Loki

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 168: “Loki”

Drea and Brian wrap up their very first Marvel "season" of the podcast with their enthusiastic review of the Disney+ series, Loki. After covering all six films in Phase I of the MCU, they proceed by following the alternate timeline that plucks Loki out of the Endgame timeline and propels him toward his quest for self-discovery and, of course, glorious purpose!

When Loki is arrested by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an organization that monitors timelines and "prunes" or extracts any outliers (called variants), he learns that his alternate self was headed for destruction and devastation--and straight into the strangling hand of Thanos. Through his guide and department supervisor, Mobius, Loki also learns he was destined to make peace with Thor and achieve his brother's forgiveness before his death. The TVA, however, has a mission for him if he accepts his alternate timeline and works as a specialty agent in their offices. Loki is tasked with hunting a variant of himself who's been uncatchable: Sylvie, a lady Loki who's been hiding in apocalyptic corners of the timeline branches and averting the TVA Hunters for decades. Loki develops a deep connection with his female variant, eventually seeing in her the attributes he has been able to love until now: charm, intelligence, bravery; but also stubbornness, detachment, and fragility. Loki is able to appreciate and accept the flaws within Sylvie which of course are also parts of himself.

In this episode, Drea identifies attributes we see in Loki that are consistent with someone with Borderline Personality Disorder, a mental health condition characterized by difficulties with regulating one's emotions. His mood swings, recklessness, and impulsivity make him hard to be around, and his frequent backstabbing has left loved ones like Thor untrusting and tired of him. Loki's dangerous antics and menacing lifestyle puts others at risk. Like Loki, persons with BPD experience disturbing emotional outbursts such as bouts of uncontrollable anger or rage--often followed by shame and guilt.

Because the Loki series centers on such a character, we begin to experience the disorder intimately: the ups and downs, the self-doubting and the self-sabotaging, and the inability to truly be present with others. Loki's constant morphing and shifting of the self is a magical strategy but a psychological one as well. Confronting Loki with a version of himself allows all to see the challenges related to mistrust, his fragile boundaries, and his inner critic. We also learn that Loki's personality is complex and includes enduring positive traits--Sylvie reminds him that he's clever, playful, persistent, observant, humorous, decadent, and resilient. Loki's love for Sylvie is arguably not incestual but rather indicative of self-compassion, drawing up for Loki the healthy counterarguments to his inner voice that tells him:

I'm unlovable.

I don't belong anywhere.

I'm alone.

Drea and Brian agree that the show helps audiences grow toward understanding and building empathy for all types of "divergent" individuals, helping us see nuanced qualities outside of a narrative of suffering.

Zack Snyder's Justice League

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 161: “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”

Zack Snyder's Justice League was released during the later lockdown stages of COVID; amidst a time in which many of us, exhausted from the stress of an ongoing crisis and relentless promises of normalcy, embraced a directness in approach and unconventionality in our entertainment media. Though not cinematically perfect, the film is unwittingly blunt, vulnerable, and honest. As a story that was "interrupted" by trauma and had a chance to be reclaimed and retold, its retribution is powerfully present.

———

Zack Snyder's Justice League received mixed reviews; and though the film has undeniably brought joy to many viewers, it has sustained a brutal wave of vitriol by some in the fandom.

The "Snyder Cut" has been called many things--bloated, self-indulgent, unnecessarily long, a toxic conspiracy. Talking about the 4-hour film without mentioning the fervor surrounding it is nearly impossible; so Drea and Brian begin the show by framing the film's storytelling through the context of its cultural positioning.

The film was released during the later lockdown stages of COVID; amidst a time in which many of us, exhausted from the stress of an ongoing crisis and relentless promises of normalcy, embraced a directness in approach and unconventionality in our entertainment media. Drea and Brian briefly tackle the controversial reactions to the film (and pointed out some differences between the original edit and the Snyder cut).

But, for much of this episode, they dive into the prominent character arcs. Batman, for instance, realizes the potential of meaningful relationships in a pre-apocalyptic world, pushing past his impulse to pursue heroic acts and their narcissistic gains. The young Flash is refreshingly ebullient and wide-eyed, while also undeniably self-doubting and apprehensive about his value on a superhero team. Cyborg, the most psychologically and physically harmed member of the team, stands out as the heart of Snyder's storytelling. Dealing with the aftermath of his mother's death and his own disfigurement and transformation into a more-robot-than-human creature, Cyborg feels purposeless and detached from society. But by holding himself responsible for saving Earth (and thereby embracing his individuality), his character raises the theme of freeing ourselves from the expectations of others and from racial stereotypes.

The Snyder Cut, though not cinematically perfect, is daring and bold; unwittingly blunt and aspirational. As a story that was "interrupted" and had a chance to be reclaimed and retold, its retribution is powerfully present. For anyone who grew up with the iconography of DC Comics characters, it is hard not to get swept away by the psychology of the film.

The Dark Knight Rises

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 154: “The Dark Knight Rises”

Drea and Brian connect the riots shown in the Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, to the insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. When we witnessed overt recklessness, aggression, and supremacism among radical conservatives in our news, many blamed individual factors, calling them “crazy” and “deranged.” This episode disentangles political radicalization from mental illness and outlines the psychological mechanisms more likely at play.

———

In their coverage of the third and final film in the Nolan trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, Drea and Brian connect the events surrounding Bane's violent coup to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021. With a focus on explaining the fundamental causes of real-world terrorism, Drea outlines the psychological mechanisms involved in political radicalization and extremism, and clarifies widely held myths about the role of mental illness as a factor.

As we observe displays of overt recklessness, aggression, and supremacism among radical conservatives in our news, we tend to blame individual factors such as mental illness. However, there's little field evidence that points to a relationship or predictive connection between mental disorders and terrorism. Experts in psychology who analyze the biographies and profiles of militants, in fact, find that groups of terrorists and insurgents rarely include persons with serious mental illness given the risks of sabotage and mission abandonment. Social indoctrination, deprivation, and personal uncertainty are found to be better predictors of violating laws of democracy and advocating the supremacy of one group (racial, religious, political, social, etc.).

Bane, in particular, generalized his childhood abuse and isolation, directing his blame and anger toward mainstream agents of power. In fact, individuals who radicalize often hold distorted perceptions that they have been wronged or disenfranchised. They believe, usually with little to no evidence, that they're underserved or targeted by mainstream society. Shared characteristics include social disconnectedness, the need for order and certainty, and feelings of intense envy. Much like Bane, political extremists are overly simplistic in their beliefs, overconfident in their actions, and intolerant of differences in their "quest for significance."

The Dark Knight Rises may be a test of our endurance with its chilling and prolonged siege (clocking in at 2 hours and 44 minutes). The emergence of Robin offers a glimmer of hope and reminds us that it is often too difficult to "unwire" or "reverse" extremist ideologies (cue Bruce Wayne's retirement). Prevention, social diversity, and the sharing of basic necessities are the preferred pathways toward peace.

The Dark Knight

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 153: “The Dark Knight”

Against the burden of a crisis, there is an undeniable appeal of retaliation, revenge, and wanting to "watch the world burn." Brian and Drea discuss the social and psychological messages of the standout 2008 Batman film, The Dark Knight.

———

"And here we go!"

After several years of exploring the psychology of Batman, Brian and Drea finally discuss Christopher Nolan's acclaimed film, The Dark Knight (2008).

Of course, the standout character in this movie is the Joker, and in The Dark Knight, he is as creepy and captivating as ever. With genius, the late Heath Ledger captures the characterological features that are recognized as essential to this remarkable villain: he is hostile, impulsive, homicidal, and remorseless. The Joker is, at his core, an adrenaline-seeker, finding great thrill in high-risk, life-threatening antics.

Heath Ledger's Joker adds some interesting and unique elements. As an anarchistic terrorist, he wants to show that all members of society are fundamentally immoral and corrupt, that there's an inherent poison in everyone's psyche. Joker calls it "madness." And he sets to prove this by terrorizing the city, commandeering the underground crime system, disempowering the mobsters, and targeting two heroic figures in particular: Harvey Dent and the Batman.

As the film unfolds, we're meant to question our definitions of "heroes" and even reconsider the reasoning of Joker's theories. In times of crisis and trauma, there is an undeniable appeal of retaliation, revenge, and wanting to "watch the world burn."

Brian and Drea deconstruct the film's social messages (contextualizing them in the challenges we face today) and attempt to answer the question of whether the Joker actually had any sense at all buried in his freakish personality. Overall, we agree that The Dark Knight enriches the Batman narrative with cogent psychological themes that help us better understand our own emotions, behavior, and motivations.

Batman Begins

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 152: “Batman Begins”

Controlling fear, transforming fear, and embodying fear are the marked features of Batman’s trauma-induced obsession. But, as the 2005 film Batman Begins warns, fear can also be tampered with, manipulated, and weaponized. How can this Batman movie help us cope with our own uncertainties and worries stemming from the hard-hitting crises we faced in 2020?

Brian and Drea take listeners back to 2005 to revisit the well-received live-action film, Batman Begins. The first movie in the Nolan-directed Bat trilogy, Batman Begins sets the stage for a gritty and grounded landscape of Gotham City and establishes the core thread of Bruce Wayne's story: Fear.

The film shows us that fear is the fundamental catalyst for Bruce's lifelong mission to rid the community of criminals. Controlling fear, transforming fear, and embodying fear are manifestations of Bruce's obsession. But, as the film warns, fear can also be tampered with, manipulated, and weaponized. Scarecrow's terrorism is based in fear--his toxic inventions allow him to access primal anxieties in his victims to the point of hysteria and self-destruction. Ra's al Ghul prophesizes that if Bruce purges his identity (including his personal doubts and fears), he can transcend his own mortality. And Bruce himself becomes so wrapped in an idea, in a symbol, that he creates terror within the ones who love him.

What does Batman Begins teach us about our relationship with fear? Fear can lead to an overwhelmed sense. When we feel threatened, we go into survival mode. We feel as though our brain is hijacked, and we have lost control. What can we do when we are stifled by fear, worry, or panic? First, we can name the feeling or emotion. Observing our emotional state and being descriptive about our fear can create a little bit of healthy distance and allow us to feel more grounded, to gain focus, and to mobilize ourselves. Next, we can find a sense of calm by using breathing exercises. One easy way to attend to our breath is to inhale for a count of 3 seconds and exhale for a count of 6 seconds. Movement is also helpful -- we can stretch, go for a walk, or run in place to discharge some of the stress in our bodies.

Finally, we can use affirmations or self-reflective statements to acknowledge our survival in the moment. You can tell yourself you are safe, that you are able to cope, and that you have a way forward. Listen to the show for more suggestions like these about how to manage and maintain emotional well-being.

WATCHMEN: The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921

From: The Arkham Sessions Podcast, Episode 148: “HBO’s WATCHMEN: Episode 1: It’s Summer and We’re Running out of Ice”

Today, on Juneteenth, we commemorate the ending of slavery in America. On this date in 1865, the last of the American slaves were given their freedom, via a declaration delivered to the people of the farthest reaches of the South, Galveston, Texas.

To celebrate this important event, we've to decided to analyze the first episode of HBO's WATCHMEN; which introduced many people to the existence of the Tulsa Race Massacre (or "Black Wall Street Massacre") that took place in Greenwood, Oklahoma, in 1921. The community—a prosperous and independent Black district—was was burned downed and destroyed by mobs of white residents.

Brian and Drea discussed some of the themes very relevant to issues we're exploring and confronting today in 2020: racial violence, police brutality, community uprising, and mask-wearing.  The acclaimed WATCHMEN series uses a sci-fi lens to identify and depict a variant of our world, one that points us to our realities of anti-Blackness, tensions with law enforcement, and rampant hate groups. We reflect on the Tulsa Massacre of 1921, which has been cited as one of the worst events of racial violence in American history, and describe some parallels from our lived experiences 100 years later.  As an inter-racial couple, we share some ways that our own identities intersect with (and could benefit from) systems of racism. Finally we give ideas and resources to our listeners, specific to how they can act for racial justice. We want to hear from you--as we celebrate emancipation, please share the ways that fiction helps you talk about issues such as oppression, racism, and liberation. 

Resource:

From Actor to Accomplice: Ways that Allies Can Act for Racial Justice