Summary
DC’sBatman: Caped Crusaderanimated show introduces a brand-new version of Harley Quinn that builds upon some of theDCEU’s ideas.DC’s 2024 seriesBatman: Caped Crusaderfeatures Harley Quinn, who made her debut in Paul Dini and Bruce Timm’sBatman: The Animated Series, released more than three decades beforeDC’s new animated Batman show. Harley Quinn was an original character designed to be the Joker’s closest ally exclusively in the 1990s show, but her popularity turned her into an A-list Gotham villain across all media.
Batman: Caped Crusaderis a new animated series based on DC’s Gotham City lore, with the titular Dark Knight facing villains such as Harvey Two-Face, Clayface, Catwoman, and Harley Quinn in a 1940s-era Gotham. Thanks to its vintage aesthetics, the show’s heroes and villains sport costumes inspired by their original comic book appearances. For instance, Batman wears short gloves, and Catwoman wears a blue costume with a cape. The character with the most dramatic changes, however, is Harley Quinn.
Batman: Caped Crusader Changes Harley Quinn’s Origin
DC’s New Harley Quinn Isn’t Directly Connected To The Joker
Batman: Caped Crusader’s version of Harley Quinn is very different from all past iterations of the character. Not only is Harleen Quinzel’s villain persona much scarier and more serious than usual, but her regular self is also keen on going down a dark path on her own. Unlike almost every other Harley Quinn in the DC multiverse,Batman: Caped Crusader’s Harleen Quinzel becomes Harley Quinn without Joker’s influence, and she bases her costume and make-up on her own idea of a killer harlequin, not on the idea of a female Joker counterpart.
DC Animated Universe Complete Timeline: What Order To Watch
Here’s the correct order to watch all eight shows and six movies that are part of the DC Animated Universe, also known as the Timmverse or DCAU.
Lovecraft Countryactor Jamie Chung, who voiced Go Go Tomago inBig Hero 6and Death in the animatedBatman: Death in the Family, is voicing Harley Quinn inBatman: Caped Crusader. Jamie Chung’s Harley Quinn is a charismatic Asian-American psychiatrist who treats Bruce Wayne by day and fights Batman by night. She is one of the many villains who makeBatman: Caped Crusader’s 1940s-era Gotham the dangerous city that Batman needs to protect while keeping his identity a secret from close acquaintances like his secretly villainous therapist.
The DCEU Actively Walked Back Harley Quinn’s Joker Tie
Harley Quinn’s Break-Up With The Joker Was A Turning Point In Her DCEU Story
Harley Quinn’s independence from the Joker was a big part of her character arc in the DCEU. However, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn still had a comic-accurate origin story, as shown inSuicide Squad. Just like inBatman: The Animated Seriesand the comics, Robbie’s Harley started out as a regular psychiatrist working in Arkham who fell in love with the Joker. Also quite accurately, the Joker convinced Harley of diving into the same vat of chemicals as him, and he manipulated her into staying in an abusive relationship with him.
Suicide Squad’s poor reception helped change the course ofHarley Quinn’s DCEU story. Leaving Jared Leto’s Joker behind,Birds of Preyfollowed Harley Quinn as she moved on from"Mr. J"and became an independent anti-hero.The Suicide Squadcontinued this thread with Harley Quinn’s participation in a new Task Force X mission, which certainly would have led to other Harley-centric stories had the DCEU continued without a reboot. Meanwhile, the animatedHarley Quinnshow focused precisely on Harley’s adventures after her break-up with the Joker.
Why Harley Quinn’s New Origin Is Great News For DC
New DC Movies And Shows May Keep Helping Harley Quinn Evolve Past The Joker
Harley Quinn’s new portrayal inBatman: Caped Crusadercomes from the same mind that co-created her:Batman: The Animated Seriesco-creator Bruce Timm, who’s producing the 2024 series alongside J.J. Abrams andThe Batmandirector Matt Reeves. There might not be anybody more fit to introduce a new version of Harley Quinn than Timm. Thirty-two years after her first-ever appearance, a fresh take on Harley Quinn adds to her rich history and further separates her from the Joker, who has held onto the spotlight for more than 80 years.
Batman: Caped Crusaderreinforces the idea that Harley Quinn doesn’t need the Joker to be an interesting character. This time, the Joker is dropped from the get-go, which makes it easier forBatman: Caped Crusaderto focus on Harley’s own story without having to dwell on Joker’s abusive behavior. Harley also receives more agency from the start, and her decision to become a villain is all her own. Just likeBatman: The Animated Seriesinspired DC to adopt Harley Quinn as a major villain,Batman: Caped Crusadermight inspire future projects to separate Harley Quinn completely from the Joker.
