DC Reveals Why Harley Quinn Will Never Kill Joker

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman/Catwoman #5!

In the distant future, Catwoman reveals why Harley Quinn could never kill Joker, and based on how Harley reacts to Catwoman’s assessment, as well as her actions in a separate series, Selina might have hit the nail on the head. Catwoman makes the highly provocative comment while Harley is actually in the process of attempting to take Catwoman’s life after learning that Selina killed Joker instead of her.

The way in which Harley initially confronts Selina is actually quite misleading in Batman/Catwoman #5 by Tom King, Clay Mann, Tomeu Morey, Clayton Cowles and Darran Robinson. It appears for quite some time that this version of Harley had either relapsed hard by going back to Joker or never broke free of him because she crashes her hotrod outside of Selina’s mansion in a drunken stupor, exclaiming she knows what Selina has done to “Mista J” and is going to kill her for it. Could she actually be mad that Joker is dead? Yes and no. Harley is angry because she wanted to kill him.

For awhile, Catwoman humors Harley as the jester goes on her violent tirade, until Selina finally loses patience and starts unloading on her assailant, saying that Harley’s whole “good-girl-gone-bad” shtick has all been an act from the very beginning. Catwoman bases her rather bold claim on the fact that, after spending years with and getting to know Batman pretty darn well, there was too much of him in Harley: “See, Harley, the problem is–why you couldn’t do it, why you never did it–you’re too good to be bad.” And the reason why Catwoman could do the deed is because she’s “too bad to be good.” Selina definitely hits a few nerves during this exchange, for, the longer Catwoman speaks, the more belligerent and agitated Harley becomes, hinting that there may be some truth behind her words.

This analysis makes sense on another level as well, especially when taking into account how the events of the comic series Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey transpire. After completely wounding Joker’s ego and undermining his status as the best villain, Harley is captured by Joker and beaten so mercilessly that she ends up falling into a coma and eventually dies. Of course, neither God nor Satan want anything to do with her, so she is sent back to her body and awakens a few months later. From that point on, Harley is in recovery for quite some time. But throughout this period, Harley doesn’t once think about getting back at Joker for killing her. In fact, the series concludes with her saying how lucky she is to be surrounded by so many friends and people who love and care for her: “I wanna stay in this moment forever. Maybe I will.” This was undoubtedly one of the worst and most violent acts that Joker ever perpetrated against Harley (and that list is quite extensive), and the fact that Harley doesn’t try to seek vengeance is telling. It would have been understandable if she did.

While Catwoman undoubtedly misses the mark big time by saying that Harley Quinn has always been good, it’s obvious that Harley eventually does turn herself around. Redemption is important to her, which explains why she goes to such lengths for Batman to accept her. And if Catwoman says that she sees Batman in Harley, and Batman is against killing, even Joker, then that would definitely explain why Harley Quinn never got around to killing him herself. Yes, it’s very likely that she is too good to kill him. And that makes her a better and much stronger character as a result.

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