If you’ve been wondering what Harley Quinn is doing in a competition like DC K.O., she’s got a pretty good answer. The last several months have seen the DC Universe come under fire in the event of the season. Darkseid has conquered the future, and before he can make his way back to the past, DC’s greatest icons are competing in a tournament to gain the cosmic power needed to stop him. This competition has brought out some of the most capable heroes and villains, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Zatanna.
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When DC Comics revealed the 32 participants of the tournament, many bristled at the idea of Harley Quinn being one of them. It’s not surprising, given how hard DC has pushed Harley in the last several years. But in a competition with serious powerhouses, people were wondering what she was doing here. Many even feared that the competition was going to be heavily skewed in her favor, allowing Harley to make it further than she reasonably should. But as she faces off with Zatanna, Harley reveals what her true purpose in DC K.O. was this whole time.
Harley Quinn was Here to Push Zatanna to Greater Heights
In DC K.O.: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna #1 by Leah Williams and Mirka Andolfo, the titular duo’s match begins, and like the other second-round fights, it’s best two out of three. Harley and Zatanna discover they’re fighting each other, and while Zee is relieved to have a friendly face for a fair fight, for Harley, facing a magic user isn’t fair. So she hits Zatanna in the throat and knocks the wind out of Zatanna to keep her from performing any spells. First round goes to Harley, who implores Zatanna to put some effort into the fight.
Harley and Zatanna’s second round begins, and Harley busts out more brutal moves, but Harley can tell that Zatanna is still holding back. But Zatanna actually stabs Harley in the thigh before getting into a full-blown fistfight with her. But Harley’s not mad, she’s happy to see Zee cut loose. Zatanna wins the second fight and prepares for a final battle with Harley. This time, both of them can use magic, and they start off by swapping spells, quickly ending up in a stalemate. Again, Harley pushes Zatanna, encouraging her to let loose.
Harley continues to provoke Zatanna by bringing up John Constantine and Zatanna’s father, Zatara. And after enough prodding, Zatanna unleashes her fury, delivering a fatal blow to Harley. Zee is horrified by what she’s done, but Harley is strangely content. She admits she knew she was never going to go very far, but, knowing Zatanna has a real chance to win it all, pushed Zatanna to go to a darker place to get in the headspace needed to win the tournament. Harley dies, but Zatanna vows that she’ll be as ruthless as she needs to be.
Harley Quinn Was Never Meant to Be a Contender, But That’s OK
I’ll admit when I first saw that Harley Quinn was in DC K.O., I kind of rolled my eyes. Not that I think she’s a horrible character or anything, but really, how far could she go in a competition like this without a massive thumb on the scale? But that’s why its so pleasantly surprising to see Harley be so self-aware here in this book. She knows she is incredibly out of her depth, but she takes it as an opportunity to help someone else unlock their true potential.
This book doesn’t present Harley as helpless. If anything, she shows just how capable she really is. But Harley is an insightful person and knows that Zatanna was facing a serious issue: she has the power to win this competition, but lacks the brutality needed to keep advancing. So Harley did what she does best: utilize unconventional therapy to help people improve. Was it more violent than it needed to be? Probably. But Harley did help Zatanna find her inner fire, and that’s going to bode well for her in the next round of DC K.O..
Harley Quinn was never going to make it far in this tournament. She got lucky in the first round, but here, she came face-to-face with reality. But Harley’s role wasn’t as a genuine contender. She was meant to play a supporting role and help someone she considers a friend get her head in the game. It was a good role for her, and though she never had a chance at winning the tournament, Harley Quinn might have just helped Zatanna win it all and give the DC Universe the savior it needed.
What did you think about Harley Quinn in the DC K.O. tournament? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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