Injustice 2: Trauma Survival - Harley Quinn's Greatest Fear - Extra Credits

Content Warning: Abusive Relationship. Harm doesn't end when physical or emotional abuse stops. In Injustice 2, Harley Quinn is a hero who's still dealing with the aftermath of her trauma - and neither of those aspects of her character detracts from the other.
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[@extrahistory]

Content Warning: Abusive Relationship. In Injustice 2, Harley Quinn faces her greatest fear - and challenges media tropes about trauma survival. Thanks for participating in this week's discussion! We want you to be aware of our community posting guidelines so that we can have high-quality conversations: goo.gl/HkzwQh

[@FWDDGS]

Extra Credits thank you That was... tough. But real. And encouraging. Thank you

[@KaiserAfini]

Extra Credits The Joker is not a monster ? Please look at the Death In The Family storyline, The Joker is a monster in human skin and Harley was way too exposed to his horror, which makes her all the more awesome from letting the best in her shine despite all she went through.

[@theladypalecorn7750]

Extra Credits This was an amazing video, just like several of your others. You are one of my favorite analytical KZbin channels. You always bring great insight to game design and taboo topics. Keep doing what you are doing. It's amazing

[@counterstructure4908]

Wish you had also put in that Harley Quinns full name and title is: Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, PhD. A PhD in psychology. She knows all this on an academic level herself. While at that point they have been over a decade since she practised, she probably had mental notes (of self analyse) since day one.

[@Jekyllstein_Gray]

Could you guys do a video with guidelines for both writing scenes and designing mechanics that explore hard topics like abuse, sexual assault, genocide, etc. in ways that show respect towards the victims of these horrible crimes?

[@toxicangel1121]

"Harley Quinn is not okay and that's okay." Thank you..

[@nerdsforever4852]

This also does a great job of tearing down the romanticised version of both Harley and Jokers relationship but also The Joker himself

[@Gravitynaut]

TheatreStyle In Suicide Squad, the troubling aspects of their relationship are deliberately ignored if not outright romanticized.

[@YZaiCreates]

Gravitynaut - well that's terrible. At least the original source material is still there for everyone to watch and/or read, whichever version you prefer.

[@gunsandammo92]

TheatreStyle oh god, the fan art. THE FAN ART!!!

[@Bolshoi333]

I think Suicide Squad Harley hasn't quite gotten out of that hole yet. I wouldn't call it romanticized, they just didn't flesh it out, like, at all. It was the fans who came in and romanticized it for them. As they are wont to do.

[@nerdsforever4852]

I find its the fandom that romanticise it which is worrying, whiles some mediums out right ignore it in there portrayal which is at best being willingly ignorant and at worse down playing abuse

[@phantomstrider]

This is so well discussed. The fact that our media does regularly give the impression that trauma is something people can walk away from by "being strong" may be empowering, but it's also not addressing the full reality of trauma. That is often something that people deal with daily within themselves.

[@darkwave8892]

I got out of an abusive relationship over two years ago and am still trying to deal with it. Nothing about it is easy, but it's comforting to know that I'm not the only one dealing with the pains of my past.

[@isaac1670]

darkwave8892 I'm sorry to hear that. I wish the very best for you on your road to recovery.

[@whitelady1063]

darkwave8892 you can always talk to me

[@alexsmith2910]

Darkwave, You are in our hearts and we wish you a long and good life.

[@Tripas350]

I have no idea who you are and what you went through, but I just want to say "good luck" and "hope you have good and happy life".

[@otakudoctor8423]

You are in our hearts and i hope for the best for you. You can talk to me if you want:)

[@timetogeaux5149]

There's a similar scene later on in the game, though I don't think it's handled quite as well. Scarecrow gasses Wonder Woman and causes her to see Superman turn on her. He calls her out for manipulating him in his grief and attacks her. She quickly sees through this and fights scarecrow. It draws an interesting parallel between the two. Harley's biggest fear is her abuser, Diana's biggest fear is she IS the abuser. She quickly shuts this thought process down and tells herself she must be right. When they physically confront each other later in the game, this parallel is made even more evident. Diana is going to kill Cheetah, but Harley wants to spare her life. Harley has grown from her abuse(she's not okay, but she has grown) and faces down another abuser. Harley got out of the cycle. Diana is now the one perpetrating the cycle, and essentially becomes her greatest fear.

[@LeloniBunny]

Is it ok to be admiring the excellent animation going on during this scene too? Those expressions - wow!

[@shindean]

LeloniBunny Everything came out exceptional, the developers knew that if they were going to do a chapter on something as complicated as trauma, they had to do it perfectly or not at all. Otherwise you get: Press X to show your respects.

[@joelsasmad]

LeloniBunny Give credit where credit is due.

[@hanssmirnov9946]

The animation was the best part of this scene. Hence why Dan decided to slow it down, and take out the dialogue. Seeing the whole scene properly, without narration, is far less effective. Because largely... it feels like a tropey, "come back to the dark side!" scene, in the original.

[@rbwjakfjenwbw1009]

Joel Sasmad I wanna give more credit, say... *Extra Credits*

[@reNINTENDO]

Yeah, I haven't played this game and probably never will, but I couldn't get over how freakin' amazing the modeling and texture work on those characters, _especially_ the faces. And shot composition is top notch to boot. I kept realizing I wasn't paying attention to Dan and was just watching the cutscene.

[@daemondan666]

"Harley Quinn isn't okay. And that's okay." I think that statement is the most beneficial to people going through trauma and trying to get their life back together from it. Too often we're told to stop being weak, or to just get over it, etc. But that's not how it works. And people who don't experience a major trauma don't get that it's not how that works. It makes trying to get past things even more difficult because it makes me feel isolated and weak. But to hear that it's okay to not be okay is almost liberating. To not have that pressure to be smiles and sunshine and rainbows and to never let the cracks in my mind show, if even for just a moment, is a really good feeling

[@nyatrue401]

Daniel F Exactly, I went through some tough times in my life, and it hurt me, I've kept myself mostly together, but I've always wanted someone to recognize the hurt that I was hiding, but to know that it's OK to show your hurt is such a liberating feeling. I don't have to feel bad about not being OK, I can show others my hurt, but I don't have to be owned by it.

[@letsgococo5192]

As someone who has lived with depression for a couple years, and doesn't have the best relationship his mom, seeing this really means a lot to me and you guys did a good job of handling thorny problems like this in a tasteful and respectful way. I'm not an abuse survivor myself, but I've known one or two people in my life who are, and everything you said about not being okay when the abuse stops is absolutely right. And a lot of this applies to other problems as well, things like depression and anxiety and self image troubles and all manner of malfunctions. Hats off to the whole team for having the stones to even tackle this topic at all, and making darn sure to be as good about it as they can. The world needs more things like this, and I for one am grateful that you guys are providing it

[@Gh0stily111]

I like how the people who tell you to just get over it have this big, macho, persona, when they have clearly had an easy life with no real mortal obstacles what so ever hence their outlook, and by enlarge false toughness. Also annoys me how the media only wanna talk about female victims and never male or child victims.

[@thinkpink113]

I should not have watched this at work because it nearly made me cry. As a survivor of abuse who still has contact with my abuser and the people who enabled that abuse, one of the hardest things about dealing with that fallout is the struggle to not fall back into those old roles and behavior, even though I consciously know they are not okay and harmful to my recovery. But I'm glad that you've opened the door on this subject so that others like me might be able to better understand their experiences.

[@MattHew-rq8zw]

They shed light onto topics that are usually frowned upon, by society (from time to time) - mental health, has layers like an onion ... each can cause tears to form, each layer is fragile yet so complex regarding how to proceed on without causing further reactions from our tear-ducts. :/ Trauma, depression, suicide, etc... all taboos which has been looked down on by others. I experienced my fair share in the Army, some years back... both traumatic experiences and the expected processes from there on out (like how to deal with it... least I, and they tried.) ... while still remaining in service ("Retired" or rather in no condition to return back to service - nowadays.). I think that no matter what it is, no matter the cause, severity or 'shelf-life' that our afflictions have... it still remains the same thing, namely traumatic experiences - thus I don't compare, for I know it is ... bad enough in itself, so I ain't going to scoff at someone for going through hell as a child/teen/youth ... while someone else is going through it right now as we speak - pain is still pain, and everything relative - don't you think?. All in all, thank you kindly :) - for sharing your experience, reaction and ... well it makes some feel less alone, knowing they didn't suffer alone (for some, it can be cathartic)... um, cheers and I wish you the best for the future to come!

[@identi8040]

Are you okay now?

[@ReagentGray]

Thank you for this episode. So many people use words like triggered and get angry about "safe spaces" and "Content Warnings", but to hear you talk about trauma seriously, really warms my heart.

[@javonyounger5107]

They get angry at such things because many of the people who push such things say that they are traumatized when they aren't which also has the effect of making people sceptical of the people who want these things because they truly are dealing with trauma.

[@seacliff217]

Javon Younger Agreed. A lot of people going through actual trauma are getting undermined through the safe space movement because it dissolved into identity politics. It's really unfortunate, so I'm glad this episode took an actual example that took such a situation realistically or at least made it believable.

[@GearyDigit]

People with actual trauma are getting undermined by people automatically assuming they must be faking it because reactionaries have spread the myth that people are just pretending to have trauma for 'identity politics' and believe that places where people with trauma or minorities can go to feel safe from any worry of being harassed or have their trauma triggered is somehow a bad thing.

[@pikafreaka]

Javon Younger Exactly. "I need a safe space to talk because my class is hard." and "I need a safe space to talk about domestic abuse/rape/ coming home from a war/getting a friend killed due to drunk driving/any number of actually traumatic things" are hilariously different, and is what tick me off the most about that madness.

[@jasperfireline]

Or, you don't change what you present, and then you deal with them. And they aren't pure garbage, and are really appreciated by the people who want them. And they have never stopped me from experiencing ANYTHING, but made my experience better because I went in prepared. Like this video for example, that had a content warning. And I watched it.

[@umnikos]

Trauma is like a carving in a tree. It never becomes smaller, but it also never becomes bigger. And while trauma never goes away, you can become bigger, making the trauma a smaller part of you.

[@danrope7559]

Dude! ...Beautiful simile. ;_;

[@RemixerUltimate]

Damn that was a really great way of explaining it.

[@MaaZeus]

I loved the slowmo part. Really made the Harleys facial animations stand out as you were explaining what she was going through during that scene. Fantastic scene, and fantastic video from you guys. And yeah, Harley is NOT okay, she probably never will be. But atleast she is not a homicidal maniac anymore, just happily maniac. :)

[@danc6167]

as a trauma survivor, thank you so much for this episode! I can't handle most horror games partially because they bring up too many memories, but partly because the trauma never seems to really affect the characters in any realistic way. I'm pretty surprised that such a careful exploration of abuse came from such an unlikely source, but I'm so glad it exists

[@jessielefey]

It's why Silent Hill 3 is my favourite Silent Hill, honestly. That's some *brutal* explorations on being a teenage rape survivor being seen as only a walking uterus now that she's pregnant. Heather is so raw and real.

[@YZaiCreates]

It's a major part of Harley Quinn as a character. This aspect of her is in like 90% of her comics, and some of the best ones deal with it in interesting ways. That's not to say it's her driving force. Her personality is still her own, the joker's abuse is just a constant background noise she has to deal with day to day.

[@RuneKatashima]

Have you tried Outlast 2?

[@YZaiCreates]

Woop woop! Representing the Super Best Friends Play with some of the weakest trolling i've seen in a good while!

[@YZaiCreates]

Marshall Dan many other people throughout history have gone through the same and worse, and not dealt with it at all. Trauma, mental illness and other issues have been present in humanity since its inception. The only thing that's changed is that there's more science, more evidence and more techniques in combating it. We've learned that therapy is a good way to make your life better in a way that wasn't done anywhere near as effectively in the past because they didn't have the research to really know what they were doing. We still barely do. Psychology is still incredibly fuzzy and imprecise as science goes because the human psyche is so complex and individual. But it's better than nothing which is what people used to have. You don't abandon modern science because people lived and survived before it. People survived all sorts of diseases in the past, that doesn't mean we shouldn't take medicine.

[@toddvogel8887]

Injustice 2 has quite a few great little moments of story telling, my favorite has to be the moment between Batman and Superman right before they fight where they stop and just talk about the day Clark told Bruce that Lois was pregnant and how they wish things could be like how they were before, Batman even says "I miss who we were back then" but they both know that things can't go back to how it was before.

[@liampellett2038]

Though I will point out that a hero dealing with trauma and it never letting go is also a story for Batman. Though he works hard not to show it Batman is constantly tormented by the death of his parents as we see over and over in the Arkham games, though not abuse, what Batman goes through is Survivor's guilt and witness trauma.

[@maximeteppe7627]

Yeah but being such a well known aspect of the character, this aspect is often brushed aside to deal primarily with the symbols and values Batman stands for. He usually really falls into trauma as plot device.

[@liampellett2038]

Maxime Teppe and this isn't? How about the Batman animated series movie "Mask of the Phantasm" where Bruce has a scene where he's at his parent's grave begging forgiveness for falling in love and not getting vengence for them?

[@maximeteppe7627]

Wow, haven't watched mask of the phantasm since primary school. I've heard indeed that it's one of the best portrayals of Batman as human character. And I should give it a new watch. My point was that most of the time the human side of Bruce's trauma isn't explored, and is mostly used as a way to explain why he puts a suit on, as a tangible extension of Gotham's violence and crime. I don't remember seeing the trauma actually explored in batman begins for instance. It feels more like: i'm batman, I've confronted my fear (the scarecrow) and got my vengeance (Ras al Gul) and now i'm mostly OK".I might be wrong though, cause I havent' seen batman begins in a long time as well.

[@megamonmon]

Liam Pellett Would you say the same applies to spiderman as well?

[@liampellett2038]

Maxime Teppe that's true, not all writers know how to write deep characters, some do, Harley here in Injustice 2 has massive issues and the comic goes into those as well when Harley tells a story about her daughter talking about how it was so cute how she was gone for a year and Joker pretended he didn't notice.

[@cattynerd1859]

As an abuse survivor having to deal with PTSD from my abuse, I've all but given up on seeing any kind of proper portrayal of this in any media, let alone videogames. Hats off to the Injustice team for getting it right, and thank you Extra Credists team for pulling together this video to point it out.

[@pedroscoponi4905]

D-damn... Good facial animation with the proper timing sure, ahm... conveys a lot of feeling. _deep breath_ phew! Watching that was 100% heart-breaking.

[@hanssmirnov9946]

Yeah, the animation is great. Slowed down, and narrated by Dan, it's much better than the original scene. It conveys what EC talks about, that way, instead of boiling down to someone seeing something horrible, and then being OK because they're strong, or something.

[@epederson92]

I guess we've finally defeated the uncanny valley? I'm not sure how I feel about that though...

[@BubblesZap]

+EpicNational don't worry, between stuff like Mass affect and whatever else is coming we'll have plenty of falls back into the valley.

[@intothepale3551]

Absolutely agreed! It makes me wonder - because of the excellent animation and the similarities to Harley Quinn and Hayden Panettiere's facial models - if NetherRealm studios got some help from the artists who worked on Until Dawn.

[@KyleBernard0]

Pedro Scoponi animator of this scene here! Thanks a bunch! It’s been a while since I thought about this shot and I’m glad it’s still standing up well to time! It means a lot to me just seeing people connect with it!

[@chenwingsee]

Harley Quinn is such an important to me, as an abuse survivor and I've never met any abuse survivors who didn't love her dearly. I love the focus on her trauma backstory lately and not forcing her into an angelic ideal survivor trope type deal. she's not perfect, but she's harley and she's trying her best. that scene hit so hard for me, and it did trigger me watching it? but i appreciate that they took so much care in writing a realistic abuse scenario

[@xxiao5156]

What's beautiful of this scene is actually HQ playing all this in her head. Scarecrow can't possibly come up with all of Joker's taunt, so all his speeches are the subconscious of HQ. So in a sense, the abuser's impact is more profound because Joker implants his personality within HQ's psyche. In other words, he 'recruits' HQ to torment herself. Or you can interpret this to shoehorn Joker in some way into the story mode despite his death in game 1.

[@YZaiCreates]

It's both, which is great cus abuse victims are constantly tormenting themselves. That's why the harm continues even after separation from the cause.

[@MattHew-rq8zw]

... I'm terrified regarding how pin-point accurate you are in that assessment. :/ aye, it will not stop - it will only be halted for a moments time, until it proceeds once more - until ones breath is no more.

[@minhkhangtran6948]

Though not really...Like anything, time fade it away. As it became truly the past, the image became more and more obscure. At that point, it could be one of those shadow monster that kept haunting us forever...or simply a thing to remember by. Sure it's still hurt, but you have way happier moment now that wouldn't happen if you fought against it (I'm talking about abuse generally, not really about witness trauma that is a whole other can of worm that this analogy doesn't fit)

[@xxiao5156]

That's why this only happens with a trigger. In this scenario it is the fear toxin of Scarecrow. That's why trigger warning exists.

[@PhyreI3ird]

Well, damnit, I think you said what I said but even better xD

[@Neoxon619]

Tom Taylor also does a great job with Harley Quinn's character in the Injustice 1 & 2 prequel comics (which are canon to the games & are even referenced in-game). They really do dive deep into her character & adds to the fact that Injustice Harley is one of the best depictions of her. And fun fact, the Green Arrow of Injustice 2 was introduced in the Injustice 1 prequel comics.

[@Kiytan]

Personally, I think injustice (the comics) has some of the most well written versions of those characters that I've seen. Also, nobody should ever have to justify a fake moustache

[@Neoxon619]

Kiytan I understood that reference. I look forward to seeing Harley rebuild her friendship with the other Earth's Green Arrow.

[@raymondconchu7721]

Especially the scene with Quin and Canary. Damn that's a good scene

[@Cythil]

This depth is the reasons I liked her so much as a character in The Animated Series which I saw as a kid. And I do like it when media actually embraces this very curial part of her character. It is a bit sad to see how so many depictions of Harley dare not delve in more tragic parts of her character when a kids show actually dared to delve in to the subject. I think I get especially annoyed with it as Harley is a character created for the show and not a re imagining of the character. So it making a great disservice to that character when she is underplayed by removing her more traumatic side to her.

[@Ranyore]

They give it an extra nod too in the solo play "ladder" in the Mulitverse where each character gets their non-cannon "If THEY saved the day" winning conditions. Hers is joining the League, fighting the bad urges when they appear, and to play with her daughter (complete with tutu truck) as she considers telling her that she is the real mother someday.

[@MrM4st0d0nF4rm]

This episode made me cry. Last year, I was living in a horrible situation with a man I thought cared for me, and this just really, really hit close to home. Thank you for this.

[@imadorkidontcare7688]

I'm so...so glad you described trauma the way you did. The words you chose. "Harley isn't okay" rather than "Harley isn't better yet" "She knows it was abuse but still remembers a part of it fondly because that's what abuse does to you" rather than "she's still thinks the abuse was love" "She has the tools she needs to pull herself back" rather than "she's healed now" Thank you for wording it the way you did. I have never seen someone describe it quite how you did, not even therapists. Thank you.

[@Ten80pete]

Each and every video that you guys post ends up bringing forward profound and thought-provoking points, but this one goes above and beyond. To have covered all that you did in under 10 minutes and do it in a powerful way that might help people to understand trauma, congratulations. Very tasteful, and it serves to reinforce the positive reputation that you have all earned.

[@elise-3198]

As someone with CPTSD due to an abusive parent, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for making this episode and being so understanding about how trauma works. Thank you for all the hard work you do. And thank you for all the knowledge you have given me.

[@calvincampau6072]

I worry this will come off wrongly but I feel I have to put this out there just so it can be seen possibly by someone who will get something from it. This scene worked for me so well even though I have never been in a romantic abusive relationship, but I was heavily abused as a child, heavy bruises kicking, insulting, I spent my entire childhood submersed entirely in escapist fiction to get away from everything that hurt. I idolized the heroes in comics and books that I had secondhand from my uncle and watched cartoons religiously all while playing any video game that I could get my hands on. They spoke to me everything my parents weren't, bullies. even the worst that I liked (Punisher...sometimes.) they still were fully self sacrificing for others. I mention this because, like most children of the 90's the #1 show for me, was batman the animated series where we first saw Harley Quinn and we saw an abusive relationship shown as very clearly as abusive. I didn't understand why at the time but I always had to hide my face a bit in my shirt or watch when my parents weren't around because it would make me cry uncontrollably every time I saw The Joker and Harley on screen during any of their abusive or 'romantic' scenes. Today I am a mostly well adjusted adult who is struggling but managing to get by and is mostly happy with his life, but I go back, sometimes, without warning without any idea why but I'm always able to claw back. and now I can watch and read about abuse and awful things and not always fall apart, and I'm always able to pull myself together again. This is why exposure to well written and well thought out and researched popular culture and popular culture discussion are important for me to realize that I was being abused, but while I was trapped there until someone helped me by flying me across the nation to somewhere I could live I was at least able to process and better handle myself mentally. The scene in Injustice is especially hard hitting for me because I am only recently even being able to recognize that that I have succeeded in some ways and that I am in a better place then where I used to be.

[@rbwjakfjenwbw1009]

Wow, that made me tear up man.

[@MattHew-rq8zw]

Any trauma counts mate - no matter where it started out, how, and who caused it to ya'... or even what it was. :/ It's a day at the time process from then on out - I wish you like many others the best, for I to live with my trauma... I won't compare, for all cases are accepted in my eyes. Cheers friend, hope yer' going to have a fine week ahead of ya'.

[@ince55ant]

If you keep pushing forward you can travel great distances without realising it. Sometimes its worth taking a moment to look back and see how far you've traveled. I haven't lived a long life yet, but it is way longer than i used to think it would be. Good luck to you in your future and try not to dwell in the past too often.

[@nyatrue401]

I'm happy for you, I was in a similar situation recently too, and I only just got out, I hope you live a wonderful life.

[@rumplstiltztinkerstein]

the idea that there are others suffering from it as well and that I could do something to help them is what kept me from blowing my brains out due to moral abuse stress. This example of harley quinn's abuse by the joker is an example of it on a "romantic" relationship, but it could happen the same way with a boss, with your parents, with a mentor... It's an exploitation of your good will, you want to be someone honest, a good partner, a good son/daughter, a good friend, a good apprentice, and the other person instead of being humble for what you feel about them, see you as a tool that they use to think only what they think and do only what they want, ignoring completely that there is a human being there as well. They will use your desire to be well seen and accepted and/or "loved" for what they want, basically. It's also the reason I don't believe in good/evil, or anything close like that. These people won't go to jail, you can't see them as evil people, they will get promotions, become big companies directors, big politicians. The ideas of good/evil are simply their tools to control how you see them, they will destroy other people's self-esteem and will to fight with these concepts and still be proclaimed as saviours/heroes.

[@Cimorene1969]

Dear Dan and Co, I want to thank you for writing this episode. I've only recently begun to think of myself as any kind of hero in my own story. I was molested twice in my childhood and the specter of those traumatic events continues to haunt me. It hurts when people tell me to "just get over it." They just don't get that I will NEVER be able to be over it. Childhood trauma leaves scars that are difficult to heal. So, thanks for this episode. Now I have to go look up this scene. Thanks again.

[@ewokwok79]

I've been through emotional abuse and one instance of abuse that's left me symptomatic of ptsd; but seeing you guys cover this subject with so much tact and respect warms my heart.

[@jameslegrand848]

trauma is real and most of the time it's utterly crippling and though I haven't experienced it I know far too many people who I call friends and family who have directly witnessed it and I'm honestly happy that our current day society is starting to support the victims.

[@LowenStrosst]

There seems to be a certain kind of backlash, but overall I think you're right. Go, humanity :)

[@avajarvis5639]

Thank you so much for this. Ok, serious trigger warning for the rest of this comment vis a vis abuse (graphic details). As a survivor of two decades of abuse and trauma starting in childhood-which lead to another decade of abuse and trauma since I didn't know that relationships, any relationships, weren't supposed to be abusive-people call me weak and broken because I still get easily triggered by so many things. I managed to get out of those abusive situations on my own, without help-because no one was willing to give me help even when I asked for it. I survived. I pushed back the darkness-and I do that every single day, and will have to do so for the rest of my life. I faced demons most people can only have nightmares about. Your video is one of the few that has ever captured that part of my experience, and made me feel like a hero when so many in my life prefer to think of me as just a victim, even though I broke free. As if breaking free of psychological abuse is easy to do, something that anybody can do. It's not. I'm a victim, yes. But I'm also a hero. I can be both. I AM both. Also you covered something else here that people miss out on-the fact that psychological abuse is all about breaking the victim's sense of identity and self. My father used to use psychological torture techniques on me that were meant to do just that. It's almost, in reflection, Joker in style: he'd ask me what color the sky was. And no matter my answer, he would beat me for it, denigrate me for it, call me retarded and stupid and unworthy of living, called me a liar and a whore (I was less than seven when he started these "games"). He'd tell me at the end that the sky was purple or whatever. The next day, he asked the question again-I gave him the answer he told me-and it was still wrong. More beatings, more denigration, etc. No answer was ever, ever right. My father shattered my mind (and bones, but I still think the mind shattering was worse). And I still broke free, even when nobody called CPS, even when nobody called the police, even when my own high school counselor returned me to my parents instead of notifying the authorities, even when my mother lied to the police about whether I'd been abused. Abusive relationships are complex, even when they're as one-sided as what my father-my Joker, I suppose-put me through. People, and media, pretty much do not get it, and I've had to deal with that cluelessness on top of all the pain and agony I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life. By all rights I should not have survived, but I did, and I'm here. I'm a victim and a hero and this is the first time I've ever felt I could say that I was a hero.

[@avajarvis5639]

By the way, thank you for the content warning. I could prepare myself for how seriously you were going talk about this topic and how deep you were going to go. Because I could prepare myself, I could make the choice as to when to engage (or even if). This episode was still rough (it can never not be for me) but the warning helped me mentally steel myself and not be knocked over into flashbacks. Thus I was still able to engage in the material. (And that's what content warnings and trigger warnings are meant to do. Not to ban content, but to help those of us who struggle with trauma engage with content we need to engage with better.) Anyways the rest of this day is probably pretty ruined for me, but at least I made the choice to ruin it, and the ruination will last for a day and not for a week, as usually occurs when people don't put content warnings on their videos.

[@avajarvis5639]

By the way, I'm probably going to keep on ignoring replies to my comments on this sort of stuff. I usually get people coming after me for saying anything at all about abuse. Because since I never couch my experiences as an inspiring story about getting over abuse, people like to send me death threats. Because you know. That'll help.

[@ince55ant]

That was a harder read than video was to watch. Thanks for sharing. You're a hero in my eyes.

[@MattHew-rq8zw]

Thank you for sharing, aye a hero who lives one day at the time - someone who's fortunate that we still can learn aspects of life from til this days date. I can't speak for anyone but myself, nor should I speak at all... for I could've been someone else boogeyman, soldiers usually are one way or the other (Ex-soldier.) ... still we live one day at the time, like other victims - survivors guilt, trauma, anxiety and chronic depression here. Though I still think each and all will if not have had it bad enough :/, thus I choose to tell rather than compare (I know you did not compare, and I'd only guess that you won't.). In short, thank you kindly - take care and you are a hero to many, equally important as you feel like one in your own life.

[@GloriaInvictis]

Thank you for sharing, and yes - you are a hero!

[@krbo94]

There couldn't be a better moment for this to show up. Just... Than you...

[@Anergyne]

The moment her pupils dilated gave me chills. Really, so much kudos to Injustice's animation team.

[@whitelady1063]

The face animation is outstanding

[@Redchocobo]

I was shaking while watching this video I thought I had gotten over it but it looks like I can't but I did grow. I did learn and I am becoming better at dealing with it big thanks to the extra credits team for tackling this in a open minded and mature way

[@Bahumot]

An amazing episode that makes me want to pick up Injustice 2 even more. I want to give SERIOUS props to your artists with how they depicted Harley. That final picture of her rising up yet surrounded by shadowy hands, it symbolizes everything you discussed in the episode. It's frightening, the trauma in her is so evident, yet she still looks so heroic.

[@pinkwings8036]

I had to watch several times in a row to fully digest how well you guys handled this one. Hat's off to you guys for this one!

[@romanozerski3444]

As someone that struggles to understand trauma throughout their own experiences with it, this comforted me a lot and gave me a new perspective and another tool for coping with my own issues on the matter. From the bottom of my heart, thank you

[@andrewpierce7170]

thank you for making this video. It hurt so much to watch I couldn't breathe. but I often forget "it's okay to not be okay" . I'm a big stoic person and followed the family mantra courage comes closer at the wound. it took me a decade to release that doesn't mean your not hurting. I doubt I'll ever meet anyone from extra credit to thank personally but please know. your posts are partly why i'm still alive and now making gargoyles.

[@edi9892]

I wonder how a statistic would look like on abuse victims regarding anger issues, lack of empathy, sadism, but also masochism (and self-loathing). Nothing breaks the same way, but every abuse leaves scars...

[@Whitewingsx]

Very good points. Forced positivity never helps victims move forward. Being understanding and listening is. It's true being not okay is okay as long as you keep moving forward to be a better you than what you were.

[@Bacchasnail]

I just wanted to thank you guys so much for this episode. I personally have not gone through abuse, for which I am grateful. But, someone dear to me has, and for a long time. It has brought on a whole new appreciation for this episode

[@buzzyuk]

Thank you for doing this in such a tasteful way. I've dealt with things similar in the past and this is a very good way of explaining it. I'm even considering showing this to people who say things like 'it's been so long why can't you just move on' etc. Again, thank you.

[@shindean]

Thank you for this episode's study. Everything about Harley was handled so brilliantly I didn't even think it was the same game. That moment of her illusion with a look of torture through a sad smile was incredibly haunting.

[@ShadyKnight9]

Netherrealm deserves credit for pulling off something incredibly difficult in a video game narrative, or a narrative in general, yet somehow flub everything else spectacularly.

[@junebuggeryy]

This is.... A really wonderful episode, thank you. You have no idea how reassuring it is to see a channel as popular as this talk about this subject from a respectful angle. Speaking as someone who has faced situations like these in the past, and who is working through some trauma right now, finding characters that accurately portray the damage from trauma and abuse that you can relate to is so hard. It's incredibly disheartening to watch as the characters you idolize immediately overcome their traumas, while years later your mind might still be stuck in the past. Abuse makes you feel minimized and unheard, beloved characters like Harley Quinn and videos like this prove people are listening. I really hope there's more media in the future that show people realistically struggling with these issues. Games, comics, print, movies, whatever. People have no idea how much it means when we can find ourselves reflected in fiction after losing our identities. So thank you, Extra Credits, for talking about this on a channel aimed at media creators. It means a lot.

[@WoobooRidesAgain]

"Ain't no slick fella with a cheap suit and a cheaper grin telling me who I am _ever_ again!" I loved this scene on so many levels. Glad to see you guys did, too.

[@kikow3792]

As a survivor of horrible emotional and physical abuse, I can tell you: Thank you for being so sensitive. It feels good to be acknowledged. It feels good to be okay, to be not okay. :)

[@intheairex]

Really great analysis! One thing that was kind of disappointing was that the event was examined through a cutscene; this episode would've worked as well if it was looking at an Injustice film adaptation, minus the breakthrough that this is happening in the games industry. My biggest hope is that more cash can be poured into narrative video games that take advantage of the interactive nature of video games.

[@isaac1670]

InTheAir I feel you. It's 2017 and the gaming industry still struggles with narrative games that find a good balance between gameplay and narrative.

[@merrychristmasreaper]

I feel that's unfair though! Okay, okay. There are games that need help with their attempts at cutscening you unconscious. But cutscenes do exist for a reason, to convey what can't be in game play. In the context of a fighting game, of any game, is it really reasonable to ask for such a thing be delivered in cutscene when that's such a personal and damaging moment?

[@therudestofclouds2007]

sup nerd

[@krypsiematthews1027]

I feel like though it was still in a cutscene, it was effective. The only thing they could have done to make it better, in my opinion, is to have the joker lash out and say hurtful things during the fight. To make not just the character, but the player feel that as he directly insults them all while they are attempting to triumph over it. It would make the win in that case feel like that much more of a victory.

[@willbe3043]

I know this is irrelevant to this discussion and that I'm late, but have you played or watched Detroit: Become Human? What do you think of it? As an aspiringnarrative game dev, I would really love to know your opinion. Thanks.

[@nothingtosee1273]

Sometimes it takes the trauma survivor a while to realize that whats happening to them is wrong. That was great for the video to mention

[@krishacz]

And then there's Suicide Squad's Harley.

[@mookooy]

ya...

[@manzanito3652]

There isn't a Suicide Squad movie.

[@invalidusername6809]

Krisha Actually oh god

[@werewolfwill7126]

Krisha Actually remember when you see what Harley Quinn's deepest desire is near the end of that movie? You see her and the joker in a suburban home with a little kid. It's almost the same story as this one.

[@insertname6729]

What suicide squad? I dont remember that. It. Never. Happened. :D

[@3lH4ck3rC0mf0r7]

Just when I was gonna say this lacks too much in games... I found this. It still lacks, but as a trauma victim of heavy school bullying, it warms my heart to know it does exist. Thanks.

[@grapeshott]

This channel also teaches us PSYCHOLOGY and SOCIOLOGY in a fun way.

[@alexsmith2910]

If your interested in things like that, there are youtube channels that deal specifically with that.

[@grapeshott]

No no. i know of the channels u r talking about. But I love this channel due to game development topics. What I want to say that there is more than just game development in this channel's videos.

[@flunkedlunch7993]

Thank you! I've been through my fair share of bad stuff recently and today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed wondering if I should just call in to work or not. I got on the KZbins and saw your new episode was out so I clicked on it because I always love your guy's stuff. But this one hit me like a brick wall. Thank you for talking about this subject and THANK YOU for handling it in the appropriate manner. You have made my day better. You're right. It doesn't just go away and that feeling is always there that "if I were just a stronger person it wouldn't affect me as much." But that's not true. Sometimes I'm not OK, but that's OK. :) Thank you again for what you guys do!

[@alexbecker1661]

Wow.. Thank you for this one

[@lonyaidaniel]

This means so much to me! Thank you guys! The developers for making it, and the EC team to pointing it out! That last sentence: excellent!

[@PrincessFelicie]

"Harley Quinn is not okay and that is okay." I've heard something similar about a blue gem with water manipulation powers. It's something we really need to start catching up on as a society.

[@AriasArius]

I’m so glad this video explored the fact that you can deal with trauma although I do wish it touched on it a little more. I’ve noticed a lot of the “tumblr” culture is to sort of... enable people to act like helpless victims and encourage them to stay that way because if they do, they’ll have a bunch of people coddling them and making them feel good. I’ve noticed a lot of people become complacent because it’s easier to become the helpless, traumatized victim when everyone babies you then it is to fight back and stand up for yourself. I noticed a lot of people get hooked on defining themselves by their trauma because it incites empathy in others that I’m sure they never initially received. It’s okay to allow yourself to indulge in those emotions and get them out of your system, but it’s so dangerous when it becomes your way of life. You can’t rely on the kind words of the internet to function or use it as an excuse not to do anything for yourself. Plus, the internet isn’t always nice and you can’t sit there and read the shitty things people have to say about you all the time. That’s not healthy, that’s not good. Even if you’re someone with low self esteem and you feel you deserve that treatment, YOU DONT. Would you like it if someone treated your friends or someone you cared about like that? Yeah well that’s how they feel about people treating you like shit too. That’s how you should feel when someone treats you horribly, be your own friend. Stand up for yourself like you would your friends, set an example for them too that they need to stand up for themselves as well. Everyone is absolutely capable of dealing with their trauma. It’s hard, and it sucks but I hate the fact that people think they’ll always be that way and it’s okay because tumblr will comfort them and pay for their bills on Patreon because they feel bad for you. This is not a way of life, you’re going to wake up some day and realized you spent your whole life complaining on the internet about your problems and now you’re too old and nobody cares about you anymore because they lost interest in the romanticized trauma case. You pissed away your youth, a time to go to school or travel, make real friends, do something fun with your life before you had too many responsibilities and the inevitability of aging. Even if you sit here and think you’ll never get old because life is unbearable, well what if you do? Are you prepared to deal with how you’ve set your life up to be? And you know what, it’s all on you. People hate to hear this but YOU control your own life, you are ABSOLUTELY in control. Yes shit happens and that part isn’t your fault, the horrible trauma, but it’s up to YOU to decide what to do about it. It’s not anyone else’s fault but your own, it’s not a matter of “well there wasn’t any support systems around for me” “well I live with my parents so they make all the decisions for me” “well I live somewhere that’s awful and everyone hates me.” Then do something about it. Use that as motivation to get off your ass and work hard to get out of the situation your in. MAKE a support group, I’m sure there’s other people around you that need one too. MAKE friends! Go out to clubs and groups that interest you, go to college because that’s a great place to make friends. And don’t immediately introduce yourself as the trauma victim, introduce yourself on who you are as a whole package. The artist, musician, mathematician, scientist, writer, whatever it is with a little side of trauma that makes you more empathetic of others because you know how it feels. VOTE! Communicate with your government that your area is lacking the facilities you need to be a functioning member of society. If you have anxiety then there’s billions of resources out there with scripts to call or email your local government. GET A JOB. Save up and move out of your parents place or the awful place you live in. GET UP. YOU CAN DO IT. LIFE IS TOO SHORT.

[@veredfireberger9247]

PTSD never ends. All you can try, and all they try to teach you in therapy, is to help you live with it without collapsing. I'd say they've failed with me, as I can't shake it off enough anymore. Maybe soon I'll be released from it, but like I've said there's only one kind of release. I hope one day people will learn that, and actually care about it as much as typical physical injuries, so others will have a better life.

[@CynicatPro]

Great breakdown! Thanks for pointing it out, i didn't know injustice had a scene like this.

[@chestbumphero]

If anything this series Injustice, really shows how much one traumatic experience can cause a slew of events that can make or break a person. If anything I would say the entirety of Injustice is about trauma

[@reapertsaku989]

As a victim of abuse, I have to thank you and your team for bringing this topic to light. For showing that not everyone is ok, and we can talk about these things in a healthy way while still being understanding.

[@OniBoiXD]

that scene gave me shivers .... that's amazing immersion

[@emetobot7449]

as someone who has been through a lot of fairly severe trauma, i really appreciated this episode. you can't just brush it off. it hangs with you forever.

[@brandontrost9292]

Courage isn't not being afraid; it's accepting and overcoming that fear. True bravery is acting while still being afraid. Trauma and abuse is like - no, *is* - fear. Heroes aren't those who never face trauma. Heroes are those who face trauma every minute of every day. It is better, braver, more human to struggle with difficulty - especially abuse - and succeed. And I don't want to fetishize the struggle. Facing hardship, especially abuse of any kind, isn't something to be romantisized. But continuing the struggle is admirable, even when the struggle has no end. Anyone who rejects surrender, even if they waver, deserves respect. Even if they're a weirdo game character with dyed hair. Because we're all weirdos. And that's what lets us struggle together.

[@BlackReshiram]

I dont follow the franchise that is connected with batman etc, but I know what Harley Quinn went and goes through, and as a fellow abuse survivor, this makes me really happy to see represented

[@Scyte89]

I never was a Game Designer and probably I will never be one, but i was always intrested in subject, so thank you for teaching me so much about it, that it GD comes not just from idea translated to code.

[@zergbot]

Scyte89 i

[@hyenaedits3460]

This is a very good point for writing in general. The oversimplified portrayal of trauma in media has actually impeded my own recovery from trauma because I see fictional characters as sources of inspiration, since I don't know anybody in real life who has learned to cope with trauma in a constructive way. The problem with that is fictional characters rarely ever experience the ugly symptoms of trauma unless they're villains or damsels in distress. Weird triggers, mood swings, shorter attention span, etc. Without seeing that side of trauma, I sometimes worry that I'm getting worse when really what I'm experiencing is part of the healing process. It would be great to see more mainstream heroic characters showing realistic symptoms of trauma.

[@Felix.Fictus]

i think a big part of why ppl try to say that you should just "get over" trauma is because of how the actual effects of trauma seem almost fantastical and so are hard to believe. its easy to believe that someone claiming trauma is just faking it all and often times now a'days ppl DO fake things like trauma because they crave attention from well meaning ppl who want to help others. i have personally suffered a period of my young life that left me with some deeper emotional scars and your right, im still not "ok" even years later and i still have nightmares about it. i very rarely talk about it though because A: some ppl wont understand and will try to "help me" get past it because they think thats how trauma works after seeing it in some tv show. and B: thats NOT how it works and no one can help me so there is no point to worrying my friends or family with my personal burdens. still i think i prefer the world this way because it means (on a deeper level) that ppl are kind enough to want to help but also smart enough to not trust me outright when i claim that some thing in my past still effects me now. i prefer it because it means that they are better suited to the world and all its unfairness. i dont WANT everyone to just listen and believe because i dont want them to be taken advantage of. thats something that many (seemingly well meaning) ppl forget about when talking about these kinds of things.

[@nothingtosee1273]

Everyone has gone through trauma whether thats from a breakup romantic or friendship, an toxic relationship, or a mental issue, cutting all ties with parents its suprisingly commen so to have a video like this one saying its ok to talk about your pain even though its not your spouse dying or having ocd thanks

[@ince55ant]

Some top class peeps in the comments here. Both the brave; exposing themselves and the kind; wrapping others in warmth. Swell bunch, the lot of ya

[@sirdanzig4412]

Thank you for doing this video. In my daily life I am a mental health therapist, video gamer, and massive DC fanboy. I actually bought Injustice 2 for the story component (though the fighting is stellar!). I was so caught off guard by this scene. I've done trauma therapy with children, teenagers, and adults and lived through trauma myself. Both NetherRealm's portrayal as well as your analysis were SPOT ON! It's the little details (like the ones that were brought up in the video) that you see in a real life situation as someone actively works to deal with trauma. Kudos to you guys for bringing this fantastic piece of writing to life.

[@TheCreepypro]

I never played the game but I do remember watching it on a let's play and being really impressed they go against what the popular opinion is about Harley and Joker and present the relationship in a bad light and that Harley shouldn't go back to it which is equally brave as the accurate representation of a trauma victim and when you think about the fact that the Joker she sees because of the gas is nothing more than how she thinks of him it gives you a small glimpse of what she deals with on a daily basis at least that's how I saw it still blows me away that Nether Realms was behind this

[@joelsasmad]

TheCreepypro The relationship between the joker and Harley is always a terrible one where Harley is a coperative victim. The only depiction I know of where it's put in a positive light is suicide squad which is a bad movie in general. I can see someone mistaking the cartoon version as such but that is mostly because they tune down the dark and disturbing stuff for the kids.

[@manticore6963]

And even in the Cartoon, they had some extremely dark Stuff. Like that one Episode, where Harley managed to capture and almost kill Batman, only to be stopped and beaten up by the Joker, because he didn't come up with that Plan and didn't want Harley to be "better than him".

[@rex_melynas]

Thanks for handling this this week "EC". As a trauma survivor I actually think a lot about this, and how, yes, I still remember than I loved someone even if I was almost killed one time. And yes, sometimes one thinks than "I am being really stupid of feeling this way?" It's sadly true. I always watch your videos and always find them awesome, but this one touches me on a deeply personal level. I am trying to expand the reach of this video on everyone I know... This must be shown all over the world! Thanks EC, you are really awesome! And seriously, I can't express how much this touches me...

[@themeatman6984]

well, now i feel SAD

[@twi3031]

I cried watching this. this is exactly why Harley is one of my favourite DC characters. this is exactly why I relate to her so much.

[@willbe3043]

For a decade. I didn't even know something wrong was happening, until and even after it ended. I was young, content, malleable. I blamed the good guys from stopping it, because it was just how it was and they've ruined it now. I was okay when it was happening. I didn't know any other way to live, anyway. But then... the aftermath. That's when everything started going wrong for me. I was just doing what I was taught to do, and they'd act like I was doing it wrong. So now, unlike before, I knew *I* was the reason I was being treated badly. Cue negative feedback cycle. I've tried many horrible ways of breaking the cycle. But now, I'm determined to make a heroic saga out of my story, instead of a tragedy. Well... I will be, until the next depressive episode, anyways.

[@boeyensmichael]

This is one of the best and respectful analysis of the subject I've seen. Great job guys.

[@ender4101]

Is it wierd that i was watching a Injustice 2 video of Harley's fight against Scarecrow on the second chapter of the game at the exact time i got the notification for this video?

[@fernandobanda5734]

Ender No, it's not. It's called statistics and coincidence. It would be weird if some pattern like this didn't happen to anyone in the world, actually.

[@ender4101]

Ok then...

[@Mokona127]

This brought me to tears. What a wonderful and important episode.

[@Gusvaloberto]

Not to be confused with Truama

[@CeliMe007]

"Harley Quinn is not ok, but that's ok." That's a powerful quote to take to heart.

[@TheCart54321]

2:34 those are the kinds of people who haven't even suffered

[@alexsmith2910]

"Those are the kinds of people who haven't even suffered" Truer words have never been spoken.

[@hanssmirnov9946]

Or people who think suffering is the natural state of the world, and have dulled a sense of tact or compassion. A lot of people who have grown up with abuse end up thinking it's normal, and abuse their own partners or children in turn. These same people can be very sensitive to the idea of being sensitive.

[@0znerEighth]

Cool Dude To be fair, such suffering that ends up manifested as somekind of madness, crazyness or simply some form of accurate diagnosis isn't as common as some mental health professionals seem to preach - and that's really okay. But pretty much everyone has experienced suffering in some way. Now, i'm not gonna say that it's the AMOUNT of suffering that somehow grants you the entitlement to talk about it, no - what i particularly think is the issue here is both the lack of empathy towards the suffering of others (as in "get over it") and the common use of "suffering" as a rhethoric argument to convince people around (just like some "leave Britney alone" comments) and that both seem a real common occurrence over the internet. Perhaps, the problem is actually the same: a certain difficulty in understanding that other people are not supposed to always feel as one does - which might lend to trying to somehow coerce or convince them into doing so. Now, how can you ever be sympathetic or empathetic towards whoever it is if you're already convinced that the standard for how others should feel is how you, yourself feel - as in a kind of moral solipsism? Maybe, just maybe that's the reason so many people nowadays seem so self-entitled and others should either "get it over with" or just "learn" that their own suffering is nothing compared to one's own, because only oneself's felt a true, certain suffering, supposedly different from any others'.

[@farmerboy916]

Eh, it's not that those people don't have empathy or haven't suffered. There are people who misuse the idea of trauma and triggers to get attention. Those are of course the noisy ones, so what's a person to do in reaction to them? Those people _should_ have thicker skins as they overexaggerate and make a big deal out of everything, and the correct response is to not cave into their delusions and not play into their games. People usually have far more empathy than you think, and don't need to have suffered to feel for and to an extent understand people with trauma; they're mostly willing to understand.

[@MattHew-rq8zw]

Everything is relative - nothing is to be scoffed at. (my mantra.) Pain is still pain, and people can get enough of it... to the point of where ignoring said pain no longer works out the way they hoped. sorry thought to mention it while I could.

[@bl33kselderij]

Episodes like these and the one on PTSD in a war game really take game analysis to the next level. Hat's off to you guys.

[@Kelgoroad]

Many people saying "Get Over It" generally haven't experienced trauma or any significant amounts. Though get over it is a valid point though it generally in most people takes tons of time or if at all to come to true terms with it. Trauma does change a person but never let it define you is what most people mean at heart, unless they are total asshats.

[@s1ler]

Kelgoroad I tend to think that trauma is my greatest weakness and greatest strength.

[@owlblocksdavid4955]

I think what most people mean is that you can't live your life in the world of content labels. For a time, yes, but if you want to get somewhere you're going to have to go out into the tough world, and you need to be prepared for that. But yeah, some people are just jerks.

[@diegoernestovarelaparra3820]

Owlblocks David problem is that Many use the idea the work is harsh to be a jerk to others because is just what it is, at some point people want to be jerks

[@tomtinker8220]

+Kelgoroad - there's a difference between telling someone to try and get better and just get over it. the latter is typically condescending and insensitive to the victim.

[@foxcloak]

the last line of this vid just made me cry at work. bravo extra credits. From a trauma survivor let me say that you guys hit the nail on the head. Thank you.

[@frankdamsy9715]

As a trauma survivor myself (wartime sexual assualt) I kinda do and don't agree with this, the idea that you don't get over trauma. I agree that media usally doesn't depict trauma correctly, as they either make the traumatic expirence the entire character or use it as an excuse for revenge. The problem with this is that it assumes that trauma is something you never truly get over, when (at least in my case) that can't be further from the truth. When ever I look back at what happened to me I'm amused by the absolute patheticness of the people who did this to me, that they felt the need to rape a seven year old boy. I was able to think like this by looking back and facing these concepts head on and feel that in the end these events made me a stronger person. I'm completely over this and have no problem talking about this in every detail. This may all just be me through.

[@mikeman7918]

Well done guys, this really needed to be put out there. I have experienced what I guess could be described as trauma which to this day 3 years later is still something I am working on getting over. It's great that there is something out there that accurately depicts it, this is something the world needs more of.

[@DarkJMKnight]

I know this is going to be an awesome video once I finish it, you guys rarely disappoint. :~) But 5 seconds in I can't help be distracted by the guy with 2 mouths... Sup with that?

[@danieladrianmordekai8979]

i am a trauma victim. and i have to deal with this every damn day. the moments where i feel trapped in myself. like in stuck in place in my head. i honestly wish i had the scars to show people rather than words i cant say.. so to see from a channel i love and consult as an artist, a direct and whole heartedly earnest discussion regarding something people too often than not refuse to acknowledge and discuss. dan, james, and everyone at extra credits and hell even the injustice team. Thank you.

[@cheezemonkeyeater]

I don't I have to imagine your surprise, because I can just think of my own.

[@dether3]

Thank you for doing such a great job on this, definitely pulled on some heart strings. Keep creating and shine on my friends!

[@ManintheArmor]

People who think it's easy to get over trauma live very privileged, processed lives. Oh, and hello Raiden. Or should I say, Jack the Ripper?

[@Dlark17]

I literally just came out of my first therapy session in years today, talking to a new doctor about unravelling the web of psychological abuse put on me by my father for 26-plus years... to this. I am nearly in tears. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention, Extra Credits team. Bless you; I love you all so much.

[@pbllomas]

But hasn't this always been what batman was always about? And what the scarecrow always did? He was a representation of the shadow who uses fear to his advantage and that was his thing? This is why he was always my favorite and in fact all of the batman lore is tied to Bruce Wayne's shattered mind with all the villains representing different sides of him? And I mean the batman lore has always been about trauma, how many thousands of times have we seen the Waynes getting murdered? I think every iconic batman character is a representation of an archetype, I struggle to think about any batman character who isn't handling deep trauma, both heroes and villains

[@Alexaflohr]

I mean, there are the old villains from the days when Batman was a 4-color hero selling fruit cakes, like Calendar Man and Polka Dot Man, but you're absolutely right as far as major characters go.

[@mikejonesnoreally]

Yup. It's nothing new at all. Well if you read books. Even if you just read comics you've seen it not only approached but handled much better. Extra Credits just never met click bait they didn't like and I must say it makes sense that they talk about demographics so much because they *sure* know their audience.

[@leopold621]

this video meant so much to me. ive lived through rather vague trauma, as in its very blurry and subtle and spread out in its nature, but ive been told its still trauma and it still affects me gravely. i especially loved the part where you talked about how she KNEW the joker couldnt actually hurt her, yet she was still scared, cause thats what it often feels like. you KNOW youre safe, but it doesnt FEEL like you are. and also that you acknowledge people CANT just get over their traumas and that not moving on doesnt mean youre weak or oversensitive. i also really appreciate that you werent afraid to call it triggers, since that words become a joke to many people, when the experience of a trigger is extremely painful just like what harleys going through. man i just. really appreciate this episode man, you guys are great.

[@favioferreira8921]

If only Metroid Other M had done as good a job...

[@EhmteaNill]

This episode is perfect. The statement "Harley Quinn is Not Ok. And that is OK." really puts me at ease, it's and excellent Mantra for anyone struggling through trauma. You all at Extra Credits really seem to understand this better than almost anyone I've talked to in my day to day life. Thank you so much for making this episode.

[@SarcyBoi41]

Thank god, someone on KZbin who actually tries to understand trauma and triggers instead of mocking the sufferers and branding them "snowflakes".

[@jadereynolds1204]

As a survivor of abuse, thank you so much for approaching this well

[@jimmyc.491]

You guys have a Code of Conduct??? Just when I thought this channel couldn't get any better! : )

[@ambat_]

Although I haven’t been abused I’ve suffered from depression for a couple years now and I totally agreed that it lingers