Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Harley Quinn season 1, episode 4, “Finding Mr. Right.”
The latest episode of DC Universe’s Harley Quinn finds the Clown Queen of Crime fighting a media war to convince the world that she isn’t the nemesis of Robin the Boy Wonder. In doing this, the episode provides a brilliant satire of entertainment news and how the rivalries between heroes and villains are treated like celebrity romances by the media of the DC Universe.
Harley Quinn’s story centers upon Dr. Harleen Quinzel and her mad mission to break free of The Joker’s influence and become a successful supervillain on her own terms, eventually earning a spot in the Legion of Doom. Earlier episodes have seen Harley proving her worth by crashing a Legion party to show how together she is and trying to assemble her own gang of hired goons. While the villain’s journey has been anything but smooth so far, Harley did build a working partnership with the psychic Doctor Psycho and shape-shifting method actor Clayface.
The latest episode of Harley Quinn, “Finding Mr. Right,” sees Harley taking the next step in improving her image; finding a big name superhero to be her official nemesis. After failing to find any matches on the hero/villain matching site Find-A-Nemesis.com apart from Tommy Tomorrow (who is only looking for a casual nemesis he can fight on the weekends), Harley decides to go big and try and steal Batman away from The Joker. Unfortunately, even after a crime spree which ends with Harley stealing the Batmobile and taking it for a joyride, the best she can manage is to get Robin (aka Damian Wayne) sent after her. For Harley this is the final insult and she easily defeats the Boy Wonder, even as he boasts that he was “raised by an elite group of assassins from birth.”
Bristling at Harley’s refusal to take him seriously, Damian gets his revenge by going on a local talk show and telling the gushing hostess about his latest daring battle saving Gotham City from Harley. After lying about how easily he beat her, Robin ups the ante by claiming that Harley asked him to be her official nemesis. This declaration is taken at face value and soon the entire city is talking about how Harley can’t do better than to menace a “12 year old from a f-ing Renn Faire.”
The resulting media circus is a riotous send-up of how entertainment reporters frenzy over celebrity relationships and break-ups. It’s not all fun and games though, as the episode ends with Batman and Robin having a frank talk about how having a nemesis seems glamorous and exciting but how it is important to important to find the right villain before you declare them your arch-enemy. “You want your first nemesis to be special,” Batman says. “Somebody you can see being your nemesis for the rest of your life.” The talk is embarrassing for all involved and a new high-water mark for Harley Quinn’s hilarious take on the DC Universe.
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