Harley Quinn is getting her own unique kind of superpower in The Suicide Squad. The beloved villain, played spectacularly in the DCEU by Margot Robbie, has been a constant threat through the years to Batman and his compatriots, but superpowers have rarely been a big part of her character. She’s wielded a variety of abilities at different points in the comics, but now she’s getting a whole new kind of superpower in The Suicide Squad.
Born an ordinary human, Harleen Quinzel stood out mostly for her genius-level IQ and her superior physical dexterity - the result of years of gymnastics training. Even after becoming a supervillain, these remained her defining traits. Harley has wielded different superhuman abilities at points throughout her various storylines in the comics, such as when she took a serum from Poison Ivy that granted her enhanced strength, agility and reflexes. Like many Batman characters, however, Harley has never really been defined by her powers.
Now, The Suicide Squad may be changing that a bit by giving Robbie's Harley Quinn a new kind of superpower befitting her DCEU persona. During a set visit attended by Screen Rant and other publications, producer Peter Safran and production designer Beth Mickle discussed the film’s changes to Harley’s character, including her new superpower, which they called “Harley Vision.” Essentially, the film will at times show the world as perceived through Harley’s eyes - a bright and colorful fantasy filter, which may give her a sort of sensory enhancement in battle. Read Safran and Mickle’s full quotes below.
Mickle: So it's an idea that we're going to explore, and we'll see how it's executed. But the idea is that there is a 'Harley Vision,' like how she sees the world and how she sees things, and it's possibly with animated flowers and tweety birds. She's very happy, so we explored some concept art to see what that that could look like, and how we would render it in the film. Just used sparingly, but I think effectively.
Safran: Just the juxtaposition of that look, with an incredibly violent action scene that is occurring at the same time as part of her escape.
While not a superpower in the traditional sense, Harley's odd vision of the world is certainly a big part of her character and her daringness. The Suicide Squad will be Robbie’s third DCEU film as Harley Quinn, following her performances in the original Suicide Squad and in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). The second film, which starred Robbie in the leading role, is one of the DCEU’s better critical performances to date. In a franchise that’s been plagued by criticism and inconsistency for much of its lifespan, Robbie’s Harley has been almost universally praised, and her stellar cultivation of the character's unique behavior and worldview is a big reason.
It makes sense then for her to be one of the characters returning from the original Suicide Squad. The new film looks like it will be expanding on Harley’s DCEU character in fun and interesting ways, such as the creative decision to reveal her “Harley Vision.” If the franchise aims to continue positioning Harley as one of its leading characters, building out her unique persona and powers will be key. Fans will be able to see the latest iteration of Harley Quinn when The Suicide Squad releases on August 6.
