Season 5 of Harley Quinn takes Ivy (voiced by Lake Bell) and Harley (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) to Metropolis, offering the beloved satirical show the opportunity to joke about Superman’s corner of the DC universe. The series premiere does an excellent job setting the tone for the season, with Harley and Ivy visiting Metropolis’s museum, diving into the Man of Steel legacy, and even having deep conversations with the Son of Krypton himself (voiced by James Wolk). During one of these chats, Harley even questions when was the last time Superman left Metropolis, to which he replies just one week prior, he flew around the globe to revert the time flow and save Lois Lane (voiced by Natalie Morales) from death. That, of course, is a nod to Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman: The Movie.
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In the movie, Christopher Reeve’s Superman faces an impossible choice after Lex Luthor launches two nuclear missiles across the United States. While Superman diverts one missile, the other detonates in the San Andreas Fault, triggering devastating earthquakes across California. Despite his best efforts to save countless lives, Superman arrives too late to prevent Lois Lane’s death, finding her crushed in her car beneath the rubble.
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Overwhelmed by grief and rage, Superman soars high into Earth’s atmosphere and, defying his father Jor-El’s warning about interfering with human history, begins flying around the globe at incredible speed. As he accelerates, the Earth’s rotation appears to slow and then reverse, allowing Superman to turn back time and save Lois before the accident occurs. That iconic imagery would forever echo through the Man of Steel mythos.
The Legacy of Superman‘s Time-Reversal Scene
Richard Donner’s Superman film changed superhero cinema forever, with Christopher Reeve’s emotional performance setting a gold standard for how comic book characters could be portrayed on screen. The time-reversal sequence, in particular, stands as one of the most ambitious and memorable moments in superhero film history. The scene’s raw emotional power comes from its spectacular visual effects and Reeve’s ability to convey Superman’s devastating grief and determination through his performance. Though the concept of Superman reversing time by flying around the Earth wasn’t part of his traditional comic book powers, the sequence perfectly encapsulates his character: his immense power tempered by profound love and responsibility.
While the scene’s scientific accuracy has been debated endlessly since the film’s release, its cultural impact cannot be overstated. The image of Superman racing around the globe has become so iconic that it’s been referenced, parodied, and homaged countless times across popular media. The sequence also sparked interesting discussions about the limits of Superman’s powers and the narrative challenges of having a hero capable of reversing time itself – and unfortunately, it also led to outrage among some fans.
Harley Quinn‘s casual reference to this moment underlines the show’s deep appreciation for DC history. By having Superman matter-of-factly describe one of his most controversial and spectacular feats as a routine occurrence, the show both celebrates and gently mocks the wonderful absurdity of superhero storytelling. It’s no wonder Harley Quinn retains its cult following even after five seasons.
New episodes of Harley Quinn Season 5 premiere on Max every Thursday.
