Tag: harley quinn

Top 5 Suicide Squad Members

Top 5 Members of the Suicide Squad

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

We covered Marvel’s Illuminati members last month, and this month we’re doing the same for DC Comics rag-tag team of oddballs the Suicide Squad. Also referred to as Task Force X, the Suicide Squad takes on missions so dangerous that trying to complete them would mean that someone has a death wish. Brought back in the 1980s with this concept, the Suicide Squad was run by Amanda Waller, who installed explosive devices inside the heads of hardened criminals. Cue over-the-top antics.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re back with the first Top 5 list. Today we’re tackling DC’s lovable gang of miscreants, the Suicide Squad. Who made our list of the Top 5 Suicide Squad Members? Let’s find out.

5: Rick Flag

Rick Flag is the OG Suicide Squad member. Someone by the name of Rick Flag has been around since 1959. There have been three generations of Rick Flags; each one has served as one of the Suicide Squad’s leaders. Rick Flag stands out from most other Suicide Squad members because he isn’t a former criminal. Most iterations of Rick Flag portray him as a skilled military special ops member. This makes sense. The Suicide Squad began as a military/government outfit. It wasn’t until Amanda Waller revived the project that the Suicide Squad included criminals.

Typically, Rick Flag serves as Amanda Waller’s right-hand man within the group, helping keep the rest of the Suicide Squad in line. Amanda Waller is on to something. It would take more than a bomb in one’s head to stop certain members of the Suicide Squad. You need a man on the inside. Rick Flag is that inside man.

4: Captain Boomerang

We go from the most wholesome member of the Suicide Squad in Rick Flag to the least wholesome in Captain Boomerang. Let that sink in. Within a group of psychopaths and hardened criminals, Captain Boomerang is the least wholesome.

Boomerang joined the Suicide Squad in exchange for a pardon. So far, so good. But his grating personality and blatant racism cause more than a little strife within the group. Nobody likes this guy. He causes friction within the team and most team members consider him to be the most dangerous and least dependable member. This also causes Captain Boomerang to have some tasty storylines. He’s one of those villains you love to hate.

3: Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn was going to make this list, but I struggled with where to place her. She’s the highest profile character on this Top 5 list, but she’s also the newest Suicide Squad member. The third spot sounds right.

This isn’t the classic Harley Quinn. The original Harley Quinn, found in Batman: The Animated Series, needed a makeover before joining the team. The Harley who joined the Suicide Squad is the one with the revamped origin story where Joker pushes Harley into a vat of chemicals, granting her superpowers. This new Harley Quinn breaks the fourth wall like a popular merc with a mouth from a different comic book universe. I don’t know which version of Harley I like better, but there’s no denying that after her makeover, Harley Quinn molded the Suicide Squad in her image.

2: Deadshot

Besides the character in our number one spot, Floyd Lawton as Deadshot is who I think of first when I think of the Suicide Squad. Waller recruits Lawton because of his skills as a marksman and the fact that his mandated therapy sessions revealed that he has a “death wish,” hoping a skilled enemy will end his life in a dramatic battle. This death wish leads Deadshot to wear a costume featuring a target on his chest.

Deadshot often clashes with Captain Boomerang—who doesn’t—and field leader Rick Flag. But Deadshot and the latter share a begrudging respect for each other. Deadshot is a classic Suicide Squad member. His backstory lends himself to inclusion on the team and on this list. Lawton may be the only member of the Suicide Squad with a death wish.

1: Amanda Waller

I mentioned Amanda Waller in several write-ups leading to our top spot. Her spot at number one was inevitable. Waller is the woman in charge. She’s the one who resurrected the Suicide Squad. She’s the one who thought installing bombs in criminal’s skulls and forcing them to do government work was a good idea. In short, there would be no Suicide Squad without Amanda Waller.

The woman nicknamed The Wall makes up for her lack of superpowers with her ruthlessness, guile, intimidation, and political connections. Waller is the proverbial person who knows where the bodies are buried, and she’s not afraid to use that knowledge to her advantage. The Wall can even make members of the Justice League, like Superman and Batman, blush. She’s not to be taken lightly. She had to take the number one spot.

Did we get the list right? Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “The Mess Is the Point” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

I’ll be the first to admit I teared up during the latter half of “The Mess Is the Point.” Harley Quinn managed to, once again, subvert my expectations while being comical.

“The Mess Is the Point” was another heavy episode, but it felt a bit lighter than “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’).” I think that’s because I expected Harley and crew to be rescued in one way or another, so there was going to be a silver lining.

I never thought I’d say it, but I think I’d prefer Kyra’s prediction last week to how Frankette would get Harley and crew out of the bottle as opposed to what actually happened. By a small margin. I’m not overly attached to Frankette because she’s a new character, but seeing a baby get hurt is upsetting regardless of species. Frankette eating the Luthor siblings was par for the course.

Superman coming back to save the day was something I expected. I was really hoping he’d say some cheesy line about his and Lois’ Morse code exchanges to lean into Harley Quinn’s type of comedy. All he said was, “It sure is nice to be needed again.” Okay. I’ll admit it. That’s a line I expect out of superhero cartoons from decades ago, and I appreciate this inclusion.

Brainiac really tugged on my heartstrings this time around, too. I was tearing up when he sat with his family for the last time. He had so much buildup, but he didn’t seem like a villain. I was sad to see him go, but I don’t think Harley Quinn can do anything else with his character after season five. It seems like Harley and Ivy are staying in Metropolis. If there is a season six, I’m curious to see which of Metropolis’ rogues Harley Quinn will explore next.

Kyra’s Take

I agree with Season. Brainiac’s ending was heartfelt and fitting. Even though we didn’t spend too much time with Brainiac this season, he had a fleshed-out character arc. Harley Quinn did a good job juggling Brainiac and Lena’s storylines and tying them together at the end. I also don’t see Harley Quinn doing much with Brainiac beyond this season. Point of clarification: Harley and Ivy moved back to Gotham City by the end of “The Mess Is the Point.” Ivy claims that she stole the place from Cyborg. It may appear that Harley and Ivy stayed in Metropolis because Superman had placed Metropolis next to Gotham after he rescued the city from the bottle.

Speaking of cities in bottles, Harley Quinn can dip into countless DC Universe stories with the other cities Brainiac captured. This could lead Harley Quinn into Green Lantern, Blue Beetle, Hawkman/Hawkgirl, Legion of Superheroes, and Martian Manhunter storylines, just to name a few. Harley and Ivy even mention they will restore these cities in the future. And the Harley Quinn creative team has carte blanche to do whatever they want in the Harleyverse. It doesn’t affect the Canonverse. Max hasn’t officially announced a sixth season for Harley Quinn yet but with the show’s popularity and a desire by everyone involved in the project (per multiple entertainment news sources like Coming Soon who interviewed showrunner Dean Lorey), this may be a matter of time.

And speaking of time, allow me to time warp to season 5’s finale. It felt like a finale. Harley Quinn’s last two seasons failed to tie up loose ends. Season 3 focused on Harley becoming a superhero and her failing. Plot lines were dropped in season 4 after Nightwing gets killed and the ladies form the Gotham City Sirens. And that plot line got dropped in season 5’s opening minutes. Harley Quinn season 5 tied up all its Metropolis shenanigans while setting up potential future storylines. This ending tied up things so well that it made me wonder if Harley Quinn would be renewed for a sixth season. If Harley Quinn were to end with season 5, fans would at least have closure.

That said, I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet. I’m rooting for a season 6. The show can go in plenty of directions. Let’s assume Harley Quinn gets renewed. The audience got a hint of space during the season finale. Let’s see more intergalactic mayhem. Add a dash of some familiar madness, too. Harley’s mom has moved in with Harley and Ives. That should spice up their living conditions. Harley/Ivy, King Shark, Bruce, Joker, and Bane all have children. The show could mine these relationships further. And was Bane’s wife pregnant? Oh my! That’ll be interesting.

Harley Quinn season 5 was one of the series’ best and most cohesive seasons. Fingers crossed that we’ll see a sixth season. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’)” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

We’ve got some characters rounded up in this week’s episode of Harley Quinn. Well, they’re all fun-sized, but they’re getting stuff done. Sort of.

There were a few jokes tossed here and there, but “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’)” had a darker tone in comparison to previous episodes of season five of Harley Quinn. This tone was consistent throughout “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode,’)” which I appreciated since we’re ramping up for the season finale.

Since we’ve got one more episode to go in season five of Harley Quinn, I had a feeling Lex wouldn’t be the key to taking down Lena this episode. Their reunion was cute. Harley’s therapist powers working against her made for an interesting watch. Ivy cheerleading Harley during the therapy session was hilarious.

I didn’t think it was possible, but Joker’s romantic relationship is more stable than Bruce Wayne’s or Lois Lane’s. That entire scene with them interacting with one another about relationships was the funniest part of the episode.

The goofiness of “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’)” aside, I have a feeling Frankette is going to be one of the keys to busting Harley and company out of the bottle. Like, she’ll smash it or something and de-shrink everyone (with or without Superman) and they take out the Luthors. I hope I’m not hitting the nail on the head because unpredictability makes Harley Quinn fun to watch.

Kyra’s Take

While it is difficult to write repeatedly, “Bottle Episode (But Not a ‘Bottle Episode’s’)” title is accurate and funny. At the end of this episode, Harley Quinn teases Superman. I expected him to make another appearance, and that’s a strength of the show. Viewers can predict who will get involved in Harley’s shenanigans, but they won’t be able to guess how they’ll be involved.

Harley Quinn loves meeting the audience’s expectations and then subverting those expectations. We anticipated Dick Grayson’s return, but not as Red X, and we couldn’t guess Alfred attempting to murder him. We anticipated Lex Luthor’s return, and Harley Quinn set him up as another Lena antagonist only to have him join forces with her, which makes sense for his character (he tried to rule the world in a previous season) and subverts how Harley and Ivy think the solution will go. Superman will return, but we have no idea what he’s done during his absence from Metropolis. We have no idea of his mental state.

I expect Frankette to be involved with Harley and Ivy escaping, but Harley Quinn will choose a wild–possibly disgusting way–for her to get involved. My money is on Frankette using her father’s “special rag” and ejaculating for the first time, producing plant material in the alien ship that Ivy can then manipulate. Before Ivy frees herself, she’ll get choked up while watching Frankette do the deed and say something like “Just like her dad.” Gross.

Too gross! Ugh! Forget what I said. Frankette goes into the Green and contacts Swamp Thing.

I also liked the interactions with Bruce Wayne, Lois Lane, and the Joker. Bruce couldn’t help but take a jab at the Joker’s daughter, who interns at Wayne Enterprises. Her tech short-circuited all electronics, not just Brainiac’s cloaking device. I love how Harley Quinn ties up a story thread. Joker spent the entire episode trying to get Bruce to finalize his daughter’s internship paperwork. Few elements get wasted.

I expect a few callbacks in the season finale next week. Hopefully, they won’t be as deep of a cut as Harley’s dad from the week prior. Does anyone know what Doctor Psycho or Riddler are up to? Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Harley Quinn 02

Harley Quinn: “Family Feud” Review

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Kyra’s Thoughts

Harley Quinn races toward its season finale with its latest episode “Family Feud.” Offline, Season mentioned that Harley and Ivy made up too quickly for her liking. I agreed but then I looked up Harley Quinn’s remaining episodes. “Family Feud” is the eighth of ten scheduled episodes for this season. We only have two episodes remaining. What? While I would’ve liked to have seen the tension between Harley and Ivy last another episode, there aren’t that many episodes remaining. Harley Quinn needed to set up the final stakes in this episode, hint at how the gang plans to overcome the stakes, and then spend another episode assembling the supporting cast (King Shark, Clayface, Bane, and Lex Luthor) so they’re ready to enter the fray before launching into the season finale.

Yes! We have a Lex Luthor sighting. It’s always fun when Giancarlo Esposito joins the cast. He didn’t have much to do in “Family Feud” because the gals broke him out of jail, and he was incapacitated in a patented way only Harley Quinn could pull off. Harley’s mom runs him over with Harley’s car.

Harley’s family is where the episode’s title “Family Feud” derives. Truth time. I forgot about Harley’s piece of crap father until he showed up in this episode. It took me a while to remember Harley’s past with him (we haven’t seen him since season 1–four seasons ago), but Harley’s family past came screaming back as soon as Mr. Quinzel double-crossed Harley for money. That rang a bell. Nick Quinzel dies for real in this episode, and Harley doesn’t get the closure she wants.

Meanwhile, Ivy sneaks into Lena’s apartment to figure out a way to infiltrate Brainiac’s lair and free Frankette. I never thought that Harley and Ivy would stay at odds for long, but “Family Feud” may have been better served if the exploits of Harley and Ivy were reversed. I may have believed Ivy forgiving Harley as quickly as she did if she had to deal with Floronic Man or someone else from her past and learn the lesson that Harley did during this episode about being there for someone you love even after they screw up. Heck. Being there for someone after they screw up may be the most important time for someone to show their love. This was a missed opportunity.

This small gripe doesn’t detract from an otherwise fun episode. “Family Feud” balances its three threads well (Harley and her family, Ivy infiltrating Lena’s apartment, and Lena’s master plan) and the episode sets up Harley Quinn for what should be a hilarious season finale.

Season’s Thoughts

The pacing of Harley and Ivy patching things up was too fast for my liking. It shouldn’t have been set up if it was going to be a rush job. I get that relationship drama pulls in an audience, but they didn’t give themselves the space to work with it. I agree with Kyra that this small thing doesn’t detract from the rest of the setup “Family Feud” provides for the season finale.

Even though I also forgot about Nick Quinzel, I enjoyed the moments between him and Harley, even though they hated each other. I think Harley and Ivy grow more as characters when they’re apart than when they’re together. Sure. Their relationship with one another and how they love each other matures throughout the series. But they tend to face their pasts alone and then confide in one another after the fact. Harley did help Ivy with Floronic Man, but Ivy tried to deal with him herself first. I think Harley Quinn does a good job of showing Harley and Ivy as individuals, and I definitely got that from “Family Feud.”

I found it amusing that Lena didn’t have any plans to harm Frankette. She waved her hand and was like, “Get out of here.” This makes me wonder if Frankette will pull off some inside work for the season finale and save Metropolis. That would be a fun twist.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Brainiac Harley Quinn TV

Harley Quinn: “Frankette” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

I’m going to preface “Frankette” by saying I was a bit shocked by the ending. Not entirely, but the buildup to Brainiac being the season finale villain was being hammered home so much that I wasn’t expecting him to fizzle out this episode.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Harley and Ivy this episode. We got to see a volatile argument play out due to extenuating circumstances. Both of them wanted to honor Frank in their own way and butted heads (to put it mildly). It was nice to take a break from the lovey-dovey stuff they’ve been doing in previous episodes. That said, I think Ivy’s normally the one who expresses extreme anger when she’s upset. Harley’s been more of the pushy one between the two of them. I think their fallout at the end of “Frankette” is reparable. If it isn’t, that’d make for an interesting story.

On to Frankette herself. Her birth was hilarious. Frank giving a sermon at his own funeral just so she could pop out of the soil over his grave was done in a way I’d only expect from Harley Quinn. I’m not entirely convinced Ivy genuinely cares for Frankette outside of Frank telling her to rescue Frankette. Their moment at the end of “Frankette” was heartwarming, but I think Ivy is still seeing Frank, despite her initial rejection of Frankette. I think she’s getting there, but “Frankette” happened over the course of a day.

I enjoy Lena being the main villain of Season 5. Her taking over Brainiac’s ship at the end of “Frankette” for her own best interest was very much in character. I’m excited to see where else Harley Quinn is going to take her.

Side note: Bane is the best babysitter.

Kyra’s Take

Season did a great job covering “Frankette’s” plot points, so I won’t get into too much detail. Harley Quinn has a knack for heel and face turns. These turns happen numerous times during a season, but the showrunners find ways to keep them fresh and unexpected.

Parenthood has been a not-so-hidden theme for Harley Quinn’s fifth season. The show took a detour a few weeks ago when it explored Bruce’s relationships with Dick Grayson and Damien and the Joker with his stepdaughter. Harley Quinn followed that episode with one of Brainiac’s family and loss. It was only a matter of time before Harley and Ivy would be thrust into parenthood. Heck. Harley babysat Shaun the Shark a few times before Frankette made her debut. Even Bane makes his return with his adopted daughter Goldilocks in this episode. Despite her shocking origin, Harley Quinn’s creative team built up Frankette. Those “detours” that I mentioned before weren’t detours at all.

Harley Quinn’s creators do a fabulous job of world and character-building. Lena stays true to herself. Perhaps, we should’ve seen that she would become Season 5’s main villain. But are we sure Harley Quinn doesn’t have another turn or two for the balance of power to shift again? A lot can happen in three Harley Quinn episodes. I could see another tectonic shift. Superman and Lois Lane are still in play. Harley and Ivy’s relationship is on the rocks again, and that tends to add a little spice.

Harley Quinn needed to inject some turmoil into Harley and Ivy’s relationship. I agree with Season that the fallout at the end of this episode should be reparable. Harley and Ivy working through their problems is a strength of this show. It shouldn’t be easy for the power to make amends. Only time will tell. My biggest gripe is that this season of Harley Quinn only has three more episodes.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Clayface Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn: “Bottle My Heart” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

“Bottle My Heart” took a turn this week. I have a hunch about the ending, but we’ll get to that later. Who’s ready for some “Brainiac: The Musical?”

“Bottle My Heart” didn’t take off into too many different subplots and focused on one story line. That was a nice change of pace since we’ve weaved in and out of side stories in previous episodes in Season 5. Since that’s the case, I have a feeling the rest of Season 5 will remain focused as the season finale ramps up.

Lena Luthor switching sides is always entertaining. She didn’t get her end of the deal from Brainiac, so she turned on him. I wasn’t sure how they were going to have the other characters find out about Brainiac, but this was fun. I hope Lena’s true colors stay out for the remainder of Harley Quinn Season 5.

Despite the campiness of “Brainiac: The Musical,” it covered loss. Harley Quinn has covered loss in the past with the death of Mr. Freeze. Frank passed at the end of “Bottle My Heart,” which hit differently than Mr. Freeze’s death. We’ve been with Frank since “‘Til Death Do Us Part” back in Season 1. I’ll admit, some tears welled up when I watched this scene.

On to my hunch. I’m pretty sure Brainiac poisoned Frank in some capacity. At the end of “Bottle My Heart,” Brainiac says, “Now you know what it feels like.” I’m not sure if he poisoned Frank to get at Ivy, Harley, or both of them. He seems more fixated on Harley. Maybe we’ll get some answers next week.

One last question: Did you remember your hemorrhoid cream?

Kyra’s Take

I like how Harley Quinn tied up loose ends last week. The creative team abandoned the Gotham City Sirens storyline and gave that storyline closure, so they can concentrate on Brainiac this week and going forward. I agree with Season that Harley Quinn will (and should) focus on this singular story, with maybe a side story here and there (we might get at least one more Shaun the Shark sighting), for the remaining four episodes.

I don’t know how Alan Tudyk does it. He voices Clayface, portraying Brainiac and singing in a musical with his character’s usual flourishes. Ko–Kooooh! Awesome!

Lena Luthor always looks out for herself. Harley, Ivy, and the gang’s desires match hers for now. I wonder how much Lena regrets telling the gang about Brainiac’s plan to bottle Metropolis. She hopes they will write an expose about Brainiac and alert Metropolis’s citizens of their impending doom. She says as much to Poison Ivy as they watch from box theater seats, but as Ivy says, “This (a musical) is what they came up with.” I like Lena’s jabs at Harley’s costume choice. She would never wear that tacky blazer.

The musical has an effect, but it’s not the one the gang planned. Metropolis citizens sympathize with Brainiac’s story. To be fair, Brainiac and Mr. Freeze’s backstories parallel and both are tragic. Brainiac lost his family. His only tether to his past is Koko, but Koko is long gone. Brainiac: The Musical opens his eyes to this loss, which is heart-breaking, and Brainiac (presumably) poisons Frank. This won’t be the end of Brainiac’s terror.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “Big Pasta Dinner” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

Not going to lie. I have no idea where to start with “Big Pasta Dinner.” There were so many good moments and an even balance among the characters featured in this episode.

If I had to pick a focal point of this episode, I’d say Harley took the stage most of the time, but only by a small margin. The bat family definitely had more of the heartwarming moments. The Bruce Wayne/Joker heart-to-heart in the sauna was the most surprising. Definitely not something I’d expect in any other DC show. We got to experience Bruce grow as a person in real time. Well, save for his taste in girlfriends.

Shaun the Shark being featured in “Big Pasta Dinner” was a treat for me. Even though we’ve had a lack of King Shark in Season 5, Shaun’s shenanigans this episode helped lighten the heaviness of the bat family.

Speaking of shenanigans, Alfred turning on the bat family was a fun twist. It wasn’t out of left field for a show like Harley Quinn, but it also wasn’t something I was necessarily expecting, either. It was a bit off to me that Dick forgave Harley for killing him after she saved his life one time. Other than that, I enjoyed this episode.

Kyra’s Take

Agreed. Alfred exacting revenge on the bat family, and Bruce Wayne in particular, may seem odd in any other show based on DC Comics besides Harley Quinn. Bruce had it coming. This version of Bruce doesn’t even know Alfred’s surname. He calls him Alfred Butler. Butler? Try Pennyworth. It’s sad when Harley knows Alfred’s surname and Bruce doesn’t.

Like I said at the beginning of this season, the original Harley Quinn creative team has taken back the reigns in Season 5. They pivoted hard from the Gotham Sirens and let the Dick Grayson revenge thread slide for half a season. Dick returns in “Big Pasta Dinner,” and the show gives another nod to DC Comics history. Dick dons the Red X disguise, which is an alternate outfit he wore to get close to Deathstroke during a Teen Titans comics storyline. An excellent way to resolve the story that this creative team didn’t start in Season 4 and an amazing reference.

I agree with Season. We can use as much Shaun the Shark as possible; he is a treat. But Shaun became more than comic relief for the episode’s heavier moments. I also like how Harley Quinn worked Shaun’s penchant for destruction in her favor. This did a lot to merge the two disparate story threads.

I loved the Joker and Bruce as middle-aged dads thread. Season mentioned their heart-to-heart in the sauna. I have to agree that it was surprising. Joker giving Bruce parenting advice with his clown makeup running was hilarious and endearing. And Bruce’s son and Joker’s stepdaughter dating by the end of the episode set the show for more parental shenanigans.

Thank you for reading. Wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

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Harley Quinn: “Breaking Brainiac” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

Brainiac has been hinted at for the past few episodes. Now, it’s his time to shine. And boy, do we get a lot of Brainiac this episode.

I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t expecting the first half of “Breaking Brainiac” to include Brainiac’s backstory. I suppose I should have expected it since we saw the creation of Floronic Man in “Back to School.” It was emotionally charging for me, but it wasn’t as dark as Ivy’s backstory in previous episodes. Since “Breaking Brainiac” didn’t have as dramatic shifts in tone, the inclusion of jokes throughout Brainiac’s backstory softened the blow for his family’s demise.

Lena Luthor flips a switch in this episode. Well, I guess she was going to do whatever she felt was best for her. I wasn’t sure which way they’d decide to go with her. Who knows? She may help out Harley and Ivy in the future. I think she’ll come out the other end of the Brainiac saga relatively unscathed.

I liked the lack of Harley and Ivy in “Breaking Brainiac.” We had two heavy Ivy episodes in a row. The way things were set up by the end of “Floronic Man,” it looked like we’d have another heavy Harley/Ivy episode. They haven’t had a chance at being side characters for a bit.

Kyra’s Take

I agree that Harley Quinn does well when it takes a break from the title character, and “Breaking Brainiac” was a welcome break from Harley and Ivy. We’ve gotten a lot of heavy Harley/Ivy episodes lately.

Despite Harley Quinn weaving in Floronic Man’s backstory into present events during “Back to School,” Brainiac’s flashback in “Breaking Brainiac” dominated this week’s episode. It may have taken up more than half of the episode. I don’t know how Harley Quinn could have done this differently. Even though this was a major shift, the audience needs to know who this version of Brainiac is, and following the episode where Harley and Ivy get kidnapped by Brainiac is a good excuse to hit rewind and explore this new character.

Harley Quinn stays true to classic DC Comics characters while taking these characters in a different direction. “Breaking Brainiac” is no exception. I squeed when Brainiac’s son shrank a city filled with people and waited for Harley Quinn to show us Kandor. Harley Quinn delivered on that promise. It also delivered with a heart-felt Brainiac story. I’ll echo Season’s sentiment, jokes soften the blow of Brainiac’s family’s demise. These jokes come in the form of an android suffering through domestic bliss.

When we catch up with Harley and Ivy and the now, we see Brainiac struggling with the loss of his family. However misguided, he wants to achieve perfection so no one has to suffer the fate his family did. Ironically, he views Harley as Metropolis’s biggest imperfection, which makes me wonder why Lena Luthor, who is revealed to be working with Brainiac, invited Harley to Metropolis and why she insists on Harley staying. My tension sense is tingling.

“Breaking Brainiac” lays down a great foundation. I can’t wait to see where this season goes. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Harley Quinn Animated Series

Harley Quinn: “Floronic Man” Review

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Season’s Thoughts

Last week, I thought Ivy’s secrecy would come back to bite her. Boy. It really came back to bite her this week. Ready to enter the Green?

As denoted by the title, Dr. Woodrue (Floronic Man), chose to enact his revenge on Poison Ivy. This was foreshadowed at the end of “Back to School,” but I wasn’t sure if they were going to focus on a different story in Episode 3 and circle back to Floronic Man. This episode also incorporated dramatic shifts from the darker parts of the story with Ivy and ridiculousness with Clayface.

Clayface going to Metropolis after getting a negative review from the Daily Planet made the episode for me. I enjoy Ivy’s edgy backstory, but, like, it’s Clayface. Harley Quinn does a good job of shifting the narrative drastically throughout an episode while keeping the audience engaged. I try to avoid spoilers, but I do have one here. Harley “killed” Floronic Man at the end of the episode. I say “killed” in quotes because Ivy thought she killed him at the end of “Back to School.” I feel like he’d need to be burned or something. Then again, Scarecrow didn’t make it past Season 1. End of spoilers.

We’ve gotten some more foreshadowing for the next episode. Will the big baddie who made an appearance at the end of “The Big Apricot” be featured or will we have to wait a bit longer? Personally, I’d like to see him at the season finale.

Kyra’s Take

While I could also wait a bit longer for this season’s big bad to make a full appearance, I don’t think Harley Quinn will stay in Metropolis for more than one season. And this season’s big bad makes little sense outside of Metropolis. I’ll stop avoiding spoilers and just name the season’s big bad: Brainiac. Brainiac needs Metropolis, and Superman must feature in the story.

Harley Quinn has taken its time to move characters from Gotham to Metropolis. I love a good Clayface B Story, and this week’s Clayface B Story delivered. It doesn’t hurt that Bane joined in on the Clayface goofiness. This story thread does more than offer the laughs, while Ivy’s story grew dark. Clayface promotes his career. He does so in the most Clayface way possible, over-the-top. He kidnaps the Daily Planet’s editor-in-chief Perry White, and infiltrates the newspaper disguised as White. This was a clever way for Harley Quinn to introduce larger story elements. The big bad makes moves in Metropolis. We learn about some of these machinations through pitched Daily Planet headlines, but Clayface only cares about his review. Love this. It’s brilliant.

Ivy’s backstory gets a satisfying end. Floronic Man may be little more than a villain of the week. I got Arrowverse vibes from how Harley Quinn treated him, but that works in an animated series like Harley Quinn. As Season said, Harley Quinn killed off Scarecrow in Season 1. It did the same to multiple major Batman villains. I like how no one’s safe, not even someone who usually factors into one of the main cast’s origins.

The show does a good job of maintaining forward momentum and giving the impression that there’s a satisfying ending for this season’s story while keeping the audience guessing. I like how the show could go in multiple directions. Heck, Harley Quinn could stay in Metropolis for a second season. There are plenty of Superman villains to explore.