Harley Quinn's Biggest Screw

Harley Quinn might have majorly botched the DC Universe, but while trying to fix it, she proves that she’s grown into the role of a hero.

Warning! Contains spoilers for Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU #5!The latest flub of Harley Quinn’s has reaffirmed that she’s a hero after all. In her desperation to repair the DC Universe's time stream, Harley is confronted with a choice that shows just how much she's grown.

Harley has made a lot of mistakes in her life, but her recent accident in Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU is her worst blooper yet. Harley was bequeathed a time machine from a mysterious benefactor and promptly took it for a joyride. The adventure took her all over the DC Universe to some of its most crucial points. Unfortunately, the experience severely messed up the origins of the Justice League and erased them altogether, leaving it defenseless against the might of Starro the Conqueror. Teaming up with a variant of herself, Harley set out to repair each origin as best she could.

In Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU #5 by Frank Tieri and Logan Faerber, Harley and her variant arrive in Gotham to fix the most infamous DC origin of all time: Batman's. During her original time travel escapade, it was Harley who confronted Joe Chill instead of the Wayne family. But Harley easily took care of Chill, meaning Bruce got to go on living a happy life. The Harley variant tells her prime self that they have to make sure the Waynes die at Chill's hand, something Harley shows a real reluctance to do. The original Harley runs away from her prime self and tries to find the Waynes herself. As events begin to unfold as they are supposed to, Harley contemplates the idea of saving the Waynes. Unfortunately, fate decides for her. Bruce Wayne is left an orphan and Harley sheds a tear for him.

Harley Quinn has come a long way since her debut. She was originally a villain who showed no qualms about helping the Joker commit various atrocities (or committing some herself). But Harley has softened in the last few years and there's been a real push to present her as more of a hero. That said, she's had trouble escaping the shadow of her past, and some are reluctant to label her as a hero with her chaotic and violent nature. But if anything shows how far she's come, it's the moral quandary she grappled with when it came to saving the Waynes.

Harley knows how important it is to repair the timeline if the DCU has any shot against Starro. But the only way for her to get Batman back was by ruining his life and having his parents get killed. The old Harley wouldn't have thought twice about it (she might have even filled in for Joe Chill if she had to). But now, Harley is actually torn at the idea. Even with the future of the DCU at risk, Harley has a difficult time accepting that she has to destroy someone else's life. Is Harley perfect? Definitely not. But her difficulty with this unwinnable situation shows how much her character has grown since her days as the Joker's sidekick. Harley might not be the most noble hero, but she definitely has the spirit of one. Fans can see Harley's tremendous growth in Multiversity: Harley Screws Up the DCU #5, now available on DC Universe Infinite and in stores July 11th.