The most notable female characters in the DC Extended Universe have to be Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman. There’s a good argument that they’ve even eclipsed the popularities of Batman and Superman, the franchise's would-be headliners.
The contrast in Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn's characters is extreme, however, with Wonder Woman a straight-up superhero who has saved the world and whose background is with the Amazons. Meanwhile, Harley is known through her association with the Suicide Squad and the Birds of Prey. Both characters have their own merits to contend for the status as the top DCEU character and it’s worth taking a deeper look into their strengths.
Harley Quinn: Comedy
Harley has been the best source of comedy for the DCEU, pulling off the cheesy jokes well through her charisma. In fact, she was one of the first characters to successfully bring comedy to the series upon her debut in Suicide Squad.
Wonder Woman has also seen some humorous situations come her way, but these had to do with her initially naive personality rather than who she really is. With Harley, viewers can expect a funny experience as part of her story.
Wonder Woman: Emotional Moments
Emotional moments are vital in order to avoid a character from becoming a generic superhero. Both Harley and Diana have had these in spades, with the former’s identity crisis and the latter’s tragic background factoring into their plotlines.
Still, it’s Wonder Woman whose emotional aspects come straight to mind since they’re a mixture of sacrifice, tragedy, and self-worth. Her role in giving up her love to save the world in Wonder Woman 1984 is the ultimate highlight in how she manages to pull on fans’ heartstrings.
Harley Quinn: A Character With An Edge
When it comes to Harley, no one can really know what to expect, although her inclusion excites fans nonetheless. This sets her apart from other characters for being the trump card in her movies, as Harley is certain to pull off a move that is unconventional and awesome at the same time.
Her role as both an antihero and an anti-villain gives her an edge over other characters in the franchise. With Wonder Woman, it’s clear that she will be playing the same role as the protagonist, which doesn’t leave as much room for creativity.
Wonder Woman: Romantic Storyline
There’s little argument that Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor’s romance is a hit amongst DCEU fans. So much so, that her connection with Steve is highlighted in each of her appearances despite Steve’s demise in the first Wonder Woman movie.
Harley’s romance with the Joker ended up being botched by the series, as it lacked the twisted connection the two had in the DC Animated Universe, and Joker has essentially been dropped by the DCEU altogether. Wonder Woman’s romance with Steve is such that both of their characters were empowered as a result of their relationship.
Harley Quinn: Character Development
Both Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn have progressed positively in the DCEU, with the former accepting her role as a warrior and the latter realizing her confidence and self-respect.
However, Harley edges Wonder Woman out for having such striking development. She started out as a villain in Suicide Squad before evolving into an antihero, while Birds of Prey gave her a heroic arc. Harley has managed to remain wacky and wild in her own way along with shedding her villainous attributes.
Wonder Woman: Fight Scenes
No matter how much the superhero genre may evolve, having entertaining fight scenes is paramount. In this regard, Wonder Woman is a much safer bet than Harley, having fought against the likes of Ares, Doomsday, Steppenwolf, and the Cheetah, among others. Every fight scene finds Wonder Woman making use of her powers.
Wonder Woman’s fight choreography has also been fun to follow as these scenes have incorporated the quality of her enemy along with displaying her abilities of super strength and flight. Harley’s fight scenes have been characteristically chaotic, but she’s never been the main draw in this area.
Harley Quinn: Ability To Blend With Other Characters
Wonder Woman was a part of Justice League, yet she was far more captivating in her solo movies. The chemistry was definitely there with her teammates but not enough to make her stand out in the best way possible.
On the other hand, Harley has excelled in team-up movies and has never seemed out of place. She’s been paired with numerous characters like Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Black Canary, and others, and even then managed to have chemistry with each of them. Moreover, blending with different characters hasn’t diminished her quality in any way.
Wonder Woman: The Leading Superhero Of The DCEU
All things considered, Wonder Woman is the best candidate for the leading superhero of the DCEU. She’s had more solo films than Batman or Superman and has had an overarching storyline of overcoming her self-imposed exile to become a true hero.
Harley doesn’t have this level of marketability since her character has been placed as a dark horse. Wonder Woman can very well qualify to be the poster figure of the DCEU and her future is well set for a potential Justice League sequel and third movie in her solo series.
Harley Quinn: Better Style
Harley has always had a new appearance in each movie she’s been in. Her outfits and general style reflect her demeanor, boasting a combination of colorful and edgy. She’s proven to be a hit among cosplayers, as she catches the eye upon first glance through her unorthodox appearance.
Wonder Woman looks the same from one movie to the next, with slight variations here and there but nothing really major. Her costume isn’t as iconic as her comic book variant, with the gold scheme of the DCEU version coming across as grand but not nearly as whimsical and fun as Harley Quinn.
Wonder Woman: The Classic Heroes' Journey
The superhero genre is based around the heroes’ journey trope, which has the lead character overcome obstacles along the way to beating the villain. The landscape of the genre has changed, but Wonder Woman has remarkably managed to keep the classic presentation of a superhero relevant.
Her role in all of her films may be the same, yet she has the drawing power to retain interest from start to finish by digging deep to save the day. Harley Quinn can come across as something of an acquired taste as her reach isn’t as broad and can’t be a selling point toward younger audiences the way Wonder Woman is.