Harley Quinn takes a walk down memory lane in this week’s episode. Who doesn’t love some good old fashioned context, eh? We get a look back on Harley’s first meeting with the Joker and Ivy. Jim Gordon also shows up in his younger, fitter, just as clingy days as Warden of Arkham Asylum. Harvey Dent has a full face, and boy howdy, a man named Luigi, blows up good.
This episode continues the trend of marginalizing Harley’s crew and focusing on the real hero of this story. Jim Gordon. In all seriousness, Harley’s crew really does get the short end of every stick. I am starting to miss King Shark and Clayface. Not so much Psycho, and Cy Borgman can burn in a chemical fire. Hopefully, they will all get some love in the coming episodes. I would love a look back at what King Shark was doing before his Harley involvement. Mostly because we have similar jobs. Spoilers ahead, obviously.
1. Joker’s back, and he’s boring.
Turns out Joker isn’t dead, shocker. He also has normal, healthy skin. That is actually surprising. Check out Harley and her pasty white flesh. That is the byproduct of an acid bath. Didn’t the Joker get the same shower before Harley’s psycho baptism? Now he’s back with regular old skin, a big chin, and khakis. He’s got a girlfriend (no surprise, turns out he’s a handsome fella) who has a couple of kiddos. I worry about those kids. At some point, he’s going to switch back to the Clown Prince and boil them like bunnies. Too dark? Too bad, this is the Joker we are talking about. Until that time, sane Joker is a bartender, pizza maker, and apparently, a well-hung dude.
2. Waynetube? C’mon.
Early in the episode, Harley mentions “Waynetube,” this universe’s version of Youtube. I must say, that’s lazy as hell. Is Waynetech the only company in existence? No one else could possibly create a video streaming platform? This is nitpicking, but its not even a clever name. It’s more of a self-indulgent product than anything else. At least Google isn’t named after someone (though I am sure someone is named Google now). I can only assume Wayne Tech created a version of Amazon, Yahoo, Groupon, and Pornhub. What would their Pornhub be called? WayneHub? WayneButts? What do you think readers?
3. Gordon Watch, 2020 Part 4?
I can’t remember what part we are on, but Gordon Watch is back. This time we get a glimpse at our young future Commissioner, and he is buff as hell. We get a clearer picture of who Gordon has always been. He is a man in search of male companionship. You don’t just do shirtless push-up challenges. If anyone thinks that is a thing all men do, you are wrong. You do that when you want to bro out. Gordon loves powerful men. Hence his obsession with Batman and Harvey Dent. He needs a friend he can have a beer with. Grill steaks with. Get super sweaty in a gym with. That type of friend comes along once, maybe twice in a man’s life. Gordon is searching for the most hetero-man love imaginable. The love between bros.
4. It’s The Dark Knight all over again.
Batman kicking the shit out of Joker isn’t new. Batman kicking the shit out of Joker while looking for a bomb while in an interrogation cell is straight-up plagiarism. Is it plagiarism if the same company does it? I will assume the scene between the two nemeses was an homage to The Dark Knight All we needed was a gravely “Where is she?!” It plays out way more violent here, with Joker proving he does have a superpower. He can take a lot of punishment and keep on coming. He is an unstoppable force. Batman is an immovable object.
5. Jokes on you, he lied.
Walking into the flashback, we are promised a look back at the catalyst for Joker’s madness. I must say, the scene Joker lays out would drive anyone even a little mad. Your dad can’t bang the maid, kill your pet, and punch you silly without some emotional scars. Now, is that enough to turn you into a clown criminal? I am not a psychiatrist, so I can’t say, but Harley is, and she sure bought it. Turns out, Joker is a lying piece of shit, and he stole Ivy’s childhood story. Let’s be real. Joker doesn’t need a backstory. Sometimes being crazy for the sake of it is enough. Wait, so all that happened to Ivy in some form, and she turned into a cool ass, plant-based, eco-terrorist. It really depends on the person, eh?
The wrap-up
I do love context. Taking a look back to inform the present is something we should all do in our daily lives. Those who forget the past and all that good stuff. I can appreciate Harley’s accidental branding of Two-Face. Who better to diagnose and name that smarmy jerk than a professional psychologist. Also, Ivy’s background is revealed through Joker’s lies, which is a brilliant way to shed more light on the actual hero of this series. Every episode, I am more and more convinced Ivy should be the lead. She’s fantastic, and I hope her wedding goes off without a hitch. It won’t, but one can dream, Check you next week Hyenas!
