Content Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Suicide Squad
A unique aspect of The Suicide Squad and the original DCEU movie is that they put great focus on the theme of friendship. Both movies have Task Force X members gradually warm up to their teammates, with many of them becoming friends despite their wildly different personalities.
This is doubly impressive considering erratic characters like Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, among others, don’t come across as the kind of people who would accept the idea of friendship. All things considered, though, whether it was the adventure in Midway City or Corto Maltese, the team members had great times of camaraderie that make them an enviable group due to the dynamic they shared.
When Deadshot Let Harley Live
The bond that grew within the team is among the reasons why the first Suicide Squad has aged well. Deadshot and Harley were the first to strike up a friendship as they understood each other's pain and would often cover each other's back's when they were under attack.
So when Deadshot pretended as if he missed the shot after Amanda Waller commanded him to shoot her, fans could see how strong their bond ran. Having never once missed in his life, Deadshot wanted to give Harley a chance of escaping, even if it came at the expense of him suffering the fallout from disobeying Waller.
Ratcatcher 2's Unconditional Love Toward King Shark
There’s little doubt that King Shark is an absolute savage considering he’s responsible for most of the wildest kills in The Suicide Squad. However, Ratcatcher 2 saw more than just the animal everyone else did and chose to befriend him. This was after he had attempted to eat her while she slept, yet Ratcatcher 2 claimed she would be happy to die if it meant taking a chance on love.
This turned out to be absolutely worth it, as King Shark overcame his natural instincts and genuinely cared about her. Their most heartwarming moment arrived when Ratcatcher 2 fell asleep leaning on King Shark’s shoulder at the end of the movie, knowing he would never hurt her.
The Team Bonding In The Bar
After Waller was kidnapped by The Enchantress, the team thought they couldn’t do anything further and decided to head to an abandoned bar to reconvene. It was here where they truly understood each other’s inner pain, as each character revealed their personal stories.
The group realized that they were all flawed individuals and would work better if they all got on the same page, marking the beginning of their true friendship as they vowed to put on a united front and be heroes for once.
El Diablo Calling The Team As His Family
When the demonic Incubus stood in the team’s way, El Diablo summoned the courage to accept his powers and fight it head-on. His reasoning to do so was to protect his friends, as he claimed he had already lost one family and couldn’t stand losing another one.
It went to show how being around the team allowed El Diablo to forgive himself. It turned out he needed people he could relate to in order to understand who he was, as he sacrificed his life to ensure that his friends would live.
Harley Quinn Offering Her Friendship To Bloodsport
Although she didn't get much time to show why she was one of the most intelligent characters in The Suicide Squad, fans would certainly say that Harley was perceptive. After bargaining with Waller in exchange for not releasing the flash drive’s incriminating evidence, Bloodsport and Harley bemoaned that Rick Flag died for nothing since his demise was a result of wanting to take Waller down.
Seeing that Bloodsport was hurting, Harley then pointed out that she could be Bloodsport’s new friend. Harley genuinely desired to be close to Bloodsport after their adventure. Her teasing about mistaking his name to Milton was an extension of this newfound friendship, as Harley felt comfortable enough to exchange well-meant banter with Bloodsport.
Harley And Captain Boomerang's Reunion
Considering his status as one of the main characters in the first movie, Captain Boomerang had one of the most shocking death in The Suicide Squad. Still, he had a memorable reunion with Harley, as the two reconfirmed their friendship.
As soon as Boomerang saw Harley, he showed concern for her since he had last seen her go free. Harley returned the favor by being the only one to mourn his death, as she called out his nickname of “Boomer” as she watched him get hit by shrapnel. The pair had earlier traded lighthearted banter that he probably remembered in his final moments, as Boomerang flashed a final grin at Harley before he died.
Bloodsport Bonding With Ratcatcher 2 Over Her Father's Memory
Bloodsport initially thought of Ratcatcher 2 as an overly naive girl, who didn’t understand the danger they were in. This changed during their conversation on the bus, where he heard her deliver an impassioned tribute to her deceased father and accepted that he was wrong to judge her.
He then looked to raise her spirits by claiming she reminded him of his daughter, while Ratcatcher 2 shared that she hoped she could give him as much love as her father had given to her. This not only brought a tear to Bloodsport’s eye but also moved Peacemaker, who appreciated this wholesome moment despite his otherwise roguish personality.
The Team's Decision To Turn Back To Save Corto Maltese
The team fulfilled their squad goal at the ending of The Suicide Squad when they chose to defend Corto Maltese rather than fight for their own lives. Their thinking was so alike by this point that each member knew they were likely to be executed by Waller but still ran into battle.
It signified that their concern for one another’s wellbeing over the course of their adventure had awoken a degree of selflessness in them, giving them the courage to be heroes. It wouldn’t have been possible if Bloodsport didn’t sense that Polka-Dot Man, Ratcatcher 2, and Harley wanted to do the same, proving that their turn for the better happened collectively.
Rick Flag Going Back To Save Harley
Rick Flag and Harley’s friendship is perhaps the most developed out of both iterations of Task Force X. Having been around each other the longest, their initial antagonism blossomed into true companionship that led to Flag putting his life in danger just to save Harley.
He did so despite knowing that his plan involved fighting a small army where Corot Maltese’s president resided, showing just how much Flag cared for her. Harley more than appreciated this, as she was in tears when she realized that Flag had brought the whole squad just to save her, leading to a heartwarming hug.
The Team's Dance At The Bar
The one time every member of the team loosened up in The Suicide Squad was when they waited for The Thinker to arrive at the bar. Here, they relaxed their minds away from the objective and shared genuine laughs with each other, to the point where Peacemaker ordered a drink for Sebastian the Rat to please Ratcatcher 2.
The group was so at ease that they took to dancing as well, not caring just how ridiculous they looked since they were being wild together. For those few hours, they were the best of friends who didn’t have death and destruction on their minds, as they chose to spend this time enjoying great company.