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Harley Quinn, real name Harleen Quinzel, is the sidekick and girlfriend of the Joker. She occasionally struck out on her own, and often served as a roommate/accomplice to Poison Ivy.
History
Origins
Harleen Quinzel was once a career-oriented psychologist whose life took a radical turn when she chose to spend a semester interning at Arkham Asylum. Originally drawn to the "glamor" of the inmates, she was unexpectedly intrigued by the Joker. She organized regular therapy sessions with him, during which the Joker manipulated the inexperienced Harleen by telling her tales of a cruel father and an abusive childhood, mixed in with his early attempts at comedy. He made her laugh as much as he made her cry, and she fell in love with him.
After Joker's latest escape and re-capture by Batman, Quinzel went insane and adopted the clownish persona of Harley Quinn, based of of Harlequin. Her first act was to break Joker out again.[4] Thereafter she was his semi-constant companion and lover. She occasionally broke away from him, but always ended up going back to him in the end. For the Joker's part, while he had found her to be an annoyance some of the time, he was able to skillfully manipulate her to serve his needs.
Criminal career
Harley's first act was to assist Joker in assassinating 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.[5]
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. Joker then decided he wanted her back. He looked for her but couldn't find her yelling out, "Haley, Harley!" and, following his henchmen saying "You canned her boss. Remember?" he says, "So, She's always come back before." genuinely confused. He then looks for her, but can't find her. Finally she calls him to tell him she's ok. He then says, "Honey, Baby, Punkin' Pie. You know I can't hold a grudge. Where are you!" He traces her call, finds her and says to his henchmen, (Who are getting sick from poison Ivy's house being on a waste dump, and buildup of toxins. "Hold it in Rock-o, I'm only staying long enough to take back what's mine." He cups Harley's chin leaves with her to take her back home.! [3]
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.[6]
After being pronounced rehabilitated by the doctors at Arkham, Harley was paroled, but her hyperactive personality and unfamiliarity with the "real" world led to an avalanche of trouble that led to her unintentionally kidnapping Veronica Vreeland and being simultaneously pursued by Batman, Gotham gangsters, and the U.S. Army. She was returned to Arkham yet again, though Batman was more sympathetic to her, understanding how bad a day gone wrong could be.[2]
Unfortunately, Harley did not have much luck at being rehabilitated again and eventually returned to being the Joker's girl. However, after an incident involving Commissioner Gordon was botched, Harley began to re-examine her life. Realizing in a crazed manner that Batman was the cause of Joker's obsession and insanity, 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 that Dark Knight.
As expected, Joker was furious and threw Harley out of a window, nearly killing her on accident. and released Batman. Recovering in Arkham, Harley at last realized the Joker would never love truly her, in her own way. and was nothing more than an insane killer. However, she returned back to her devotion to him, upon seeing a single rose in a vase from him by her bedside table with a note wishing her well and a speedy recovery. Which was genuine.
Harley later claimed that she and Joker had been to couples counseling. It didn't seem to help much, however, as it didn't take long for Batman to convince her that Joker was replacing her with Ace as his new sidekick.(lying to get her to take him to Joker.) Enraged, Harley went to confront her "puddin'", who of course, immediately Tried to get her to understand that he wasn't replacing her, Ace is a child. That she and him were two of a kind, Joker's girl, nothing could separate them. And she would always come back to him. She finally saw that he wasn't replacing her, Ace is a child, who was dyeing in the first place, and Joker had to romantic feelings for Ace. Then he backhanded her because she unwittingly led Batman right to his lair, which was the Dark Knight's plan all along.[7]
Later life
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. Without the Joker around, she apparently gave up her criminal career and, at some point, mothered or adopted one or more children, who in turn gave her at least two grandchildren, the 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".[8]
Relationships
Relationship with the Joker
Harley's relationship with Joker was perhaps one of the strangest in the whole character universe. At various times, she explained her feelings for him as sympathy for his abusive childhood (a story Batman dismissed as a lie), tender feelings based on their therapy sessions, or simply that he made her life fun, after a stressful career as a psychiatrist.
Her devotion was inexplicable because Joker seemed to return her feelings not at all, and frequently insulted and abused her. However it was showed that he actually did lover her, But he thought the feelings made him weak and that's why he abused her. He admitted a number of things, all piling up to the I love you's, a shock, yes. But it's true. Occasionally she would break away from him, but these moments of clarity never lasted very long, and but a moment's kindness from Joker was enough to bring her back.[3][4][6]
Yet at the same time, Joker found her a useful accomplice at times, and was often surprised by the depth of her devotion. At one point, He was very impressed by her, after she demonstrated that she had enough "guts" to try to shoot him.[6]
Evolution of the relationship with the Joker
Ok, I felt the need to include this very well written evolution of Joker and Harley Quinn's relationship, this is the link to their site. and the actual evolution article, this is an amazing person who is just as obsessed with Joker and Harley as me. (Madison, Editor) http://www.harley-quinn.com/jokerharley/index.php
This women is amazing, I love her and her dedication to her articles, sites and all in all she would be an amazing person to hang out with. She was spot on with the relationship of Harley and Joker.
I also recommend reading the evolution that lovedatjoker wrote. they are both spot on. http://lovedatjoker.livejournal.com/2625.html?thread=21057&mode=reply
DOES THE JOKER LOVE HARLEY QUINN?
Introduction:
Whilst there are a few Harleyites out there who like to see Harley independent of Joker (and furthermore, laying the smackdown on him) for most fans, the two are intertwined. The pairing is as much part of the reason we love Harley as Harley herself and we don't want to see it ever broken up.
There is no denying the relationship is a highly abusive one on both a psychological and physical level for Harley. The Joker uses her, manipulates her, takes delight in torturing her in various subtle ways, gleefully sacrifices her when it suits him and attempts to kill her when the whim takes him. Harley is deranged and dangerously infatuated with Joker, to the point her entire life - which was an outwardly successful one - was willingly given up for the chance to be by his side.
It has been said countless times that The Joker loves no one but himself, that he is without compassion and kindness, mercy or affection. This has often provided arguement for Harley nay-sayers claiming Harley is an unrealistic character and should not have survived Joker this long. However, after a sixty-eight year career in which Joker's atrocities have been pushed to their absolute zenith, his past explored in multitudes of way and the Clown Prince has undergone numerous transformations, Harley also provides a new and disturbing element to The Joker's character. Put simply, Harley inspires the question: IS Joker capable of love?
For many the answer is simple and obvious: NO.
Many believe it is not love, nor any tender emotion, that has kept Harley alive in Joker's presence this long. Rather, it is the amusement he takes in torturing her and the usefulness she provides him as an utterly devoted and loyal lackey. After all, it is not money or riches, fame or glory that inspires Harley to stay by Joker's side; but love. Pure and simple. She is free, easy labour.
However, I do not believe it is as simple as that, just as The Joker is not at all simple.
Joker's relationship with Harley is a highly complex one that occurs on multiple levels. We can only speculate what Joker's motivations were when he decided to mess with Harley's head, but Joker is renowned for terrorising his doctors on a psychological level. I theorise Joker was passing time in Arkham his usual way, amusing himself by twisting the mind of a naive and inexperienced young woman who thought she was cleverer than he was. That he wanted the fun of breaking her. However, with Harley, Joker, for once in his life, got more than he bargained for. The unexpected results of his game were that Harley became infatuated with him. Joker, being an opportunist, would've immediately pegged to the usefulness of this and begun exploiting it.
But it must also have been something of a shock to him, having someone respond to him with that level of devotion and passion for perhaps the first time in his life as The Joker. While other villains have expressed admiration of Joker, no one has quite so fearlessly loved him as she does. The Joker is used to being feared and revered and relishes this. He knows it is because he is a deranged sociopath. So to be adored in a romantic way – both for what he is and because of what Harley believes she sees beneath the deranged sociopath - must be an entirely new experience. What possible effect could it have on him?
What Is Harley to Joker?
I speculate that Joker's response towards Harley is as follows:
A Toy: Joker sees Harley as his creation; and one of his most special ones. He broke Harley apart and remade her into his own image and continues to manipulate and bend her to his will, delighting in watching her strive to please him. When Joker is bored, he can play games with Harley and she will always play back, willingly and with pleasure. He can hurt her and draw her back to him with well-chosen words and deeds. He knows that every time Harley makes an effort to break away it is simply a matter of twisting the screws in the precise way to have her grovelling once more.
A Joke: Harley is a joke, and a wonderfully played one. He took a beautiful, successful young psychiatrist and coaxed her into sacrificing everything she had for him. He broke down her sanity, her self-respect and her independence leaving in its wake a completely insane, dependent and madly devoted slave. Her life as Harley Quinn as opposed to Dr. Harleen Quinzel would be hilarious to The Joker, who delights in such perversion and would take great delight in a promising life so squandered.
A Mirror: Harley, in both her insane devotion and her adoration of him, is a mirror to The Joker's ego. Highly narcissistic, Harley would provide proof to him of his own genius and brilliance; both in the very fact of her existence and because she willingly tells him so and fervently believes it herself. Similar to above, a Joker in a funk could take one look at Harley and start chuckling again as she stares at him with wide, adoring doe-eyes. Harley is his, body and soul, and that must be immensely gratifying to someone as egotistical as The Joker, especially considering the ease with which he controls her.
A Loved One: Yes, I believe it. I think Joker loves Harley. Not in any grand, passionate, self-sacrificing or selfless way. Not in a way in which her wellbeing and happiness are important to him. Not in any normal, healthy way. But in his way, as much as he is capable of. Some fans feel that “love” is too strong a word for The Joker. Nonetheless, that he does feel some sort of affectionate emotion towards him. Her uniqueness in response to him, I believe, penetrated something very deep and buried within Joker's psyche and brought it back to life; a faint glimmer of tenderness consumed by layers of darkness and depravity.
Degrees of Love:
Is “love” too strong a word to assign to the emotion Joker feels for Harley? Many fans believe so, although they do agree that there is some sort of tenderness for her there. For someone like Joker, just having “feelings” at all is in actuality very strong. Paul Dini has stated: "Somewhere deep down in whatever shrivelled up little nut he [The Joker] has for a heart, there might be a little bit of affection for her." Perhaps when we use the word ‘love’ we use it in the sense we understand it, but for Joker it would be something quite different. A school of philosophical thought claims that everyone will do what they perceive as good, and no one will do something because it is bad for them. For example, a masochist will seek pain and self-harm because they see the harm they do themselves as something that is good for them, or something that they need. Joker has often claimed he is doing the world a favour with his acts and perceives his destructiveness as good. He makes sense of humanity by seeing life as one big joke that he alone comprehensively understands. In this way, Joker could very well see his behaviour towards Harley as love, as he considers it to be, complete with the abuse and manipulation. (1) In Joker’s relationships there is no kinship, no mercy and no full understanding. Does his mind even hold the capacity for love anymore, as the emotion is commonly understood, or is the only thing left the overwhelming indifference of madness? Perhaps in actuality Harley serves as a surreal and sometimes painful reminder of his previous life and the normalcy of it, of himself, and of his relationships. Maybe, out of this, the closest he can get to loving her is something she stirs up in him as obscure and faint memories of his deceased wife, who was murdered whilst pregnant by mobsters, brought back to life in a disjointed and ghostly fashion by her presence in his reality. For Joker, the character of the universe is chaos, not harmony, so the point in establishing a bond of love with Harley would be beyond his understanding. (2) Perhaps love is the wrong word, if we use it in the way we understand it. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he cares for her, or regards her fondly, has affection or a degree of tenderness for her. It’s possible he does not even theoretically object to love or the idea of loving someone, but rather it is something he is literally incapable of. But perhaps again, ‘love’ is actually something Joker is gradually beginning to understand once more the longer he engages with Harley. That previous to her becoming part of his life, the emotion was something he was no longer capable of but the more she persists the more it is awakened. It would probably be something that Joker did not anticipate when he first permitted the strange relationship to begin, and crept up on him unexpectedly, reminding him of the discomfiture it can cause, providing him with fuel to want her out of his life, and so put a stop to it going any further.
Abuse:
People will argue that Joker has tried to kill Harley on several occasions and this alone is proof that he does not love her. I argue it is proof that he does. For someone who has walked so solitary a path as The Joker, having feelings for someone, no matter how small, would be disturbing. Joker's mind is a mess of rambling thoughts and ideas; feelings for someone would also require a degree of focus which must be distracting to him. Finally, it would make The Joker question his control over his own reality. This would annoy him.
In 'Harley Quinn' Joker himself admits this in a one-on-one with Harley: "I've felt some changes coming over me since you entered my life. I've been reminded of what it's like to be part of a couple, to care for someone who cares for me - it's the first time in recent memory I've had those feelings... and I hate having those feelings! They're upsetting, confusing and worse, distracting me from getting my share of Gotham now that the getting's good!" This confession was made when he believed Harley about to die; there was no reason therefore for him to be lying to her.
By setting out to kill Harley, Joker proves to himself he is in control and rids himself of a perturbing distraction. There is no doubt in my mind Joker could kill Harley and comfortably live with himself afterwards, even reflect on her with affection but ultimately not be bothered by the fact of her death. He might even succeed one day. But I do think Joker tries to kill Harley because he cares for her.
In fact, with this perspective, you could even argue it is Joker's ultimate expression of love!
It is also interesting and noteworthy that, several pages later, Joker, still believing Harley is dead, initiates a conversation about women with his henchmen. He does not mention Harley of course, but I feel he does this because he is thinking about her - and missing her. In his way. Not enough to regret what he has done, naturally - but nonetheless, the emotion is there.
Further, his attempts on her life are occasional, and Joker’s response to their failure is not especially perturbed, nor does he reject her absolutely afterwards. Perhaps Joker even feels some degree of relief that they fail – possibly they even prove to him that, much like Batman’s continual triumph demonstrates he is the perfect foe, Harley’s survival demonstrates her as the perfect partner. Although I do believe Joker would not regret it if he ever succeeded in ending her life, I also feel he may feel some degree of pleasure that she continues to live on and return to him.
People will also argue his persistent abuse of her does not speak of love. But this is The Joker we're speaking of. This is not someone who is a healthy, normal person. Of course he does not treat her with respect or consideration. He treats everyone like dirt; Harley gets an extra heapingful because she is unusually closer to him than the majority of people and possibly because again, it reminds Joker he's in control. Joker also enjoys inflicting pain and is probably amused by it, no more so than when she scurries back a few moments later. It would be an endless stroking and petting of his ego. Additionally Joker would be irritated by the inconvenience having feelings for someone would cause, and would therefore take this out on the person causing them. In this sense, Harley is going to be subject to abuse simply for existing. (3) Someone like Joker, with his insanity and desire to do harm on a grand scale, is not going to provide any sort of stable environment, reliable affection or indeed, any hint of normalcy. What he does give Harley is a place by his side, which is what she wants most, ultimately. And he allows her to come back , which is more than can be said for most who've worked with The Joker - as most of them end up dead.
Affection:
It is often said that Harley is delusional in her beliefs about her relationship with Joker; that it is an entirely one-sided affair. Yet there are numerous examples in both the comics and cartoons that Joker is engaged with the relationship and a participant in it and that yes, he considers Harley his girlfriend. He refers to her as such, talks about the relationship in typical terms (at one point he mutters to himself "crazy broad, blaming me for every little glitch in the relationship", worthwhile to note he had no audience when saying this), refers to her by pet names and behaves possessively of her. In an episode of Justice League Unlimited, Wild Cards, Harley also remarks they've been to couples counselling; which would indicate Joker considers himself part of a couple. In the two-part series The Code, Harley reads a “rule-book” on how to keep a man interested and consequently begins behaving aloofly towards Joker and ignoring him with the response that he covets her attention once more. Believing one of his hench-men is trying to muscle in on his girl, he swiftly kills the man. Furthermore, in the Batman and Robin Adventures story, Joker’s Last Laugh, Joker moves to kill a man roughing Harley up, saying the fellow has “forced his hand”, this despite the fact Joker is in a morose and humourless state and tells his intended victim his “heart’s not really in this”. Additionally, in Masks of Love Joker also makes the remark: “that’s not your usual perfume”, which indicates a pretty high degree of awareness of her and her habits. He can also be observed frequently to be engaging in acts of affection with her. This is also not something that happens only when he is manipulating her, but frequently when he is feeling good and is joyous about something. He embraces her, cuddles her, touches her face, holds her hand or arm and even sometimes kisses her. He smiles at her as often as he backhands her; the danger is in not ever being quite sure which he'll do, so quickly does his emotions change and so unpredictable he is.
The Joker has no trouble expressing his emotions. With his violent mood swings, he is a completely unrestrained person, generally freely demonstrating which particular emotion he is experiencing at any given moment, with the exception of times when he is manipulating a particular situation. He has often expressed vocal affection for Harley, again not exclusively whilst messing with her. Would Joker ever tell Harley he loved her? In Mightier Than The Sword, he had signed a photo of himself looking very happy in an embrace with Harley: 'Harley Baby, Love You Forever!'. Whilst I think it's more likely Joker would say something more along the lines of "you're mine" to Harley when he's being deadly serious; in a fever pitch of excitement I can see Joker easily exclaiming those three little words. Increasingly so as the years passed and he grew more – perhaps not comfortable, but accepting of the relationship. Besides Batman, Harley Quinn is the most intimate relationship that exists in Joker's life. He has openly told Batman and others that he loves The Dark Knight. I don't think it's such a stretch he would say it to or about Harley. Not that he would always be comfortable with it, or unbegrudging or that it has the same meaning for him that it does for regular people, but Joker is so excessively flamboyant with his emotions that I consider not beyond the realm of possibility that he would.
Sex:
Joker and Harley's sex life is another point of contention for many people; whether or not it actually exists being subject to debate. This is because it had generally been accepted The Joker was asexual, that his interest did not lie with sex in any form and that his pleasure was fulfilled in more perverse ways (such as causing destruction and mayhem). I agree with this; but also believe sex happens between Joker and Harley. In the beginning, it probably didn't for some time. But, as with Joker's feelings toward Harley, as time passed Joker's libido was possibly stirred and awakened. To say that ‘Harley is gorgeous, who wouldn't want her’, is far too simplistic when it comes to Joker because he does not operate on that sort of normal level. Naturally, he would be aware of her attractiveness and its use, but I believe his desire to engage sexually with her is more about how attractive he finds her as a possession; as his very own living doll. It is another way of experiencing his power over her and revelling in it and I'm sure Joker would think up plenty of twisted ways to explore just how far his hold on Harley went in this way, and seeing her prove it would excite and titillate him. Several references have been made to their use of a whoopee cushion as a sex toy in such a way that it is clear its use has already been established - that is, it's been used. They have been shown to share a bed several times and Harley's failed attempts at seduction take place in such a way that it is apparent she has succeeded in the past - the language she uses and the way she engages with him does not suggest she's always drawn blanks. The most famous, in Mad Love, where Harley says things like: "oh sweetie - I've got the whoopie cushion!" and "don'tcha wanna rev up your Harley?" are two examples. Not: "Oh sweetie, we could use the whoopie cushion!" or "I could be your Harley! Vroom vroom!" The differences are subtle, but there. Additionally, in Harley Quinn, it is said that they spent their nights together and when Harley says they went back to share "a night of pure joy" she does not say "we finally consummated our love!". It was just another night of joy. :)
It is important to remember no one is privy to what goes on between Joker and Harley behind closed doors except the two of them. I consider it an absolute certainty sex between them happens, possibly with more regularity as the years go by (Harley is persistent, after all, and a quick learner). Not that it happens in any normal way or even in ways that are always safe for Harley, and she is probably the initiator most of the time then subjected to being passive and submissive, but that it does exist and is probably as rude and disturbing (if pleasurable) a shock to Joker as his feelings for her.
But further to this, is the fact that most of society is focused on traditional forms of sex to the point we tend not to see sexualised behaviour in other manifestations. To me it is apparent that the relationship between Joker and Harley is a *highly* sexualised one that is mutually gratifying. There might not be a lot of missionary position style copulating, but it is clear that other forms of sexualised play form the basis of their relationship. There is the power exchange, for a start. Those who are involved in such relationships understand full well that this can be enormously gratifying on its own. There is the pleasure Harley clearly gets as a 'performer' for Joker and the delight Joker takes in making her run in circles for him. Just because there might not be a great deal of traditional sex does not mean sexual pleasure is not taken in other ways. In fact, I believe this is something Harley learns how to do over the years - from as little as a touch or a look from Joker. Joker himself, being something of a sensualist and pansexual, has demonstrated on many different occasions he gets perverse pleasure from all sorts of things and this would be true of Harley as well.
Dominance/submission:
There is a definite sado-masochistic element to Joker and Harley's relationship along with the obvious Dominant/submissive dynamic. I feel that over the years Harley has learned to enjoy the pain Joker inflicts on her physically, because his engagement with her would rarely be normal. There is, after all, a fine line between pleasure and pain and pain that he causes her is still him touching her and taking notice of her. There might be an exception to this when he is furious with her and lashing out, but generally I think Harley derives joy from his punches as from his caresses, not least because he would enjoy it. Harley probably rationales it as attention, and an awareness of her in his space. It is possible there is a delirium in it for Harley, to be an object upon which Joker can express himself, to offer herself up as a canvas of sorts.
Reviewing the relationship as a whole and placing it strictly within a D/s context, it fits in very much with a typical D/s relationship: In the Dominant role, Joker gives Harley a sense of self (despite obliterating her “normal” persona) and purpose, he creates for her scenarios through which she may act out her role as his submissive, acting out his will (whether this be crimes, tasks, sexual play or a punching bag) and he is extreme, in control, and in his own way, nurturing of Harley. He encourages her behaviour and coddles her on occasion with baby talk and petting. In the submissive role, Harley is able to coerce Joker’s attentions, whether pleasurable and positive or not, as well as the attention of others (as Joker’s girlfriend) and gratify her own needs to please by constantly striving to fulfil Joker’s (and perhaps, sub-consciously, deliberately making mistakes when she is not getting the attention she craves). Within Joker’s world of chaos, Harley can absolve herself of responsibility for the things she does or for her life in general and simply concede herself to Joker’s wants and needs, allowing him to direct her. (4) The difference between this and most D/s relationships, however, is that it is not mere roleplay nor have the boundaries been discussed and set, and in a manner of speaking, it is non-consensual in that it lacks the self-awareness that a typical D/s relationship has. It is played absolutely as real-life, rather than an ongoing fantasy.
There is also a hint of a Daddy/girl dynamic between them, another popular relationship exchange in the BDSM community. Operating on a slightly different level to D/s it involves the Dominant partner playing the role of the 'Daddy' - the authority figure and the guardian and controller, and the submissive partner the 'girl' - usually enacted in an immature, playful and dependent way. The point made above, of Joker’s insane world allowing Harley to abandon responsibility, also fits into this dynamic. Although we have seen Harley is capable of great determination and focus, we also see a somewhat flaky personality, more fond of having fun and getting things done the easy way. Possibly her life as a psychiatrist and of being a ‘grown-up’ was a stress she couldn’t handle. With Joker setting and defining the parameters of her world, she is once more free to play the child, gratifying her desires heedless of societal laws and guidelines, and of only having him to answer to. Of course, Joker refers to himself as 'Daddy' when he talks to Harley, but this does not mean the roles are formalised between them, more that the dynamic simply exists. Joker can be very indulgent and coddling of Harley as well as ‘disciplining’ her when he sees it as called for.
This article has discussed at length the relationship from Joker's perspective for the reason that it is the one in question; we all know Harley adores him and loves him utterly. But it is still worth discussing: will Harley ever get over him? Will she ever truly shake off the infatuation and overriding passion and regain her sanity and a normal life?
I have to say: No.
Abusive Relationships and Stockholm Syndrome:
The relationship is similar to both an Abuser/abusee relationship and to the Stockholm Syndrome, but I feel it goes far beyond both. Abusers will generally wear down their victim's self-esteem and self-respect, teaching the abusee that their lives are worthless without them there. Often an abused will not leave a relationship out of fear of retaliation. Harley’s life is in more danger when she is with Joker than when she is not. And whilst Joker frequently insults, belittles and undermines her, this is usually him following his rampant emotional trail through rather than a concerted attempt at manipulation. Nonetheless it does ultimately have the same effect on Harley’s psyche. Stockholm Syndrome involves a captive becoming romantically attached to their captor; Harley is definitely a captive of Joker's in a way, trapped by her love for him and sucked deeply into his world of insanity and chaos; however she is there voluntarily. So yes, there are many shared elements between both situations, but the relationship could not be said to be precisely one or the other.
For the extent to which Harley has taken her devotion goes further than those patterns. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest Harley was involved in abusive relationships in her past, or indeed that she was anything but in control of most interactions with men she encountered. From everything we've seen, Harley was well-adjusted and had a privileged upbringing. There is no past evidence to indicate why she chose The Joker, one of the most feared and dangerous criminals of her world, to fall in love with. Not just in love, but dangerously, obsessively infatuated with. So passionately enamoured, that she gave up her privileged life and followed him on his path of destruction. Harley has shed blood and aided Joker in truly horrendous acts. She endures a chaotic life where her life is essentially always in danger, and does it cheerfully because it is paramount to her to be near her love.
Motivation and Addiction
Quite simply, Joker has become Harley's reason for being. He provides her motivation. Without him, there was nothing that would've inspired her to become Harley Quinn, or to stay that way. I argue that Harley remains Harley because she remains hopeful she will always end up back with Joker. I feel that nothing short of Joker's death would sever her ties with him and allow her to be truly rehabilitated. So long as he lives somewhere in the world, no matter how she tries to move on, all it would take is him crooking his finger for her to rejoin him joyously by his side. And even if we are not shown it in the comics at the moment, I believe her love for him and separation from him continues to haunt and pain her and affect her life.
When I think of Harley's love for Joker, I feel it is something that is entirely overwhelming and all-consuming, that her identity has become inextricably tied to him, that her happiness ultimately comes from seeing his, especially if she has a hand in fulfilling it. Whilst I like seeing Harley act solo, I believe it is out of character for Harley to be 'over' Joker or truly separate from him. Once that happens, her motivation literally falls away. And indeed, the times we have seen Harley “rehabilitated” it is when things are on the down and out between her and Joker. While Harley has learned to carry on when he is not by her side, I don't believe it has been adequately explored the sort of impact being away from him would have on her psyche.
I believe Joker is literally her drug, her addiction. That just being near him is a rush and being away from him is agony; no matter how well she outwardly copes or tells herself she is over him.
Why did Harley fall in love with Joker in the first place? Was she attracted to the glamour of his fearsome reputation? Harley must’ve been a little bit kooky to begin with. Stirring the attention of someone so notorious must also have tickled her a touch. Joker, being so perceptive, would’ve known which buttons to push to bring out the submissive masochist in Harley, the latent obsessive streak, how to twist and manipulate her into enslaving herself to him. But, apart from all this, Harley also believes in The Joker. She believes in whatever she sees that no one else does, and whilst she doesn’t try to change him, she tries to bring it out in him. It’s a big part of what keeps her anchored to him.
Assertion and Power Exchange:
Over the years Harley was increasingly depicted as lashing back at The Joker, beating him up or threatening his life when he truly offended her. This could be regarded as a natural progression of her increasing insanity and imbalance, but I feel it happened because the writers no longer wanted Harley to be so much the victim. The side-effect is, it requires The Joker to be written slightly out of character in allowing it. Always the best, the strongest and the most compelling stories are those that remind us how deep Joker’s control over her is and firmly establishes his role as the dominant and the aggressor in the relationship. While I like to see a Harley with a sense of self-respect and can certainly believe she would set out wanting to get even with Joker when he wrongs her; ultimately her fractured psyche and utter devotion will always have her yield. It requires little more than The Joker putting the right spin on a manipulative gesture or even injecting the fear of God into her –of him really hurting her, or of truly losing him.
She is his victim, and she is more than willing to be it. She will take whatever she can get with Joker, because he is so utterly unpredictable and abnormal. She adapts to treasure every gesture she has from him. Without Joker, she is simply incomplete and possibly even carries on in hopes of regaining his attention. It is not mere infatuation, but something that goes beyond a normal range of emotion to the absolute extremes of dependency, love, passion and obsession. Combined, it's a sickening mix that must swirl painfully inside of her.
Additionally, for a submissive nature the knowledge that you have committed your all to your Dominant, that they are in complete control of you and your life and their power is absolute, is incredibly heady and fulfilling. It is the desire of most submissives to do just this - but Harley takes it to the absolute, fulfills it utterly and without rules, guidelines or negotiations. She embodies it. Once you have reached that level, it begins to feed itself, meaning pleasure and joy continues to heighten the more you commit to such a situation. It is, for a submissive nature, the ultimate expression of love and is done willingly.
Joker's own power is very probably an attraction also for Harley, as well as knowing she is the only person to be so close to him, to have seen the private face the world does not. To have survived so long at the side of so deranged and dangerous an individual, as well as witnessing his power over those around him, probably gives Harley a sense of power of her own, however much an illusion it is. This would be as much a drug as Joker himself or the feeling she has for him, especially to feel that she is the one who is by his side – and the one to have succeeded in getting so close.
Whatever you personally believe, one thing there can be no doubt of and that is that Harley has had an impact on The Joker, perhaps more than any other person has for sixty-eight years. She has added a new dimension to his personality, one that is ripe for exploration and speculation about one of the most intriguing and fascinating villains ever created.
It is, of course, a romanticisation of a terrible situation to enjoy this relationship as it is. It's clearly not a desirable one or a healthy one. But it's one that I love. Many fans of this pairing have their own affection for Joker and identify with Harley's emotion on a certain level. It is both an interesting and compelling one, as well as being sick, twisted and bizarre. Of course, there will be many who do not agree with much of what I have written above, and that is fine. We all have our own responses. However, I, for one, never want to see this pairing end. For me, it's magic and was what first drew me into their world.
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Comics: Mad Love Batman: Harley Quinn Harley Quinn #1 Harley Quinn #5 The Code (Batman #570 & Detective #737) Joker’s Last Laugh (Batman & Robin Adventures #18) Mightier Than The Sword (Batman: Gotham Adventures #10) Masks of Love (Batman: Gotham Adventures #14) Joker/Mask 1-4 Joker’s Last Laugh Superman: Emperor Joker Harley & Ivy: Love on the Lam Twelve Days of Madness (Batman Adventures #28) Two-Timer (Batman and Robin Adventures #1)
Cartoons: Wild Cards (Justice League Unlimited) Harlequinade (Batman: The Animated Series) World’s Finest (The New Batman Adventures) Harley & Ivy (Batman: The Animated Series) The Man Who Killed Batman (Batman: The Animated Series) The Laughing Fish (Batman: The Animated Series) Beware the Creeper (The New Batman Adventures) The Trial (Batman: The Animated Series) Joker’s Millions (The New Batman Adventures)
Relationship with others
Harley had an on-again, off-again friendship/partnership with Poison Ivy, whom she worked well with. Poison Ivy has always had a soft-spot for Harley, often stating that that Quinn has no need for Joker. However, Harley never seemed to accept that Ivy was right, and would often obsess over him. This along, with her flaky personality would often cause Ivy great annoyance, but never to the point that she would sever ties with Harley.
Harley's feelings toward Batman were similarly conflicted. Most of the time, he was her enemy, which was natural given that he was Joker's enemy. Sometimes, she even blamed Batman for Joker's abusiveness toward her, feeling that Batman's interference was what kept them from living a "normal" life. Which it sort of was.
Yet on one occasion, she recognized that Batman was one of the few people who didn't think she was hopelessly insane, and who had done his best to help her.[2] Ironically, Harley was able to do the one thing Joker never could: Make Batman laugh.[4]
Harley was the primary caretaker for Bud and Lou, the pair of hyenas the Joker owned, whom she affectionately referred to as her "babies". Joker bought them for her, apparently as a gift to her.
Abilities and equipment
Harley Quinn possessed above-average agility and fighting skills. She was an Olympic-level gymnast and acrobat.
Harley also carried an assortment of clown-themed tools, although they rarely proved effective.[6] One of her signature weapons is an oversized wooden mallet which she swings around with surprising skill despite its unwieldy appearance. Another weapon in her arsenal is an oversized revolver with a cork in the barrel. The cork usually contains ropes to tie people up or knockout gas.
Unlike the Joker, harley could also act sane long enough to appear in disguise as a "normal" person. (She even got paroled from Arkham Asylum once.) Harley's impersonations included a security guard[5] and a lawyer.[9] Due to Harley's charisma and psychiatric training, she is also adept at psychologically manipulating others.
Early in their partnership, Poison Ivy injected Harley with a toxin antidote, which rendered her immune to certain chemicals and diseases,[3] and had the side effect of enhancing her strength and stamina, allowing her to survive normally fatal accidents.[4][8]
Background information
Harley Quinn was created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, based on (and created for) Dini's friend Arleen Sorkin, who provided the character's voice.[10] "Remarkably", Dini jokes, "she still speaks to me".
The character was so popular that she was eventually incorporated into the DC Comics universe.
There is some conflicting continuity about Harley's origins. Some episodes of Batman: The Animated Series such as "Harlequinade" describe her as a serious clinical psychiatrist who was "rescued" from her boring life by Joker. However "Mad Love", the first full exploration of Harley's origins, portray her as more flaky, whose career as a psychiatrist was still undeveloped when she fell for Joker. Some details of "Mad Love" are fleshed out in the comic the episode is based on, also written by Dini and Timm.
Of Harley's relationship with the Joker, Dini writes:
“ | Bruce, Eric, Alan and I agreed that while we never wanted to delve too deeply into the rotting offal that passes as the Joker's soul, we did want to broaden the character a bit. One way we humanized the least human of Batman's enemies was to put him in a relationship with a woman who, for whatever reasons, adores him. | ” |
Mark Hamill added:
“ | Expressing emotion in any way that's real and meaningful is alien to the Joker, but he's learning those parts of himself, however unconsciously, through Harley. On a physical level they're dynamite together. A lot of relationships are defined by that. Two people may be really horrible for each other, but physically they push each other's buttons so clearly they can't get enough of that person. | ” |
Says Arleen Sorkin:
“ | Everyone else sees the Joker laugh, only Harley has ever seen him cry. It's the only reason she stays with him. | ” |
The producers have confirmed that it was Poison Ivy's stamina inducer that allowed Harley to survive the falls in "Mad Love" and Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and to survive into old age.
Film director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma) was so taken with the character that he named his newborn daughter Harley Quinn Smith.
Trivia
- During the episode "The Man Who Killed Batman", Sorkin actually performed Harley's "Amazing Grace" on a kazoo herself. The producers gave her a kazoo and asked her to give it a try while recording the episode. Later they said it was lucky they'd managed to do it in one take, because they were all helpless with laughter as soon as she'd finished.
- Harley also appears in the non-DCAU series "The Batman" and "Batman: The Brave And The Bold", voiced by Hynden Walch (who voiced Ace) and Meghan Strange, respectively.
- Arleen Sorkin returned to the role of Harley Quinn for the video games, DC Universe Online and Batman: Arkham Asylum (not in continuity with the DCAU). In the Arkham Asylum, Harley sports a different appearance to her traditional jester's outfit look, wearing what appears to be a modified nurse's uniform, though her jester's cap can be found on a dummy head in her old office. Harley also appears in Batman: Arkham City, but with Tara Strong providing her voice instead. In Arkham City, figurines of Harley in her traditional jester outfit are scattered throughout the Steel Mill (where Joker and Harley are originally hiding out) and have speakers in the over-sized heads that allow Harley to communicate through them.
Appearances
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Gotham Girls, "Miss Un-Congeniality"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Idem, "Harley's Holiday"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Idem, "Harley and Ivy"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The New Batman Adventures, "Mad Love"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Batman: The Animated Series, "Joker's Favor"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Idem, "Harlequinade"
- ↑ Justice League, "Wild Cards"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
- ↑ Batman: The Animated Series, "The Man Who Killed Batman"
- ↑ http://imdb.com/name/nm0815071/
External links
- Harley Quinn at Wikipedia
- Harley Quinn at the DC Database
- Harley Quinn's Haven — the most comprehensive Harley Quinn website on the net