Like many fans, I’ve been obsessively watching this trailer ever since its release last week. Somewhere north of 20 times; probably closer to 30. In that time, I’ve managed to examine it very closely, and now I thought I’d share what I’ve found concerning the movie’s plot points on here. Keep in mind though:

• This analysis will not be entirely objective. After all, I’m only human. Though I will try to keep my opinions to a bare minimum.

• This will not be a review of the trailer. All I’d have to say anyway is that it’s extremely good and brilliant in its own right.

• This is complete speculation, based on the limited knowledge we have of the movie today, July 21st 2015. It is likely subject to change in the future.

• My conclusions were drawn after a frame-by-frame analysis, and are my own; keep in mind I could very well be wrong.

• This post will be a long one, and there won’t be a TLDR.

With that out of the way, let’s get right to it.



1. “It’s taken some work but I finally have ‘em: the worst of the worst.”

The trailer opens with Amanda Waller (played by actress Viola Davis) at a dinner table in a fancy restaurant, with two on either side of her - one of them a general. Waller is the head of a government agency known as A.R.G.U.S. (”Anonymous Ranger Group of the United States”) and tasked with the creation of the Suicide Squad itself: a group of expendable soldiers that have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. In other words: the worst of the worst.



Immediately this scene sets her up as a powerful figure; she’s seated in the middle of the shot, eating steak, which conveys a certain dominance over the others that are present. This is in line with the Amanda Waller we know from the comics: a woman who could talk down Batman if she wanted do.



2. “Where?”

“Let’s just say I put ‘em in a hole and threw away the hole.”



Waller’s answer to the military general (presumably) next to her points to the penitentiary we get to see several shots of as the dialogue plays out - the very first of which shows us military soldiers behind two opening doors. We’ll get to that later. Another gives us the words “Firm but fair” on a steel bar between levels, providing us with yet another insight into this woman and the way she runs her agency.

The narration here definitely suggests this penitentiary is a top secret facility: which is not surprising, considering it seems to hold some of the most dangerous people in existence.

As such, I think this to be Belle Reve Penitentiary, a prison for metahumans and a frequent base of operations for the Suicide Squad in the comics. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think it will serve the same purpose in the movie.



3. “There’s rumours, Amanda, that some of them have… abilities.”

“Oh yeah: I have seen things… maybe Superman was some kind of beacon for them to creep back from the shadows.”



I should note that we do not know when exactly Suicide Squad takes place, chronologically; there’s been some speculation that it’s before Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but nothing that’s been confirmed yet. However, Waller’s dialogue gives us one important clue: it succeeds the events of Man of Steel. Now, however this factors into the overall DCCU timeline apart from that can not be said: we will just have to wait and see.



4. Now as this narration is going on, we get out first glimpse into one of the members of the actual task force/squad: Enchantress, played by Cara Delevingne. It looks like the movie’s going to get into her origin story: albeit very different from the comics. Because there she is freelance artist June Moone, who stumbles upon a magical chamber at a costume party in an old castle and gets possessed by a demon.

As I said, it seems the movie is going to mix this up a bit; as a spelunker rather than a freelance artist, she likely stumbles upon something in the cave in the above shot, which leads to her becoming the Enchantress. Whether or not possession actually plays into this we will have to see - a later shot in the trailer suggests it does.



5. “I wanted to assemble a task force of the most dangerous people on the planet, who I think can do some good.”

“They’re bad guys.”

“Exactly.”



It could be that Waller is actually talking to her superiors in this scene, and that this dinner is a business meeting at which she proposes her plan - which she has probably already set in motion anyway. If these are really her superiors, that’d be another testament to her character: she acts like she’s above them in every single way.



The line “They’re bad guys” reveals what the task force is really made of: villains. Criminals and lowlifes from around the DC mythos, come together to create an unlikely team and fight evil in the government’s name. If anything goes wrong, the latter can blame them anyway - which is exactly what Waller says here. Her agency has built in “deniability”. Like we’ll hear later, the members of this task force are, essentially, patsies.



6. “What makes you think you can control ‘em?”

“Because getting people to act against their own self-interest is what I do for a living.”



Again, a great insight into who Waller is and how she works. But also an insight into what exactly the Squad will be doing. Interestingly enough, the shot we see at this very moment is one of Harley Quinn - the Joker’s girlfriend, locked in a cage in the very same penitentiary I talked about earlier. The placement of this shot possibly says something about the plot of the movie, and how it will be a test of loyalty for Harley Quinn herself. More on that later.



Now in the comics, the Suicide Squad is held in check by a set of bombs implanted into its members’ necks. Whether or not the movie follows this we do not yet know: Waller’s dialogue neither proves nor disproves it, anyway.



7. As the song kicks in, we are presented with a couple of shots, consecutively showing us 4 other members of the task force (besides Enchantress):



A) Harley Quinn - played by Margot Robbie - can be seen hanging from some bedsheets, playing with her hair and seemingly being in some kind of trance. This is quite clearly evidence of her being slightly crazy, much like her ‘boyfriend’ the Joker, whom she calls “Mr. J” in the comics. Notice how she is covered in tattoos much like Mr. J himself, and most likely given to her by him.

She is being apprehended by five guards - one has to wonder if she is that much of a threat to them (also considering she is locked within a cage within a cage), or if something else is going on. Notice how it says “SHU” on the wall behind her - this is the abbreviation of “Special Housing Unit”, which indicates that as an area for solitary confinement.



B) El Diablo stands in front of a mirror, playing with a match in his hand. Known as Chato Santana by others, El Diablo is an ex-criminal who’s found himself to be the host a demon, giving him the power of manipulating fire. I’m unsure whether or not the movie will follow the same angle - as that would have two members of the Squad be possessed by demons. It’s possible, though.

C) We then get our first shot of Will Smith as Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot, the world’s deadliest marksman and a hired assassin. Both he and El Diablo are in similar cells - likely in the same penitentiary as Harley, Belle Reve.

D) A Hannibal Lecter-like shot has been reserved for Killer Croc, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and also known as his alias Waylon Jones, who was born with a form of avatism that left him with an impressive physique but an incredibly reptilian appearance.

He’s being escorted/guarded by the same soldiers we saw in the one shot mentioned in #2. In that shot, a sign indicated they came from solitary confinement, making it very likely that it’s connected to this shot - as Killer Croc is someone you’d definitely want to put in solitary confinement.



8. What follows is a scene in which Harley looks up at Amanda Waller on a walkway to the side, asking if she is the devil. This seems to confirm what is already apparent: that Harley’s arrest went by force. Which begs the question: what about the Joker?



I happen to think he’s also being held in the Belle Reve. While out on the streets, Joker and Harley are often together - though not always -, so the idea that Waller’s men apprehended both of them is not that far-fetched. It could be that Joker is here to keep Harley in check; or that Joker was the main target for arrest, and Harley’s just… an added bonus, if you will.



9. The next shot is a quick one, but it features two gunmen, both with masks on (one of a giant eyeball and one of a baby head) in a dark hallway, obviously engaged in a gun fight. It is seemingly of no importance, but I’ll get back to it in a bit.



10. The shot after this is another of Floyd Lawton, this time with his daughter out on the streets; it looks like they’re doing Christmas shopping. This is important, because it shows us that Lawson’s relationship with his daughter will likely be an important subplot for his character in the movie, and will probably feature in a number of flashbacks.

In the comics, Deadshot briefly had a daughter named Zoe, whom he raised in a city of crime - which one day prompted him to try and do right by her and purge their local area of criminals. In the movie, we could very well see something similar in an incredible sense of guilt on Lawton’s part about the work he does, and the influence it has on his parenthood and the life of his daughter.

11. As Waller says “All you need to know is you work for me.” (implying she doesn’t brief the Squad on much of their current situation, and they answer directly to her), we get our first and probably best glimpse at Deadshot’s outfit, complete with mask and everything. It is very reminiscent of that in the comics.



12. These next few shots are arguably some of the most important in the entire trailer, as they provide quite some valuable clues to the overall plot - particularly concerning Harley Quinn and her relationship with the Joker.

Firstly, we see a man with a goat mask in the same hallway as discussed in point #9, with the two gunmen in that shot now dead on the floor - he seems to be about to get shot in the back by the two cops that show up behind him. To his right we can see part of a room that will feature in the consecutive shot.



In which we see a number of things, actually: a man in a panda costume on the left; dead cops on the floor; a gunman getting shot in the middle of the room; a woman in a lab coat, who looks like Margot Robbie, getting thrown on a table.

Now, that last thing tells us what we are seeing here is another flashback, featuring none other than Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist working at Arkham Asylum, and who would eventually turn into Harley Quinn, the Joker’s sidekick and girlfriend. This scene should then be a part of her origin story. Taking place in Arkham itself, of course, as the shelves full of meds in the back of the room and the shuddering patient in the next shot clearly indicate.



13. We then get to see another glimpse at Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, bathing in… something dark. Blood, perhaps. Above her there is a pentagram, and on either side of her we can see a bunch of plants. This is perhaps another look into her origin, possibly hinting at something satanic giving her her powers - which is where the possession could come in. But other than that, there isn’t much to make of this shot.



14. The next shot gives us most of the squad walking down an abandoned street, with a Humvee in the back; Harley in an outfit she’ll likely be wearing for most of the movie. The following shot is of one Rick Flag, played by Joel Kinnaman, a soldier who’s been to known to lead the squad in the comics. He is surrounded by other soldiers - one of whom has “NKA” on his helmet, yet I have no idea what to make of that other than “North Korean Army”; which seems unlikely at best-, with a SWAT-van in the back, hinting at a significant military presence in the movie.



15. “So that’s it, huh? We’re the patsies. We’re some kind of… suicide squad.”



This is Floyd Lawton speaking. Take notice of Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang (another Squad member) and the vague outline of what looks like a table in the very same shot. It seems to me that this is Amanda Waller’s briefing of the Squad, and what we’re seeing here is the realization that’s dawned on Floyd: that they’re expendable.

It is likely he will have a big role in the team itself, possibly as some kind of leader (which would bring him at odds with Rick Flag). His next line of dialogue does hint at that:



Very Independence Day.



Now, you might have noticed in the trailer that Floyd seems to have writing on his outfit. Which is indeed the case. It says: “I am the light - the way.” That’s a jumbled quote from the Bible, hinting at a spiritual side to Lawton; someone who is not just a hired killer, but feels regret for letting his kid grow up in the world he is a part of (which the shot following this one, where he hugs his daughter, reinforces), and who has to deal with the reality of death and murder almost every single day of his life.



16. A very brief scene shows us a quick glimpse of Rick Flag and June Moone standing very close together, hinting at a romantic subplot involving the both of them. This could make for some interesting narrative possibilities, as Enchantress is known to be so powerful that the Squad only utilizes her when it’s absolutely needed. And while that’s just the case in the comics, note how none of the shots involving the entire (or most of) the Squad have Enchantress in them. Which makes it extremely plausible that she’s only used as a necessity here as well.



The room they’re in doesn’t seem very prison-like - perhaps it is a safehouse. One of the Squad’s residences? A terrarium and stuffed reptile can be seen, which could point to June herself, as she might be an explorer/spelunker in the movie - which I’ve mentioned before. It could also point to Killer Croc, though it is far more likely his residence will be more of a sewer lair than anything else.

That leaves basically everyone else, as there’s no clear connection between reptiles and any other member of the squad. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.



17. This next shot is interesting. It shows Harley Quinn wearing a different outfit than before, in what seems to be a strip club. Not a lot can be made from this scene, though. What is she doing there? Why is she there? Does this take place in the present, or is it part of another flashback?



The only possible clue we could have comes from the comics. Particularly the graphic novel with the simple title of Joker, published in 2008. In that story, the Joker actually owns a strip club named “Grin and Bare It”, at which Harley Quinn actually is a stripper. It’s very possible that Suicide Squad has been influenced by this novel and decided to give Harley Quinn a similar role in the Joker’s criminal life. That would indicate this scene being a flashback, likely there to develop the relationship between the two crazy lovers for the audience.



18. What follows is a quick look at three military helicopters flying over a city - two of which appear to be Chinooks, which have the primary role of moving troops from one place to another, while the third is an Apache, a US Army attack helicopter. Tracer shots shoot by, indicating some kind of hostile engagement.

Now this is big, because like the shots discussed in point #14, it implies a heavy military involvement at some point in the movie. This makes it very clear that the stakes are high, and the ‘enemy’ is not one to be trifled with.



19. Immediately after this we can see the Squad walking downtown accompanied by a number of US soldiers, further implying that military presence is much-needed. Note how the billboards and signs on the buildings don’t actually show brand names as such, rather than quite simplistic terms like “Drug Mart”, “Eatery” and “The perfect beer”.



20. These two shots, immediately following that of point #19, seem to be of around the same time, as one can clearly see the soldiers behind Harley and Croc. Notice how the latter seems to be on the alert, while Harley is goofing around.

I can say with about a hundred percent confidence that the scenes with the military take place in the second half of the movie, where the Squad is out on their mission. Aided by the military, it seems.



Or does it? Because it could very well be that they’re here to make sure the Squad does its job properly. As mentioned before, in the comics Waller does this by implanting bombs into the squad members’ necks, with the threat of blowing them up if they fail the mission. There is no indication this will actually happen in the movie, which leads me to believe that this military presence is not just there to aid them, but to ensure they don’t mess up or go rogue as well. Sort of like a double-edged sword.



21. Next up is a costume party shootout.

The images seen here immediately call to mind the Arkham scenes earlier on in the trailer, where similar gunmen (even one dressed in a panda costume like in the above GIF) were shooting the place up. This could lead to the assumption that this particular shootout also takes place in Arkham, but I’m not so sure. First of all, the room seems much cleaner and… newer than the hallways of the asylum. The conveyor belts and machinery also make it seem much more like a mail room, or even a factory. Particularly the latter stuck with me, as when you look closely you’ll be able to make out what looks like missile shells, possibly indicating this to be a raid for better weaponry.

Secondly, the man or woman in the panda costume is the only gunman linking this scene to the one definitely taking place in Arkham. That could mean nothing, of course, as it is possible (s)he was the only one shown here that makes it through this room, but it could also just mean that (s)he is a long-time henchman of the Joker.

Because thirdly, Joker shows up in this scene, in clothes he’s not wearing at the end of the trailer. But more on that in a bit.



22. We see a quick shot of military soldiers exiting one of the Chinook helicopters onto an abandoned street, with some of them aiming their guns upwards - likely towards possible danger on the roofs.

This is immediately followed by soldiers surrounded by white smoke, the ground littered with rubble and a fire here and there. What we’re seeing here is likely the crash site of the Chinook we’ll see later on. In the soldiers’ midst is Katana, one of the few members of the Squad that I have not yet mentioned, drawing her sword.



23. Skipping one glimpse of Deadshot taking the lead we get back to the ‘factory’ where the costumed shootout occurs; this is where the Joker makes his first appearance. Dressed in a long purple coat like in the comics, with nothing underneath but a pair of pants. He’s following a man who looks very… official. As if he’s some sort of head of security, or a businessman. Maybe a doctor.

Go back to point #12 and take a look at the man throwing Harleen Quinzel on the table. To me, he looks exactly like the same guy we can see leading Joker here. Now, this could mean one of several things.



A) He’s a close associate of Joker’s. Possibly his chauffeur, Jonny Frost, who appears in the aforementioned Joker graphic novel.

B) He’s a former colleague of Dr. Quinzel, working at Arkham Asulym, who betrayed her and helped Joker with whatever he was doing during that particular sequence.



It could be that he is Hugo Strange, a psychiatrist and another villain in the Batman mythos, but since there is no evidence for that at all I’m unwilling to bet any money on it.

Whatever the case, what can be said with absolute certainty is that he is one of the Joker’s allies.



24. “You’re in so much trouble,” we hear Harley say, while being shown a shot of her licking one of the bars of her prison cell. The shot is quite hard to pinpoint, as it doesn’t give us any details other than the implication that Harley is indeed a little crazy - something that should come as no surprise.

The dialogue is interesting, though, as the tone is very… endearing, in a way. Playful. Which begs the question: who is Harley talking to here? Is it Joker? Or perhaps someone that Joker’s after?

More on this later.



25. This next shot is a “Blink and you miss it”-one. It shows Katana throwing Boomerang against a wall, sword drawn and an angry look on her face. There is no telling what pissed her off, but it’s a clear sign of conflict and hostility within the Squad ranks. Which shouldn’t surprise anyone, as it’s a team of villains (primarily).

Note how there’s a soldier standing in the background, his gun at the ready and aimed at them - reinforcing the notion that the soldiers aren’t just there to back the Squad up.



26. A quick glimpse of Belle Reve guards running - surely something is going down at the prison - and then we get our first look at June Moone as Enchantress, completely dressed up. The shot is brief, but it does provide us with a good view of what she looks like; she seems enthralled about something. The pictures on the mirror behind her are indiscernible, but this could very well be in the aforementioned ‘safehouse’. Possibly even Deadshot’s place (seen in the shot where he hugs his daughter, point #15), if the colours of the walls are anything to go by. It could very well be that this is where Enchantress will remain on her own.



27. We get confirmation of the Dr. Harleen Quinzel-moment discussed earlier, as here we clearly have Margot Robbie in a white coat lying on a table. And right at the head of that table is the Joker himself, recognizable by the tattoo on his left pec and the purple glove on his hand. This shot ties directly into the end of the trailer, where I’ll go on an in-depth analysis of what is happening here.



28. Following that is another look at Katana, obviously in distress as she sheathes her sword. I’m unsure why she would be - many have speculated that it has to do with the sword itself, which, in the comics, houses the soul of her dead husband -, but it’s possible it has something to do with the scene discussed in point #25, with Boomerang pissing her off.

I’d like to add that many have thought she’s committing suicide here: that is clearly not the case.



29. Next up, we have a seemingly infuriated Harley taking on the prison guards in her cell, while one outside the cell seems to call for help. It looks like they’re trying to subdue her but failing miserably. Something is definitely going on at Belle Reve now.



30. A surprise (or not, if you’ve been following the movie’s set photo leaks online) appearance by the Batman himself, on top of a purple Lamborghini driven by the Joker - and with Harley in the passenger seat.

Notice how she’s wearing the exact same outfit as earlier in the strip club, which could be a clear indicator of this scene taking place right after or before that.

It’s unclear whether or not this is a flashback or takes place in the movie’s present timeline - the white suit Joker is wearing might give us a clue, however.



It is no secret that Ben Affleck’s Batman and Bruce Wayne are drawing heavy inspiration from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. In that story, the Batman makes a triumphant return after being retired for several years - and the Joker does too. Now, in said graphic novel, the Joker’s outfit is very reminiscent of what we’re seeing in the GIF above (even though it’s a tiny glimpse): a bright, white suit. Which is different from the purple coat the Joker normally wears.

Its inclusion in the movie might be an indicator that present-time Joker will be wearing it to coincide with Batman’s return. It’s a stretch, I know, but there’s a chance such a visual connection to the timeline will exist, be it as just a nod to the fans of the novel.



However, that begs the question: what is Harley doing there? I mean, she’s part of the Squad, so why is she with Joker? And didn’t I theorize earlier that Joker is also imprisoned in Belle Reve?

Furthermore, the inclusion of Batman doesn’t chime with the conclusion that this is the present day for me. Because if it is, that would put Batman in the spotlight as the hero trying to catch Joker in a ‘good vs evil’-situation. And director David Ayer specifically said at this year’s Comic-Con that he’s tired of that: “It’s time for bad vs evil.”

Therefore, I think this is another flashback, the strip bar scene included, with a small Batman cameo to get people excited.



31. The next shot is our first glimpse at El Diablo using his powers; as said before, this guy can manipulate fire. However, there is an interesting twist to the scene, as he seems to be subdued by someone pouring water on him. Possibly, this is going on at Belle Reve, but I have no solid proof for that.



32. Speaking of Belle Reve… did I mention something’s going on there?

We get a quick shot of an explosion going off in the prison, blowing out what seems like a part of the outside wall, followed by a giggling Harley (who appears to be naked) and then guards shooting each other(!) inside the prison. Now, I believe the first and last of these three to be connected. The Harley scene I can’t quite place, but we’ll get to that in a bit.



Remember how I said I think Amanda Waller is holding Joker prisoner? Well, not for long. Because what I think is going on here is that Joker is escaping from Belle Reve. That explains the explosion at the outer wall, the commotion that is going on inside - with Joker possibly having paid off some of the guards to help him out, which would explain why they’re fighting each other -, and even the scene where Harley is fighting the guards in her cell. Because after all, if you found out your boyfriend is escaping from the very same prison you’re being kept in, you’d want to escape too, right? That is exactly what I feel is happening here.

Indeed, this is where it all comes together. Not just these scenes, but others throughout the trailer as well. Take the “You’re in so much trouble.”-line, for instance. This could be Harley talking to Joker upon meeting him again after his escape, but it could also be her talking to Amanda Waller, knowing that her boyfriend broke out of the woman’s own prison.



Entertain then, for a moment, the thought that this is where the Suicide Squad’s mission comes in: they are tasked with going after Joker. One of the most dangerous criminals/terrorists in the DC mythos, mind you, so getting help from the military might not be such a bad idea.

This is also where point #6 comes in. I said that the line “Because getting people to act against their own self-interest is what I do for a living.” coincides with the first shot we get of Harley Quinn, and that it might even pertain to her role in the plot.

Which is exactly what it would do if the plot did indeed revolve around the Squad going after the Joker.



33. The next shot finally gives us the last member of the Squad, known as Slipknot: a villain in the DC mythos with a fascination for ropes, which he uses in all kinds of ways to maim and kill people. As far as I’ve seen, this is the first shot we actually get of him, so I have no clue where and how he would factor into the story.



34. What follows is a shot of El Diablo coming out of a pipeline in a flow of water, one of the Belle Reve guards watching him. It is very likely this is how they’re releasing him, or maybe give him some time outside - by subduing his powers with water.



35. One of the Chinooks again, crashing down onto a parking lot downtown. Fire and smoke can be seen coming from its rear engine, indicating it has been hit by some kind of firepower - missiles, perhaps (tying back into the factory where Joker was spotted?). This is likely the moment that preceeds both shots discussed in point #22, with the soldiers aiming upwards keeping their eyes on where the missile(s) came from.



36. A shot of Harley lunging at the camera follows, her clashing against the steel bars of her cage. Again, I believe this to be a Harley infuriated upon hearing of her boyfriend’s escape, with her desperately wanting to get out and follow him.



37. As we approach the end of the trailer we can see Deadshot in a brightly lit hallway, holding what looks like a taser-gun to me. The look on his face is sorrowful yet without remorse - as if he might be avenging someone or something here.

Interesting to note is that the shot that immediately follows is one of Harley Quinn chewing bubblegum in what looks to be the same exact hallway. Could this indicate hostility between Deadshot and Harley, later on in the movie?



Possibly. If the Squad is going after Joker like I think they will, that would mean a conflict of loyalty for Harley - or rather, a conflict between obedience and loyalty. It could very well be that she eventually betrays the others and comes back to Joker’s side, which might then result in the death of some squad members. Which then pisses Deadshot off.

Perhaps it even results in the death of his own daughter (maybe Joker attacks the ‘safehouse’ that I mentioned before), but that’s pure speculation at this point so I’ll leave that completely open for now.



Of course, the possibility is also there that Harley gets assaulted by someone (perhaps another squad member), and Deadshot saves her from this attack.

Notice how even though these two shots are consecutive in the trailer, and I’ve put them and their lines of dialogue in the same GIF, they do not seem to be from the same scene. One major clue for that is the difference in the walls behind the two respective characters - the one behind Harley is the same as in the shot where she’s chewing bubblegum, and the one behind Boomerang looks like the same one we saw in the shot discussed in point #28.



It seems to me that this dialogue was just cut together to set up the full appearance of the Joker at the end of the trailer, turning Harley’s “Huh?” into a “Who do you mean, Cpt. Boomerang?” for the viewer.

In my eyes, Boomerang’s line might have something to do with Katana and her assaulting him - he looks pretty beat up. Harley’s line seems to be her reacting to hearing someone come down the hall or around the corner - perhaps Deadshot right before that earlier shot of him, or someone out to assault Harley as mentioned in the previous point.



Whatever the case, I’m sure these two scenes are not connected in any way. But they do provide for a nice segue into the Joker-scene we see on the thumbnail.



38. “Oh, I’m not gonna kill ya…”



At last, the Joker makes a grand entrance at the end - appearing in the exact same room where we saw Harleen Quinzel get thrown on and strapped to a table.

He seems to be wearing nothing but Arkham Asylum-trousers (made apparent by the word “Arkham” on the left leg) and one purple glove. This is very clear proof to the suggestion that the gunmen were there to get him out of the asylum. Furthermore, these clothes are not the same he seems to wear in the ‘factory’, adding to the thought that the two scenes are not connected.



What we’re seeing here is quite obviously the origin of Harley Quinn as the Joker’s sidekick and girlfriend. In the comics, the Joker is her patient at the Asylum; after falling in love with him she slowly turns mad and helps him get out.

Here, it seems her origin is getting changed around a bit. Joker is holding what appears to be equipment used in electroshock therapy, a psychiatric treatment that induces seizures in the patient to provide relief from whatever illnesses they have. It is implied that the Joker is going to torture Harley using this exact same method, driving her mad in the process and thereby turning her into the Harley Quinn we see throughout most of the trailer.



39. Even though that shot of Jared Leto’s Joker was what ended the trailer, I’d like to bring attention to one part I’ve not yet discussed: the song. It’s a haunting and melodious cover of I Started A Joke by the Bee Gees - something that is a bit of a trend to do in movie trailers nowadays. In this case, it works very well, considering the song fits the Joker perfectly.



Take the first two lines, for example.

“I started a joke,

which started the whole world crying(…)”

What is a joke to the Joker? That’s right, beating people up, killing them, burning down their livelihoods… stuff that makes people cry when it happens.



The way the song lyrics are paired up with certain shots in this trailer is what drew my attention, though. The first line (”I started a joke”) coincides with one of Harley Quinn in her cage - if you were to draw anything from that, you might come to the conclusion that Harley’s ‘creation’ is the joke mentioned here.

Now, compare this to the end of the trailer, and you’ll begin to see a thread.

“If I’d only seen… that the joke was on me.” If the joke in question here is Harley, this sounds like it has backfired on Joker. And perhaps that is exactly what’s going on, as in the movie, Harley becomes a part of the Suicide Squad.

And she’s someone who knows a lot about him.



Just a thought I had. Likely, though, the song lyrics have nothing to do with the overall plot and I’m just reaching.

- - - - - - - - - -



So that was it for my analysis of the Suicide Squad Comic-Con First Look Trailer. Stay tuned for more on Suicide Squad as the year progresses and we get closer to release.

