The Arkham Sessions: Psychology of Batman & More

Taking a minor step away from HARLEY QUINN to check out Marvel's THE THUNDERBOLTS*, which is in theatres now!  They're argumentative. Disorganized. Unhinged. But the group of superhero rejects known as the Thunderbolts prove to be more than mere moody assassins. 

Feeling abandoned by her friends, Harley Quinn decides to visit her parents in her hometown. Though Harley's mom and dad seem welcoming and loving, glimpses into her childhood memories reveal a highly stressful upbringing and a toxic home environment.

Is the Joker actually “insane”? Does Two-Face have “multiple personality disorder” by today's standards? From an ethical perspective, do Gotham's rogues belong in prison or in rehab? In works like The Penguin, Joker: Folie a Deux, and Batman: White Knight, DC villains have brought "main character energy" to life, proving themselves as enduring figures in media storytelling—but just how well do these baddies depict the mental health landscape of today, and is there anything wrong with celebrating villain vibes? Media psychologist Drea Letamendi, Ph.D. (Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics), screenwriter Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush Animated), and comics writer Kyle Higgins (Nightwing, Batman Beyond 2.0, Batman: Gate of Gotham) deconstruct, decriminalize, and debunk Gotham City's most notorious institution and the stories behind it. Moderated by Brian Ward (The Arkham Sessions Podcast).

Harley's psychological safety is thwarted, by none other than her abusive ex, the Joker.

Harley Quinn is finally asked to attend a "Prospective Member's Party" at the Legion of Doom's headquarters. Poison Ivy, however, worries that her best friend's fixation on Gotham City's villainous social group is misguided.

As Harley Quinn masterminds strategies to get the attention of the Legion of Doom, Commissioner Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department shows signs of mental exhaustion.  To help the people and animals displaced by the wildfires in California, please donate to the American Red Cross and Pasadena Humane by joining our Patreon or by purchasing merchandise from our Tee Public store. All proceeds between the publishing of this podcast and the end of February 2025 will go directly to those organizations.

In a memorable episode of DC's Harley Quinn series, Harley suffers a paralyzing identity crisis. With the help of Dr. Psycho's telepathic powers, Harley learns about her "stuck points," which are strong beliefs about oneself that can prevent recovery from trauma.

Set immediately after the events that take place in The Batman (2022), The Penguin a gripping and disturbing showcase of Oz Cobb's self-serving, Machiavellian pathology as he ascends the mob underworld of Gotham City. 

As she continues to learn the ropes of becoming a supervillain in Gotham City, Harley Quinn seeks an important aspect of gaining bad-guy credibility: A nemesis! 

Harley starts to realize that hard work alone will not get her far. In her attempts to recruit henchmen, Harley discovers that even amidst the lawlessness and savagery of Gotham's criminal society, there are unspoken rules, favors, and loyalties that keep her from advancing in her "career." 

Joker: Folie à Deux continues the bleak story about Arthur Fleck (Joker) and his spiraling from misunderstood recluse to deluded sociopath. The film makes use of textbook forensic psychology, melancholic musical performances, and deep dissections of Fleck's psyche to pull audiences into a genuine curiosity about whether there is anything redeemable about the most realistic Joker depicted on screen. 

As she explores life as a single lady, Harley Quinn encounters some setbacks and struggles while her ex, the Joker, tries to control the narrative of how their relationship ended. 

The toxic dynamic between Harley Quinn and the Joker is unapologetically displayed, exposed, and unpacked.

Join us as we break down the psychology of the amazing new series X-Men '97 with cast members Alison Sealy-Smith ("Storm") and Lenore Zann ("Rogue"); supervising producer and director Jake Castorena; and writer JB Ballard! Live from San Diego Comic-Con 2024!

In the Season 1 finale episode of X-Men: The Animated Series, tensions grow as anti-mutant "fever" consumes the nation. 

The X-Men must prevent a major global catastrophe that is predicted to happen in the distant future and is triggered by the assassination of a government official. Luckily, the X-Men prevent Mystique from harming the senator, but shapeshifters remind us that, sometimes, identity expression is mutable, adaptive, and performative. 

In the year 2055, the world is a dystopian wasteland. A mutant named Bishop, encounters an aged Wolverine who convinces him that they must travel back to the 90's to prevent the assassination that caused all this destruction. But in the 90's, the X-Men face critical decisions surrounding their pursuit of liberty. 

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Dr. Drea discusses the concept of different trauma responses based on the neurobiology of survivorship. What does fight, flight, and freeze look like among the X-Men? And is it possible that some behaviors, like Rogue's determined activism and Professor X's protectiveness, can be considered adaptive styles of "fight"?     

As the X-Men rebuild their academy, Rogue goes on a quest to find a cure for her mutation. This episode claims no resolution to the global problems dividing mutants and non-mutants, but lends an insight into our ability to feel empowered, accepted, and valued in our different bodies.  

The X-Men discover their home completely destroyed and set out to search for the person (or mutant) responsible for the attack. They encounter two suspects--Colossus, a Russian immigrant who is helping construction workers; and Juggernaut, a titanic super-powered villain committing crimes in the city in order to lure Professor X out of hiding. It is revealed that Juggernaut is Professor X's half-brother and is harboring resentment toward his more accomplished sibling. 

For this year's WonderCon, we pulled together some amazing old and new friends to examine the psychology of the X-Men. Included in that list of friends was original X-MEN: THE ANIMATED SERIES showrunner Eric Lewald; X-MEN: TAS writer Julia Lewald; X-MEN '97 writer JB Ballard; and X-MEN superfan and co-founder of Hero's Journey Fitness, located in Burbank, California, David Nett!

A small group of X-Men are captured and taken to labor camps on the island of Genosha. This episode depicts multiple responses to oppressive-related stress, ranging from learned helplessness to psychological fortitude to organized rebellion, and carries a throughline reminiscent of real-life liberation movements led by civil rights leaders: "knowledge is power."   Join Patreon to watch the exclusive video version now!

Feeling rejected, Wolverine leaves the X-Mansion on a search to find some inner peace. Meanwhile, the rest of the X-Men are sent by Professor X to investigate the island of Genosha, a seemingly pleasant vacation destination rumored to be welcoming to mutants. Both quests raise tensions related to ingroup and outgroup relationships.   Dr. Drea also revisits the practice of "trigger warnings" and whether those disclaimers are necessary or effective.    To see the video version of the podcast, join Patreon now!

The X-Men discover an underground band of Morlocks, a gang of mutant misfits who perceive themselves as "too unsightly" to live and socialize among non-mutant humans, so they live in the tunnels below the city. With Scott and Jean captured, the X-Men set out to rescue them, but must also address their own safety, specifically, psychological safety.

To celebrate the holiday season, The Arkham Sessions takes a detour back to Gotham City! Merry Little Batman (2023), a new animated film by Warner Bros. and DC Studios (but released on Amazon!), is an Elseworld holiday special that takes place on the night before Christmas. Bruce Wayne has retired to focus his attention on raising his son, Damian, in what has been a crime-free Gotham. However, little Damian's obsession with becoming a superhero lands him into a lot of trouble--and triggers the resurgence of the city's most contemptible villains. See the exclusive video version of the podcast by joining our Patreon!

In "Deadly Reunions," we learn that Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X) uses an incredible superpower involving mind-melding and probing the memories of his students. Though he calls it "therapy," Professor X's methods are uncomfortably invasive, coercive, and arguably unethical.   Watch the video podcast by joining Patreon now!

In the third episode, the X-Men are introduced to the formidable villain, Magneto, a militant idealist who crusades against bigotry and oppression of mutants. His mission is to help mutants replace humans as the dominant species on earth--by any means necessary.    Watch the video version of this podcast exclusively at our Patreon now!

Grab your Hot Pocket and Cactus Cooler, it's another 90's X-Men episode! The X-Men are thrown into crisis, collectively grieving the loss of a beloved member, uncertain how to rescue the survivor, and racked with guilt about their decisions on the battleground. Join our Patreon to see the video podcast!

Debuting just one month after Batman: The Animated Series, the first episode of X-Men: The Animated Series depicts a foster youth, Jubilation Lee--or "Jubilee"--who, like most teens, seeks independence, creative freedom, and the experience of belongingness. Her struggles are amplified when she is captured by the Sentinels and subsequently rescued by the X-Men, a mutant superhero team led by the avuncular telepath Charles Xavier. Professor X's School for the Gifted is a sanctuary for mutants, complete with institutional curriculum, advisors, and adult supervision. But is Jubilee ready to accept help from society's number one enemy? Join our Patreon to see the video podcast!

Star Trek: Generations (1994) resurrects familiar, core Trek film themes such as legacy, family, and mortality. Dr. Drea and Brian discuss these themes, as well as the Nexus and its very real philosophical origin. Plus, Brian gets to discuss his take on the Nexus and how it might continue to affect the Trek universe...even to this day.   Join our Patreon today!

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) marks the final adventure for the crew of the 1966 incarnation of the franchise. In this episode, we take a look at the Cold War allegory of this film, as well as the characters' arcs since our "introduction" to them in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Plus, Dr. Drea completes her ranking of these films! Will you be surprised? To join our Patreon and vote on what to cover next, join here  

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) is an ambitious film depicting a galactic pilgrimage in search of God. But is Spock's half-brother, Sybok, a true ambassador of God? A miracle healer? Or is he a cult leader? Or a delusional dreamer? Listen now to find out!

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) doesn't take itself too seriously, but it humbles us by asking us to de-center the human culture and the things we over-value, to recognize the triviality of some of our human norms and the way we alienate those who are different, and to stretch our minds to be open and accepting of the unknown. This episode was recorded in front of our live Discord audience. To join our Discord channel, click here.

In this special episode of the podcast, we take a look at the spectacular third season of Star Trek: Picard with two of its writer/producers, Christopher Monfette and Matt Okumura. This episode was recorded as a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 and doesn't have the best audio, but we want to thank Garrard Whatley for working his magic and getting it to where it is. 

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), though not as well executed as Star Trek II, successfully carries its big emotional moments, from the shocking murder of Kirk's son to the heart-crushing destruction of the Enterprise. Loss after loss, the story weighs heavily on anyone rooting for Kirk. Here, Dr. Drea describes the risks he faces psychologically, due to the shock and suddenness of his personal losses and explains the differences between typical grief and traumatic grief.

In our analysis of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, we join Admiral James T. Kirk and his Starfleet friends as they are once again pulled into a risky adventure. Since his infamous attempted coup on the Enterprise 15 years ago, Khan Noonien Singh is noticeably more emotional, ragged from years of hard survivorship on an inhospitable planet, but he's also deeply preoccupied with revenge. But as both the film and science can attest, achieving revenge is rarely as satisfying or as personally rewarding as we hope it will be.

When the survival of the whole planet is at stake, how much do purpose, logic, wisdom, and emotion matter? Do we rely on gut instincts or unfiltered logic to make critical decisions? The original cast of Star Trek reunite to represent the voyages of the Starship Enterprise in their first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Dr. Drea especially observes the internal struggle building within Spock, who is recently rejected by his Vulcan community due to his inability to suppress emotions to an extreme degree as his culture dictates; his elders chastise him for allowing feelings like yearning, friendship, and exhilaration to distract or break his mental discipline.

The last film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker (2019), seems to ret-con or reduce plot points in the previous film; and serves insights about the core theme of intergenerational trauma!

In one of the most divisive Star Wars films to date, The Last Jedi (2017) serves an unapologetic tale of the embittering consequences and casualties of perpetual war, reminding audiences that there are no true winners; just power grabs. Those who are truly liberated are the elite, the profiteers, and the arms dealers who benefit from people stuck in their ideologies. In totality, the film's messages become enticing, if not exhilarating: Find true peace by shifting the power dynamics. Abandon traditions, ties, legacies, and all the harms that come with them. Burn it down. Burn it all down.

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm with its co-director, Eric Radomski; and our very special guest, podcaster and comic writer Ashley Victoria Robinson (Geek History Lesson)!  To vote on what we're covering after the nine Star Wars films, join our Patreon here! You can find Ashley on social media as @AshleyVRobinson on Twitter and Instagram! You can find her podcast here!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) resurrects a familiar uphill battle against the merciless and oppressive power of the second uprising of the Empire, the First Order. However, as Star Wars is more about relationships than politics, The Force Awakens focuses on the psychological struggles of its young warriors: Rey, Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren.     Join the conversation on The Arkham Sessions discord: https://discord.gg/kX228AS2cW

We're celebrating our 200th episode by presenting our live Discord episode, which followed a shared screening of Batman Forever! Join us, as we chat about the questionable ethics of Dr. Chase Meridian; the differences between experiencing trauma as a child versus as an adult; and a lot more!

Return of the Jedi (1983), the final film of the classic Star Wars space opera trilogy, is packed with psychology, layering in lessons on family systems theory, Oedipal themes, social obedience, and human violence. We learn about our many selves as exemplified by the masks we wear. From the first to last scene, the film is telling many truths about the characters we have been following, their truest motivations and intentions.

Set after the events that take place in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) continues the saga between the evil Empire and the determined, scrappy resistance fighters in the Rebel Alliance. Although this chapter is just as adventurous as the first, the film introduces steeper obstacles and darker threats that create more mature plotlines and give it dramatic weight. The beloved film sets in the themes we will come to know Star Wars for--the seduction of power, the desolation of war, and the heartache of relationships. Here, Dr. Drea describes the parallels between Yoda's teachings and psychotherapy and talks about Person-Centered Therapy (also called Rogerian Therapy), a non-directive, empathic style of counseling in which the therapist encourages the client to explore self-understanding, communicates a relationship of unconditional positive regard, and empowers them to reach their full potential.

We're continuing our analysis of the original Star Wars (1977) film and weigh in on the utility of the "Hero's Journey" literary paradigm as it relates to whimsical space fantasy.

Happy Halloween, Gothamites! In this very special episode, we're breaking down the animated adaptation of Jeph Loeb's and Tim Sale's iconic THE LONG HALLOWEEN!

In part one of this two-part analysis, we discuss the framework of Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey" and map the characters, plot line, and relationships to this universal monomyth. We focus on Luke Skywalker, the inexperienced, sheltered farmboy seeking something bigger than his humble, dull life on the remote planet of Tatooine. But the shallowness of his search for greatness, how privileged he is, and whether he deserves legacy becomes debatable.

The new Star Wars series, ANDOR, serves us a mature drama without the wholesomeness of lightsabers, Jedi wizards, and baby Yoda. Cassian Andor is a marginalized laborer in a small mining town who uses his resourcefulness and tenacity to survive during the slow, vicious rise of the Imperial dictatorship. Diving into Andor's story requires a candid and nuanced look into violent behavior; Dr. Drea reviews the main "modes" of violence and names the drivers leading to targeted violence seen in the show. To hear the rest of our analyses of Andor, join the "Batman Beyond" tier at Patreon.com/ArkhamSessions!

In our discussion about Star Wars: Rogue One, Dr. Drea discusses how both American history and psychological research point to non-violence as the most effective approach to sustainable social change; but nothing about an equal rights fight is ever truly, fundamentally, peaceful.

We has such an amazing time at San Diego Comic-Con, and were so thankful to have some very special guests join us for our panel. Melissa Flores is the writer of the brand-new comic, The Dead Lucky, from Image Comics; Livio Ramondelli is the writer/artist of The Kill Lock, from IDW Comics; and Jeremy Adams is doing some of his very best work as the writer of DC's The Flash comics. Together, they share how they keep mental health in mind when writing for a diverse, complicated audience. It's fun and insightful, and we're thrilled to share our first live panel after a three-year hiatus from San Diego!