In the DC multiverse, there are a plethora of couples that have fans saying "Aww" in unison. Take Superman and Lois Lane, Green Arrow and Black Canary, and Poison Ivy with Harley Quinn as examples. The right heroes (or villains) coming together to find love can make for some of the cutest moments in comics.
On the opposite end of that spectrum is the relationship that fans hate. All the characters do is make things worse for each other. They don't fit together, and/or they are just unpleasant to witness. On many occasions, their behavior also affects their partner(s) well-being too - and not in a good way. There are plenty of these relationships as well but which ones are the worst?
Nightwing & Harley Quinn (DCAU)
In one of the more controversial moments, Nightwing and Harley have a "relationship" in the animated movie Batman And Harley Quinn. One might think that's not a bad idea since Dick Grayson is definitely a better guy than the Clown she's usually with.
However, it becomes toxic when Dick has no interest whatsoever in pursuing her. He's tied to her bed and in one of the most despicable moments from the film, Harley turns out the lights and rapes Nightwing. Then, the issue goes on unaddressed which is just wrong.
Batman & Rachel Dawes (Nolanverse)
Both parties are toxic in this case. On one hand, there is Batman, who comes across as obsessed, constantly pining for Rachel even when she's with Harvey Dent. Rachel doesn't exactly help the situation by providing Bruce with false hope, with her being in a constant state of maybe or maybe not.
Batman's obsession with Rachel ends up taking a toll on him. Her death in The Dark Knight ends up being the reason he retires and withers away in The Dark Knight Rises. Unfortunately, the viewers discover that Bruce wouldn't have been able to stay away from the Dark Knight for long as he dons the suit once more to stop Bane. If Rachel had lived, their relationship would have fallen apart because of the pressures of the job.
Starfire & Arsenal
In the New 52 reboot, Starfire and Arsenal ended up becoming an item. It was a different pairing that could have worked, but unfortunately, this was New 52. Both characters were rebooted to be completely unlikeable, which led to a rather destructive relationship.
Roy Harper's addictive nature made him and some things rather stressful. Meanwhile, Starfire was written to be more ignorant than anything, which didn't help the situation at all. One of many things that went wrong with DC's attempt at a reboot.
Green Lantern & Star Sapphire
The relationship between Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris was already on thin ice. Aliens and other villains would use her as means to make Hal suffer so that wasn't helping their situation. However, once she was indoctrinated into the Star Sapphire, that's when things reached the worst.
Now the two are mortal enemies despite their feelings for one another. Carol would commit all kinds of atrocities that would warrant Green Lantern to use full force on her but he doesn't.
Deathstroke & Terra
These two are both villains of the worst kind so a relationship would be toxic no matter what. In this case, Terra is Deathstroke's agent, who is meant to infiltrate the Teen Titans so he can learn their strengths and weaknesses alike. Terra lusts for Slade Wilson and he uses that as a means to keep her in line.
DC makes this "relationship" difficult to stomach, especially when they have a much older man knowing, fully well, that he is manipulating her feelings to get what he wants. This is why the character of Terra was drastically changed for the Teen Titans animated series.
Nightwing & Tarantula
The relationships in Dick Grayson's life are pretty disastrous, seeing as most of them result in the vigilante experiencing severe trauma. One of the most prominent examples being his relationship with Tarantula.
Tarantula was a villain, who was trying to reform as a vigilante like Nightwing. Nightwing certainly tried to keep on a good path but then she murdered Blockbuster. After witnessing this, Dick had a panic attack. However, instead of helping him, Tarantula raped him in a very controversial scene. After this, their relationship became strained.
Batman & Catwoman
When it comes to DC couples, Batman and Catwoman are as famous as Superman and Lois. Why? Let's look at their relationship: Catwoman always caves and returns to her criminal ways. Catwoman constantly breaks his heart in many ways. The straw that broke the camel's back was the recent fake out marriage between Batman and Catwoman.
Fans agreed that writer Tom King made their already complicated relationship even worse with that story. Batman is not innocent in this, however, as he is at fault due to his zealous dedication to his job that ends up pushing Selina away. DC needs to find a better woman for Batman like the DCAU did with Wonder Woman.
Batman & Talia Al Ghul
That being said, Talia makes Catwoman look like a Disney princess by comparison. She is a loyal follower of her father's training, meaning she agrees that mass genocide is the answer to the world's problems. This devotion, combined with her skill, has led to her being a deadly threat to Batman despite their love.
How can it get worse? Well, in the comics, it is heavily implied that Talia had raped Bruce and stolen his DNA so that she could have an heir, known later to be Damian Wayne. She would then pollute Damian's mind with murderous tendencies and a superiority complex. She is easily the worst ex that Bruce Wayne has ever had.
Superman & Wonder Woman (Injustice)
As twisted and insane as Superman in the Injustice canon is, he's actually not the worst. That is where Wonder Woman comes in and is probably the most despicable character in Injustice. There was a time after Lois' death that Superman was so close to moving on in a healthy manner.
Well, Wonder Woman, who was already a mean-spirited character before the Metropolis incident, came along and stoked Superman's worst fears. It was Wonder Woman that turned him into an evil dictator and started the war against Batman. For many fans, Wonder Woman is the true villain of Injustice.
Joker & Harley Quinn
No shocker here but the Joker and Harley Quinn's entire relationship is about the tragic fall of this bright woman. Her obsession with Joker constantly leads to her returning to a life of crime only to be physically and emotionally abused by Joker over and over again.
The Joker constantly manipulates her, leaves her to be bait for Batman, beats her to a bloody pulp, and has tried to kill her several times in the past. The sad part is that Harley's shattered psyche always causes her to come back, even when she's found a superior lover like Batman or Poison Ivy.