2x13 Something Borrowed, Something Green

[8.3/10] I knew I was right to have faith in Harley Quinn! This is an epic climax to so many threads here, both in terms of the plot and the relationships. And what I appreciate about it is that I end up liking all of the characters despite what is a messy and explosive love triangle that could easily go for cheap drama instead of (comparatively) mature and caring approaches from all the characters.

That includes Ivy. She’s in the tightest spot here, as the one who cheated on her partner and then kept it secret. Honestly, that alone could be enough to scuttle her relationship with Kite Man. But she’s upfront and remorseful with Chuck in the aftermath. She doesn’t make excuses. She says she was wrong. And she puts the future of the relationship in his hands, making it about what he’s comfortable with given the betrayal. The way she secures the famed corn venue for the wedding is both a great comic beat (Frank eating Condiment Man was a laugh and a half) and a lovely gesture to show Kite Man that she still cares.

There’s no perfect way to handle a “cheating on your fiance” situation. But in the heightened reality of television, especially an outsized show like Harley Quinn, Ivy does about as good as you could in that situation, which makes it feel alright to still root for her in all of this.

That extends to Harley Quinn as well. Despite the “fight for love” message of the last couple of episodes that I found pretty uncomfortable given the scenario, Harley is in a low but still considerate place after what went down last week. She’s back in Arkham, a state freighted with meaning for her, but won’t break out to attend Ivy’s wedding out of a desire not to mess anything up for her best friend on such an important day. There is a selflessness there, a willingness to set aside her immediate happiness in order to make things right for someone she cares about which is, in my book at least, a deeper sign of love instead of any cheap romcom “fight for us!” moment.

Until, of course, she has to step in to protect Ivy and Kite Man’s wedding. I’ll admit, that ploy is a bit of a convenience from the writers, but I’ll take it. For one thing, I appreciate the cleverness of Two-Face here. He uses his powers of manipulation and former friendship with the Commissioner to convince Gordon to try to make a bust at the supervillain wedding. Then, he uses his inside knowledge of what’s about to go down to get Harley cooperation in busting him out of prison. Most of the villains in this show seem like over-the-top dunces, so it’s kind of novel to see one of the baddies deploy a genuinely cunning plan.

Two-Face’s plan sets up the perfect narrative bind for Harley. She wants to stay away from the wedding for Ivy’s sake, but then she has to spring into action to make sure no one else disrupts it. She knows Gordon is trying to infiltrate the nuptials, and she wants to stop him from ruining the day, but every time she punches out a bearded vendor or tackles the wrong guy, it makes it seem like she’s simply creating another mess of the kind that Ivy’s grown to lament and Harley’s feel self-conscious. The dynamic of Harley earnestly to do the right thing, while being mistaken for doing the selfish and reckless thing, makes her a noble and sympathetic figure here. Given how she tried to break-up her best friend’s relationship, that's no small feat.

Because it’s hard to imagine something nobler than putting yourself in harm’s way to protect an event that will all but close you off from the love of your life. Harley hits some low points here, with Kite Man understandably not wanting her here on their special day, and Ivy telling her that as much as she loves the highs with Harley, the disruptions to her life from the lows probably mean this should be the end of the road for them. There is, in many ways, no hope for Harley, from either the romantic relationship she desires or the friendship that pulled her out of her worst time.

Despite that, she saves the day. Amid the heroics, there are hilarious and oddly beautiful theatrics. Frank the plant’s efforts at pollination are a laugh. Gordon’s comical frustration over his lack of credit and his crew’s silly infiltration efforts bring the chuckles. And my goodness, Clayface singing an aria to get the attention of Tim Burton, which becomes the score for the slow-motion symphony of destruction and disarray Gordon and company unleash on the festivities, may very well be the show’s visual and sonic peak to this point.

Despite that destruction, Harley protects her friends and their guests by blasting open the roof so that Gordon’s knockout gas can vent. She’s smart enough to recognize his ploy when all the flowers at the event are plastic, something that Ivy herself would never cotton to. And most of all, even when all goes wrong, she’s prepared, having been ordained as a minister and ready to be the officiant for the commitment that will take the woman she loves away from her for good. This is Harley at her most self-sacrificing and prepared.

Only, Kite Man doesn’t want it. He is the easiest person to like and feel for here. He’s a kind and decent dope throughout all of this, wanting nothing but to love and honor the woman of his dreams. The fact that he’s the one who breaks things off, despite Ivy’s insistence that she still cares for him and wants to go through with the wedding, hits the right notes.

In truth, I still don’t love the framing of “Kite Man wants to live a boring life in the suburbs and that wouldn’t satisfy Ivy.” The show already tackled that, in multiple ways before, and seemed to come out on the positive side of things. But it’s sad yet resonant for poor Kite Man to recognize that whatever Ivy’s good intentions and genuine attachment to him, her heart isn’t in this. His line that he’s “simple, but...not a fool” is heartbreaking. And it lets Ivy out of this without her ditching someone who’s shown her nothing but love, while still acknowledging the pain she caused an innocent party in all of this. Sometimes, it’s the simplest ones, the dumb but earnest ones, who bring the most pathos, as poor Chuck twisted in the wind for too long before finally cutting himself loose.

And despite that, I’m happy with how Harley and Ivy come together. There is something true to the chaotic nature of their friendship that their grand connection is cemented in the midst of a daring car chase. From an aesthetic perspective, watching them blaze through the corn venue--busting through walls, leaping over coppers, and hitting the streets with Gordon’s squad in hot pursuit--is one hell of a set piece.

Most importantly though, what brings them together is not simply a profession of love or an acknowledgment of want. It’s a recognition of growth and effort. Harley is not perfect. None of us are. Those chaotic parts of her life, the fuck-ups and follies that afflict our favorite grease-painted antihero, are not going away. But Ivy sees the selflessness, the back-up plans on deck, the way that Harley is trying to be a better person.

Self improvement is not something to achieve; it’s work to be done, and Harley’s doing the work. The grand irony, and the beautiful poetry, of these two dear friends coming together to become more, is that it’s the selfless acts meant to protect the happiness of two people whose union will tear Harley down, that ends up opening the door to the woman she loves, and showing how her love, her kindness, her unselfish care for another person, has given Harley a reason to build herself up.