Here we go. The inmates are literally running the asylum. Or pit, if you want to be literal. Harley Quinn episode seven brings Ivy and Harley to “justice” in the eyes of Bane and Two Face. We get a good old fashioned court scene where our heroes are sentenced to life in The Pena Duro North Correctional and Rehabilitation facility. We will just call it the pit from now on. Will our heroes get out? Will they ever see the sun again? Of course, we all know these things. It’s the journey to that outcome that’s fun, and it was just that. Lots of cameos from famous Bat-villains, and a strange appearance by George Lopez. I am not complaining, the man can make you chuckle. I just question what universe we are in. Not just the show, but in reality. Everything is weird. Thank’s George Lopez, now I am spiraling. Five thoughts! Minor Spoilers ahead.
1. Bane rises to the occasion
Bane has been given a lot of shine in season two. He is getting the respect he deserves. Kind of. Mostly in the intellectual, forward-thinking space and less in the violent criminal area. So rarely does he fire up his Venom and give someone a thorough pasting. When he does, it is a welcome sight. We even get a Bane Minion Cheryl beefing herself on the juice and taking on Harley. Sure it doesn’t work out well for her or Bane for that matter, but the point is they activated their full potential and tried. This series really leans into The Dark Knight Rises version of Bane. It really didn’t hit me until this episode, where I started to hate the sound of Bane’s voice. That’s a direct reference to the Nolan film. That, and all the actual direct references to the Nolan films.
2. Zsasz rises above the hate, briefly
I always wonder why Victor Zsasz is a major Batman villain. Yes, he is a serial killer, but when you put him up against Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, or Clayface, he’s just a guy. That said, he is a crazy guy who stabs everybody. He is also in most of the recent major Batman releases. He was a staple in Gotham, Batman Begins, Batman: Arkham Asylum and I am pretty sure he makes an appearance in a couple animated features. Including this one! He’s just not super interesting, but he’s everywhere. Like seltzer water. Or balloons. Anyway, he’s in the pit and not murdering people. That is a pretty strong testament to Bane’s rehabilitation methods. He stopped a homicidal sociopath from murdering a pit full of victims. It’s a pit that has no doors, no less. Zsasz has free reign and didn’t saw everyone’s head off. If anything, Ivy undid some instrumental work.
3. George Lopez rising out of that pit was a sight
I watched George Lopez ride that helicopter out of that pit and was reminded of all the “hell gigs,” I hear comedians reference. This has to be one of them. I have seen many comedians go to prisons to entertain the folks there. It is not a new thing. But descending into a pit with a crocodile man (who is admittedly “working out his shit”), a lethal serial killer, psycho’s jacked up on Venom and wearing BDSM clothing, this has to rank as one of the worst. Ivy even mentioned they probably didn’t meet Lopez’s quote. So he did this gig for less money than he asked for, was shuttled into a pit, and had to perform to a volatile group. He doesn’t even know how close he came to having his chopper hijacked. What a brave cartoon man.
4. Gordon Watch 2020: The Dark Jim Rises
Back on our Gordon watch and we have finally reached his phoenix moment. Jim Gordon Rises! What a great scene of seeing how proud he is of Barbara for taking up the Batgirl mantle. Many dads would be worried about their baby girl, but Jim knows she has the goods. And she is following in her footsteps. What a joy. One day I hope my daughter takes over for me, being a professional dork. Oh, the pride. We also get a beautiful montage of sobriety and FINALLY watch Gordon kick all kinds of ass. Can you imagine how effective he was 10 years and 50lbs ago? He definitely could have been the Robot Batman. There is still time. I love this, Gordon. More!
5. Love lifted them from the pit
Harley and Ivy love each other. It has been so obvious since day one. Best friends who would do anything for each other. Well, that friendship just took a step in the romantic category. We have been building to this for a while. From the reveal of their first interaction to Ivy’s steadfast loyalty to the often hard-headed Harley. Harley sacrificing herself to allow Ivy to escape the rehab pit is the final romantic straw that crippled the camel. It’s the “if you love her so much why don’t you marry her” moment. I just feel bad for Kite Man. ven when he wins, he loses. Then again, maybe he can spin this into a Sister Wives situation. Harley seems down for whatever, and some of the best relationships are born from dislike. Someone get Kody Brown on the phone! Kite Man needs advice!
The wrap-up
This episode introduced a new normal to the Ivy/Harley relationship. It is something we all knew was coming and has been quite well set up since season one. Now we get to see how this duo handles loving each other in a new way. I, for one, am glad we finally got here because it helps explain why they can’t quit each other. Also, it justifies Ivy’s unwavering devotion to Harley, even though all her terrible plans. It almost makes up for not seeing the rest of the squad for a while. Almost. Hey, remember Clayface? He was on this show, right?
Check you next week, Hyenas!
