The Joker is an odious figure in every sense, from the archetypal image of a jester and trickster to a popular media character. Todd Phillips showed us a different Joker, vulnerable, mentally unstable, vulnerable. The Joker has not yet crossed his Rubicon, the point of no return. He has not yet chosen the dark side, teetering on the edge of normality/madness. Unsuccessful comedian Arthur Fleck lives in Gotham City with his sick mother Penny. The city is ruled by unemployment, utility services are on strike, and devastation reigns. People lose their jobs, go crazy, start riots. Against the backdrop of the city's agony, the Joker's madness seems quite natural. A small person who is being crushed by the social consumption system. There are thousands of them. But is Arthur really that insignificant? Unlucky comedian Arthur Fleck has a big and beautiful dream: he wants to become a famous stand-up comedian. Narcissistically, he is very wounded: his mother does not support him, his colleagues laugh at him. He suffers from a neurological disease, involuntary laughter during times of great stress, which prevents him from performing on stage. Arthur Fleck is full of narcissistic rage, he is not recognized, not noticed, humiliated. He feels rage and anger. Having received a pistol (an image of strength and power), he undergoes initiation through violence and aggression. Arthur chooses the dark side. Why does Arthur Fleck become the Joker? What makes him choose the side of violence and anarchy? The image of the Joker symbolizes chaos, change, spontaneity. In an earlier meaning, the Joker is not a jester, but a magician, a possessor of knowledge. However, his image has changed over time. For Arthur Fleck, the Joker is an unconscious part of his psyche, it is full of anger, rage, malice, ambition, desires. What was repressed, what was denied. To live and survive with a cold and narcissistic mother, it was important for Arthur to be good and caring. His mother taught him to always smile, taught him to pretend, play, wear a mask. Perhaps, by putting on the Joker mask, Arthur actually showed his real face? Arthur is afraid to break the connection with his mother, it seems to him that she will die without him. He suffers from separation anxiety, the fear of losing an object. However, the terrible truth about his childhood, about the abuse committed and the indifference of his adoptive mother allows him to separate from Penny, give her responsibility and break the connection. Penny symbolically dies at his hands. Arthur is identified with the violence committed, he feels his power and strength. Violence and chaos become his essence, he brings these feelings into the world, and the world answers him for the first time. Arthur Fleck felt useless to the world, rejected. The Joker becomes a new star and a full-fledged role model. They look up to him, they idolize him. The Joker gets what Arthur originally wanted, he is noticed. And at what cost it no longer matters to him. We can condemn or admire the Joker, love or hate... but we will not be able to remain indifferent to this powerful character. What part of our soul did the Joker show us? What secret did he reveal? And what should we do with this truth? ?I suggest discussing in the comments. During psychoanalytic psychotherapy sessions, we work with traumatic experiences and repressed feelings and affects. Psychoanalytic therapy is a gentle tool on the path to integrity and psychological stability. Registration for consultations is open.