A Psychodynamic view into the psyche of The Joker from Batman (TAS)

Before I continue you with this discussion I would like to clear up some things. I am analyzing the character from the original animated series that ran from the 1980’s to the early 2000’s. Also, there is a large misconception is that this character known as “The Joker” is psychotic when in fact he is not psychotic but instead he is actually psychopath.

Being a psychopath is a personality construct and not a mental disorder of which being psychotic is.
I will be focusing on what the character does mostly in the movie Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker.

*Spoilers*

(From only the parts that the real Joker appears in the film)

 In the movie he mentally tortures not only Batman but also his adopted son, Tim Drake (Robin). The Joker proceeds to experiment on Tim Drake till he turns him into a copy of himself. He tortures and performs surgeries and chemical processes on Tim Drake to replicate the process that turned himself into a permanent clown.

He proceeds to show Batman a film that shows him doing the process of torturing and experimenting on Tim Drake, laughing while he does it.

He also attempts to finally murder Batman with a knife and when that fails he has the changed Tim Drake (the result of all his experimentation) aim to shoot Batman with a gun.

During this time he displays a sense of happiness and excitement at each new development and even psychoanalyses Batman during the process. He is able to slither his way into a person’s mind and mentally torture them with what they fear and hate most with only his words. He finds excitement and enjoyment in death and attempted murder.

The types of personalities, mental disorders, and mental processes that the Joker displays are the following with the consequencetial reasons why:

Psychopath: The Joker clearly shows a lack of empathy and stress toleancre along with egocentricity, cold-heartedness, manipulativeness, lack of remorse, and even superficial charm. In general psychopaths have a flamboyant flair with how they act and love to manipulate people and have people question themselves and their own integrity for their actions.

Psychopaths:

use superficial charm to lure their victims. 
are extremely self-centered. 
must always do something to keep themselves from boredom. 
are very deceptive and tend to lie continuously. 
show no remorse of guilt towards their victims. 
are very predatory and usually will live off other people. 
are very impulsive with their lifestyle. 
never have a realistic view of their lives. (king of the world or from another planet)
always want psychological gratification in sexual and criminal activities. 

Schizoid personality disorder: The Joker presents an interesting way of being and thinking that would point toward having a solitary lifestyle and a lack of interest of trying to form a social relationship. He also has a secretiveness also an emotional coldness and apathy about him that would lead someone to assume that he has (SPD).

Sociopath: A sociopath is a person whom is afflicted with a personality disorder along with anti-social behavior who acts on criminal intents. The Joker can easily fit this definition. Sociopaths:

are very charming,

can be extremely manipulative and will try to con you whenever possible, 

feel that they are entitled to everything,

 will lie continuously to get what they want.

They can even sometimes manipulate a lie detector, have no remorse, shame or guilt, will show love and happiness only when it serves their purpose. None of the feelings are genuine,

need to have excitement in their lives or live on the edge

have lack of empathy hen their victims suffer pain that they have caused

believe that they are all mightier than thou, there is no concern on how their behavior impacts others

From all the descriptions stated, The Joker fits them all in the short time that he actually appears in the movie.

*Bursts into the room*

MUHAHAHAHHAHAHA

Well, well, well, it seems you have stumbled upon what I sort of am haven’t you? You are trying to read up on why I act the way I act aren’t you?

WELL ARE YOU?!?!?

It doesn’t matter *adjusts his tie* all you really need to know is that I do what I do for the sake of doing it. Well you still want to know don’t you?

You see…in a world such as this where I am the god of chaos and fun you cannot abide by the rules. There are some things that can just push a person past the edge. It does not take much because everyone in their own way is already insane. That is one of the big secrets of the universe did you know? Everybody is insane, some act on it and some don’t, you can see it everyday.

However, what is sanity my dear reader? Do you consider yourself sane? In a world that controls you and nearly every action is already previously determined are you sane or are you a robot? Are you sentient or are you a mere machine doing a meaningless task day in and day out? I mean there is only so much one person can take, over and over and over and over again and again and again and again until you realize you are already dead.

People work themselves to death for terrible reasons. *pulls out hankerchief and wipes fake tears* It is quite saddening really, but oh what the heck I’ll laugh anyways

“MUAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

You see, a person of such greatness and genius such as me is quite difficult and yet easy to understand. I felt like breaking from all the conformity of life and I did so.

When I fell into that chemical vat as a small boy it changed me…wait no, now I am lying to you, you could tell right away that I would never lie to you my dear reader.

When I was horribly scarred after a horrible day work and my wife was sleeping with another man I simply snapped and knew then I could no longer be normal. That is when I realized sanity is like a stick in the wind, sometimes some people get a stronger wind than others and some just SNAP! HAHAHAHAHA or when I was a little boy and my alcoholic father would come and beat me within an inch of my life once a week. Or how about when I was already older and my credit along with my identity stolen by my so called best friend and then he took my college girlfriend and ratted me out to the cops for having stolen a few dollars when no one was looking? I can go on all day, but I think I have proven my point.

Imagine if you took the sanest people and gave them that little push? That extra wind required to snap? That is what I sought to achieve, I am not at all alone in this world, I AM GOD IN THIS WORLD! I control what I want, the world around me does not at all control me. When I saw poor little Timmy Drakey the second little bird boy of my dear Batman, I wanted to truly show him what it was like to live without rules, without the rules that “sanity” abides by.

He was quite strong and even Batman would be proud of him but eventually after all the electric shocks being administered over and over and over and over while showing him images from my special folder while injecting him with the same chemicals that changed me over and over and over again and again and again finally got to him and I was able to free his mind.

You see I did not make him the way he came out, I simply…FREED HIM, HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.