiences have seen yet, and that relationship with Harley certainly brought that out. (Leto)
I think that he hates that he loves her, and he hates that there’s someone outside of himself that he needs, and I think that’s something the Joker greatly wrestles with. And Jared does a fantastic job of… being the Joker– I don’t know if we want to say “in love,” but he’s got some stuff going on in his life. (Ayer)
I think we’ve all gone a little crazy for love, probably. That’s what makes it love, I guess. (Leto, src)
The Joker can definitely be frustrated by his reciprocal codependency with Harley, and this may result in erratic and arguably abusive behavior. However, the domestic violence and homicide attempts that characterize comic book and animated series portrayals of their relationship are NOT a part of this portrayal, which brings us to rule #2: if you are a Joker interested in writing with my Harley, hitting her or otherwise harming her physically in a way that isn’t fun and kinky is NOT okay. Harley and the Joker do engage in erratic, dangerous, and violent behaviors, and some considerably advanced BDSM, however this dynamic is just as much a result of Harley’s dysfunction as it is the Joker’s and can be more accurately described as a mutual descent into madness, crime, debouchery, and violence– which is typically not focused ON one another, but rather shared WITH one another.
I ended up landing upon codependency as the tact to take with that. And it turns out it’s far more…It’s like a compulsion, I suppose. It’s kinda when you start looking at it the way an alcoholic is compelled, you know, needs to have a drink. When you think of it in those terms, like it’s an actual psychological problem, which codependency actually is, in really severe cases of codependency. So the more research I did, the more it made sense for me to behave the way she behaved. (Robbie, src)
Once I could view it in those terms, it suddenly made sense, and I suddenly had so much empathy for Harley and after that it was all very straightforward…It was fun after all that. (Robbie, src)
Despite this reliant and co-dependent dynamic, Harley has definitely earned her place at Joker’s side. Here is where my interpretation may be considered by some to diverge from canon. I write Harley as a ride or die genius former psychiatrist. She uses her background in psychology and medicine to gain the upper hand with business partners, enemies, and even those in Harley and Joker’s own organization. The clown queen has a strong sense of business principles and a keen mind for problem solving that has granted her the place at the Joker’s side in business as well, and she has used them to make herself indispensable to their syndicate. In this way, Harley is not just the Joker’s honey bunny, but the Bonnie to his Clyde.
“You have two people who are probably on the brink of madness apart, and when they come together, they become even crazier,” Leto says. “There is an inexplicable attraction that the Joker has, (and) there is something indefinable between the two of them that creates a kind of magic.”
Understanding that dynamic with the Clown Prince of Crime was crucial in Robbie figuring how to play Harley. “It seems justified when you really delve into how she feels about him and how codependent she is on him and how nuts he makes her feel,” says the Australian actress.
That said, Harley is a walking, bat-swinging dichotomy: For as much as she’s defined by the Joker, she’s definitely her own woman.
“It’s not like, ‘I’m an independent woman and I’m single.’ People aren’t that one-sided,” Robbie says. “There are so many layers to relationships and people’s identity that I don’t think it needs to be so straightforward. I love that the dichotomy is there.” (src)
Another largely divergent aspect of this interpretation of Harley is that she is not an oblivious victim who suffers from Stockholm Syndrome that is manipulated and tricked into becoming Harley Quinn, but was fully aware of the situation and her growing feelings for the Joker while at Arkham, and made the conscious, premeditated decision to leave her life as a psychiatrist and follow Joker down the rabbit hole of crime and madness. My version of Harley grew up in Brooklyn with an abusive, drug addict mother and always wished to be normal (part of her still wants that), but meeting the Joker showed her that she could embrace the repressed and rejected parts of herself and love her own rough edges– accept herself for who she was and not the person she was desperately trying to be. In retrospect, Harley considers this to be her best life decision. Despite the rocky start she had proving how serious she was to her Puddin’, she’s much happier now than she ever was before. This version of Harley is a brilliant criminal mind and she is fully capable of running the show just as much as Joker is. Rule #3 is the the title of Queen isn’t just for show– in love and in crime, Harley and Joker have an equal partnership and respect one another’s opinions and plans. Neither one of them is an authority over the other.
He loves her but he can never admit it… And he hates that he needs her, and it drives him even crazier. And she loves him. It really is this epic romance. And then it’s just this jockeying of control. Was she created by him? Or did she create herself to be with him? There’s all of these interesting questions. (Ayer, src)
The Joker provides Harley with everything she never had in life. Despite their erratic lifestyle, he’s the most consistent person she’s had in her life since the death of her grandmother, and she’s come to depend on him in many ways. He encourages and feeds her madness, supporting her dreams of criminal grandeur and galvanizing her baser instincts and desires. Their relationship reinforces her madness, but also provides her with a form of love, reinforcement and stability (as ironic as that sounds). Most of all, the Joker not only accepts her for who she really is, but LOVES her for it, and allows her to reach her true potential– even if that potential is as a criminal mastermind. Accordingly, Harley understands the Joker more than most, and supports him as well, even in more dysfunctional situations.
As a SIDENOTE, I would also like to say that I write Harley as being very flirtatious and often as being sexual or explicit, particularly with her Puddin’. This does not mean that your character needs to respond in kind or that I’m trying to rope you into a smut thread or anything, I promise– Harley’s just super into her Puddin’ and hits on him endlessly and you are more than free to have him change the subject, take a rain check, tell her no, etc. It’s totally up to you. The world is your oyster. I promise not to be offended however you decide to have him react (given it is in accordance with a loving and respectful relationship), and I also promise that I’m not just here for the D. I’m up for plotting, crime, action, angst, and fluff.
If you’ve made it this far and are cool with everything I just discussed, slam the like so that I will know you’ve read and agree to these terms, and you will probably get a message from me shortly thereafter. Thank you for reading.
For more information about the how Harley sees Joker and the dynamic of their relationship, an in depth headcanon post can be found here.
