Top 20 Worst Things That Happened to Harley Quinn
#20: Losing Her Home Because of a Traitor
“Birds of Prey” (2020) Although Harley Quinn makes a fair amount of enemies during “Birds of Prey”, she’s also fortunate to have a small amount of friends like Doc. But their alliance is permanently damaged after a stunning betrayal. During a rare moment of downtime at her secret apartment, Harley is suddenly attacked by multiple forces. In the chaos, her apartment is blown up, she’s nearly killed, and her beloved pet Bruce disappears. It’s only after Harley loses so many precious things at once that she realizes that her friend Doc is to blame. The look of betrayal and sadness on her face after this explosive incident was heartbreaking. While Harley’s done a number of bad things, she didn’t deserve to be sold out by a friend.
#19: Being Abandoned & Replaced By the Joker
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“The New Batman Adventures” (1997-99) During a routine night out on the town, Joker abandons Harley because he didn’t have enough money to finance her escape. She ends up swifty captured and booted into Arkham. Once the Joker comes into a big inheritance, an excited Harley eagerly awaits for him to get her. But he does the exact opposite. Instead of springing Harley, the Joker puts out a public ad to replace her with a new sidekick. It was pretty harsh that she was left to rot by her boss/boyfriend while he enjoyed a charming life with someone new. Fortunately, Harley gets some well deserved payback after Joker loses his ill gotten fortune.
#18: Unintentionally Putting a Bounty On Her Own Head
“Harley Quinn: Vol. 2 Issue #7” (2014) After being randomly attacked by a series of assassins, our favorite anti-heroine understandably wanted to know why she was being targeted. Her best friend Poison Ivy eventually figures out that a mystery enemy is using Harley’s own computer at night to raise the bounty. The duo decide that they should try to catch the antagonist in the act. Later that night, Poison Ivy is shocked to learn that a sleepwalking Harley was behind everything. The anti-heroine had no clue that she had put a hit on herself. And to make matters worse, the computer that could’ve stopped it all was destroyed during a surprise attack. This assassination incident was a reminder that sometimes Harley is truly her own worst enemy.
#17: Watching the Joker Die
Various It’s no secret that Harley’s relationship with the crown prince of crime is toxic in every sense of the word. But despite The Joker’s many flaws and vicious acts, she often finds herself hopelessly devoted to him. That fact really becomes apparent whenever the clown meets his end. In “Suicide Squad”, Harley is heartbroken when Joker goes down with a helicopter. She’s also devastated when he perishes at the end of “Arkham City”. Harley’s even saddened to see the twisted clown go in the “Injustice” universe. While we may never fully know why she loves the Joker, we can always recognize her intense grief whenever he dies.
#16: Remaking the Joker
“Harley Quinn” (2019-) In a reality where the anti-heroine broke up with the Joker, she goes through a lot of soul searching to avoid rekindling their romance. Harley becomes so determined to keep him away that she lets him fall into a vat of acid that turns him into a normal guy. Unfortunately, the process also messed with his memories. When Harley learns that her newly normal ex has knowledge that can save the world, she realizes that she must make him into the clown again. Watching her dump him into chemicals was rough. Harley was finally completely free of the Joker. But with the fate of the world at stake, she had no choice but to resurrect her terrible ex.
#15: Being Slain By a Vampiric Batman
Top 10 Worst Things That Happened to Harley Quinn
“Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles” (2015) We’ll be the first to admit that the version of Harley that lived in this alternate world was seriously demented. She took pleasure in slaying victims of all ages and even kept macabre trophies. So, when a vampiric version of Batman confronted her, he didn’t hold back. When he finally caught her, she was under the impression that she'd be thrown into prison. But this Batman decided to permanently keep her off the streets by draining her of blood. His execution was so brutal that it made going to Arkham look like a cushy vacation by comparison. Based on Harley’s screams of pain, she would’ve much rather preferred to be locked up than die like this.
#14: Getting Slashed & Dumped By Punchline
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“Batman: Vol 3 #93” (2020) The Joker has had a few love interests outside of Harley Quinn. But a woman named Punchline stood out because of her ruthlessness. This new flame was far more violent and deadlier than the anti heroine. When the two first crossed paths, Punchline decided to make a bad first impression by fighting Harley. The anti heroine tried to convince the new villainess that the Joker was no good. However, Punchline ignored the warnings and used a knife to slash Harley’s neck. Things went from bad to worse when the anti-heroine was thrown into a flow of sewage. Fortunately, Harley survived the injury and toxic dip. The next time she saw Punchline, the anti heroine spoke with her fists instead of giving relationship advice.
#13: Being Executed For Her Employee’s Jokes
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“Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer” (2007) There are versions of Joker’s origin story where he worked as a comedian before turning into a supervillain. One particularly grim take on this plotline led to the untimely death of Harley Quinn. On an earth where a vigilante named Owlman tormented and assaulted people left and right, a guy named Jack decided to strike back by making jokes about the violent man. After the comedian became successful, his manager Harley asked him out. But their romance was cut short when Owlman attacked from the shadows and slayed her on the spot. She never committed a single crime or hurt a fly. In the end, Harley was forced to suffer a devastating end because Owlman couldn’t take a joke.
#12: Promising to Take Harley’s Face Off
“Batman: Death of the Family” (2012) After the clown prince of crime voluntarily got his face removed, he promised to put other Gotham residents through this horrific surgery. Harley was one of the first to get this terrifying offer. As part of the Joker’s grand plan, he wanted the anti-heroine to look exactly like him. The clown told Harley that he would be taking off her face to really sell it. When she understandably hesitates, the Joker pushes forward and declares that she never liked her face to begin with. After she closes her eyes, the clown reveals that he was just joking. The traumatized look on Harley’s face afterwards made it clear that his threats cut her deeper than any knife could.
#11: A Reformed Harley Gets Sent Back to Arkham
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“Batman: The Animated Series” (1992-95) The anti heroine was ecstatic when she was declared sane and released from Arkham Asylum. Shortly after going free, she accidentally tried to walk out of a store with a dress that still had a security tag on it. When Harley was approached by security, she got defensive and accidentally broke a window. This incident led her down a slippery slope where she ended up committing a series of crimes. When Harley had a chance to stop and think about everything that happened, she was convinced that the world would never see her as anything other than a criminal. We felt incredibly sympathetic for the reformed villain’s tragic journey. Despite a desire to be good, she couldn’t avoid another trip to Arkham.
#10: Getting Pushed out the Window by Joker
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“The Batman Adventures: Mad Love” (1994) This story-line first played out in the pages of “The Batman Adventures,” but was later adapted for “The New Batman Adventures” animated show. To prove her love to Mr. J, Harley abducts Batman in an old deathtrap gag, and her plan would have succeeded… if Batman didn’t get inside her head and trick her into calling Joker. Furious, Joker slaps her and mercilessly shoves her out of a window. Needless to say, Batman played the clown like a fiddle – Joker’s hell-bent on murdering the Bat himself; so to find out that Harley actually almost pulled it off… that’s GOT to hurt his pride. When a battered and broken Harley is finally ready to move on, one gift from Joker pulls her back in, and the cycle continues.
#9: Joker Tries to Kill Her in Front of Batman
“Batman #663” (2007) After Harley leads Batman straight to The Clown Prince of Crime, he picks up a razor… and holds it up to HER throat. It turns out that part of the Clown’s plan was killing off all of his former associates… and Harley’s the last one on the list. No matter how much she adores him, Harley’s just another gag in Joker’s eyes… and he wanted Batman in the audience when he delivered the punchline. Although she tearfully tries to deny that, she lashes out at the Joker. But Harley tries to make amends by dying for him. When the clown disregards her and turns his attention to Batman, she shoots him. This sad scene exemplified how much of a vicious cycle Harley is trapped in.
#8: Getting Shot by Deadshot
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“Suicide Squad #15” (2012) We’d expect this from Joker, but from her own Suicide Squad? The Clown Prince has been declared dead, and all that’s left is his detached face –Harley takes it as well as you’d expect. She steals the face, and abducts fellow Squad member, Deadshot; she then drapes the face over his… and rants to him like he’s actually Joker. Deadshot plays along until he can get close enough… and then shoots her in the gut, subduing her for the moment. While Harley’s little stunt crosses …so many creepy lines, it wasn’t ALL her fault; it’ll take a LONG time to fully loosen Joker’s grip over her psyche.
#7: Surrendering to the Joker
“Harley Quinn” (2019-) To say things weren’t going well for the anti-heroine in her first season finale would be an understatement. First of all, Harley was left helpless while her best friend Poison Ivy was killed by the Joker. Secondly, her plan gets her entire crew and Batman captured by the clown. Harley reaches her breaking point when she hears her allies will die at the Joker’s command. With nothing left to lose, she’s forced to completely surrender to the clown so her friends survive. Watching Harley give up her freedom to someone who inflicted so much pain on her was nearly unbearable. Thankfully, her sad sentence didn’t last.
#6: Witnessing Her Boyfriend Guy Kopski's Death
“Harley Quinn #8” (2001) Before her criminal days, Harleen Quinzel attended Gotham State University, where she dated someone that ACTUALLY cared about her, Guy Kopski. This funnyman would do anything for his beloved ‘Quinz’ …including inadvertently participating in an experiment of hers. It was supposed to be a controlled test, but it went south when Harleen’s professor spiked Guy’s drink with diluted Joker venom and shot a man he thought was going to kill his love. Overcome with guilt, Guy points the gun at himself and ends his misery. Heartbroken and realizing how chaotic life can be, Harleen decides to seek out the only one she believes can truly understand her, the Joker – making this whole tragedy a stepping stone for her future of misfortune.
#5: Her Suicide Squad Initiation
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“Suicide Squad #1” (2011) After being forcefully recruited into the Suicide Squad and sent on a mission, Harley and several other villains are abducted and physically tormented for information about their employers. Harley’s painful ordeal includes being electrocuted while reflecting on the heartache that got her arrested in the first place. It turns out that this was all a test set up by Amanda Waller to see if they could be trusted; and thankfully, our favorite harlequin was among the few to pass by not cracking under pressure. While Waller’s methods are overkill, Harley stuck it out, never stopping her witty quips during the electrocution… in fact, we’re pretty sure she liked it.
#4: Being Strangled for Misunderstanding the Plan
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“Batman #570” (1999) Harley’s criminal career has just begun, and she may already be in too deep. Most of Gotham has been reduced to a no man’s land, and Joker plans to rule it all –when he isn’t belittling Harley for her short-term independence and brainpower. When it looks like the end has come for his barren paradise, he still has one last gag planned… but Harley doesn’t catch on to what he’s thinking. Fed up, Joker pounces and strangles her to let the message sink in, as Harley chokes out in agony. Joker’s always got something up his sleeve, sometimes it’s better to just go along with it… especially if you want to protect your windpipe.
#3: Trapped In Her Own Personal Hell
“Harley Quinn #20” (2002) Shortly after Harley dies in a completely avoidable jet pack explosion, she wakes up in the middle of an intense standoff between her crew and police. The violent incident ends after all her closest allies die and she’s left in the dark all alone. Just as Harley begins to mourn, she discovers that she’s actually in hell and none of it was real. Unfortunately, her suffering was not even close to being over. Harley’s sent back to the start of the standoff and learns that she’ll have to experience the harrowing ordeal on a loop indefinitely. The prospect of being trapped in your own personal hell for eternity is terrifying. Luckily, the anti-heroine eventually finds a way to get out of there scot free.
#2: Having Joker’s Baby & Then Giving Up the Child
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“Injustice Year Two” (2014) In the Injustice universe, Harley became pregnant with Joker’s child –a baby girl named Lucy Quinzel. After she went hiding for an entire year to have the kid under the radar, she realized that the clown didn’t even notice she was gone. But Harley’s struggle didn’t end there. Because she wanted to give her daughter a chance at a normal life she gave the child to her sister, Delia. You’d never think the normally chaotic Harley would be so selfless. However, she was fully committed to doing what was best for her only baby’s safety. Even when the world got a little better, Harley still pretended to be her daughter’s aunt instead of telling her kid the truth.
#1: Becoming Harley Quinn to Begin With
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Various Taking the number one spot is the bad day that started it all. Harleen Quinzel was an intern for Arkham Asylum who took an interest in you-know-who. Unfortunately, after a few sessions, the naïve doctor was wooed by Joker’s sob stories and sense of humor. She became obsessed with him –to the point where she’d eventually become his right-hand girl and on again/off again lover, Harley Quinn. Although we love Harley, pining for Joker and donning the red and black ensemble opened the door to all the insanity and the seemingly endless cycle of abuse and torment. To put it bluntly, Harleen’s life was doomed the moment she set foot into Arkham.
