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| “ | My love for my Joker was stronger than their madhouse walls. | „ |
| ~ Harley Quinn expressing her former love of the Joker. |
| “ | You think I'm just a doll. A doll that's pink and light. A doll you can arrange any way you like. You're wrong. Very wrong. What you think of me is only a ghost of time. I am dangerous. And I will show you just how dark I can be. | „ |
| ~ Harley Quinn |
Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, also known as Harley Quinn, is a major character in DC Comics originating from the DC Animated Universe's Batman: The Animated Series.
She was once a doctor working for Arkham Asylum until she became a part for the Joker's schemes as acting as his loyal henchwoman and "girlfriend", before later becoming an anti-heroic vigilante when she and the Joker broke up. She is also the best friend, companion, and lover of Poison Ivy, and the owner of two hyenas Bud and Lou who acts as her pets.
Personality[]
Harley Quinn is an eccentric and extravagant supervillainess who usually commits crimes with sadistic glee and hyperactive energy. In most incarnations, she is loyal to the Joker regardless of how cruelly he treats her. Despite being a psychiatrist, Harley is often portrayed as rather dimwitted socially and logically, as she tends to fail to notice obvious problems or overthinks minor issues.
However, she is much more intelligent than she lets on, often causing friend and foe alike to underestimate her in the Mad Love storyline, she came closer to killing Batman than the Joker ever did and, in some incarnations, even have a genius-level IQ, despite her insanity. Her training as a psychiatrist gives her a knack for getting into people's heads.
In addition to being a skilled manipulator, she's prone to explosive fits of rage and has a violent streak that almost rivals that of the Joker himself. Indeed, the very first incarnation of Harley could even intimidate him when she was angry, although later incarnations are often submissive and put up with his abuse out of a misplaced sense of loyalty.
Even though she keeps an enthusiastic and crazed demeanor, deep down she is secretly tormented and tragic as she is often depicted as a victim of physical, verbal and mental abuse, eroding her sanity and resulting in a sociopathic madwoman. Occasionally, she shows signs that she knows her obsession with the Joker is unhealthy and she will even have enough of the Joker and being evil and will try to fight on the side of good, such as when the world or someone she truly cares about is at stake but only a few incarnations have been able to fully break away from him.
Even when she is still on the evil side, she does have a sense of honor. For example, in the Injustice comic series, she refuses to fight Black Canary when she found out she is pregnant. Harley also has her limits, and can be pushed too far, even by the Joker, causing her to leave and eventually team up and form a new romance with Poison Ivy.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
- Blackgate staff (formerly)
- Arkham Asylum staff (formerly)
- Joker (formerly)
- Poison Ivy
- Catwoman
- Gotham Sirens
- Legion of Doom
- Secret Society of Super Villains
- Superheroes (sometimes)
- Other Supervillains (sometimes)
- Batman (sometimes)
- Robin (sometimes)
- Nightwing (sometimes)
- Batgirl
- Suicide Squad (sometimes)
- Justice League (sometimes)
- Penguin (sometimes)
- Mad Hatter (sometimes)
- Killer Croc (sometimes)
- Bane (sometimes)
- Scarecrow (sometimes)
- Two-Face (sometimes)
- Calendar Man (sometimes)
- Mr. Freeze (sometimes)
- Clayface (sometimes)
- Riddler (sometimes)
- Firefly (sometimes)
- Her own henchmen
Enemies[]
- Batman (sometimes)
- Robin (sometimes)
- GCPD
- Harvey Bullock
- James Gordon
- Batgirl (formerly)
- Nightwing (sometimes)
- Aaron Cash
- Sarah Essen
- Joker
- Superheroes (sometimes)
- Other supervillains (sometimes)
- Justice League (sometimes)
- Suicide Squad (sometimes)
- Mafias and mobsters of Gotham
- Blackgate staff
- Arkham Asylum staff
- Scarecrow (sometimes)
- Riddler (sometimes)
- Mad Hatter (sometimes)
- Calendar Man (sometimes)
- Two-Face (sometimes)
- Penguin (sometimes)
- Mr. Freeze (sometimes)
- Bane (sometimes)
- Black Mask
- Clayface (sometimes)
- Killer Croc (sometimes)
- Firefly (sometimes)
Quotes[]
| “ | Death's just a state of mind. | „ |
| ~ Harley explaining death to others. |
Trivia[]
- Harley Quinn was created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini.[1]
- Her actual first appearance in the DC universe was in Batman: The Animated Series in the episode "Joker's Favor." She was originally intended to be just a one-shot character, but proved to be so popular that she was ultimately adapted into the mainstream comics.
- Harley's Olympic-level gymnastic skills have said to rival that of Nightwing and Catwoman.
- Harley is the second most recurring villain of the DC Animated Universe (ahead of Joker and behind Lex Luthor).
- Harley Quinn was supposed to appear alongside the Scarecrow as one of the main antagonists of Batman Unchained, a planned fifth entry in the live action Batman film series that ran from 1989 to 1997. Here, she would have been rewritten as the daughter of the Joker from the first film seeking revenge for her father with Alicia Hunt as the mother. However, after the universal negative reception to the fourth entry, Batman & Robin, the film was cancelled.
- In Batman Unchained, Harley would have been portrayed by Madonna.[2]
- Harley Quinn was supposed to appear as a DLC character in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, but this was cancelled when the developer, Midway, went bankrupt.[3]
- She is featured in the sci-fi movie Ready Player One.[4]
- The New Earth version of Harley Quinn is Jewish but her Prime Earth counterpart seems to be foreign to Jewish tradition. However, it has been confirmed in DC Rebirth Holiday Special 2017 that Prime Earth Harley Quinn is Christian-Jewish like her New Earth self.
- Similarly, Harley Quinn from Batman: The Animated Series dislikes the taste of fish, while Harley Quinn of Prime Earth likes anchovies on pizza (although they make her gassy).
- Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's relationship is so popular that as far back as Batman: The Animated Series, people saw Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's friendship as a romantic relationship, with there even being a comic implying this.
- Harley Quinn fought Jinx in an episode of Screw Attack's DEATH BATTLE! and lost.
References[]
External Links[]
- Harley Quinn on the Villains Wiki
- Harley Quinn on the Heroes Wiki
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