Harley Quinn Is Officially NOT a Hero
It's time for a truth bomb, Harley Quinn isn't playing by any superhero rulebook! After all, this is the same character who had the biggest and wildest love triangle going, between Poison Ivy, a green-thumbed crime fighter, and Janet from HR, who actually managed to secretly date both women. Now, we know Harley Quinn has gone through some big changes since ditching Mr. J, that’s how she got all this "redemption arc" love going on.
But after those "trying so hard to be good" moments, in Poison Ivy #23, we're seeing her finally admit what her priorities really are! In that issue, both of her love interests end up getting into serious trouble! One, Poison Ivy, has her swamp lair invaded by zombies – whoops! And, Janet, well, she's also getting her share of creepy swamp fun, because this is a really "evil" story!
Harley's Choice
Guess who saves the day (at least partially)? That’s right, Harley. But, here’s the real shocker, Harley saves Poison Ivy! Turns out Harley’s “love-or-nothing” attitude has a clear winner! We see a really sweet moment where she rushes right to save her girlfriend instead of a terrified, totally helpless Janet from HR, which would’ve been the “hero” thing to do. Honestly, it’s the kind of move that makes the Justice League throw some serious shade – like, “Harley, you're supposed to be on our side!” And when you’re a character like Harley who’s trying to earn back those good guy points, it's a tough one.
You'd think Harley’s gonna go back to the dark side with this kind of move, but in a way, it makes her a better hero. Because she's finally owning that her heroic path isn't so tidy. You know, most heroes try to play by the rules but Harley? She's Harley Quinn.
Harley Quinn and her Hero Arc, A Tale of Twists and Turns
There are so many mixed messages from this comic! One minute she's helping out King Shark from prison. The next, she’s torching the bad guys with Jason Todd's motorcycle.
Honestly, you can't help but wonder: does Harley Quinn know how to be good? The truth is she’s always wanted to be on the “right side” but a big part of that dark, twisted Joker persona? That was part of Harley, too! It takes some serious inner work, and the most frustrating thing is Harley has actually been pretty close to making those big changes! But now with this decision? There’s a lot of thinking to do.
A "True Conundrum": Harley Quinn
We've got a whole comic series devoted to this question. “Harley Quinn” is one of the more complex heroes - or villains, depending on the day – out there. You just can’t stuff this chick in a box and label her! There are those “villain” days, then the times when she does do some really good, helpful things.
Maybe it’s okay to not neatly fit into that “hero/villain” category You know? Sometimes being Harley Quinn? That's good enough! If she can own her crazy personality and her unpredictable choices, it's actually a lot cooler and more interesting. I mean, she is super charismatic! She has a heart and a lot of depth. It's what makes Harley Quinn so popular. Because being authentically you - whether it's on the side of good or a little bit bad - sometimes that's how we find ourselves.
Harley Quinn’s Heroic Potential
Okay, I don't want to make this out to be too complicated! There are those who love the whole Harley-and-Ivy love thing There are even those who are super thrilled by her complex relationship with Batman, too. You’d be surprised how popular that dynamic is! Maybe in a way she actually needs to embrace those parts of her that she thinks she’s trying to leave behind because maybe that’s how she discovers those powerful hero moments!
So what does Harley need to fully realize her potential, her heroism? A few good things are to be on the lookout for in Harley’s journey! She needs to figure out what's true to herself. This journey’s already got fans hooked. And what about you? Let me know, do you think Harley Quinn has what it takes to be a true hero or will her wild nature always win?
