Harley Quinn (DC Animated Universe)

Villain Overview

“	Face it, Harl, this stinks! You're a certified nutso wanted in twelve states and hopelessly in love with a psychopathic clown. At what point did my life go Looney Tunes? How did it happen? Who's to blame?... Batman, that's who. Batman! It's always been Batman! Ruining my life, spoiling my fun! Coming between me and my Puddin' from the very beginning.	„
	~ Harley expressing her deluded beliefs in “Mad Love”

Dr. Harleen Quinzel, known more commonly as Harley Quinn is a major antagonist in the DC Animated Universe, serving as a recurring antagonist in both Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, one of the four main protagonists of Gotham Girls and a guest antagonist of the Justice League episode "Wild Cards". She also appears as a supporting antagonist in the 2000 direct-to-video film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and the titular main protagonist of the 2017 direct-to-video film Batman and Harley Quinn.

She was originally the Joker's psychiatrist before becoming his accomplice and on and off girlfriend after madly falling in love with him, but eventually struck out on her own. She is often aided in her crimes by her best friend and fellow Arkham Asylum inmate, Poison Ivy. She is the archenemy of Batgirl.

She was voiced by Arleen Sorkin, with aspects of her personality incorporated into the character. In Batman and Harley Quinn, she was voiced by Melissa Rauch.

Biography

Batman: The Animated Series

Originally, Harleen Quinzel was an intern at Arkham Asylum; she did so because she thought the super criminals were interesting. While she was walking down a hallway with Joan Leland, Harley heard the Joker whistling and walked over to him, where he winked at her.

Later as she went into her office, she found a flower on her desk with a note from the Joker. When she came to confront him about him being out of his cell, he surprised her by saying he felt he could relate to and share his secrets with her.

She then worked 3 months, trying to set up a session with The Joker, and felt she had prepared herself. However, it became clear that she was not prepared at all (because The Joker was shown to be unpredictable). Joker told her that he was abused by his father as a child. He also told her a story of the only time he saw his father happy was at the circus while watching the clowns. He then added that he imitated the clowns with his father's best Sunday pants, but but that his father broke his nose because he tore them. He then explains the downside of comedy: "You always take shots from folks who just don't get the joke."

Harley begins to feel sympathy for the Joker, and eventually the sessions turn around with The Joker as the doctor and Harley as the patient, explaining how she had fallen in love with him.

Later Harley becomes frightened when the Joker escapes Arkham for a week before being brought in by Batman. Seeing Joker broken in his cell she decides to break him out and robs a joke store, stealing a harlequin costume, as well as various other items. Then, after breaking into Arkham and knocking out a few guards along the way, she reaches Joker's cell and wires the door with explosives; she breaks him out, saying "Knock knock, Pudding. Say hello to your new and improved Harley Quinn.". Finally, she and the Joker escaped Arkham in a car.

Harley's first act was to assist Joker in attempting to assassinate James Gordon by planting a bomb at his testimonial dinner. Batman subdued her after a brief fight. After that, she was an accomplice in virtually all of Joker's criminal schemes.

Sometimes, she would be kicked out of the gang when Joker's temper got the better of him. On one of these occasions, she teamed up with Poison Ivy, and the two became close friends and a successful crime duo.

During one of her solitary stints in Arkham, Batman offered her a pardon if she would help him track down Joker, who had stolen a nuclear bomb. She did so, though in a crazy, roundabout way that ended up being almost as dangerous to Batman and Robin.

When Lock-Up appears in Arkham, she tells the hospital's doctors that he is torturing her and the other supervillains in Batman's rogues gallery.

After being pronounced rehabilitated by the doctors at Arkham, Harley was paroled, but her hyperactive personality and unfamiliarity with the "real" world (after being with the Joker and locked up in Arkham for so long) led to an avalanche of trouble that led to her unintentionally kidnapping socialite Veronica Vreeland and being simultaneously pursued by Batman, gangster Boxy Bennett, and the U.S. Army. She was returned to Arkham yet again, though Batman was more sympathetic to her, telling her that he, too, had a "bad day" once. When he gives the dress she wanted, she gives him a big kiss on the mouth.

The New Batman Adventures

Harley Quinn appeared in World's Finest: The Batman/Superman Movie as a rival and foil for Lex Luthor's assistant Mercy Graves; each takes an immediate dislike for the other. In the film's climax, Harley ties Graves as a human shield to a combat robot set to confront Superman and Batman, but Graves is rescued by the two heroes without suffering any harm.

Harley has hung out with her best friend Poison Ivy in many episodes, such as "Holiday Knights" and "Girl's Night Out". Where they cause mayhem and chaos towards both Batman and Batgirl.

In The Batman Adventures: Mad Love, Harley Quinn led Gordon into a trap. After an incident involving Commissioner Gordon was botched, Harley began to re-examine her life. Blaming Batman for the way the Joker treats her, Harley devised a plan to capture him. Much to the surprise of Batman and the Joker, her plan not only worked, but according to Batman, was more likely to kill him than anything the Joker had ever devised before. However, Batman managed to escape by convincing Harley to call the Joker for approval, knowing the Joker would be furious at the idea of anyone other than him killing the Dark Knight. As expected, Joker was furious and threw Harley out of a window, nearly killing her, and released Batman. Recovering in Arkham, Harley at last realized the Joker would never love her and was nothing more than an insane killer. However, she returned to her hapless devotion to him upon seeing a single rose in a vase from him by her bedside table with a note, wishing her a speedy recovery.

In the movie Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker , Harley's final act assisting Joker was in capturing and torturing Robin into insanity, then adopting him as their "son", J.J. While Batman pursued Joker, Harley fought with Batgirl in the ruins of Arkham. In the fight, both women toppled into a deep pit. Batgirl managed to grab hold of a ledge, and tried to pull Harley up, but her sleeve tore, and Harley seemingly fell to her death. With no body ever recovered, Barbara Gordon suspected that Harley may have survived, but she never resurfaced again. After the Joker's death, it turns out Harley had actually survived the fall. She apparently gave up her criminal career and, at some point, mothered or adopted at least one child, who in turn gave her at least two grandchildren, the Dee Dee twins, Delia and Deirdre Dennis. After getting arrested for assisting the returned Joker in his plan to control a weapons satellite, the twins were chastised for what disappointments they were by their "Nana Harley".

Harley makes an appearance in the Static Shock episode "Hard as Nails", where she and Poison Ivy trick a metahuman named Allie Langford (also known as Nails) into helping them in their plan to raid a ship carrying gold in exchange for a cure, but halfway through the heist, Allie felt remorse. She backed out of the deal, and demanded the cure. To her shock, Harley and Ivy revealed that the cure was a fake, and she had been lured into joining them. Harley knocks Allie off the ship, but Static and Batman were able to save her. Static makes his way down to deal with the duo. Harley proves herself a formidable foe, by easily avoiding his electric bolts. However, he sends electricity bolts over every inch of the deck, which eventually converge on Harley, taking her out, while Ivy was taken down by a angry and betrayed Allie. Harley and Ivy are taken back to Arkham by Batman afterwards.

Harley makes her final appearance in the 2-part Justice League episode "Wild Cards", assisting the Joker once again in their plan to destroy the Justice League.

Gotham Girls

Harley Quinn is Poison Ivy's roommate and partner-in-crime in committing various crimes and trying their best to get rid of Batgirl many times, but failed again and again. In many episodes centered on her, Harley does everything she can to get rich quick by any means necessary. Her greed and incompetence gets the better of her in many of her schemes as it lets Batgirl turn the tables on her and foil her plans.

Relationships

Neutral

Catwoman - Sometimes Enemy and Occasional Ally.

Enemies

Batman - Sworn Enemy and Greatest Foe/Occasional Ally.
Nightwing - Enemy and Rival.
Batgirl - Archnemesis.
Robin - Enemy and Hostage/Victim.
James Gordon - Enemy.
Harvey Bullock - Enemy.
Renee Montoya - Enemy.
Superman - Enemy.
Supergirl - Enemy.
Lois Lane - Enemy and Hostage.
Static - Enemy.
Justice League - Enemies.
Floronic Man - Enemy.
Dora Smithy - Enemy.

Trivia

Harley Quinn is the second most recurring villain of the DC Animated Universe (behind Lex Luthor and ahead of Joker).
Harley serves as the most comic relief character in the DC Animated Universe.
Unlike the other villains (besides Poison Ivy), Harley is more of a Protagonist Villain; as she served as the main protagonist in the Batman: Harley & Ivy comic mini series, the main protagonist in episodes Harley & Ivy, Harlequinade, Harley's Holiday and Mad Love, one of the four main protagonists (but most recurring one) in Gotham Girls. Thus making her more of an anti-hero.
Harley Quinn is by far the most popular character of the DC Animated Universe.
Harley seems to serve as the arch-nemesis of Batgirl (especially in Gotham Girls).
Harley kind of serves as Joker and Poison Ivy's conscience and soft spot. In the case of the former, however, it is evident that his affection towards her is merely a ploy to get her to remain on his side.

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Harley Quinn (DC Animated Universe)

Contents

Biography

Batman: The Animated Series

The New Batman Adventures

Gotham Girls

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Trivia

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