Why is the Joker dumping Harley Quinn and not the other way around?

Why is the Joker dumping Harley Quinn and not the other way around?

We see in the new leaked images from the Birds of Prey set that the Joker is giving Harley Quinn the boot. In essence, he is dumping her. This is not uncommon, if you go back to Batman: The Animated Series.  In today’s climate, why is Harley not dumping The Joker first?

Harley in Today’s World

There was a period prior, where many women fans wanted nothing to do with Harley Quinn. This period extends from 1992 – 2011, her début in the cartoon and the launch of DC Comics’ New 52. Many of young women cannot stand the idea of a woman staying with a violent, aggressive, unstable, psychotic boyfriend who abuses her physically, emotionally and psychologically. Forget how you feel about The Joker as just an individual villain. Why does a bright young woman, with a degree in psychology stay with such a man? She ought to know better. Hence, many women hate The Joker for this (as you should, die-hard fan or not) but they also find themselves wanting nothing to do with the character of Harley Quinn, including her own comics.

DC Comics’ New 52 changed this overnight. Finally, Harley leaves the mad clown and identifies as her own character. We see her first without The Joker in Harley Quinn #1 (2014) as he blows her up, leaving her dead. Later on in Harley Quinn #24 (2016) where we see Harley saving her new boyfriend, Mason and fighting The Joker to a near death brawl.

With all of this said, we are in climate now where women do not have to put up with all this sexual harassment of past generations from male figures in authority positions. Harley’s stories prior to the New 52 creates this idea that women just have to sit back and take any abuse the man dishes out. At least, this is how some people perceive it. It is okay for women to speak out, matter of fact, we urge women to speak out, even the man they are speaking out against is something like the president.

Why Doesn’t Harley Just Leave

You are reading all of this, probably thinking that is great and all but why does she not just leave him? Why is he the one again kicking her out, like back in Harley and Ivy in 1993? Part of the reasoning for this is Harley’s own psychosis. If we go back to the New 52, she hooks up with Deadshot, finding him attractive in the same ways as The Joker. Therefore, these kind of men are certainly her ‘type’ you may argue. Luckily, Deadshot was not longterm and held no real interest in her.

Digging deeper, Harley does suffer something of a Stockholm syndrome you could say. We forget The Joker is a master manipulator. There is a great scene in the video game Batman: Arkham Origins in their first conversation together…

"Harleen Quinzel: “…My name’s Harleen. Harleen Quinzel.”Joker: “What a pretty name. Do your friends call you Harley?”Harleen Quinzel: “Oh, I don’t have a lot of friends.”Joker: “Well, Harley, you got one now…”"

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Harley represents one of those psychologists who views her patients, these horrible criminals as the real victims, not so much the people they threaten, injure and kill. The Joker is a victim and The Batman is the oppressor. If you are familiar with the material, think Dr. Wolper from The Dark Knight Returns. This is all part of Harley, part of psyche and make-up, she cannot simply switch it off over-night to dump him. Think of it like grief in a sense. No one stops grieving the next day after they lose a loved one. It is a complete process that takes time unfortunately.

One More Reason for Harley’s Lack of Initiative

Some of you may not want to hear it. It is hardly a just defense in such an actual scenario, but this is building to a larger plot, as in a future film. We need to see Harley be dismissed by The Joker first in Birds of Prey, where she can possibly find a calling somewhere else. She may find this calling around other, strong-willed, independent women. She needs to learn she does not need The Joker to define her.  Go back to the episode Harley and Ivy, where she is happy with Poison Ivy, yet she still misses her puddin’. One can possibly surmise that the Birds of Prey will fill a role similar to Poison Ivy’s in that episode.

Writers are in a sense stalling the process of Harley truly breaking up with The Joker. Will he come back for her? It is certainly possible. Does The Joker love her? It is debatable that maybe he does in his own twisted way. He may certainly bring her back for his own schemes, for he loves the control he has over her. Harley showing him he longer has control over her will be her victory and her breaking up with him. Again, this is a process and it is possible it will take one more film, something of a Harley Quinn trilogy to end this abusive relationship. At least, that’s my idea.

No one really wants Harley to go back to The Joker. Fans are enjoying her as her own independent character, her own solo comic series and the fact she has a showing come to the DC Universe. Some fans may want the old outfit back, but they do not want the old Harley back of just sidekick. We are hooked on her and want more!