How Harley First Met Ivy

Harley Quinn, Season 2, Episode 6 Review

One of the best things to come out of the DC Animated Universe was that it gave us Harley Quinn and her amazing origin story. “Mad Love” remains a DC classic that reminds us all that the Joker is the biggest jerk in fiction. At least he was in Harley Quinn, until Harley and Ivy dropped him in a vat of acid that wiped his memories and made him a normal Joe. However, when the two girls discover the now normal Joker at a bar, the two debate on whether or not they should kill him. Harley says they shouldn’t because she thinks people can change and recounts how she first met Joker and Ivy.

Rather than be just a rehash of “Mad Love” and it showing how toxic Joker was for Harley, this episode subverts this. Yes, Joker is in it (rocking the Heath Ledger look, no less,) and we see hints of how Harley’s relationship with him will turn out. However, the main plot point is how Harley and Ivy became friends. Seeing how Harley was probably the first person to treat Ivy with any form of respect is genuinely sweet to watch. As a result, it looks like Harley proved her point.

I understand that Harley doesn’t want to hurt Joker if he’s now normal, but this is still Joker. Now that we know he’s back, we know it’s only a matter of time before he remembers everything and goes back to being the Clown Prince of Crime. It’s his idea of fun, which is why he won’t change. Ivy even proves it by poking some holes in Harley’s story. Firstly, she gave up on humanity because humanity treated her like garbage; a lot of people would do that. Secondly, a sob story Joker told Harley in the past was something he stole from Ivy.

So, afterward the episode ends with Harley and Ivy being captured by Two-Face, and Mr. J’s repressed memories leaking to the surface. I’m betting that by the time the season ends, Joker will be back causing chaos. 

I Give “All the Best Inmates have Daddy Issues” a 4.5/5

Stray Observations

• It was fun seeing what everyone looked like in the past. Riddler had all his hair, Gordon was in good shape, and Joker looked he did in The Dark Knight. 

• Harley’s the one who coined the name “Two-Face”, but can she get royalties for that? 

• This isn’t the first time Joker’s gone normal. When it looked like Batman died, he went sane. As soon as he came back, he went crazy again. 
• Also, Jason Todd existed in this universe, but Joker killed him years ago. No word if he comes back.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.