Harley Quinn

Doctor Harleen Frances Quinzel also known as Harley Quinn is Joker's henchwoman, sidekick, girlfriend, and previously his psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. She occasionally struck out on her own, and often served as a roommate/accomplice to Poison Ivy.

"Face it, Harl, this stinks! You're a certified nutso wanted in 12 states and hopelessly in love with a psychopathic clown. At what point did my life go Looney Tunes? How did it happen? Who's to blame?... Batman, that's who. Batman! It's always been Batman! Ruining my life, spoiling my fun! Coming between me and my Puddin' from the very beginning..."
 * —Harley Quinn.

Appearance & Biography

 * Voice actor: Arleen Sorkin (English), Not Known (Japanese), Not Known (German), Not Known (Italian), Not Known (French), Not Known (American Spanish)

History
After graduating from college, Harleen Quinzel acquires a job as a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum in the hopes of writing a "tell all book" about the super criminals incarcerated there. Joker immediately piques her interest and upon approaching him, he quips that her name can be rearranged into "Harley Quinn". Harleen replies that she's heard this before and walks away. She later finds a rose on her desk with an attached note reading "Come down and see me sometime. -J" She returns to Joker's cell and questions how he managed to get the rose in her office. "If you were gonna tell someone, you already would have." Joker retorts. After this encounter, she works for months to set up a therapy session with him.

Once finally in the session, Joker recounts a fabricated story of his abusive father beating him as a child. He recalls he only saw his father happy one time at a visit to the circus. Joker paints himself as the victim of Batman and gains the sympathy of Harleen. Joker slowly manipulates her into viewing Batman as the "bad guy" until the point where Harleen despises Batman for constantly hurting Joker. The relationship between Harleen and Joker becomes more personal over time until Harley is the one on the couch, talking about her own problems to Joker. She confesses her love to him and he says it's perfectly understandable that she'd want a man who can make her laugh.

After an escape from Joker, he is returned by Batman, beaten and bloodied. An infuriated Harleen storms out of Arkham to rob a party favor store, stealing multiple gag items and a costume. She returns to Arkham, in costume, and uses the stolen gag items to incapacitate multiple security guards. Once at Joker's cell, she uses an explosive to open the cell. As the smoke clears, we see Harleen in costume, smiling down at The Joker. She proudly exclaims "Say hello to your new and improved Harley Quinn." Harley escapes with Joker, who maniacally laughs as they speed away from the Asylum in a car.

Trivia

 * It's revealed that Harley is disgusted, to the point of vomiting, by the taste of fish.
 * Bud and Lou, her pet hyenas, first appeared in "The Man who Killed Batman." A possible reference to American comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.