I Still Can"t Get Over DC"s Newest Adaptation of One Of Batman"s Darkest Storylines After 2025 Brought It Back

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Harley Quinn has delved into a great deal of DC Universe source material, but one of the more recent stories being part of the show was genuinely shocking. Throughout the first four seasons, Harley Quinn has given incredible love to so many stories and characters from DC lore. Even when poking fun at some of the best Harley Quinn characters, the series had great affection and reverence for its source material. This contributed to one of the darkest Batman stories, based on a comic by Alan Moore, being told during season 4.
Even when Harley Quinn uses darkness, however, it also brings great light. The Harley Quinn season 5 premiere continued with much of the show"s irreverent tone while continuing to build strong and dynamic characters. As the show has shifted from Gotham City to Metropolis, it seems that a number of changes will occur within the series. One of these changes has made a certain character"s absence from the show’s premiere feel heavy, especially as she has been changed drastically by brutal events from season 4.
Harley Quinn's Comedic Leanings Makes It A Surprising Place For An Adaptation Of The Killing Joke The Series Adapted The Famous Story In Season 4 Close Harley Quinn season 4 shocked audiences when it told a version of the story Batman: The Killing Joke. The famous comic book is one of the most important Batman stories of the past few decades, and saw a version of the Joker that has since gone on to influence many of the character"s adaptations since. In Harley Quinn, however, the important factor was how it had Joker shoot Batgirl in the stomach, leading to her eventual paralysis. While adapted differently from the comic, this dark event still occurred in the show.
With incredible wit and humor, Harley Quinn feels like a strange place for this story to occur. The DC show tends to focus on being light-hearted and comedic, with The Killing Joke being anything but. However, the series does also have a TV-MA rating, and is certainly for adult audiences with its material and themes alike. Using violence, sexuality, and cursing, the show does live up to this reputation, and the fact it removes most of the other darker parts of this storyline also may help to explain why the decision to adapt parts of it was made in the first place.
Harley Quinn Season 5 Brings The Killing Joke's Story Back Into Focus Oracle's Transition Is Discussed In The New Season Close Barbara Gordon"s ordeal is referenced in the first scene of Harley Quinn season 5, episode 1, with Poison Ivy explaining to Harley that the Joker was impeached as Gotham Mayor after paralyzing Batgirl. Shortly after this, the episode provides a flashback to the last time Harley and Ivy interacted with Barbara, showing her working as Oracle and directing the Gotham City Sirens. Following this, it is unlikely that Barbara and Harley will be working together anytime soon, especially as she adjusts to her new role as Oracle rather than Batgirl.
While dealing with the consequences of the events of season 4 in the premiere of season 5 stands to reason, the more comedy-focused Harley Quinn choosing to immediately continue building on thw show"s version of The Killing Joke is definitely a notable concept. With that said, the nature of Harley Quinn as a show does go some way to explain why the decision to loosely adapt this storyline was made.
Why Harley Quinn Adapting The Killing Joke Does Make Sense The Show Is Willing To Tell All Kinds Of Stories From DC Canon Close This show’s version of Harley Quinn may be light-hearted and funny, but it does not shy away from telling some of the darker stories from the comics. Batman and his canon have tended to be dark, and many of the stories that Harley Quinn draws from them already have that gleam. As the show is an adult program, and Barbara has been a focal character for much of the series, it makes sense to give her one of the most important dramatic moments that she has had in the comic lore.
Harley Quinn is about empowering some of the more sidelined characters, including Harley and Ivy themselves, and it makes sense that the show would allow Barbara to grow and change throughout it. While Barbara is not confirmed to return after episode 1, it"s likely the series will at least address what"s happening in this new chapter of her life at some point, especially since we know from the trailer that the Bat Family will appear again. Adapting details of The Killing Joke also allows the show itself to continue to grow emotionally, even as it changes settings in this new season.
While it is difficult to contend with such heavy stories as The Killing Joke in Harley Quinn, the story is an important addition to the world that the series has created. It is refreshing to see such an original take on the Batman world that still feels faithful to the source material. Whatever comes in future episodes of Harley Quinn, the tragedy of Barbara Gordon and her transformation into Oracle will surely play an important emotional role, whether or not the character continues to appear on the show.

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