Harley Quinn Diagnoses The Suicide Squad’s Disorders

Warning: SPOILERS for Suicide Squad #4

In Suicide Squad #4, Harley Quinn brings her psychiatric training to her Suicide Squad-mates, while also assaulting them or getting assaulted by them. Such is the life for the anti-heroic star of multiple DC comics, animated series, and the Birds of Prey film. The current Suicide Squad storyline highlights a particular interpretation of the former Dr. Harleen Quinzel as a dedicated-yet-flawed medical professional.

For those unfamiliar, the Suicide Squad, a.k.a. Task Force X, is a team of DC Universe “villains” assembled by the U.S. government to carry out extremely dangerous missions. Issue #4 sends the Squad on a road trip across Australia to locate their rogue member Captain Boomerang (in this case, being the most rogue part of the Suicide Squad does not mean becoming a superhero). Harley decides to complicate the mission with her special brand of behavioral analysis plus aggressive chaos.

This Suicide Squad creative team (writer Tom Taylor with artists Daniel Sampere and Juan Albarran) has fun exploiting the group’s essential divisive dynamic, that is, mutual distrust. Harley tells Deadshot: “I’m a highly trained psychiatrist, Floyd Lawton. I will subtly extract the truth from ya.” As it turns out, Harley’s version of “subtlety” is to subdue Lawton and Osita with ether and shackle them in restraints for questioning.

Harley goes on to explain that such “strong, silent types” need aggressive therapy to break through and get them opening up. She also admits it’s one lesson learned in her prior life that their new leader Lok couldn’t possibly grasp, because “he’s an overconfident narcissist who’s clearly used ta things just workin’ out for him.” Harley’s mix of therapeutic jargon with erratic violence is not a good medical practice, but it is appropriate to the spirit of the Suicide Squad.

Harley then goes for a chat with Deadshot and some cathartic self-analysis. “I’m pretty delusional,” she says, and in examining the Squad’s plight, she alludes to prior destructive relationships: “…If I had a dollar for every person who’s taken advantage of me or manipulated me into doin’ things I didn’t wanna do, well, I’d still be deeply traumatized, but I’d do a lot more online shoppin’.” Although no one in the Squad arrives at any answers or truth, they regain the perspective required to resume their suicidal mission.

One of the delightful running gags in the Birds of Prey film (now available early on VOD for socially-distanced viewing) was Harley Quinn’s quick flipping between psychiatric terms of art and volatile savagery. The ongoing Suicide Squad series plays up a similar trope, showcasing the paradox of hinged and unhinged which might be the ubiquitous character’s most endearing feature. As she self-assesses: “I’m very perceptive.”

Suicide Squad #4 is available now at all fine comic book outlets.

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