The Suicide Squad Makes Harley Quinn & Joker’s Snyder Cut Fates Worse

Harley Quinn’s character arc in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad changes the meaning of her death and Joker’s survival in the Knightmare timeline of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Both Harley Quinn and the Joker were introduced in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Unfortunately, Ayer’s vision for the movie was vastly changed by the studio, earning it a negative reception. Jared Leto’s performance as Batman’s nemesis also received plenty of criticism, but Margot Robbie’s iteration of Harley Quinn became one of the most popular characters in the DCEU. Because of their differing acclaim and their uneven relationship dynamics, the villain couple broke up off-screen before the events of Birds of Prey.

Birds of Prey, which focused on Harley Quinn’s emancipation, strengthened Harley as a complex and independent anti-hero. Meanwhile, fans kept pushing for the yet-to-be-released Ayer’s cut of Suicide Squad, but the Snyder Cut of the Justice League materialized first with brand-new footage. One of the biggest surprises in the Snyder Cut was the appearance of a post-apocalyptic Joker, who survived Darkseid’s invasion and teamed up with Batman in order to stop a corrupted Superman.

The fact that the Joker survived, while heroes like Aquaman and Wonder Woman didn’t, emphasizes the dystopic future of the Knightmare timeline. Even worse, the fact that the Joker managed to outlive Harley after many years of abuse. Now, The Suicide Squad doubles down on Harley’s heroism, as James Gunn’s 2021 movie reveals that Harley put a definitive stop to toxic relationships following her breakup with the Joker. She was willing to murder someone she actually liked – Corto Maltese President Silvio Luna – as soon as she noticed “red flags” that would result in pain for her and for innocent people.

Harley also developed genuine friendships with Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang. She dared to disobey Amanda Waller in order to join the battle against Starro (where she had one of the final blows), even if that meant losing her life or witnessing her friends die. Harley even found meaning in Javelin’s dying wish to let her have his weapon despite her not really knowing him. While Harley still didn’t hesitate when it came to killing her enemies, she evidently went through a positive transformation. This makes her eventual death more tragic, considering that Joker is still his twisted self – and as his appearance in the Snyder Cut reveals, even developed a god complex – in the Knightmare future.

With James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and Zack Snyder’s Justice League taking an ambiguous stance towards DCEU canon, it’s probable that the ultimate fate of Harley Quinn and the Joker isn’t as unfair. Harley’s DCEU future seems promising, which suggests she won’t die in a future Task Force X adventure. But if the Knightmare future really is inevitable, it could be argued that the Joker was punished by having to live through it while Harley didn’t.

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