The Arkham Sessions, hosted by Dr. Andrea Letamendi and Brian Ward, is a weekly podcast dedicated to the psychological analysis of Batman: The Animated Series. Nostalgic, humorous, and even a little educational, each episode promises to lend some insight into the heroes, villains, and classic stories of the Dark Knight!
The Arkham Sessions, Ep. 125 – “Mystery of the Batwoman”
In the animated film, Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, our Caped Crusader is ticked off to learn there is a new female vigilante in Gotham City. Her strong-arm tactics and masked identity make her a clear counterpart to Batman; however, Batman sets out stop Batwoman from making mistakes as she pursues villains. Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, begins dating one of the prime suspects — Kathy Duquesne, daughter of a crime boss. We’re introduced to two more new suspects: quirky scientist Rocky Ballantine and toughened cop Sonia Alcana. Despite being the Greatest Detective, Batman gets wrapped up in twists, turns, and red herrings while Batwoman continues to evade him. As it turns out, the true culprit is a ruse of multiple identities!
In our discussion, we explore the concept of the “inner voice” based in self-determination theory. What does our internal self instruct us to do, and how are we motivated by ourselves? For instance, is the Batwoman driven by autonomous motivation – such as her strong identity, her pursuit of a mission, or her simple enjoyment of justice-seeking? Or is her inner voice more critical and self-destructive, pushing her toward unhealthy behaviors that ultimately have little purpose or reward? Finally, what is Batman’s inner voice and how does he self-direct? Join us for the discussion!
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