The Evolving Relationship of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy

[@camsons]

Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are such a cute couple I wish lesbians were real 😔

[@eba56]

Same

[@mandyhiggans]

Same

[@starfiring]

Same

[@mrdelirious8706]

Same

[@prpsnfeels]

😩

[@OverlySarcasticProductions]

Rewatching the early episodes of BtAS is wild because I really wasn't expecting their dynamic to just… BE there from the very beginning. That's the show that invented Harley, it's the story that invented their entire dynamic, and the seeds of this relationship are just fully THERE. Ivy's maneater femme fatale characterization just happens to mesh perfectly with Harley's Joker-obsessed abusive relationship to form "girl get out of that relationship, you're better than him, you don't NEED him, you can crash with ME if you want" which of course has a perfectly heterosexual girl-power explanation but ALSO has aNOTHER explanation, and suddenly they're having giggly pantsless sleepovers and regularly bailing each other out of danger from their *very first crossover together*. Like, the follow-ups would've needed to do actual work to BREAK that relationship. -R

[@Togro1990]

I read this in Red’s voice the entire time because of trope talks but I hoped beyond hope it was Blue until the very end-but I agree with everything you said, it’s absolutely cool how the puzzle pieces just fit together.

[@scorpion1o4]

@@Togro1990 Yeah, I almost added a "So Yeah" to that comment.

[@DillonExner]

@@scorpion1o4 I DID.

[@Visible-to-anyone-on-YouTube]

… … … *WHAT*

[@robttore2]

Oh hey, you sent me to this video, in your livestream. Thanks!

[@MasterOphSky]

One of the things I find interesting about the ship is that, usually, romances are written first and the characters are written around that. Supporting characters written as token love interests, villains written for sexual tension, or canon ships written in during the introduction of the characters. Some form of romance is always either intended or hinted at from the start. But Harley and Ivy are a unique case where they weren't written for each other, their relationship developed somewhat naturally. There's a theme in media that people in love are usually made for each other, and that can be pretty hard to remove as a message because, usually, they literally are. But Harley and Ivy just kinda... Happened. They weren't made for each other, but they still found each other, and that's just really nice.

[@WhyWeWatch1]

Friends did that well with Monica and Chandler

[@mestiesambony729]

Before the word "ship" is widely used, ivy and harley already have a connection

[@user-pp7he5lv2r]

I can’t tell if your saying it was forced or smt else but hopefully you just Stan Harlivy😅

[@serendipity4346]

@@user-pp7he5lv2r We can tell when a relationship is forced, but i agree with the comment, the relationship [both the friendship and the love story] truly feels born from tiny pieces across the years, it feels natural, like the experience of two people hanging for the first time and knowing each other from 0. In my opinion some writters, in both animated series and comics, did incredible jobs at connecting them.

[@bud389]

That's literally how most relationships in long-running series usually are. Batman and Catwoman happened identically. It's not unique.

[@hartthorn]

Speaking on Joker's character development, giving him an honest to god love interest that he seems to genuinely LIKE is such a wild turn. And that it's just some suburban mom is absolutely hysterical. But it still handles it with full seriousness. Like, the PREMISE is bizarre, but the emotions are considered fully real.

[@PerogiXW]

Yesss it's such a genuine and sweet story but it's also absurd and hilarious because the freakin' Joker is taking his stepkids to little league

[@adamlambboy8332]

It’s honestly so wholesome. Im rooting for them 😭❤️

[@kc5997]

@@PerogiXW joker losing his shit trying to help his step kid to do his homework was not something I ever thought I'd laugh about. But here we are.

[@L3FT2BURN]

I love how they gave the Joker character growth and to become a loving partner and step-father, but he's still the Joker. He's still a pyschopath, its hilarious to watch

[@maximillienrobespierre7262]

Nah, it still rubs me the wrong way, Joker made fun of the so called “normal family” quite a few times, the character is supposed to defy gender and social norms. Giving him a genuine love interest? Yeah, ok. But not this way.

[@pinnipes]

i think harley & ivy inexplicably being interfered with by DC editorial and having their stories ruined is the sign they've truly made it as a canon comics couple in that specific regard. also happy birthday this video rules i'm gonna show it to my non comics friends

[@Syrantking]

lmao this is such a real take

[@TwoPairSA]

Yeah it's not a real relationship until the suits ruin something about it

[@mikemorro140]

@@TwoPairSA As a Spider-Man fan yeah that tracks

[@Stephen-Fox]

One thing I love about is that Harley's side of the story is about overcoming trauma and discovering a healthy relationship after being in an abusive one. And I just think that's an important thing to reflect in media. Messiness and all.

[@thevoidlord1796]

Something I find interesting about this ship is that Ivy and Harley have often felt like victims of the "men writing women" problem, so there's something fascinating about seeing those characters in an explicitly maleless relationship.

[@WalterWhite-jz7ct]

both caracters stem from a time in wich writing Women was....lets say difficult for most and even now writing gay characters usualy does not work because the writers can´t disassociate the Character from the Sexuality (aka Netflix writing).

[@flowersinawasteland]

Right!

[@bud389]

@@WalterWhite-jz7ct Writing women isn't difficult. It's been done for thousands of years. That would be like saying women writing men is incredibly difficult, when it's not. You can't be a writer and not write women, or at least you can't not be competent at it. You write characters that are extremely different from you all the time.

[@WalterWhite-jz7ct]

@@bud389 ​ @bud389 what i meant was that in the past, Women were 1 note Characters and gays were writen as a joke. They had rarely a good thought out Character because Men had to be the interresting ones. Ofc in writing any Character CAN be interresting but thats not what the Audience back then wanted/ could accept. Would you trust a Writer from 1966 to write a modern Momen/any different sexuality? i would not.

[@bud389]

@@WalterWhite-jz7ct That's a baseless statement. Are you saying the Scarlet Letter is poorly written since the entire book is from a woman's perspective, yet written by a man? Go read Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy. That should quickly change your opinion on the matter.

[@fanta3853]

I actually like the "Ivy, we need to be separate until you find yourself" thing because like. Harley has just left a relationship with a manipulating misanthrope. Ivy's gimmick is being able to manipulate people and on some level believes all people deserve to be replaced with plant. It does make sense that at some point Ivy's going to have to sort some stuff out if they can be together.

[@beautifulspacesllc]

Where'd you find that quote m

[@beautifulspacesllc]

Honestly, this is perfect timing with the trailer for season 3 of Harley Quinn coming out cuz that's exactly what's happening. Minus the breaking up, but the sorting stuff out? Absolutely

[@timmeyer9191]

I agree with your sentiment. I've disagreed about this being a healthy relationship for a while now. Not because they're a same sex couple, but because neither is in the right headspace for a healthy relationship. 1. Ivy is a thief, ecoterrorist, and murderess. She uses her powers of manipulation to control others and get what she wants. She displays classic sociopathic tendencies. It seems unlikely she would express self-control with her abilities when it comes to romantic partners. 2. Harley is still Harley. Harleen took on this Harley persona to please an abusive lover, the Joker, and took a lot of pain for it. If she is truly over her Joker obsession, the Harley persona should be something Harleen is disgusted with herself over because it would be like voluntarily putting the bruises back on. Writers have been pushing this co-dependent relationship between two psychologically unstable people as something to be admired simply because they're a same-sex couple when these two characters have no business being in any relationship let alone in one with each other. They are drawn sexy, and that is what counts, right?

[@wdcain1]

Their origins mirror each other so well that it's shocking the relationship wasn't planned from the beginning. Both were young women taken advantage of by a controlling abuser who (Joker & Floronic Man) who molded them into a female version of themselves. But while Harley thought Joker did it out of love, Ivy had no delusions. She knew that Woodrue never cared for her had to escape. Even their voices mirror the other. Harley keeps acting destructively spontaneous, Ivy is a control freak who enslaves others before they could possibly hurt her. Each helps the other to stop their disorder and become better, along with finding true love. Harley and Ivy being together is akin to the stars aligning: One of those once in a lifetime events where everything is perfect.

[@tomthespaceknerd5396]

I'm not a shipper (or LGBT+) but I think what a lot of us like about Harley and Ivy is that it's just nice to see a couple in fiction that are good for each other. Fiction is so full of toxic relationships that it's actually different and interesting to see a relationship as... wholesome?... as theirs.

[@cwesont1381]

Me fr

[@Ibrecachew45]

Lesbian abuse rate is over 70%

[@noneofyourbusiness4294]

I wouldn't call their relationship wholesome. Both of them are super villains after all. But the development that lead to the relationship just feels natural. It's actually fun to watch, and doesn't feel like someone decided there has to be some representation. I guess the "relationship being wholesome" is true to some extend.

[@athousandandonenights11]

@@noneofyourbusiness4294On their tv show, their relationship is very wholesome. They are great at communicating, bring out the best from each other, they encourage one another to follow their passions even if it contradicts with that the other wants. They’re like Gomez and Morticia.

[@its_miscu]

the harley quinn animated series is also great for having that venture bros concept of "the heroes and villains dynamic has become so crystalized that it's now literally become it's own corporatized industry, and here we have characters who utterly refuse to be subservient to that homogenized system". it's a real highlight in TV show writing from the last few years, and that relationship is the wonderful centerpiece that ties it all together

[@ommlettuce3137]

The Harley show really does remind me a lot of Venture Bros at times and tbh thats the highest amount of praise I can give to a show

[@ashmorehouse8016]

i laughed out loud at "they would rather make more jokers than give him character development" - this vid was really really great!!!

[@CatComixzStudios]

"So Harley and Ivy... Are they... you know... 'going on a roadtrip together?"

[@JessieBlackheart]

On a side note, is it just me or is Emily coming across more confident in her delivery of these essays

[@kumatorahaltmanndreemurr]

It’s not just you, she’s really finding her stride

[@1ittlegs]

Love it great to see

[@Togro1990]

*tear* watching my baby grow up

[@Elonyx.studios]

I think its also due to her being in a better place in her life. The past 2 years have really shredded up her soul, so maybe things are finally stabalizing in her personal life. At least i hope thats the case.

[@MeansofIntrigue]

The diction has certainly changed. Emily isn't delivering most of her sentences as interrogative anymore. Its slower and more assertive.

[@Ghost-Mom]

Just wanna say, I'm a lesbian and I avoided the Harley Quinn series because it looked as you said; *some adult swim being too edgy for its own good* it was a major turn of, but after watching this video I binged both seasons and I have to say I was so impressed with how much of a focus the show had on their relationship. Even in season one I cuoldn't stop thinking "Oh my god, Ivy you are so hopelessly in love with this woman." Thank you for this

[@Chronoplague]

I think one of the difficulties in writing this couple comes from the characters' thematic and symbolic use. Harley is often used as a statement on abusive relationships, and Ivy is the archetypal seductress or the "woman scorned" trope. This excuse falls apart when you look at them as individual characters, however it must be tempting as a writer to keep them as "gal pals" so you can keep writing the old tropes and stories.

[@lukeh2556]

I mean bisexual people exist, so I see reason why they can't use old tropes anyways

[@Chronoplague]

@@lukeh2556 That's a good point. I do think the writers who keep fumbling Harley and Ivy would have a hard time wrapping their heads around it, though.

[@cryofpaine]

@@lukeh2556 For Harley especially. A victim of domestic abuse recovering from that and finding actual, healthy, loving relationship with someone else - that's the perfect place to go with her.

[@MM-ob3ke]

Well I love the heck out of this! The only thing I’d add is that Harlivy (when it’s good) is *wholesome* messiness. There is a glut of queer stories that are messy (ones by hets and queers) but generally those stories are 90% pain and 10% pleasure. They don’t make much room for joy, which granted okay queerness has involved a lot of trauma, but precisely because of that in my own life I really prefer kinder, more optimistic stories that make me feel like there actually is a kinder future that I can strive for.

[@tahlialysse]

Part of the wholesomeness is also that the two of them are allowed to actually care about each other deeply, instead of just "really want to date the other person." HQTAS dropping lines like "you're easy to celebrate." They see each other and want to be good for each other, and that's often not the case with the messy gay couples we get to see in media. Maybe not even something we get to see often in ANY messy couples in media, even.

[@WhaleManMan]

"Wait, if Ivy would never hurt plants, what does she eat?" Ivy: *points at Harley*

[@i_am_only_an_insane_person]

😳

[@Chicken.Attack]

😳

[@Nitram4392]

Ayo?

[@Sprout8467]

I love how HBomberGuy’s playlist suggestion has just been like a Twitch raid, sending all of us out to different cool creators. Like we’re all just a mob chanting “HBomb sent me here, btw this video is amazing” it’s great :D Ps: HBomb sent me here, this video really is great :D

[@eddieforest6931]

I think part of the reasons why I love this ship so much is the wildly and dangerously sexual part of it? Like I enjoy the fluff but I feel like a lot of the time gay female relationship portrayal focuses solely on fluff and domesticity and cuteness without giving space for actual homoeroticism. So actually sex positive relationship between two villains is a breath of fresh air.

[@OfficialImos]

I clicked on this vid soley to hear someone talking about the animated series but ended up learning a lot and loving them more. I had no idea there were so many other iterations and how long it took to actually show them as a couple. I feel rly lucky to have Harley Quinn TAS being my introduction to harlivy.

[@markuscriticus8278]

Never seen a KZbin essayist with such a delightfully random, ever-changing subject matter. You're the best!

[@alexn8672]

While I get that Marvel and DC are corporations and not my friends, it still really warms my heart whenever creatives that actually understand their LGBT+ heroes step up to deliver something great. It feels great to read a Wiccan and Hulkling storyline, or a Midnighter and Apollo series, or watch Ivy and Harley being a healthy loving couple and feel like there are people honestly endeavoring to create Q art without it being 100% a soulless cashgrab aimed at a desperate demographic. Although, having witnessed some true mishandling, not naming any names, yeah sometimes it still can feel like a cash grab when done poorly.

[@jeniferjoseph9200]

No please name names

[@bee.ok666]

totally agree. I always count my happiness for representation towards the writers and artists who make it possible. for example, you could definitely say the pride issues from both dc and marvel + marvel's voices series is overall just a cash grab on diversity, sure, but the writers and artists from these communities who care about the narriatives they're creating make it worth buying and reading and loving.

[@Kurorahk]

Here because of Hbomberguy's video, but I genuinely love this video and the exploration of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's characters. But also the point you made about early on seeing Poison Ivy and feeling something and wishing for red hair? As a transwoman myself with that experience, it now gives me another data point as to how early those feelings showed up. So thank you and I'm going to be watching more of your stuff, it's excellent.

[@Christian-ni7bk]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention or read Gotham City Sirens. It’s a whole series written by Paul Dini continuing their relationship after the cartoons. It’s all canon also. That’s partly why they are so close and why they are seen as great together by Harley’s creator. Ever since that series is when they are forever connected basically, when before just the random team up every few years

[@OreenPeach]

Here from HBomb and I adore this video and take on Harlivy! Can't wait to see more of your content ❤

[@mxferal514]

18:13 18:13 😅😅😅 18:14 😮😮😮

[@VirtualBoy500]

I died laughing at the "Be Gay, Do Crime" scale 🤣

[@rainspectre3153]

Came here from HBomb, and great video! Fascinating these two became one of DC's "iconic" pairs, essentially behind just Clark/Lois and Bruce/Selina in popularity.

[@creampuff7842]

Harley Quin has such a weird place in my formative trans/bi years, she had elements in certain works that really spoke to me but due to the wide range of depictions of her I lost interest in seeking out content about her. I did really appreciate the Harley Quin animated series once it came out though, it truly shows the fucked up compassion and the trying to turn it into something healthy angle while not just making her deadpool but DC

[@PrixtoTNT]

Yeah a lot of people feel that with a lot of comic characters

[@beewithhoney7969]

The two of them just make so much sense together. Harley was always that off the walls character who makes you laugh but her backstory is so tragic that she can make you cry just as easily. She depicts something very real for many people, and I’m glad that so many stories show her trying to get over Joker, ans how difficult that can truly be. On the other hand Ivy has been through so many changes. She used to be just used for sex appeal, but nowadays writes seem to be writing her as more of a realist. The Harley Quinn animated show really hits both of their characters home and how they fit so well together.

[@FurbyFullyLoaded]

Harlivy will always be my favorite ship, not only because it’s great in and of itself but because it helped me explore my (pardon the pun) budding bisexuality.

[@southilgurl2003]

Introduced to you, and this video thanks to hbomberguy - you have been added to my subs on here and on Nebula. Excellent breakdown on the history between Ivy and Harley.

[@DMWilhelm]

I hadn't heard about the Eat. Bang. Kill. spinoff comic OR Harley Quinn's third season until this video, such a nice surprise as someone who loved that show. Went and read the comic immediately and it was adorable the whole way through. I love stories about a positive relationship developing over time, we really don't get enough of those.

[@TriangularTheory]

I'm also obsessed with this relationship and you've articulated so many of the reasons why--thank you 💖

[@ComicDrake]

Oh I am so here for this

[@aruss1]

Love the Harley/ Ivy ship and really love the Harley Quinn show. Recently rewatched it with my wife. Initially she was turned off by the violence but I think that was partially due to expectations. Her favorite show of all time is Batman: TAS and maybe she was expecting something more in line with that. After she started thinking of it more like The Venture Brothers, she really enjoyed it as well.

[@JoelEblin]

You tweeting about Harley got me watching the show again. I tried to watch it before, but my partner hated the gore. It is such a good show and you can tell the creators seriously care about the characters. Biiiiig recommendation from me. I'm about to read through the tie-in comics next.

[@LikaLaruku]

I never saw Harley as Joker's girlfriend. It always seemed very one-sided & some of the comic writers would drop hints that Joker was asexual/aromantic while others would drop hints that Joker was a sadomasochist with a crush on Batman. I've also seen him flirt with Lex Luthor in the comics once or twice. The only writer who ever depicted Joker actually having feelings for Harley was Paul Dini, the man arguably responsible for creating the Harley Ivy ship, & pretty much everyone else would writer stories where she would leave the Joker, only for Dido to get them back together again, but it did make the journey to Harley & Ivy as a couple.

[@gracekim1998]

Sadomasochistic? 😅 what does that mean?

[@declanedmison5442]

@@gracekim1998Sadistic and Masochistic at the same time.

[@GeekMasterGames]

Such a great ship. They complete each other so well. Total Bicons, too. True representation

[@Jamangel]

Purr

[@cherrycola542]

She rlly wore JUST Ivy's shirt and expected us to be like "naw het"

[@gabrielrussell5531]

8:42 "It has a scene where Harley ties up Nightwing and initiates sex under questionable consent." Man, Nightwing really gets a lot of that. There was apparently the Tarantula thing I'm not too familiar with, someone with illusion powers disguising herself as Wonder Woman to do it, and this? Why is it always Nightwing?

[@-I87619]

he has it rough, and it's barely ever acknowledged within the canon despite how many times it's happened.

[@EnbyNomad]

This video was exactly what I needed to see to help me get through a huge wall I've been running into for the last several years. Know that no matter what happens from here, even if you quit YT, You've made a difference in my life that I dont even know how to quantify. Thank you Emily.

[@noda4581]

I’m cryinggg, I love this ship and the animated show, I’m really looking forward to the new season!!

[@TheSci-fiAnarchist42]

HBomb sent me, and I must say I'm absolutely glad to be here. 👍😁

[@crestren5996]

My only exposure to Harlivy was through fanart and the Harley Quinn animated show, so seeing how...messy their romance is handled in the comics makes me appreciate and love the show even more.

[@zinaak4194]

Thanks for this video! I finally feel ready to watch the show!

[@ololo518]

I know it's not the topic of video, but I love the rhyme (and irony) of you recommending Hbomberguy here, when I get to your video after he recommended yours. I know it's not connected, just random hapenstance. But still, it's funny, but in this good, satisfying way. Great video. Love the pairing of Harley and Poison Ivy, though I loved relationship she had with Kiteman

[@lucasite]

which stone do they use to evolve

[@akiraeatsguitarpicks491]

The gay one

[@eh3mm]

@@akiraeatsguitarpicks491 pink kryptonite

[@Haysey_Draws]

Ivy and Harley seemed to hit such a sweet spot, some actual gay representation, great character designs that fanarts love and actual decent characters with complicated backstories, they just work!

[@Princess_Weekes]

This is such an awesome video

[@LadyEmilyPresents]

Aaa thank you!!! 💙

[@zanpakutoman4225]

I'm glad you gushed over the Harley Quinn show as much as you did. I actually watched the first 2 seasons on DC Universe as they were premiering and I thought it was a tragedy that it was stuck on an app that was destined to underperform (same with Doom Patrol). One of the few scripted series to make me consistently laugh out loud in years. Season 1 only had subtext about HarlIvy and it had the one joke. I really like the ship and I'll always root for it in any story, especially after reading more comics and seeing how perfectly they pair up with each other in pretty much any plot. But, I would've been fine without it, because of how good the show was. Whatever direction the writers took the characters would've been fine with me. But, I am really happy that not only did they pair them together, but they made it a big deal and handled it well. (I thought it started a little suddenly, but the subtext was always there) I'm glad, even though you mostly talked about the premise and the HarlIvy plot, that you seem to point a spotlight at Harley. Most people, who like the show, seem to champion Kite Man, Clayman, and Bane. They're great characters, but the show is such an amazing showcase of everything that makes Harley Quinn good and the elements that make her unique from other DC characters.

[@MeatSnax]

Happy Birthday! You're one of my favorite creators I've discovered this year, and it's awesome that your channel is growing so fast. Also, you turned me on to maybe my favorite piece of media in the world, Berserk! Thanks for doing what you do, you're really good at it.

While I do like this ship I wish there was (maybe there already is) some story addressing Harley's tendency to obsesses over her romantic partners. Like, her approach to her relationship with Ivy isn't much different than her approach to her relationship with Joker (except that obviously Ivy isn't abusive nor manipulative), so it would be nice to have a story in mainline comic books where this is addressed and explored a little more.

[@Riaah_love]

It’s a bit explored in some of the comics that take place after the most recent season. Harley tried her best to keep Ivy happy until stands up for herself when she’s being mistreated by Ivy.

[@natasha5553]

its now exploredin s3 and the valentine's special

[@Karimsama]

Came here from H Bomber. Great video. Keep up the good work.

[@maskofice9432]

So hearing you talk about the Harley Quinn animated series, I might need to give it another shot. I tried it when I first heard the positive buzz, but the violence felt a bit much, something about the way they showed the gore made me really uncomfortable and not in a interesting way, but knowing that's just the early episodes and from what else I've seen that demonstrated more good points, I think I officially need to put this into my schedule

[@hartthorn]

The gore ebbs and flows across the whole series, but the over the top nature of it (at least in my opinion) is almost meant to be so hard it doubles back into cartoonishness. It just has that feel somewhere between Ralph Bakshi and Tex Avery.

[@severiss]

same when I tried to watch it the first time it was just to violent for me so I forgot about it for a couple months. but then someone told me about Harley and Ivy so I decided to give it a second chance and absolutely loved the series.

[@NotAFakeName1]

Yeah I was put off a little (not enough to stop watching) but most of that content feels pretty contained to the first episode Like the whole show is still a violent dark comedy but it just feels like the writers are writing better edgy jokes that don't rely on making the audience viscerally uncomfortable in the same way as joker playing with a guy's face or ivys plant eating a kid or whatever

[@Thunder-Sky]

I don't know if I've ever seen as much "and they were roommates" energy as I did in that scene with them preparing breakfast together in oversized shirts

[@poskeegget8043]

This is a great video. I have to admit, the MJ Watson comment struck me quite hard (being the event that made me nearly drop off superhero comics completely. Haven't bought much marvel comics since that time I must admit). I do love this 'fluff' piece, and am in complete agreement with your take on the issue of the relationship. Hopefully, the fandom will win out in the end though, as editors come and go. And sooner or later there will be people in their positions that see that the only way forward is to have actually good storytelling and depictions, instead of constant conflict and major events that no one actually cares about anymore (DC have had so many crisis at this point that it is little more than an excuse to not draw backgrounds to the comic panels).

[@Miya-l2k]

The GAL PALS part made me die🤣🤚 I love that

[@davidpescitelli8004]

17:21 I think it's because comics in general seem to be terrified of their big characters having a long lasting romantic relationships. There is stuff like the infamous One More Day for Spider-man and Mary Jane and what happened with Batman and Catwoman's wedding in the comics. Oh you tlk about it right when I typed this... heh.

[@aino2927]

Ive been reading a harlivy fanfic series on ao3 after watching the harley quinn hbo show and literally nothing else ever from the entire dcu. Watching this and realizing how much of the events there are straight up canon from the dcu (with just a little more smut sprinkled in) is so cool and makes me appreciate it even more

[@olliestale864]

give me recs girl😭

[@aino2927]

@@olliestale864 "The Psychiatrist and the Supervillain-Vignettes" by A_Spicy_bowl_of_Olives is the series im talking abt its so good🙏 it's a collection of stand-alone works that together tie into a story (all of it is smut but like plot smut😭)

[@abbywhyman2462]

got directed over here from hbomberguy's marathon plagiarism video, and damn am I glad! so good to see one of my favourite ships ever get such a brilliant breakdown :3

[@Lxx00Jxx00]

amazing content omg you put sooo much effort in the text and the content of the videos is packed as well. loved it

[@WildSableye]

Harlivy was legit the reason I got into comics. There are still so many cute moments sprinkled throughout her New 52 run.

[@chuckstronggtx6863]

Great video as always! Your scripts are amazing, it's easy to see how much you have practiced this. TY for all the content! ❤️🇲🇽

[@mewdreamer]

This was such a good and interesting video. I've only seen bits of the Harley Quinn series. The gore is too much of a turn off for me, but I really liked how they handled the growing feelings between her and Ivy. It was handled well, had believable conflicts with their own personal issues on top of Ivy's relationship with Kiteman and the resolution in the finale was pretty fitting. The comic follow up to the series has a really cute art style too. As a side note, I also love Batman Beyond, so hearing it get any attention, even a fun quick nod, makes me happy.

[@alexandriatempest]

So I've always loved Harley and Poison Ivy. I was a red headed kid when when BtAS came out and in another timeline I would've been cosplaying the old costume in HS. So much wasted time... ANYWAY, one thing I love about the ship is that they work both as a couple and as gal pals. I love comics but the format for main stream stories makes it all over the map. If someone, or a small team, could've been writing their stories we could've seen them circle each other, eventually get together, break up as Ivy likes to go on humanity killing sprees and Harley is bouncing off the Joker. When they aren't in a relationship they Would be best friends and Would be supportive of each other's non-Joker aligned interests. I mean, given the right circumstances Harley would probably let the world burn for Ivy. The character development for when they finally got together would be a massive payoff. I think that's why HQtAS is so good, you get these vibes. Harley HATES stepping between Ivy and Kiteman. She doesn't want Ivy to be in pain they just circle each other and collide. I will say that DC should just let them be at this point though. Potential was misused and now they should just be together. I had more, but the rant was going off the rails. ... Good video thanks! Happy Birthday! Happy Pride!

[@SpyrotheHedgehog1]

One story I always wanted to see with Ivy was some people who come looking for her, just being on her side. Basically Eco lovers and protectors who align with her and don't care about humanity anymore because of how much we fucked up and would rather fix the Earth. Eventually becoming her "Children" as they refer to her as "Mother Nature" I feel this is how Ivy would have a stronger connection to Humanity by having Humans who back her and her goals, even at the cost of their lives. It's not until these Children of hers start dieing and willingly sacrificing themselves without any care at all for their well being that she realized not only does she care about them, but that maybe she needs to find a different way. Not stop fighting for plants but start finding away to get people to want to help the plants. Which is a thing ive never seen Eco villains try but if anyone could realistically pull it off it's Poison Ivy. Luckily this also can be further help by having the world best Psychologist as her Girlfriend. Of which we've seen very much of Harley's will to be good and is very good with kids, so if Ivy says these are her children, I doubt she'd complain, but still be kinda weirded out.

[@theoneandonlyphineas]

Happy BirthGAY…. In all honesty, I cannot wait to fall asleep to this for many nights to come :) your videos are iconic.

[@junker-f3m]

I'm not a huge comic reader, so up until pretty recently I had quite cynically assumed that Harley and Ivy getting together was just DC cynically pushing two physically attractive female characters together for fanservice while claiming representation brownie points. This was even despite having seen and really enjoyed the Harley Quinn show, I just figured the writers on that had reworked them into a fun couple from a bad starting position. This video has really given me a lot more perspective on this, and while I'm sure there's still an element of cynicism on some level, I have a much better appreciation for why these two work, and why people care about them so much.

[@ClassicHarleyQuinn]

Janey, what you said up top about you thinking what it Harley and was. That is exactly what the Harley and Ivy ship is. Oh and it's only very small fan service. It's not popular at all.

[@misty7627]

@@ClassicHarleyQuinn it was something that the Harley Quinn creator intended but it wasn’t allowed past the censors at the time. Now it is since we’re in a more accepting time period. How is that fan service?

[@ClassicHarleyQuinn]

@@misty7627 Neither Paul Dini or Bruce Timm intended on it. Dini was asked about their relationship and he shot it down and called it a friendship. Timm said there was no intention of it. Besides it canonically doesn't make sense. It's 100% fan service/fiction of certain scenes in BTAS taken out of context.

[@misty7627]

@@ClassicHarleyQuinn I don’t know where you got your info from but there’s direct quotes from Paul dini talking about how he was implying that they were romantic in the show but they couldn’t show much so he got more suggestive in the following comics he wrote. Did you think them walking around half naked was what normal friends do? I would never do that with my friends. From- Paul Dini: When Bruce and I did the Harley and Ivy miniseries, it was certainly implied that [Ivy and Harley] had a relationship with each other-they shared hugs and kisses. I didn’t want that to overpower what the story was, but the relationship between them is so natural. And Paul Dini: The more I worked with [Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy], the more I could see [a romantic relationship] happening. Unfortunately, at the time, in an animated kids cartoon, you really couldn’t get into the complexity of that or honor what a relationship like that could really be. We just showed them together as friends and on fairly intimate terms when they were out of the costume, but nothing was implicit because if we couldn’t do that relationship properly then we didn’t want to do it at all. Source: amp.www.complex.com/pop-culture/2016/08/harley-quinn-oral-history

[@ClassicHarleyQuinn]

@@misty7627 My information comes from old interviews, before the comics even came out. I used to link them directly on here but the user or youtube themselves took them down. These interviews are from when it was just the BTAS show. They to me hold way more credit then those you've quoted. For starters it canonically doesn't make sense in the show itself nor the comics connecting to the show. It's clear what happened at least from my research. Scenes were taken out of context and for some reason later down the road latched onto the "popularity" of the ship. Besides it was never made canon in the BTAS universe. Bruce Timm is the same guy who got weird in the animated adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke. He's also the same guy who could have referenced it or whatever in Batman and Harley Quinn which is also set in the BTAS universe. Bruce Timm is also the same guy who want to deconstruct the show and destroy with that now cancelled animated Batman show (Batman: The Caped Crusader). Also no one said they were half naked. Just because you can only see a shirt doesn't mean they're not wearing any pants. Same for the show itself in the episode "Harley & Ivy". It wouldn't even make sense since that is the very first time in history the two characters met each other. You're entitled to believe what you want but me personally there's way more credibility in the old interviews I've seen. Edit: Dini himself in his paragraph admits it's just a friendship. That's 2 times I now know of him calling it a friendship.

[@ignisol47]

Finished watching the Harley Quinn show a few days ago and seeing this in my recommended is such a nice surprise! Great video!

[@JackVanFleet]

Came here from Hbomb’s recommendation

[@rizikos_]

The introduction caught me off guard and I had to pause the video to get my laughter out

[@tecpaocelotl]

Maybe it's my perspective, but I love doing road trips. It's what I did for many relationships to see if we're stable plus it's mostly to get to focus on each other. Harley Quinn is a great show. My gf doesn't watch cartoons, but enjoyed this one. Yeah, batman and robin movie was the one where everyone got "funny feelings" seeing poison ivy.

[@molly713]

I just started a rewatched of the Harley Quinn series after finishing season 4. I'm not very familiar with other Batman stuff so seeing this has made me appreciate even more the direction the show has taken these characters. Awesome video!!

[@peachypineapples502]

Im very excited for season three of Harley quinn because the show’s creators very specifically said they they absolutely WILL NOT be breaking Harley and Ivy up. Im excited to see how their relationship evolves!

[@cremebrulee344]

This was a gorgeous video, Emily! Thank you! :)

[@RosiYYAP]

Im love them so much. I grew up as a Batman kid and loved everything DC and still do, and Harley was an early fav character of mine, so watching their relationship develop over the last couple decades was quite an experience. I'll even admit I have a soft spot for the 2017 movie but the show is everything I could have wanted and more. I got into it on release and loved it, but then season 2 hit and omg it became one of my fav shows. Season 3 can't come soon enough 💜💜💜 Edit: Also HAPPY BDAY EMILY 💜💜💜

[@JordanSullivanadventures]

Good video! I also agree about the Uma Thurman Poison Ivy being an awakening

[@TheBigTunaMunster]

The new Harley Quinn show really takes these characters and their relationship to a new level.

[@LittleBobbyBabyTeeth]

Glad I found this video! This is one of the best if not only breakdown of their relationship!

[@wokeaf1242]

For me, the relationship should make sense. It should bring something to the dynamic of the story. I'm not LGBTQ, but Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy makes sense. I agree about the first few episodes of the 1st season of Harley Quinn but, at least for me, by the middle of the 1st season it was clear these two were more than just friends. And the progressed that relationship so well in the second season. (Could someone tell the show runners of the 3rd and 4th season of Killing Eve to watch Harley Quinn The Animated Series and see how it's down. Yes, I'm still hating on season 4.) I don't care if the relationship is cis or gay, I only care about the story and does the relationship work within the narrative. Harley Quinn makes sense and DC is stupid not to embrace it. It's an instantly iconic relationship. Thank you for telling me there will be a third season. I was a little worried about that. Because they need to do a third season of that show.

[@Danny_Cruz]

It would be cool if you had a podcast. Honestly most of the time I listen while I'm cleaning/at work

[@nebezial1]

i love the concept of them as a couple. one is codependent while other is a high purpose driven workaholic. they make for a very messy yet shockingly human ship

[@clockworkcthulhu8195]

hey I'm coming over from one of hbomberguy's videos and must say fantastic video about a absolutely iconic couple an absolutely the right decision of not going too much into Power sets and things around them it get complicated yo.

[@oliviab7438]

The HQ animated show (and comic) is SO good, i can't wait for season 3! And hopefully the poison ivy solo series has a better and less confusing ending than the previous mini series - I like what I've read so far (and the main/variant covers are so good, I can't help but buy them, plot be damned). Happy to see a video from someone who adores these characters as much as I do! Cheers!

[@ConfusionPlus2]

Wow, I was just researching myself into this relationship! This video was well timed.

[@CasualBeans]

The Thelma and Louise-ification with all these road trips

[@tommywoodward7750]

this video got me to watch the Harley Quinn show and now i'm caught up and it's one of my favorite shows currently running so thanks for that tip

[@afartinghuman]

Can't agree more about harlivy. Great video about them. I have mixed feelings about HQ's recent seasons though.

[@UltimateBurstLP]

Oh fuck yea u could not have picked a better time to upload this. For context I watched ur Spider-Man turn off the dark video like 3 months ago and the brief section talking abt Under the Red Hood immediately reignited a passionate DC hyperfixation for me and given this duo is one of my absolute favorites I am so excited for this video.

[@MrBump2]

I don't know the first thing about DC, so this was a really interesting and informative video, thanks for making it.

[@skippygirl959]

I like how "girl's just wanna have fun" plays whenever you say "Gal-Pals". Ahh, I wish that played whenever I asked my mom if my new best gal-pal friend could sleep over.

[@katchapman5016]

"The best animated series of it weren't for Batman beyond" GIIIIRL someone who finally gets me 😍

[@phrenlyphantasm3502]

Would love to see your take on the rest of the Harley Quinn series so far. Quinn and Ivy having to balance chaotic good with socially concious evil was a great example of love being at odfs with whats practical and they make it work. Not perfect but I cant really say why besides the whole answer to the Nightwing mystery

[@cryofpaine]

Stjepan Sejic gets Harley as a character, and her relationship with Ivy, better than anyone. Even Paul Dini. His Harleen mini-series, and his personal fan-fic comics are my personal headcanon for her origin. Plus his artwork is just so beautiful. Sadly there isn't much of it, but what there is is amazing. And I highly recommend his other comics, especially Sunstone, for any ADULTS who want to see a beautiful, emotional, sexy (but not sexualized) lesbian romance.

[@JordanSullivanadventures]

can we please get more interesting explorations of villain characters beyond "what if there was a good clone version of them?"

[@arcadiaberger9204]

Both doctors Both mentally unhealthy Both formerly identified primarily by their relationships with men Both swinging between good and evil Both flirtatious and fun-loving And they have one more conspicuous thing in common that you left out, Lady Emily: although born as Caucasians, they both now have skin of a color not found in nature (at least, not on humans).

[@JohnDoe-uf3lj]

Always happy to see more videos from. Happy birthday!

[@csours]

After my Aunt had to move into a nursing home, I found out that she had a long term female room mate, and they did a lot of stuff together. She eventually got married to my Uncle, but I do wonder if she was bi. I don't know if my dad (her brother) would even be able to process the question.

[@ansem9999]

Happy birthday, Lady Emily!