Harley Quinn

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Harleen Quinzel was abandoned by her alcoholic father at a young age before becoming a psychiatrist. During her first case, she worked with the Joker (Jared Leto) while he was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. The Joker gradually seduced Quinzel, persuading her to release him and manipulating her into jumping into a vat of chemicals that disfigured him, which bleached her skin, dyed her hair, and drove her insane. They became the 'King and Queen of Gotham City,' committing crimes together until Batman tracked them down in the Joker's Lamborghini, causing a crash where Harley was captured while Joker escaped. Later, imprisoned at Belle Reve Penitentiary, she joined Task Force X (Suicide Squad) under Amanda Waller. The relationship with the Joker was described by Robbie as 'incredibly dysfunctional' and 'addictive,' though David Ayer's original vision would have highlighted this abuse against a budding romance with Deadshot.

In Their Own Story

After four years of events following *Suicide Squad*, the Joker broke up with Harley, leaving her on the streets of Gotham City. She found refuge with a restaurant owner named Doc and coped by cutting her hair, taking up roller derby, and adopting a spotted hyena she named after Bruce Wayne. To publicly announce her separation, she went to Ace Chemicals to blow up the facility. During this time, GCPD detective Renee Montoya arrived while investigating mob killings. Harley also faced Roman Sionis (Black Mask) and was rescued by Dinah Lance. In *Birds of Prey*, screenwriter Christina Hodson developed Harley's independence from the Joker, revealing she had malevolent tendencies before meeting him and confirming her bisexuality through a history of heartbreak by both men and women. Robbie pitched this as an 'R-rated girl gang film' because 'Harley needs friends.' Later, Robbie reprised the role in *The Suicide Squad* (2021), one of four actors from the original cast to return.

Reader's Guide

When engaging with Harley Quinn's DCEU appearances, note her specific weapons: a baseball bat and a mallet. During the filming of *Suicide Squad*, Robbie accidentally hit herself in the face with a prop bat and kept it afterward. The character is often objectified through revealing outfits, yet she remains manipulative within her relationships. In *Birds of Prey*, the narrative focuses on her 'emancipation' from Joker's influence, exploring her trauma and resilience. Viewers should recognize that while some deeds like torturing Batman are inexcusable, her actions often stem from a desire for love or survival. The character arc moves from an abusive partnership to leading her own misadventures, supported by found family dynamics rather than the toxic bond she once held with the Joker.

Did You Know?

• Margot Robbie stated that preparing her hair, makeup, and costume for the role took three hours, while removing it took at least 45 minutes.
• Joker actor Jared Leto surprised Robbie by gifting her a black rat during filming, which she kept as a pet according to Viola Davis.
• During *Suicide Squad* production, Robbie accidentally hit herself in the face with a prop baseball bat and kept one of the bats after filming ended.
• Robbie pitched *Birds of Prey* to Warner Bros. in 2015, insisting on an R-rated girl gang film because 'Harley needs friends' and refusing to let her do a standalone film without them.
• In the DCEU introduction sequence for Harley Quinn, she is directly identified as responsible for the murder of Batman's sidekick Robin.