PART FIVE: TWO OF A KIND

World’s Finest

Again we’re seeing a more dynamic, symbiotic partnership in this Batman/Superman crossover movie. They’re a team and they’re supporting and backing each other throughout this. In this movie they're truly united and there's only one moment of tension between them. The rest of the time they're affectionate and entertained by each other, as well as working off each other to delightful outcomes. Joker relies a lot on Harley in this movie and she's confident in her role. He's also quite nurturing (er... as much as he can get, anyway) at several points throughout this film.

I think this is also the first appearance of what becomes Joker’s main petname for Harley: “Pooh”. Although he’s always called her a variety of little names, ‘Punkin Pie, Cupcake, Baby, etc’, he hasn’t seemed to have one he settled on and generally used these terms of endearments when he was manipulating her. ‘Pooh’ becomes the one he uses casually, in general conversation, which gives it a sense of being sincere.

It’s also got an ecstatic Mistah J snuggling Harley on his lap. And certainly the goons of Metropolis seem decided on the nature of the relationship: ‘making ha-ha with Harley Quinn’ (I still can’t figure out how they got away with some of this stuff)


 
Joker’s Millions

The incredibly domestic, ‘normal’ feeling to the spat they have in their getaway car fleeing the scene of their latest crime in the beginning of this episode is hilarious. Once again we have a pretty mouthy back-talking Harley and a Joker who rolls with it. I wonder if he ever stops to reflect on the state of things and how they have changed! Heh.
In the opening scenes, Joker has a clear break for the doors when Batgirl grounds Harley. However, thinking he's got an ace or two up his sleeve still, he turns back to help her out and it's not until all his gimmicks are used up and the car's out of gas that he bails.

And as Joker makes his escape, leaving Harley to get caught by the Bat-Family, she’s shouting names and swearing vengeance against him, only later in the episode to be swooning over him from Arkham. As said before, the relationship from both sides is highly volatile. As Harley will one second be furious with the Clown Prince, then fawning over him again, so too will he be murderous only to snuggle up with her a second later.

It’s very telling that Joker chooses a henchgirl who looks almost identical to Harley, though he finds her intolerable, and admits he misses the real one. The fact he went looking for a replacement henchgirl at all suggests he feels the need for Harley's presence in his life, even if he can't admit it himself, and that he selected her almost-twin pretty much confirms it (as his lecherous reaction to the sight of her confirms his attraction to Harley).

And the final scenes of this episode, if we needed any more indication this relationship exists on a far more even footing than it originally did, Joker cowers before Harley and her police baton, imploring for her to let him explain as she administers a beating to him. Once again, Joker has transgressed the acceptable boundaries of the relationship - and Harley retaliates.


   

This is where the episode Mad Love came in, however I’m not including it because I’ve already covered the comic in its proper place within continuity – although Mad Love is a great adaptation of the comic, it comes in entirely the wrong place as an episode, as it depicts a far earlier stage of Joker and Harley’s relationship, and to me that really, really stands out. It doesn’t feel right with how things have progressed to this point.


Beware the Creeper

It was once said to me by Paul Dini that Joker could be very affectionate with Harley when in just the right mood. Contrast the cuddling scene in World’s Finest to the pie scene from this ep.

If only everything had gone right at the Chemical Plant, Harley would’ve got lucky! Never mind, Harls. Still, there is an unmistakable ‘wow’ expression on Joker’s face when he first sees her and the way he says ‘Harley!’ communicates a lot - there's a good deal of affection in it.

But my favourite bit comes later when Harley is running away from Creeper and comes to Mistah J to save her. She doesn't even question that he will, just has absolute faith. Then, when Creeper enters; Joker stands and places himself between Harley and Creeper and when Creeper snatches her, he is less than impressed. When Harley assures him she didn’t give Creeper encouragement, Joker simply plucks her away, pulls her up for a cuddle and reassures her that he knows she’s a one-man loon.
There’s simple trust here, complete and straight-forward, on both sides. Joker doesn’t question Harley’s loyalty and she doesn’t question Joker will protect her.

And although Creeper gives her the kind of attention she seems to crave from her Mistah J, Harley just isn't interested. The slavering, slobbering, needy type is not really for her. She likes her men mad, bad and dangerous!