Batmanis one of the most skilled fighters and planners in the DC Universe, but Superman knowsHarley Quinnis absolutely Bruce Wayne’s equal. There are very few characters who could possibly match the skills that Batman has spent his entire life honing, which is why this comparison is so surprising.
During the events ofHeroes in Crisisby Tom King and Clay Mann, there is a brutal massacre at Sanctuary, a place where heroes are able to go for therapy and emotional support. The only two survivors of this massacre, Booster Gold and Harley Quinn, blame the other for causing it. This leads the Trinity to trying to solve who is responsible, and they end up seeing Harley Quinn’s full potential.
Cornered by Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, it seems that Harley Quinn is going to be taken into custody for questioning. Instead, she managesto steal Wonder Woman’s lasso, overpower Batman, and defeats Superman with Kryptonite. InHeroes in Crisis#2, this unbelievable feat leads toSuperman naming Harley Quinn as the one Gotham villain who’s just as good as Batman.
Harley Quinn Settles Once and For All If She Is a Villain or Hero
Harley Quinn LOUDLY declares what side of the moral compass she lands on, and the answer might just surprise a laugh or two out of some fans.
Heroes in Crisis#2 by Tom King, Clay Mann, Travis Moore, Tomeu Morey, Arif Prianto, and Clayton Cowles
Even readers often forget thatHarley Quinn is an incredibly skilled and highly trained psychologist.She easily reads people and notices their habits, a skill that not many people in the DCU actually have. While it may seem absurd that Harley could take on the Trinity and win, she’s simply anticipating their behavior. Harley knows Wonder Woman will be the first to try and hear her out before resorting to violence, and she uses this foreknowledge to steal Wonder Woman’s lasso. Then, she knows thatBatman will be the first to spring into actionand, because of his paranoia, that he’d have Kryptonite for Superman.
Since the conclusion ofHeroes in Crisis, Harley Quinn has taken on a more “true” heroic role in the DC Universe. Check out her adventures as Gotham’s unlikely hero starting with 2021’sHarley Quinn#1 by Stephanie Phillips, Riley Rossmo, Ivan Plascencia, and Deron Bennett, which is available now, both digitally and in collected editions, from DC Comics.
This Trinity battle isn’t the first time thatHarley has used her powers of observation and knowledge of how people’s minds work to defeat a superior opponent. In 2001’sHarley Quinn#10 by Karl Kesel, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, Alex Sinclair, and Ken Lopez, she manages to get the drop on Cassandra Cain,the best fighter in the Bat-Family, by exploiting basic psychology. After Robin mistakenly calls Harley Quinn by the name “Cassandra” while she’s dressed as Batgirl, Harley then uses this knowledge by calling to Cass using her real name. With Cass surprised and wrong-footed, Harley is able to push her off a rooftop.
Harley Quinn Knew Exactly How the Trinity Would React
Harley Doesn’t Need Superpowers to Succeed
Knowing how people will react before they do is truly powerful. While Harley Quinn has no permanent superhuman abilities, she’s an expert at knowing exactly what people will do and being able to get into their minds. She flawlessly predicted how Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman would react inHeroes in Crisis, which allowed her to counter their movements perfectly. As strange as it might sound at first, Superman knows that the only Gotham City villain who can matchBatmanisHarley Quinn.
