Ever since Suicide Squad hit the theaters, countless articles have come out ridiculing Harley Quinn and the venomous relationship she shares with the Joker. This “mad love” is indeed toxic and abusive, and the arguments about this relationship are centered around Harley’s loyalty and the physical and psychological abuse the Joker inflicts. Despite this main central argument, the character Harley Quinn is actually quite complex and her story is an intricate, sad and a very real representation of what an abusive relationship does to someone. I feel like Harley hasn't been given the credit she deserves. She is so much more than the abusive relationship she's known for. Here are some things about Harley Quinn that touch deeper than the surface that the DC cinematic universe has barely scratched.
Harleen Quinzel is highly educated.
Before her time with the Joker, Harley Quinn was merely Dr. Harleen Quinzel, M.D., the primary psychiatrist assigned to evaluate the tainted psyche of the Joker at Arkham Asylum. Her pull towards insanity ignited during her sessions with him, initially feeling sorry for the Joker and unexpectedly falling for him. She plays the ditzy blonde well, yet her smarts come out in her combat as well as in her assistance with the joker’s plans. Her background in psychology suggests that she knows exactly how bizarre she is, but her intense love for the Joker and her sociopathic persona overpower her desire to be normal.
Harley understands the unhealthiness of her relationship.
In a more recent adaption of Harley Quinn, Injustice: Gods Among Us, it becomes clear that Harley is fully aware that her relationship with the Joker is abusive. In past reincarnations, she seems blissfully unaware of how horribly she is treated in her relationship and continues to allow the Joker throw her around. In this universe, however, Harley becomes more humanistic as she battles with the knowledge that her relationship needs to end for her sake, while still feeling the constant pull from the Joker—a situation very common in victims of domestic abuse. Harleen Quinzel is a psychiatrist, and her education and awareness of her situation isn't lost with her transition into Harley Quinn.
She’s not just a side-kick.
Harley can hold her own. As a trained gymnast, she was agile prior to her alter ego days and it proves to be a great coupling with her crazed fighting style. In a previous encounter with Poison Ivy, she gained immunity to toxins, adding another beneficial attribute to her combat strength. In the Harley Quinn comics, the story centers around the leading lady moving forward from her life with the Joker. Keeping the cutesy-crazy and deranged antics she’s known for, and getting work done!
She’s a much needed addition to the DC universe.
Strong female characters are pretty scarce in the comic book cinematic world, and Harley Quinn is more than just a pretty face plastered onto a violent sociopath. Her brief lapses from her unpredictable insanity into a more humanistic role are enough to make anyone a fan. Harley has a powerful internal struggle with her obsessive love for an abusive and cruel man, and her desire for normalcy and happiness. The Joker’s “love” for Harley is merely a need for possession, leaving Harley’s devotion often unrequited. This allows audience to be sympathetic while still appreciating the darkness and the silly humor of the character. She often walks the rope over hero and villain, and this struggle within her only brings forward more curiosity as to how complex Harley Quinn actually is.
Despite popular opinion, I enjoyed Suicide Squad and appreciated the characterization of one of my favorite comic book characters. I’ve always been a fan of anti-heroes in the comic universe, and the story of Harley Quinn is a deeply intricate representation of a woman who has let her insanity consume her, losing her prior self entirely for a powerful love, and yet feels the pull of morality and humanity. No, the relationship of Harley and the Joker is not one to be romanticized, and fans of the movie and the characters should be aware of this. Harley Quinn, however, is more than her abusive relationship and has become a character to be admired and loved (you know that despite the violent murders and all). My hopes for the future of the DC cinematic universe is that Harley’s story will be further revealed as it has been in the comics, and that this complex character will be given justice.
