Harley Quinn (TV series): Difference between revisions
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In the main plot, Harley has broken up with [[The Joker]] for good, formed her own gang (consisting of herself, Poison Ivy, Dr. Psycho, Killer Shark, Clayface, and Sy Borgman) and is now dead-set on making a name for herself as a unique individual and leader in Gotham’s underworld - only to quickly find that there’s a "glass ceiling" among such villains.
The cartoon stars [[Kaley Cuoco]] (of ''[[Big Bang Theory]]'' fame) as the title character. It was among the first DC Universe animated shows (along with [[Young Justice (animation)|Young Justice]], [[Titans (2018 TV series)]], and [[Swamp Thing]]) available for DC's streaming service, and has a creative team headed by [[Justin Halpern]], [[Patrick Schumacker]] and [[Dean Lorey]] (who previously worked on the short-lived ''[[Powerless]]''.) Its first season premiered on November 29, 2019 and ended on February 21, 2020. Season 2 premiered in April 2020.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTTeK_f-arY A trailer has been released] for Season 3, suggesting appearances by Amanda Waller, Firefly, and the Court of Owls.
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** Two-Face is often depicted as a once-good person who was driven insane through the marring of his face, but a flashback episode in this version shows Harvey Dent was a [[Corrupt Politician]] to begin with. Harley claims she called him "two-faced" upon seeing his hypocrisy, an [[Ironic Echo]] of his future identity.
* [[Affably Evil]]: Harley, every member of her gang except Dr. Psycho, and quite a few other villains. The biggest surprise is Bane, who seems a very straight example of this Trope.
* [[Ambiguously Brown]]: [[Catwoman (comics)|Catwoman]] is of Italian and Cuban heritage in this version, a clear [[Shout-Out]] to the [[Eartha Kitt]] version in the ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' series from the 60s.
* [[And I Must Scream]]: In the first episode of Season 2, Harley is frozen by Mr. Freeze, who gives her to the Penguin to display like a trophy in the Iceberg Lounge. She’s like this for two months before she is rescued, and is just conscious to remember being mocked by the villains when freed.
* [[Anyone Can Die]]: One major theme of the show is that Harley does not have the moral qualms against killing that Batman does, but opposes the same enemies he does, with the end result being established DC characters being murdered, often horribly. {{spoiler|As of the
** Downplayed, however, in that [[Word of God|Executive producer Justin Halpern]] has stated that three characters - Bane, Poison Ivy, and Harley herself - have immunity to this policy, and will not be killed off.
* [[Artistic License Chemistry]]:
*
** Possibly a nitpick, but if Poison Ivy is truly impervious to poisons and toxins (something she boasts about in many continuities, including this one) it should be impossible for her to become intoxicated. Despite this, it clealry happens in the episode "It's a Swamp Thing".
* [[Ascended Extra]]:
** Sy Borgman has, to date, appeared in only one issue of Harley's solo comic title; he's a regular in this cartoon, with much more of a backstory.
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* [[Axe Crazy]]: Joker, of course, but Queen of Fables can challenge him for title of "most insane killer" here.
** Also, in a flashback showing when Harley and Poison Ivy first met, Ivy seemed on the edge of falling into bestial rage out of hatred for everyone, the episode strongly suggesting that Harley kept her from going over that edge.
* [[Back From the Dead]]: {{spoiler| Harley kills Nightwing in season 4 (by accident) and at the end of the season, Talia steals his body and revives him using the Lazarus Pit.}}
* [[Bad Boss]]:
** The Joker, naturally. This guy actually sends a henchman to deliver Harley a message, that ends with said henchman blowing up, his blood and guts splattering all over Harley and Ivy. He also {{spoiler| murders his accomplice - the Scarecrow - over rage when they discover Batman's identity - wasn't the Scarecrow's fault, he was just angry and had to kill ''somebody'', Scarecrow being unlucky enough to be there.}}
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** In "Dye Hard", {{spoiler|Dr. Psycho does not use his mind-control on Harley - which he uses on Killer Shark and Clayface - because he wants her to suffer. Naturally, she escapes.}}
* [[Character Development]]: ''Everyone'' gets this, even [[Joke Character|Kite-Man]], of all people.
* [[Corrupt Politician]]:
*
** Downplayed with the Joker, Gordon's opponent for mayor. His platform promotes free health care, education reform, and taxing the "one percenters", quickly making him a [[Villain With Good Publicity]]. (When a reporter remarks that it sounds like socialism, [[Take That|the Joker blatantly admits it ''is'' socialism]].) The only corrupt part was that he funded his campaign by robbing banks, claiming he hated negotiation with "big money donors" and decided to skip a step and just take it from them.
* [[Country Matters]]: Dr. Psycho uses the word on nationwide TV in reference to Wonder Woman - no surprise there, as he's always been a chauvinist. Poison Ivy remarks that he is now the least employable person on the planet, while Harley comments that if Psycho had henchmen, they might have advised him to instead use the "B-word". Later, Psycho's inability to keep himself from using the word becomes a [[Running Gag]] until Season 2, where he seems to have kicked the habit. Ironically, this is the only cuss word that is bleeped out in the show's dialogue.
* [[Deadly Change-of-Heart]]: {{spoiler|The Joker, of all people. Once his villainous personality is erased, he actually becomes a decent person, getting an honest job (as a bartender) and a girlfriend named Beth. For a while, it seems his evil persona is truly gone and he is actually happy. Sadly, in order to save the city, Harley needs Queen of Fables book, Joker is the only one who knows where it is, but only in his villainous identity, so Harley is forced to restore him to normal. Oddly, however, this doesn't seem to hurt his relationship with Beth.}}
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* [[Good Costume Switch]]: A variation, as Harley never truly stops being evil. She starts the series still the Joker's "hench-wench" and wears the jester outfit from ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''. However, after forsaking him, she regards this costume as a slave-garment, and switches to a different outfit with a halter, short-shorts and no mask to prove she's her own villain.
** [[Evil Costume Switch|Very Evil Costume Switch]]: Harley gets a change of wardrobe again in Season 2 when she pretty much becomes [[The Dragon]] to Darkseid himself, getting her own version of Granny Goodness' costume. However, it doesn't last long.
** [[Good Costume Switch|Genuinely Good Costume Switch]]: In season 4, after ascending to anti-hero status and joining the Bat-Family, Harley starts using a new costume while with them, that seems a cross between her regular costume and Batgirl's, with pink and blue highlights and an exposed midriff, though she still uses her villain costume when "off duty".
* [[Easily Forgiven]]: Batman himself is willing to give Harley a second chance and even let her join the Bat-Family after she helps him with his "issues", despite the numerous murders she commits in seasons 1 through 3. Also, while Nightwing and Batgirl do scold her harshly after she kills Professor Pyg, they are willing to give her a second chance.
* [[Evil is Petty]]: The Joker, of course; to give just one example, the reason Todd continues to call Bane "Bang" while serving him is because the Joker is paying him to do so, simply to troll Bane. When he finds out Bane is planning to ''kill'' Todd over this, [[Evil Has a Bad Sense of Humor|he finds it hilarious.]]
* [[Good Is Not Nice]]: Batman and the Justice League push the limits of what can truly be called "good". Batman seems to think Harley has crossed the [[Moral Event Horizon]] by taking the Batmobile for a joyride. Even worse, in one episode, the League is intent on banishing Harley and her gang to the Phantom Zone for releasing a mob of killer trees without any attempt at due process. (And for the record, the Scarecrow was responsible - Harley and her gang were attempting to stop the trees.) At the very least, they stand down once Poison Ivy pleads with Wonder Woman to use the Lasso of Truth on her to confirm her story.
* [[Handicapped Badass]]: In a clear reference to ''[[The Killing Joke]]'', Babs is shot by the Joker in season 4 and, as of the end of the season, is wheelchair bound. While not referred to as Oracle yet, she seems to be heading in that direction, using her hacking skills to help Harley and Ivy bring Luthor down in the season 4 finale.
* [[Hero Antagonist]]: Batman and the Justice League in this case, as well as Batgirl starting Season 2 and Nightwing for season 3.
* [[Hero with an F In Good]]: In season 4, Harley makes a "professional" [[Heel Face Turn]] and joining the Bat-Family, but can't shake her old ways, killing Professor Pyg. She does at least try to do better.
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]:
** {{spoiler|Sy Borgman does this in "Dye Hard" to allow Harley, Gordon, and the amnesiac Joker to escape Riddler and Dr. Psycho. However, while his body is destroyed, he survives by transferring his consciousness into a bionic eye he gives Harley, which she later downloads into her television.}}
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* [[Mama Bear]]: {{spoiler|Amazingly, Harley acts like this towards Bruce Wayne in the episode "Batman Begins Forever"; or rather, a child-version of him, during a [[Battle in the Center of the Mind]] scenario.}}
* [[Muggle Born of Mages]]: The source of Kite-Man's "issues" and why he tries so hard to be a super-villain. His father has ice manipulation powers, and his mother can fly; both were rather disappointed to have a son with no real powers. They warm up to the idea of him marrying Ivy ''very'' quickly when they see she has actual super-powers.
* [[Never Gets Drunk]]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ABiHXeZzRI Nora is a Type 1]. Her tolerance is higher than that of Harley, Ivy, and even [[Hellblazer| John Constantine!]] And after drinking him under the table, she was still wide awake, alert, and with no sign of any hangover.
* [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero]]:
** Barbara's attempt to warn Harley that her dad is coming for her only encourages her to expand her goals, petitioning Darkseid for an army of Para-Demons, which he provides. ''Then'', her attempt to warn her father than Harley is forming an army causes ''him'' to form an army of his own. The carnage that follows is only stopped when Harley comes to her senses.
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* [[Race Lift]]: Queen of Fables is changed from Caucasian to black; Catwoman is changed from Caucasian to Cuban/Italian, possibly a [[Homage]] to the [[Eartha Kitt]] version in the live action ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' series.
* [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]]: Harley is Red to Ivy's Blue.
* [[Rogues Gallery Transplant]]: Many villains on the show have previously had little, if anything, to do with Batman. Dr. Psycho is a [[Wonder Woman]] villain, and Dr. Trap was from the short-lived ''[[Chase (comics)]]'' comic. Characters like [[Lex Luthor]] and [[Darkseid]] seem to be clearly in [[Hero of Another Story| Villain of Another Story]] territory when they appear.
* [[Self-Deprecation]]: The show has gotten a lot of guff due to Sy Borgman being a stereotypical old Jewish guy, but a quick look at the credits shows quite a few Jewish names among the writers, suggesting this Trope.
* [[Self-Restraint]]: In "Riddle U", Riddler takes over Gotham University, providing electricity to the place by forcing students run on giant hamster wheels; Harley and Ivy capture him and subject him to his own medicine, using him to power the mall they use as a hideout. The next episode, Riddler shows he can escape easily, but decides to stay because Gotham is in a state of anarchy, and by staying, he gets fed, gets ''lots'' of exercise, and best of all, gets "free entertainment" watching Harley's gang squabble amongst themselves.
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