The Bar Scene
Before the film heads into its Ghostbusters-esque third act, there comes the inevitable moment where the team falters. Deadshot discovers the truth about their mission, and about Colonel Flag’s involvement with the subject of that mission, and the whole group downs tools and heads into a deserted bar for a drink. As Harley serves shots to the team, they listen to Deadshot philosophize about life, and El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) explain why he refuses to use his powers.
It transpires that Deadshot and El Diablo are almost opposites. While Deadshot willingly kills people for money, he is a loving father to his daughter. El Diablo, on the other hand, was a terrible husband and father who eventually killed his own family. As Harley encourages him to own his actions and embrace his true, evil nature, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and Killer Croc are quietly horrified by his admission.
The scene effectively examines the different shades of evil that exist – as the subject is discussed by characters whose own evil acts are tempered to varying degrees by the remaining aspects of their personalities. We see that, for Deadshot, his evil acts comprise just one part of his identity – with the rest being defined by his role as a father. For Harley, her evil acts comprise a larger proportion of who she is, because it is forever enmeshed in her desire for a life with The Joker, and her need to be a part of something larger than herself.
For El Diablo, his evil acts are entwined with his deep-seated fear that his destructive super-power entirely defines who he is. He operates from a place of fear – which is what caused him to kill his family, surrender to the authorities, and also vow never to use his powers again.
Published: Aug 7, 2016 05:09 pm