Villain Profile: Harley Quinn

I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out which post to do next. I knew that I wanted to do another villain, and DC character, as they’re the smaller post pools that I’ve done. I finally narrowed it down to Superman’s mischievous imp of a nemesis, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and the terror of the DC Multiverse, the Anti-Monitor. Then, I decided to say screw it, and go with someone with more name recognition, Harley Quinn. That’s how I roll. Let’s get to it.

The most famous dysfunctional relationship since Ralph
and Alice from the Honeymooners.

Before she donned the black and red jester costume, she was Dr. Harleen Quinzel. She had just began working at Gotham’s #1 vacation spot for the criminally insane, Arkham Asylum. Harleen was a model student, receiving top marks at Gotham U, and was a dedicated gymnast. She had a lot of potential, and might have done some great things in the world of psychological science if she hadn’t met a certain someone. Harleen was fascinated by the criminally insane, particularly The Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker. She believed that the obviously psychotic clown was merely a misunderstood man who desperately needed psychological help. I applaud her passion, just not her common sense. She had to petition the heads of Arkham for three months before they finally said “Screw it,” and let her analyze the Joker. Now, this was profoundly stupid since the Joker is a well-documented master manipulator. At this point in his career, he’d already broken the minds of several previous doctors that have tried to “understand” his madness. But, they still allowed the INTERN to give it a shot. She must have really, really pestered them over those three months. Also, once again, Arkham is run by idiots. The Joker started off strong, getting the naïve young doctor to believe a sob story about his supposed abusive childhood and traumas he’d suffered as an adult. I say supposed, since there’s a chance that the story ‘might’ be true. At least a little. It’s hard to tell with this psycho. He even made her feel sorry for his constant “abuse” at the hands of Gotham’s Dark Knight. How you can make well documented stories of you picking a fight with the Batman the Batman’s fault, I’ll never know. After reeling her in with his stories, he seduced Harleen, and got her to help him escape on several occasions. The higher-ups of Arkham caught on, finally, and had Harleen’s license revoked and had her committed. Sucks for her, am I right?

She eventually escaped Arkham, thanks to a devastating earthquake. She reunited with her ‘puddin’’ and created a costumed identity of Harley Quinn, the Joker’s #1 henchman. Henchwoman? Hench-person. Their relationship is best described as complicated. On the one hand, Joker is incredibly abusive (emotionally, physically, and mentally) and often doesn’t seem to give a rat’s backside if she’s hurt and/or arrested during his crimes. And yet, he does eventually free her from Arkham when she’s arrested. Every jokester needs a punching bag, I guess. On more than one occasion she’s been described as the “only one to see the Joker cry.” Which suggests a certain level of intimacy and or dependence between them. Or, the Joker is just really into messing with her head. What? He’s the biggest psycho of DC, making a woman believe he’s emotionally vulnerable is right up his alley. Harley has wised up and left him on several occasions. When she does she usually hits up her only actual friend, and occasional girlfriend, Poison Ivy. They actually met after the Joker had ‘broken up’ with Harley by launching her on a rocket. Ivy discovered Harley after the rocket crashed and quickly became, as I believe the teenagers say, besties. Ivy gave Harley an inoculation that made her immune to Ivy’s usual toxins. The femme fatales usually work really well together, even getting the upper hand on Batman, but their partnerships end whenever Harley falls for Joker again. A toxic relationship ruins yet another wonderful partnership. In more recent stories she’s definitively broken up with Joker, she basically smashed his face in, and is now a regular member of groups like the Suicide Squad.

Her original look.

Harley is a gifted gymnast and has a rather high IQ. She’s well versed in psychological techniques, as it was her job for a while. Harley is also remarkably strong; given that she regularly wields an enormous mallet. The thing is enormous and unwieldly, and yet she swings it around like it’s nothing at all. She’s demonstrated a mental instability on par with the Joker’s, which isn’t all that shocking. You’d have to be insane to find pale skin, red lips and green hair attractive. I think. To however many female viewers I have, Joker: Attractive or Unattractive? And I’m talking the Heath Ledger or Jack Nicholson Joker, not the Jared Leto one.

Harley has appeared in just about every Batman series since her creation for Batman: The Animated Series back in the early-90s. I feel that it’s important to note that Harley had been predominantly played by only two actresses. Two voice actresses, to be specific. She’s seems to either be played by Arleen Sorkin, her original voice actress and whom partially inspired the character. In terms of mannerisms, accent and general kookiness. Not in the whole “in abusive relationship with psycho.” In more recent years she’s more or less handed off the role to Tara Strong. I guarantee that if you don’t know the name, you know the voice. Look her up on Wikipedia or IMDB, I guarantee you she’s played a role on some animated show/movie that you’ve seen.

She was created back in 1992 for Batman: The Animated Series. Her first episode was “Joker’s Favor.” In this episode and most of her early appearances she’s largely a comic relief character and target for Joker’s misplaced anger. Her most important episode, and ultimately the saddest, occurred in the sequel show The New Batman Adventures. Harley, tired of being ignored by the Joker, decides to take out her biggest competition for Joker’s attention, Batman. She flashes back to how she met the Joker, when she worked at Arkham Asylum. Lies and advise about the “dark side of comedy” followed. In the present, Harley is actually able to capture Batman and hangs him over a piranha tank. Why is this different than other times he’s been hung over a death trap? One, Harley took his utility belt, so no tools. Two, she used chains instead of rope, so he can’t just break out. And three, she injected him with some drug that left him feeling groggy, so only very limited access to his magnificent brain. She’s about to drop him in the tank, when Batman points out that the Joker will never believe that Batman is dead without seeing it himself. So Harley calls her Puddin’ in, expecting praise. She does not receive praise. I believe his exact reaction was “YOU’VE GOT WHO? WHERE?” while making a face like he was about to pass a kidney stone. Upon arriving, he beats the heck out of Harley with a plastic swordfish. Why? Because she dared to take his victory against Batman from him. He knocks her out a window, and then turns to kill Batman himself. He’s a complicated psycho. Batman frees himself, thanks to his hidden-in-glove lockpicks, and he and Joker do battle. Batman points out that Harley’s plan would have worked. He was immobilized, dizzy, and had his back to the wall. The only thing that saved him was knowing that Joker couldn’t stand to let anyone else kill him, and that Joker and Harley’s fight would give him time to clear his head and escape. He captures Harley and sends them to Arkham. Joker escaped. Harley, having finally woken up to the fact that Joker is an irredeemable psychopath, a lying, manipulating, abusive and all around bad dude, swears that this time she’ll try to get help in Arkham and live a normal life. No more Joker. This lasts all of 3.5 seconds until she sees a rose and a get well soon card on her bed. She calls Joker “an angel,” and seems to immediately fall back in love with him. Dude literally defenestrates her, and all it takes is a, probably, stole flower and card to get back in her good graces. Makes my head hurt.

Her modern look. She's less Harlequin
and more... Clown tramp.

We see what became of her in Gotham’s future in the TV Movie, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Commissioner Barbara Gordon explained via flashback, after the Joker’s mysterious return, that the last time she saw the dysfunctional duo, Harley and Joker had kidnapped Robin (Tim Drake) and transformed him into Joker Jr. While Batman actively tries to kill Joker for the first time that I’m aware of, Batgirl did battle with Harley. Harley explained that she felt bad for what they did to Robin, but promised that she’d make it up to him by being a dynamite mother. Yeah, I don’t see that working out. She and Batgirl have a scuffle, and she ends up falling into a chasm, disappearing. Barbara explains that if Harley was still alive, she’s probably too old to be stirring up trouble. In the films ending, we see two members of the Jokerz gang that Joker had recruited being released into their grandma’s custody. Dee-Dee and Dee-Dee are immediately berated by their wizen grandmother, to which one of the Dee-Dee’s shouts “Shut up, Nana-Harley.” So either A. Miss Quinn found a nice man and started a family, and her grandkids just ended up part of a gang inspired by her former puddin’ or possibly B. she had the spawn of Joker, and their granddaughters had some inbred drive to join the Jokerz and spend some quality time with their Grandpa. Not sure which I find more disturbing.

She’s had minor appearances in shows like The Batman, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. They pretty much just cover the basics, henchwoman of Joker, former Psychiatrist and all that jazz.

One of her biggest roles was in Batman: Assault on Arkham. In this movie, she’s recruited by Amanda Waller as part of the Suicide Squad. Their mission is to infiltrate Arkham and steal the Riddler’s Cane, which has some incriminating information on it. She and team leader Deadshot have a quick fling (did I mention this movie isn’t for kids?) before the group breaks into Arkham. While on mission, she and Deadshot run into Joker in his special cell. Harley pretty angrily breaks up with Joker, actually pulling a gun and shooting at his cell several times screaming “I HATE YOU” with tears in her eyes. This later proves to be an elaborate ruse, as the shots she fired allowed Joker to escape. And when I say ruse, I mean she intended to get him out, but I don’t doubt she was venting a little with the gun. Just saying.

She’s set to appear in the DC Cinematic Universe in Suicide Squad, portrayed by Margot Robbie. She’s already set to reprise the role in other projects.

Harley is one of the few characters that I’ve got to see progress almost from the get go. While I was only about 3 when Batman: The Animated Series first aired, the reruns were one of my favorite shows growing up. And I have to say her progression has fascinated me. Much like Deadpool, and X-23, she’s a character that started off in a pretty minor role that has just exploded in popularity as time has marched on. Her background story makes a rather tragic character, as it was her desire to help the most damaged of minds that led to her own psychological break. That’s just sad. She’s also a rather…confusing character. Young girls seem to really like her for her zany personality, wacky villainy, and, in more recent stories, her “I don’t need no man” attitude. That last sentence pained me so. And yet, she’s perhaps the most… exploited-by-men character in comics. Let me put it to you this way, if you are a parent with a child that likes Harley Quinn, always make sure that Google’s “safe search” function is on. You’ll thank me later. She’s the unstable former shrink with a passion for smashing, Harley Quinn.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/HarleyqLG.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b1/Harley_Quinn_%28model_sheet%29.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a5/HarleyQuinn.png