Batman: Caped Crusader’s New Harley Quinn Explained

Batman: Caped Crusader is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, giving fans a bold new vision of the Batman Universe. In this new series (from the minds of Bruce Timm and J.J. Abrams), the familiar characters of Batman get equally bold new designs. 

One of the biggest changes to traditional Batman lore is found in Caped Crusader’s version of Dr. Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. But is change a good thing in this case? 

Batman: Caped Crusader’s New Harley Quinn Explained

Batman: Caped Crusader’s Harley Quinn (Jamie Chung) appears early on in the series as Dr. Harleen Quinzel – only in this version of the character is a prominent therapist in Gotham City, whose primary clientele are rich and powerful figures – including Bruce Wayne. 

(WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!) 

In Batman: Caped Crusader Episode 5 “The Stress of Her Regard” it’s revealed that Dr. Quinzel is moonlighting as Harley Quinn, and using her skill as a therapist in some truly twisted ways. Harley Quinn is keeping a collection of rich and powerful men prisoner, leaning on each of their psychological issues to coerce them into servitude, and/or reforming their unethical ways. It’s a new take on Harley Quinn –  but one that still captures the essence of the character. 

As a matter of fact, Caped Crusader’s vision of Harley arguably incorporates both the Harleen Quinzel and Harley Quinn personas better than the original Batman: The Animated Series version did. When ComicBook sat down with new Harley Quinn voice actress Jamie Chung (Sucker Punch, Big Hero 6), she talked about how fun it was to play a version of Harley who loves to twist minds, as much as bashing bodies: 

“I think Margaret Robbie did such a great job playing the two different dynamics of Harley Quinn and Dr. Harley and Quinzel, but you didn’t really get to see much of the doctor side. And I think with this animation you get to see more of her professional persona versus her menacing side,” Chung explained. 

“This is a very modern take… understanding your patient and really empathizing with them and really having them to open up – but then how f*cked up it is to be able to use that for her own purpose and goals. It’s quite twisted,” she added. “It is really fun to play someone who is so two-faced and someone who takes that trust from a patient and uses it against them. That is some manipulative stuff that I would never do in my real life, but it is really fun to play.”

Batman: Caped Crusader is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.