Harley Quinn Fans Love Joker’s New Origin Story

Harley Quinn fans are liking what they’ve seen of Joker’s new origin story in the series. In a recent episode on DC Universe, the series takes things back to the beginning for the characters. Arkham Asylum is always a bit of a mainstay for Bat-adjacent characters and Joker’s stomping grounds. Alan Tudyk’s Clown Prince of Crime feeds Harley a story about where his trauma comes from, and it’s a nice mix of different elements of the character’s history in different movies, comics, and television shows. DCU shared the clip on their Twitter account and the reaction started pouring in. Executive Producers Patrick Schumacher and Justin Halpern discussed the flashback episode with Comicbook.com’s JK Schmidt. It changes a lot of things for Harley, Ivy, and Joker.

“We also get to do a really cool flashback episode that’s a bit of an homage to Batman: The Animated Series, while also retelling and reframing Harley’s origin story with both the Joker and her original acquaintance with Ivy,” Schumacker revealed. And we turn that on its ear a little bit. There’s a big revelation that a lot of the feelings that Harley had for the Joker maybe shouldn’t have been. That maybe a lot of those were based on lies and I’ll leave it at that.”

Tudyk spoke with Comicbook.com and Scott Huver about his take on the character last year. Don’t worry everyone, he is aware that there are some big shoes to fill.

“Here’s a funny story, Tony Hale plays Psycho, Doctor Psycho. He came in, and I’d said, ‘Hi,’ and he didn’t, I don’t know, I’d just finished recording and he was coming in to record and he was talking to the producer saying, ‘Oh yeah, the Joker, did y’all get Mark Hamill to do that?’ And I said, ‘No, they got me. I’m doing the Joker.’ Oh, he said, ‘Did you get Mark Hamill to do that ’cause if you didn’t get him it’s going to suck.’ ‘I’m doing the Joker.’ And he said, ‘Oh, I’m just saying that because I did the Joker and everybody said, ‘You’re not Mark Hamill. You suck,’” the actor joked.

He continued, “So knowing I can’t be Mark Hamill, I haven’t listened to Mark Hamill. I have heard him, but I didn’t watch it so I couldn’t recreate it. He’s different in the way that he can cuss. I think that’s probably referring to be able to say, ‘Ah, fuck off.’ Having that in your ability and your Joker is fun. It’s a very funny cartoon, animated series, so I think the style of it lends itself to allowing more flexibility. I don’t know, man. I don’t know. I think I’m doing some of my voice and sometimes I’ll hear it, and when I watch the previews of it all, and I just sound like me. I hope it’s okay. I’m just hoping, yeah I hope it’s okay.”

How do you feel about Joker in Harley Quinn? Let us know in the comments! Check out the responses below:

Real talk

So close, but so far

GASP

Don’t believe him

Excellent point

Edited for clarity

Well done.

Poor IVY

Words to live by

Major props

Definite shades

Too close to home

Strongly agree

Key quote

Gut punch

Did nothing wrong