The newest episode of Harley Quinn Season Five premiered, and things are getting exciting. To quickly recap, this animated show is a comedic and satirical take on DC Comics. It follows the chaotic adventures of the titular character and her friends. Last week, this series’ fifth arc started with a bang with exciting developments. And the newest story from this recent installment could cause trouble for Harley and Ivy. So, if you’re ready, shall we look at the new Harley Quinn episode?
Previously on Harley Quinn
Season Five of Harley Quinn began with Harley and Ivy free from their crazy adventures. Their time with the Gotham City Sirens ended, and they’ve settled into an easy-going life. After meeting with another villain couple, Harley’s convinced she and Ivy are in a rut. They learn about a Superman museum gala, and she decides they should crash it. She’s doing it as petty revenge on Superman for not thanking her for saving him. Also, Gotham City is in ruins, so leaving is probably for the best.
At the event, Harley and Ivy run into Bruce Wayne, who is relocating his business. He’s also there to support his girlfriend and the party’s hostess, Lena Luthor. After being rudely thrown out, the former Sirens attempt to rob the gala but fail. Lena offers Ivy a job, and Harley consoles Superman about his self-worth the next day. They decide to stay in Metropolis and start new and, hopefully, better lives. The episode ended with an irate Brainiac observing the couple.
Recap of the New Episode
The new Harley Quinn episode, Back to School, opens with Harley and Ivy. They’re admiring their new condo apartment when King Shark suddenly stops by. He asks the couple to watch his kids while he attends a date. Harley must handle the sharklings alone while Ivy meets Lena at the local university. Ivy meets the dean she’ll work alongside, Professor Jason Woodrue. She’s reluctant to work with him because of their complicated past but agrees.
In the meantime, Lena contacts Harley and tells her about a local club. Harley goes there to wear out the shark kids and wants to become a member. She tries talking with the club’s head, but the kids become detrimental to her efforts. While this happens, Ivy kills Woodrue for betraying her long ago using toxic gases. She goes to the club to meet Harley, who received a membership thanks to Lena. Back to School ends with a shot of something moving around in Woodrue’s lab.
The Origins of Poison Ivy
The biggest highlight of this Harley Quinn episode was the reveal of Ivy’s origins. Depicted through flashbacks, Ivy was in a relationship with Woodrue during her college days. She was a botanical sciences student, and he was a teacher struggling to secure funding. One night, after some lovemaking, Ivy shows Woodrue a secret personal project. It turns out to be Frank, the living Venus flytrap who acts as Ivy’s sidekick. She created him with a remarkable formula that binds plant and human DNA together.
Woodrue sees the sapling Frank as a means to get rich by omitting Pamela’s efforts. After a scuffle, the lab fills with a toxic gas, and Woodrue locks her inside. Pam injects herself with her serum to save herself, giving her green skin and powers. In the present, Ivy confronts Woodrue about his betrayal and damaging her reputation. She gets her revenge by killing him with toxic gases she’s immune to. Her efforts, however, might have given birth to something dangerous.
A New Threat Comes into Play
The climax of this brand-new Harley Quinn installment reveals that Woodrue is still alive. Instead of dying to the gases, he mutated into a plant-based creature. This revelation means this version of Woodrue has become the Floronic Man. Throughout DC Comics, the Floronic Man is another supervillain able to control plants. His inclusion means Ivy will have a foe that poses a massive threat. How exactly is unclear, though watching the events unfold will be intriguing.
Harley Quinn 5×02 Final Verdict
After watching this new Harley Quinn episode, I must give it a perfect 10. My favorite part is seeing how Poison Ivy became Gotham’s renowned eco-terrorist. And the inclusion of the Floronic Man is the cherry on top. It’ll be interesting to see how these two plant supervillains interact from this point forward. This season is going great so far, and hopefully, it’ll stay that way. If you enjoyed this analysis, I’ll bring you more coverage as the weeks go by.
