Fans of the HBO Max Harley Quinn animated series can breathe a sigh of relief: Not only has the show’s fourth season survived the animation purge at HBO Max, but soon-to-be-former showrunner Patrick Schumacker says Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are endgame—at least, they are if he has anything to say about it once series writer and consulting producer Sarah Peters takes over for him and Justin Halpern as showrunner in season 4.
When a fan tweeted their worries about the future for Harley and Ivy in response to the teaser trailer for the upcoming Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special, premiering February 9, Schumacker responded, “They will never break up.” Phew.
Harley Quinn has very intentionally developed the relationship between Harley and Ivy since the series premiere, when Harley leaves her toxic relationship with the Joker for good and strikes out on her own, her best friend Poison Ivy at her side. As Harley establishes her own crime syndicate and tries to join the Legion of Doom, she ultimately creates a found family that’s more supportive than the Joker ever was. And a key figure in that support system is Ivy, who leaves Kite Man at the altar in season 2 and runs off with Harley.
In season 3, they’re romantically involved and facing their biggest relationship demons together, including Harley’s codependency and fawn responses, and Ivy’s fear of commitment. They manage these challenges with open communication, empathy, and understanding. It’s beautiful to watch, especially considering how many ups and downs the pair has faced as friends, lovers, and more.
Harley Quinn is also the first on-screen depiction of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy as a romantic couple. Although Margot Robbie said in 2018 that she’d love to see Ivy join the DCEU so they can explore the dynamic between these two women, that wish has yet to come to fruition. DC Entertainment is also changing things up significantly, so there’s no telling whether we’ll ever see Harley and Ivy get together in a live-action movie or TV series.
Thankfully, Harley Quinn the animated series has given us everything we could want from the Harlivy relationship, and if Schumacker’s tweet can be taken as a promise, we’ll never have to see them break up. Now we just have to hope Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t include the series in its next round of cuts and cancellations.
(featured image: HBO Max)
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