Batman Animated Series Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy

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The Importance of Harley and Ivy's Queer Blithe Romance

The Importance of Harley and Ivy's Queer Blithe...

Tuesday, August 11th, 2022

Since the early days of Batman: The Blithe Series, we've seen a potent bail between "gal pals" Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. It'due south a friendship that expanded into other properties—including DC's prime universe and animated films. In Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner's Harley Quinn #25, Harley and Ivy's relationship became much more than than a friendship equally the ii shared their get-go on-panel buss, confirming their once subtextual queer relationship decades in the making.

Following this offset kiss, there accept been a few Elseworlds storylines, including Injustice: Gods Among U.s. and DC's Bombshells, featuring their romance, but few in-continuity stories took a deep dive into their newly formed human relationship. Of grade, while the comics may not fully tap into the potential of Harley Quinn and Poisonous substance Ivy'south coupling, the Harley Quinn animated series fully fleshes out their romance.

A Friendship That Became More

Harley Quinn finds success taking its time building the human relationship between Harley and Ivy, with the pilot establishing that Ivy and Harley are best friends. Subsequently years of alarm signs, Ivy is finally able to convince Harley to break off her toxic relationship with the Joker. The writers delicately make sure Ivy isn't a rebound for Harley. The outset season doesn't focus on Ivy and Harley's romantic relationship, but instead on their friendship.

It's non until the second season that sparks begin to fly between the two best friends. In "At that place'southward No Place to Go But Down," Ivy and Harley are sent to "The Pit," an inescapable prison run by Bane. Though not even a pit of despair is going to stop Harley and Ivy from coming up with a program to escape—i that happens to involve George Lopez.

In a loftier-adrenaline exit, Ivy proves her loyalty to Harley by risking her ain life to save her best friend. In the rut of the moment, Harley and Ivy share an intense osculation. Their romantic feelings for each other sneak up on them—exploring the messy emotions that come forth with falling in love.

Harley rapidly accepts that she has feelings for her best friend—Ivy does not. She's getting married to Kite Homo. Even if it's non true dear, it's a low-maintenance human relationship with a good guy, which is hard to come up by within the villain community of Gotham. But most importantly, Ivy doesn't want to ruin the friendship she has with Harley because she fears that, if they become something more, Harley'due south rash personality will only end upward breaking her heart—ruining the near sacred relationship she has in her life.

The Queer Relationship is the Main Plot

These turbulent feelings between Harley and Ivy become the driving narrative for the animated testify's second season. Contrary to Harley's beliefs, this isn't a story about Harley Quinn becoming the DC Universe'southward greatest villain. The chaos in Gotham, the villains' new form of leadership, and Batman'south absenteeism all play second fiddle to Harley and Ivy's bail.

When a bear witness's leads are super-villains, it's expected that the writers are going to break a few rules. Nearly superhero shows building up to their final act will focus on activity instead of grapheme. Harley Quinn does the verbal opposite. The action pieces in season ii's final episodes aren't the main focus, but are instead used to intensify the character beats in Harley and Ivy'due south turbulent relationship as they figure out their feelings for each other.

At that place's No Coming Out Story

Harley Quinn season 2 is super queer, and *gasp* there'south no coming out story. I personally love these narratives and I don't feel like every blazon of coming out story has been told on Tv or in other media. Only I exercise believe there's a power in non needing a coming out story. Many queer narratives are defined by this trope—as if it'south the only type of story that can be told with a queer character, which is obviously not truthful.

In that location'due south never a moment that Harley or Ivy have to "come up out," but that doesn't mean their queerness is ignored. There'south fifty-fifty a moment when Harley tries to lighten the mood and tells Ivy, "You're here, y'all're queer. Get used to it." Harley Quinn is a testament not only to how the comics and hereafter Bat shows should handle Harley and Ivy's romance, just also a perfect example of how other TV shows should tell their queer storylines.

Harley Quinn's get-go two seasons are now on HBO Max and DC Universe.Visit our official Harley Quinn page for more news, videos and features on the animated Gotham Urban center troublemaker.

A version of this article originally ran on DC Universe. Exist sure tosubscribe to DC Universe for boosted DC news and announcements, plus original and archetype DCTV shows, movies, comics and more!

Kat Calamia writes about TV, animation and comics for DCUniverse.com. Bank check her out on YouTube and follow her on Twitter at @ComicUno.