PART TWO: POSSESSED AND OBSESSED

The Man Who Killed Batman

Again, Joker and Harley are only on-screen for a small portion of this episode, but it's clear things have developed even more.

At the jewelry store robbery, he looks positively adoring of Harley, cupping her under the chin and gazing at her fondly; it seems he is most capable of affection when feeling good. In a typical Joker mood-swing he lashes out at her a short while later, but by the time they're back at the Ace Chemical Plant for the Memorial, he's pinching her cheek and giving her an affectionate smile.

Here Harley is again a crucial participant in the drama, as Joker nods to her to begin her kazoo playing. It seems despite himself, Miss Quinn is starting to get under his skin.

 
Harley & Ivy

And here we have it, for those who were in any doubt - yes, Joker and Harley are an item! This is the most developed the relationship has been yet in the series and the episode is rife with innuendo and subtext. This is the episode that very clearly establishes the D/s dynamic as well as the abusive elements, with Harley being very passive at this stage, the 'doormat' Ivy describes her as.
Harley has more need and dependency for Joker than Mistah J does for her, at least outwardly. She is the one openly pining for him and missing him - but as we see before long, he misses her too. His place has fallen down around his ears and he can't quite figure out why - oh yeah, that pesky clown girl has gone missing! To learn that she's teamed up with someone else and is making a name for herself independent to him is a real insult. Here we clearly see Joker needs Harley as well, and is very possessive of her - he considers her his property and finds it unthinkable she could be out there, on her own, making her own way showing him up! Of course, she simply must need him desperately. 'Need', of course, is not the same as affection and Joker is considerably irritated Harley is getting a spotlight independent of him; nonetheless need there is.

We also see a framed photograph of Harley on his desk, and when he crashes Harley & Ivy's hideout, he welcomes Harley into his arms with a truly affectionate, and it seems, grateful embrace. Right, the little minx is still devoted, she'll come back of her own accord so time to grab the goodies and assert his dominance. Which he also does by shoving Ivy's face into his flower in a way that is extremely risqué and suggestive.

Here we have a Joker who is in a relationship, finds it and the person it's with vexing, infuriating and annoying, and yet still feels the need to pursue it and hold onto it. It's all still a bit new to him though and he's not quite sure about it all.

   

Mad Love

Harley's origin story, which sets up the canon as Harley having been obsessed from the moment she appears as Harley Quinn, which means as far back as Joker's Favour. The relationship has progressed quite a bit more, Joker's a part of it whether he wants to be or not, which he seems to grudgingly acknowledge.

It's made clear through inference that they have a sexual relationship as well - although Harley's attempts to seduce Joker are frustrated in this comic, the language she uses in her attempt: "don't cha wanna rev up ya Harley!" and "oh sweetie, I got the whoopee cushion!" is such that it establishes a physical relationship exists.

This comic is about Harley's origins - in which we see her manipulativeness and shrewdness at work and clearly established - and about how Joker's ongoing feud with Batman disrupts Joker and Harley's relationship. It is also about Harley's lack of understanding about that feud and her delusion that once Batman is dead, Joker will be willing to settle down. The Joker in this comic is distracted by his desire to vanquish Batman and has no time to pay Harley attention. Harley is obsessed, and very, very needy, and can't handle this. Harley is still under some illusions about who exactly Mistah J is and Joker himself seems to be confused about what Harley's doing in his life. Things have clearly moved on from her just being a sidekick, and now they are a couple, but he still finds it difficult to relate to her and seems to be asking himself why and how things got to this stage. It's a step-back in some ways from Harley & Ivy and I'm uncertain when it was written in relation to H&I, but it was released after that episode aired.
Nonetheless, there is a level of familiarity and comfort between the two - I can't imagine many people could get away with squeezing a whoopee cushion in Joker's face and apart from a bit of manic screaming, he seems to let Harley's blunder at the dentists' office go with a 'you blew it'.

I do believe Joker takes delight in hurting Harley's feelings when he can, but he seems genuinely grumpy and distracted in this part rather than calculating and overall Harley seems to have avoided punishment for her screw-up (although withholding sex could definitely count as punishment…) which seems strangely merciful of him.
This is also the first time Joker refers to himself as 'Daddy' in relation to Harley, which becomes the standard. Apart from that being insanely sexy, it gives us some insight into his mindset around Harley. In keeping with Dini's preference for having Joker use jazz-age slang (which is fantastic), 'Daddy' is an old-fashioned term that was used by couples when the male in the relationship was older and tended toward a nurturing and indulgent role, was protective towards a girl who was seen as 'vulnerable' and who often provided financial support and security in various forms. The 'baby' - the female - was also often regarded as a possession, arm-candy, akin to a spoiled, pretty pet. There is a slightly incestuous element to it, or at least an eroticising of parent/child roles. I don't think I need to elaborate on any of that, if you know anything about the relationship you'll see how it fits. And yes, I do think Joker considers himself to be nurturing and indulgent of Harley, in his own way, which is obviously nowhere near 'normal'. I think we see that very clearly.
He does refer to her, in his own mind, as his girlfriend as well.
Also, when he has the opportunity to sever the ties completely, he doesn't take it, instead making contact with Harley which he knows will mend the break. I can only buy the 'keeps her around because it hurts her more than just killing her' thing for so long - I think it's a part of it, but it's not all of it. When Joker makes such a big deal about how annoying and irritating she is, when she has made the choice to move on from him, he 'pursues' (in his own fashion) when he could be rid of her forever.

We also see Harley again using her charm to deceive Batman. Where people get the idea Harley is an innocent just playing along, I'll never know.


I'll close up Part Two by saying what struck me about where the relationship is at this stage is the level of familiarity and comfort between the two. Joker's wildly unpredictable mood swings are a constant source of anxiety for Harley, but she's at ease enough to have rearranged his living quarters and speak to him directly and intimately, as well as do things that would earn anyone else an express trip to the afterlife. Joker, too, has a sense of being accustomed to her presence, and indeed, presumptious of it, as remarks like: "So, she's always come back before!", and "where the heck have you been?" would indicate. There's also a possessive ease in the way he manhandles her, tugging her along by her liliripes.