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Why We Sympathize with Villains Like the Joker
Understanding Sympathy for Antiheroes Through Science, Without Excusing Their Actions; and The Psychology Behind Our Compassion for Dark Characters (played by Joaquin Phoenix)
Safa Rubaye, MD
October 24, 2024
When I watched Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of the Joker in the 2019 film Joker once it came out, despite the character's undeniable violence and unbalanced moral compass, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable sympathy for Arthur Fleck, the man who becomes the Joker, which urged me to watch it again a few years later. This reaction made me question why we're drawn to sympathize with someone so deeply flawed, even monstrous. While sympathy for characters like the Joker doesn't excuse their actions, it shows our innate tendency to understand and connect with the pain behind their transformations.
Joker presents the origin of Arthur Fleck, a man living on the fringes of Gotham City, whose life spirals out of control amid relentless bullying, rejection, and neglect. His metamorphosis into Gotham's most infamous villain feels almost inevitable by the film's end. Yet, despite his heinous crimes, audiences are drawn to the deep emotional suffering that underpins his journey. From a scientific perspective, this response can be traced to how our brains process suffering, vulnerability, and moral flexibility.
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