#penny fleck

[melis-writes]

JOKER (2019) dir. Todd Phillips. 

[batmanfruitloops]

I'll probably also be posting Harley's backstory tomorrow if I keep on track, so I thought I'd explain an important detail in relation to Joker and Harley Quinn.

As you guys have probably noticed by now, I've only drawn Joker and Harley together once, and it didn't actually clarify anything about how they feel about one another. Now I love when Joker and Harley can be girl buddies instead of an abusive one-sided love, but that dynamic unfortunately doesn't work in our au.

Their biggest inspiration is the Telltale interpretation, where Harley is the abusive one stringing John along. Our Harley isn't quite that abusive, well, sort of. You'll have to see, but their relationship was never romantic, and John was always scared of Harley. For someone who was abused his whole life, her power and personal presence are just too much.

Not only that, but Harley reminds John so much of his mother, and that's even more terrifying. Both his parents were bad, but she was especially antagonist because of John's interests. Also for added context to newer people, Arthur was John's birth name, but that identity was taken from him when he was sent to Arkham.

Harley does get better, but because of what happens between the two, they never become close.

- Sarsee

[super-hero-confessions]

[wuika]

OMG, how glad I finished it! ^-^ I would have liked to profin it more but there is a moment when you have to know how to say stop!

[arthurflecc]

chuckletown’s most beloved scenes: @reynoldswoodcock ❤️

[jokerous]

Dance with me.

JOKER (2019) dir. Todd Phillips

[lifeofatypicalteenager]

...How about another joke, MuRrAy?

[inky-duchess]

What Writers can Learn from Joker

I left this on the shelf for some time now since my watch list is like three foot long at this point. Joaquin Phoenix absolutely smashed expectations, upping his skill from his Commodus in Gladiator (@captain-el-writes your problematic fav). Joker is a great film and offers a lot of lessons for writers.

Unreliable Narrators

We see the world through Arthur's eyes in the film. Everything is gritty and rough, especially the details. We are told by Penny Fleck, his mother, that he is the result of an affair between her and Thomas Wayne. Arthur believes it and for a moment, we believe it as she is our only source of info and it explains her sunny view of Thomas. But when Thomas denies it, we as the audience trust him because he is Batman's dad and Penny is obviously troubled. We are left confused about who is telling the truth. It is left unclear whether Thomas is really telling the truth (that Penny is mad and lied about having an affair, adopting Arthur to further her delusions) or that Penny is telling the truth (we see a picture of her and Thomas with an inscription seemingly written in Thomas's handwriting). With evidence for and against, we are left in limbo on whether things are actually happening as Arthur's PoV says they are or whether he is creating a fantasy world about him. Everything is left ambiguous and it works to the feel of the story. Either party could be telling the real story.

The Final Push

Arthur goes through a lot in his change into Joker. We see society purposefully be rude to him, we see him assaulted, abandoned by the system, betrayed by his mother and treated like dirt. He tries to remain happy throughout the film but it becomes evident that life is putting too much pressure on him. He is being pushed and pushed, without a moment of respite. In the real world, some people can be pushed to breaking point and stay the same. Most people can't. Trauma, betrayal and hatred scars people deeply. Your character can't just skip through all the shit you throw at them and still be the same person. We have been seeing some modern writers tackle this recently the best being Percy in Rick Riordan's novels. We have grown up with Percy and been through all the horror with him. He's our hero but in House of Hades, we watch as Percy loses his cool and tortures the Goddess of Misery. It shocks us but also reminds us of Percy's arc. He has not been untouched by all the hell he's been through. Writers should take stock of their actions toward and character and give them appropriate consequences of their journeys.

Down the Villainous Rabbit Hole

We know Joker is the bad guy. The villain. He's mean, crazy and he does a lot of fucked up shit. To most people Joker is the first time they hear the story of how the Joker became the Joker. It begins with all the pain and crushing despair that Arthur feels. He struggles with his isolation from society and his mental issues. His work colleague gives him a gun knowing it will get him into trouble. Arthur loses his job, his only happiness. He sits on the subway, watching as drunk rich assholes harass a woman. He cracks and he shoots them after they begin to beat him. He kills his mother after she lies to him. He kills Murray for embarrassing him on air, crushing his last hope at his dream. Every event, every trauma and every issue brings Arthur closer to Joker. It is a chain reaction beginning from his abusive childhood from the moment he stands on that car during the riot.

Remembering Who They Were

I really liked the scene between Arthur and Bruce. It is rather creepy since it is a grown man acting weird around a kid but the weight of the scene really makes it. Arthur and Bruce come face to face for the first time. As the audience knows their history and how they will eventually become Joker and Batman respectively. We know the battles they will fight and the war they will wage over the fate of Gotham. But for a moment, they are not their alter egos. Arthur is a man who likes making people laugh not a maniacal criminal. Bruce is a happy child and a trusting one. Sometimes is important to remember who the character was before you put them through their journey. To callback a character past self is to remind us of all the arc they have travelled through.