Top 10 Worst Things That Happened to Harley Quinn

All things considered, this bubbly psychopath has been dealt a pretty bad hand. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 worst things ever to happen to Harley Quinn. For this list, we’re forcing ourselves to look back at some of this former psychiatrist turned lovable henchwoman’s most traumatic experiences. As you’d probably expect, there will be spoilers. #10: Getting Pushed out the Window by Joker This story-line first played out in the pages of “Batman Adventure,” but was later adapted for “The New Batman Adventures” animated show. To prove her love to Mr. J, Harley abducts Batman in an old deathtrap gag, and her plan would have succeeded… if Batman didn’t get inside her head and trick her into calling Joker. Furious, Joker slaps her and mercilessly shoves her out of a window. Needless to say, Batman played the clown like a fiddle – Joker’s hell-bent on murdering the Bat himself; so to find out that Harley actually almost pulled it off… that’s GOT to hurt his pride. When a battered and broken Harley is finally ready to move on, one gift from Joker pulls her back in, and the cycle continues. #9: Joker Tried to Kill Her in Front of Batman After Harley leads Batman straight to The Clown Prince of Crime, he picks up a razor… and holds it up to HER throat. It turns out that part of the Clown’s plan was killing off all of his former associates… and Harley’s the last one on the list. No matter how much she adores him, Harley’s just another gag in Joker’s eyes… and he wanted Batman in the audience when he delivered the punchline. She tearfully tries to deny it, but is left no choice – she manages to escape his grasp, and soon after, shoots Joker in the shoulder, incapacitating him, and showing that she deserves more respect –even if it’s only temporary. #8: Getting Shot by Deadshot We’d expect this from Joker but from her own Suicide Squad? The Clown Prince has been declared dead, and all that’s left is his detached face –Harley takes it as well as you’d expect. She steals the face, and abducts fellow Squad member, Deadshot; she than drapes the face over his… and rants to him like he’s actually Joker. Deadshot plays along until he can get close enough… and then shoots her in the gut, subduing her for the moment. While Harley’s little stunt crosses …so many creepy lines, it wasn’t ALL her fault; it’ll take a LONG time to fully loosen Joker’s grip over her psyche. #7: Joker’s Comeback Joker’s back in town, and he pays Harley a little visit; but the ‘happy’ reunion is anything but, as he wastes no time smacking her around and threatening to carve her face unless she gives in to his demands. After subduing the Bat, Harley confides to him that the love is gone; unfortunately, Joker overhears her and decides to literally hang his plaything out to dry. The twisted clown made Harley what she is today, and he’ll do anything to have her as his little puppet again. However, he didn’t count on her fighting back later, or making the effort to break away from his clutches… through any means necessary. #6: Guy Kopski's Death Before her criminal days, Harleen Quinzel attended Gotham State University, where she dated someone that ACTUALLY cared about her, Guy Kopski. This funnyman would do anything for his beloved ‘Quinz’ …including inadvertently participating in an experiment of hers. It was supposed to be a controlled test, but it went south when Harleen’s professor spiked Guy’s drink with diluted Joker venom and shot a man he thought was going to kill his love. Overcome with guilt, Guy points the gun at himself and ends his misery. Heartbroken and realizing how chaotic life can be, Harleen decides to seek out the only one she believes can truly understand her, the Joker – making this whole tragedy a stepping stone for her future of misfortune. #5: Her Suicide Squad Initiation After being forcefully recruited into the Suicide Squad and sent on a mission, Harley and several other villains are abducted and tortured for information about their employers. Harley’s torture includes being electrocuted through her cheeks by a car battery while reflecting on the heartache that got her arrested in the first place. It turns out that this was all a test set up by Amanda Waller to see if they could be trusted; and thankfully, our favorite harlequin was among the few to pass by not cracking under pressure. While Waller’s methods are overkill, Harley stuck it out, never stopping her witty quips during the electrocution… in fact, we’re pretty sure she liked it. #4: Being Strangled for Misunderstanding the Plan Harley’s criminal career has just begun, and she may already be in too deep. Most of Gotham has been reduced to a no man’s land, and Joker plans to rule it all –when he isn’t belittling Harley for her short-term independence and brainpower. When it looks like the end has come for his barren paradise, he still has one last gag planned… but Harley doesn’t catch on to what he’s thinking. Fed up, Joker pounces and strangles her to let the message sink in, as Harley chokes out in agony. Joker’s always got something up his sleeve, sometimes it’s better to just go along with it… especially if want to protect your windpipe. #3: Her New 52 Origin In a new twist on her classic origin, Harleen Quinzel was an Arkham Psychiatrist fascinated with the criminal mind. She turns herself in as an inmate to study the more unstable prisoners… until she ends up falling head over heels for a certain Clown Prince of Crime. After the two break out of Arkham, Joker proves his “love” for her… by pushing her into the same vat of chemicals that bleached HIS skin. Now sharing his complexion, Harley is more than willing to give herself to the Joker -until he’s tired of her, of course. #2: Giving Birth to The Joker’s Baby In the Injustice universe, Harley confides a major secret to a pregnant Black Canary. Four years before Superman’s regime, Harley was pregnant with Joker’s child –a baby girl named Lucy Quinzel. Because she wanted to give her daughter a normal life –can’t possibly imagine why- she gave the child to her sister, Delia. Turns out that Joker didn’t even notice she was gone for a whole year… wow. You’d never think the normally loopy Harley would be so selfless, but she did what was best for her only baby’s safety –even if it meant possibly never having a relationship with her own daughter. #1: Becoming Harley Quinn to Begin With Taking the number one spot is the bad day that started it all. Harleen Quinzel was an intern for Arkham Asylum who took an interest in you-know-who. Unfortunately, after a few sessions, the naïve doctor was wooed by Joker’s sob stories and sense of humor. She became obsessed with him –to the point where she’d eventually become his right-hand girl and on again/off again lover, Harley Quinn. Although we love Harley, pining for Joker and donning the red and black ensemble opened the door to all the insanity and the seemingly endless cycle of abuse and torment. To put it bluntly, Harleen’s life was doomed the moment she set foot into Arkham.