Harley Quinn
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Real Identity: Dr. Harleen Quinzel
Affiliations: Task Force X
Appearances (BTAC Comics): Red Son Rising Part 1, Red Son Rising Part 2, Secret Santa, Mayor Mayhem Part Three, Old Flames, Crack-Up! Part Two, Crack-Up! Part Three, The Offer Part One, The Offer Part Two, and The Offer Part Three
Skills: Acrobatics and Armed Combat
Harleen Quinzel attended Gotham State University on an athletic scholarship. At the same time Cassie Kendall and Bruce Wayne were dating, Kendall had a secret fling with Quinzel. They had laughs about the former stringing Wayne along. At the end of junior year, Kendall thought about spending the summer in Europe. Quinzel only had herself to offer and hoped she would stay in Gotham with her. They met at their secret rendezvous at a stadium owned by the Kendall family and spent the night. The next morning, Kendall was gone. A couple weeks later, Quinzel got a postcard from Paris. Quinzel became an intern at Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane under the supervision of Dr. Joan Leland scheming cash in as a pop psychologist and publish a tell all book on the Asylum's high profile inmates. She soon fell in love with the Joker and fashioned herself as Harley Quinn and broke him out.
The Joker and Harley Quinn initiated their plan to capture the second Robin and set off a public break up at Amusement Mile under the guise of celebrating the anniversary of their first heist together. Harley pretended to be upset about the lack of romance and was further angered when Joker presented her with a Beppo doll to snuggle with. She remarked she got more affection from deworming Bud and Lou and declared they were done then stormed off. Joker yelled she would come crawling back like always. Joker was about to set off for the whack-a-mole when Harley returned atop a bulldozer. Joker was forced to jump off the wharf.
Harley then went about destroying every place the couple ever went to together in hopes of luring Robin out. She was attacked before she would blow up Nate-mans with a crate of dynamite. She swung her mallet and called him a boy scout. Robin was amused by her ignorance and drop kicked her then gave her a backhand. He teased they wanted the same thing, to get rid of the Joker. Robin demanded his location and he promised her she would only end up in the emergency room. Joker sneaked up on Robin and used his electric joy buzzer. Joker presented a bouquet of flowers to Harley as Robin collapsed. Harley was touched. Joker decided the flowers were more fitting for Robin and threw them on his body as he passed out. Robin was taken to a warehouse near a lighthouse and tied to a wooden board affixed to a clown themed parade float. Joker claimed he wanted a cheerful environment for their play date. He noted how busy but unhappy Robin had been lately. Robin retorted he would feel better when his hands were around Joker's neck.
Joker pointed out his pent-up hostility and concluded he was obviously in need of help. Harley Quinn, wearing a lab coat, announced the doctor was in, insane and bent down to look at Robin. Robin promised her she was dead. She hopped off and concluded he had violent psychotic tendencies due to a history of acting out destructive power fantasies which were no doubt the effect of a very toxic home environment. Joker concurred. Harley thought it was Batman's obsession with building a vigilante dynasty that drove him to make anyone a so-called Robin, even an unhinged maniac like the current one. Joker was in complete agreement with her diagnosis. One of the goons handed Joker a crowbar. He concluded they were faced with a case of self-preservation and cited what Robin did to Penguin, Clock King, and Killer Croc just recently. He proclaimed to have the cure then proceeded to beat and bludgeon Robin to death with his crowbar. Harley eventually interceded. Joker acknowledged he was being selfish and offered her the crowbar.
Harley noted roughing up Robin was one thing but killing him was another. Joker was annoyed she thought they were going to let him go after giving Robin a love tap. He pointed out Robin wouldn't stop his reign of terror until every villain was dead so he was practically begging for the beating. She wouldn't comply so Joker ordered her to be removed. Two goons carried her outside. Batman was already on the roof and pounced on them. Harley volunteered to help Batman stop the Joker but he elected to leave her handcuffed outside. She later made a confession about Robin's kidnapping.
Before the finale of the Red Hood incident, Harley Quinn suggested to Joker they should see other people then applied her mallet to his forehead. She went to live with Poison Ivy. During the holidays, after another break out, Harley and Ivy stuck together. Harley soon got bored and shot ornaments off her fake Christmas Tree. After the sixth successful shot in a row, Ivy asked if she was watching "Thin Man" again. Harley clarified it was the 50's movie "Annie Get Your Gun" and mused Betty Hutton would be perfect to play her on screen. Ivy informed her she was a little too late with that casting. Harley declared she was bored. She wanted to go out, see people, and shop. Ivy reminded her they tried that already and ended up back in Arkham thanks to Batman. Harley promised this year would be different and she wanted to spread some cheer and throw a little get together. Ivy stressed no parties. Harley insisted they would invite their friends. Ivy didn't understand at first but deduced she meant the other costumed criminals. She still said no to the idea.
Harley begged and promised their would be chocolate Santas, razzleberry punch, and peppermint bark. Ivy told her to zip it. Harley bemoaned it felt like they traded one prison for another but with more humidity and even Joker would throw a party, even though he'd likely try to kill everyone. Ivy relented. Harley jumped into her arms. Ivy dropped her and stated two conditions: the party had to be held somewhere else and no ex-boyfriends were invited. Harley promised and reminded her she and Joker were still broken up. She looked out the window and saw the Gotham Plaza Christmas Tree was just lit and took it as a sign they were meant to throw the party. She brandished a mistletoe and kissed Ivy to her chagrin. Harley worked out a side deal with Carpenter to rent the Iceberg Lounge out for the party. Harley greeted Arnold Wesker first and gave him a peck on the cheek then told him not to be so formal. Harley took him over to the bar and they talked to Carpenter and March Hare.
After teasing Harley about only liking her sometimes, Ivy admitted she was right about the party and did something meaningful by giving them all a place to be for the holidays. Harley just didn't want anyone to be alone. Joker and Straightman crashed the party. After Harley screamed at Joker to leave, Joker claimed he only came bearing naught but goodwill and a present for their gift exchange. Harley assumed the present was going to blow up. She paused and wished Straightman a Merry Christmas. Straightman wished her a Happy Hanukkah. Batman infiltrated the party as Knute Brody, Gotham's most inept henchman, dressed as Santa Claus. He thwarted Joker's efforts to return Scarface to Wesker then "remembered" he saw the police coming. The party came to an abrupt end. Harley wished everyone a good night. On New Year's Eve, at 9 pm, Harley returned to the hideout with the food and drinks they needed to celebrate with. She found Ivy tied up and Batman and Robin waiting. Ivy declared the party was stupid. Batman demanded the Joker's location but Harley insisted they were still broken up and she wanted nothing to do with him. Robin persisted she had to know something. Harley declared he could sink in quicksand, fall in a tar pit, or rot in his Ha-Ha Hideaway. She stopped herself but Ivy quipped that was fast even for her.
Nearly a year later, on Election Day, Ivy was disgusted and commented it was another charade of an election dominated by entitled Gotham sleaze bags. Harley revealed she was voting for a write-in candidate. Ivy looked and saw she voted for herself. Harley was ready for the landslide win to begin. When all the results were in, Summer Gleeson reported Hamilton Hill Junior won with 58 percent of the vote, Mayfield had 42 percent, and there was one write-in vote for local nuisance Harley Quinn. Harley was crestfallen. Ivy kissed her on the head and told her the landslide would come next time. The next year, Harley accidentally confused one tank of bug spray with a tank of defoliant and killed Ivy's plants. A "mutual" decision was made for Harley and Ivy to take a break from each other. Ivy went to Brazil. One day, Harley went to Taqueira Tiki and tried to rustle together a girls' night out but Ivy was still gone, Catwoman was missing in action, and everyone else was ghosting her. She called up March Hare but she was in the middle of a shoot out with police over stolen Faberge eggs.
The bartender suggested friends or family then even alluded to Joker to Harley's disgust. She was elated to see Cassie Kendall was back in Gotham and wanted to see if there was still a spark between the two. Harley Quinn sneaked into the party at the top of Sorkin Arms and surprised Kendall. Kendall rushed her off to a bedroom and promised they would have their own private party later. A paramilitary team of kidnappers arrived in a helicopter and kidnapped Kendall. A kidnapper told her to back off and called her a "Ditzoid." She kicked him off the building to his death. Harley attempted to intervene but Kendall was held at gunpoint and a gun pointed at her. Harley fell into a nearby pool. The kidnappers tossed a grenade into the pool but Harley was fished out by Batman before she could plummet to her death. She could not believe her luck. Harley was interrogated by Detective Bullock. He found it hard to believe she and Kendall were friends. Harley claimed she was trying to save Kendall. On the other side of the glass, Commissioner Gordon told Batman security camera footage backed her claim. Gordon decided to cut her loose.
Batman escorted her to Ivy's home on Pershing Place. She told Batman they were on a break then told him she went to see Kendall to see if there was still an attraction. She stopped and was amused she was talking about love to Batman. Batman was surprised they were an item. Quinzel admitted Kendall played the field and remembered they had some laughs about Bruce Wayne being strung along. After Batman left, Harley remembered one of Joker's former henchmen Rusty Franks used to call her a "Ditzoid," too and realized he was the kidnapper she killed. Following a rumor Franks was Two-Face's henchman, she tracked him to the Second Chance Mission. Disguised as an old homeless woman, Harley knocked on the front door and asked to be let in. A henchman told her to hit the bricks. She lit a Molotov cocktail and immolated him. Two-Face fired off warning shots and told her the answer was "no" to whatever she wanted. Batman disarmed him with a Batarang and put out the henchman with a miniature extinguisher.
Harley asked Two-Face about Rusty Franks to his surprise. She knew him from Joker's gang back in the day and revealed Franks used the "Ditzoid" nickname when he thought she wasn't listening. Two-Face claimed he hadn't seen Franks since his last stint at Arkham Asylum and he would never hurt "Sweet Cassie." Harley and Batman realized he and Kendall had a fling, too. Two-Face admitted it was a one or two night fling. Harley kicked him flat on his back. Batman tied him up. She noticed he was ready to slug him and offered to talk about his anger issues. He told her to be quiet. While Batman talked to Gordon in the Batmobile she lay on the hood. She looked back on the last time she saw Kendall years ago and concluded she should have let the past stay buried. Batman thought that was easier said than done, sometimes, and asked her where her "secret rendezvous" with Kendall was. They headed to a stadium owned by the Kendall family.
Batman swung into the stadium's luxury suite and took out the kidnappers. Kendall picked up a dropped gun and ordered him and Harley to freeze or they were dead. Harley recalled the wild times they had in the suite. Kendall revealed she kept her around for laughs. Harley offered her another, a corker. She popped the cork on a bottle of champagne. It hit her right eye. Kendall fired wildly, lost her balance, and fell out of of the suite. Harley grabbed her arm at the last second but spared her life then told Batman Kendall was the past and left, now happy by herself for the time being. Kendall tried to claim she was the victim. Batman handcuffed her and told her she mistook him for someone who cared. Harley Quinn finally hosted a girls' night at Taqueria Tiki with March Hare, Roxy Rocket, and Baby Doll. Baby told Harley it was nice to see her happy again after her split with Ivy. Harley revealed they made up via text and Ivy was coming as soon as landed in Gotham.
Amanda Waller commented that was a cause for celebration but asked for no salt in her margarita because she had to watch her blood pressure. Harley told her it was a private party and handed her a bowl of chips and salsa. Waller stated Task Force X needed her help even though she already served her time. Harley quickly declined. Waller ordered King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Katana to take Baby Doll, Roxy Rocket, and March Hare instead. Waller ordered them to fit Rocket and Baby with neck bombs while she made sure Hare got deported. Harley demanded to know what the job was. Waller replied she wanted Joker and Straightman. She suggested open mic night at Laff City. To prove how serious she was, Waller took out her phone and showed Deadshot and the Muscle holding Poison Ivy hostage. Harley caved and agreed to do her dirty work but warned if Ivy or her friends got hurt, she would kill her.
Task Force X arrived at the Pizza Clown Family Restaurant. Muscle remarked he lived in Gotham for his whole life but he never saw Pizza Clown ever. Harley promised she would show him all the high-class dumps if he stuck with her. She took her bat and smashed the lock off the front doors. Captain Boomerang guessed it was the 25th or 26th amusement place they searched in one night. King Shark stated he lost count. Katana asked Harley if there was an arcade or funhouse she and Joker didn't use as a hideout. Harley feigned amusement and but replied there wasn't. Deadshot asked for the skinny on the place. Harley warned the team she and Joker booby-trapped all the games and clowns to explode just in case Batman came to investigate. Boomerang was ready to inform Waller they found another dead end. King Shark saw a whoopee cushion and sat on it. Harley could not warn him in time and a bomb was detonated.
Joker stepped into the room and was grateful the early warning system still worked. He was delighted to see Harley and asked what brought her back to the old stomping grounds. He joked it wasn't the pizza. Harley agreed they sucked more than his jokes and took a weak swing with the little energy she had left. Joker easily ducked and she lost consciousness. Joker surveyed Task Force X and declared he had his own army. Harley came to, tied to a kiddie ride, and watched as Joker used the Psi-Ber Helmet on her teammates brainwashing them one by one and renamed them J-Team. She also noted Joker wanted to win her back with his charms to her disgust. She was taken back to Task Force X's local headquarters, The Institute. Harley Quinn was handcuffed to a table. She wanted to get back into the fight after being dragged into it. Waller believed doing that would make her a liability waiting to happen and couldn't risk Joker using the Psi-Ber Helmet on her, too. Batman appeared and asked what Joker did. Waller briefed him on her team's defeat. Harley added King Shark got the worst of it and the doctors were still working on him then recapped what happened.
Batman brought up Waller's method of tracking her team through the bombs in their brains. Waller confirmed she did and they commandeered a S.W.A.T. van, took police hostages, and were headed to Camp Finger. Harley used a pin to pick her cuffs and get free. Waller insisted he take Harley along. Batman believed she just wanted to get rid of her. Batgirl, Robin, and Haslett took cover behind a giant satellite dish. Robin saw Deadshot with a bazooka. Batman swung and and kicked Deadshot. The bazooka went off and the explosion took out Muscle and Boomerang. Robin warned Batman Katana was behind him. Harley fired a tranquilizer dart into Katana's neck. Harley apologized and promised she was welcome to join the next Girls Night. Harley declared she was done with Task Force X and reckoned she should join the Bat-Family because they could use a few laughs. She realized they were gone. Harley enjoyed watching Straightman slam Joker around and was bummed when it ended. Waller kept her word and released Harley Quinn's friends.
One night, during a four month slump in crime in Gotham, Harley Quinn read her MAD magazines but Ivy asked her to put on some music to uplift the daisies. Harley complained if she heard "Edelweiss" one more time, she would go crazy. Ivy jokingly asked how they would know. Catwoman suddenly fell through the ceiling. Ivy wondered why she came. They were surrounded by Talons, to Harley's chagrin. Ivy was confident in her home security system and toxic cactus needles but Harley watched as they broke free, unaffected. She suggested using the Rhododendrons next. They were suddenly joined by Batman and Robin. Batman mentioned they were undead soldiers. Harley grabled a sickle and decapitated one. They suddenly retreated. Harley ran over to check Catwoman. Batman presented a bag of Gaia Grain and asked Ivy to check if it was safe. Harley was annoyed to see more seeds. Ivy was not amiable at first and cited Batman being somewhere below a weed whacker in her book.
Harley urged her to help and brought up how they defeated Joker and Straightman together earlier that year and before that, her old girlfriend. Before Ivy could reply, Harley speculated Batman wanted to become a farmer. Selina Kyle regained consciousness and called out from the room. Batman asked her if she was all right then she kissed him. Batman carried her out. She thanked Harley and Ivy for having her back. The next day, Harley hacked her way through the field of Gaia Grain that overtook the greenhouse overnight. She eventually found Ivy only to be sprayed in the face with a water bottle. Harley started using the Gaia Grain for baking. While Ivy apprised Batman about the grain mutating after the fifth generation seed and causing sterility, Harley spit out the muffin she ate.