Every version of Harley Quinn from the Batman: Arkham games by Rocksteady featured something new to confront Batman. Her transformation from a clownish nurse-themed henchmen of the Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum to a dangerous and psychotic gang leader in Batman: Arkham Knight shows that Harley fully embraced her mercurial nature during the series progression. Though her core element as a clownish and somewhat scatterbrained accomplice to the Joker remained for the most part (Batman: Arkham City's Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC notwithstanding), she proved that she was capable of distinct character growth.This Article Contains Spoilers For The Batman: Arkham Series

While she first appeared in a 1992 story for Batman: The Animated Series as little more than a one-shot character to play foil to the Joker, Harley quickly exploded in popularity. Her character soon began to rival that of her on-again-off-again love interest (though her Batman: Arkham redesign almost ruined her character), and it was not long until she starred in stories of her own. Often teaming up with her fellow sirens Poison Ivy and Catwoman (as referenced in Catwoman's arc in Batman: Arkham City), Harley gained an independence that has brought the character to new heights. While the Arkham series ties her once again to the Joker for the most part, her force of personality and deadly tricks are more than enough to put her on par with even the deadliest of Batman's foes.

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When comparing her different appearances throughout Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham series, Harley can be measured by a few factors. Her design in the game, effect on gameplay, and impact on the overarching story of each game she leaves her mark on all play a part in how her portrayal would be ranked. In looking at the three games (technically four, counting Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, which needs Harley and Ivy as a couple) she appears in from Rocksteady, an interesting pattern emerges that proves that later in the series doesn't necessarily mean better characterization.

3. Batman: Arkham Asylum's Harley Quinn Leaves A Lot To Be Desired

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Batman: Arkham Asylum was Rocksteady's first outing with the hero, and it shows in how they characterized Harley Quinn. Aside from audio logs, she is given next to no backstory or characterization. While this can be said for many of the foes faced during Batman's night at Arkham, the fact that Harley is one of the recurring villains faced multiple times throughout the first half of the game means that this lack of personality has plenty of time to embed itself with the player. Her entire role in Joker's plot can be summed up as "old man babysitter" (she is given charge of both Commissioner Gordon and Warden Sharp) and bat-annoyer.

Then there comes the issue of her Batman: Arkham Asylum character design, which aged poorly. Many criticize the needlessly sexualized nature of Harley's outfit especially. The outfit loses practicality in favor of sex appeal, and ultimately adds nothing to her character or to the game as a whole. Its unnecessary, and would've been better left in her closet for this outing. When the time comes to finally face Harley in combat, players are treated to a scene in which Batman tosses Harley in a cell without so much as a grunt of exertion. He grabs her handprints and leaves her locked up, her exit from the story about as impactful as her tenure before.

2. Batman: Arkham Knight Sees Harley Quinn Come Into Her Own

Batman: Arkham Knight - Harley Quinn

The death of a loved one can result in a dramatic shift in one's personality and outlook, and no one exemplifies this better than Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham Knight. Free of the Joker's influence, and having worked out her grief during the previous game's excellent DLC (more on that later), Harley is now free to be her own woman (with Arkham Knight DLC hinting at Suicide Squad potential), though she definitely takes after her puddin' in the psychotic clown gang-leader aspect. In Arkham Knight, we see Harley fully realized as her own villain, commanding a gang of her own through fear and intimidation, something that Arkham Asylum Harley never seemed capable of.

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Her outfit has undergone a much-needed shift from the previous games as well. Still sporting accentuation of her figure, this one is much more practical, and leaves more to the imagination while still allowing Harley to wield her trademark acrobatics and baseball bat with frightening effectiveness. Her new outlook does suffer from regression though, as when faced with the opportunity to reunite with a version of her lost boyfriend in the form of Henry Adams, a man infected with mind-altering Joker blood, she immediately dropped whatever plans she had and attempted to free her reincarnated love.

1. Batman: Arkham City Gives Harley Quinn A Proper Character Arc

Harley begins Batman: Arkham City as much a slave to the Joker's cruel affections as she was in Batman: Arkham Asylum (which shortchanged Harley's Backstory), though this time sporting a new, ever-so-slightly more practical outfit. She spends the game serving the Joker's plans to cure himself of his self-inflicted Titan overdose, but is ultimately unable to frevent his death. This is where Harley begins her transformation from lovesick henchwoman to true supervillain.

She channels her grief at Joker's death into rage as she marshals the remains of his gang into her own army to take down Batman and Robin. Her complete personality shift from quirky sidekick to grieving widow is harrowing, and makes her an even more deadly foe to the dynamic duo during Harley Quinn's Revenge. This character arc makes Batman: Arkham City's Harley Quinn the best portrayal (so far) in Rocksteady's series.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's Harley Has Potential

Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League Harley Phone Number

While little is known outside of trailers at time of writing about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (aside from it hopefully not doing Batman's Harley, Ivy, and Catwoman dirty), Harley is one of four main protagonists along with perennial Suicide Squad teammates Deadshot, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang. Her personality is light and bubbly, a far departure from the grim and angry Harley seen in Harley Quinn's Revenge and Batman: Arkham Knight. While the game not being released does preclude a spot on the list, an honorable mention for what is sure to be a fun romp with Harley and Task Force X is warranted.

Harley Quinn is a deeply fascinating character which the Batman: Arkham series touches on just enough to keep her engaging. Though some entries like the first fall flat in portraying her as anything more than a glorified goon, Rocksteady has shown that they are able to write her in a compelling way with drastic acts like the death of the Joker. Ultimately, it's when Harley is freed of her lovers influence that she truly comes into her own as a character.