Harley Quinn is one of the most well-known characters in DC Comics, but her character in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League seems as though she will be rather different from The Suicide Squad film. Harley Quinn has been featured as Batman's villain and companion, the Joker's former partner, and a primary character in The Suicide Squad. She held a significant presence in the Arkham series as well, which Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will continue. Harley Quinn is one of four confirmed playable characters, alongside King Shark, Deadshot, and Captain Boomerang. However, this Harley Quinn has some significant differences from other iterations of the character.
[Warning: Spoilers for James Gunn's The Suicide Squad below.]
Modern forms of the Harley Quinn character have been veering away from her partnership with the Joker. James Gunn's The Suicide Squad touched on Harley's growth from Joker's abuse, while HBO's Harley Quinn series has placed the villainess as the commander of her own destiny. Given the death of Arkhamverse's Joker, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will likely be continuing to develop this trend. Despite this independence and growth, Harley Quinn could be rather different from the film and comic versions usually featured in the Suicide Squad.
Fans of Harley Quinn will know that her primary method of traversing Gotham is with acrobatics. While Batman prefers his signature grappling hook, Harley can usually be seen flipping across rooftops in search of her next adventure. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Harley Quinn appears to be switching up the status quo. Featured alongside her signature baseball bat and grenades, Harley looks to be continuing the Arkhamverse tradition of using grappling devices, having added a grappling hook to her loadout. This change to the character could point to the return of the series' most common method of travel (excluding Batman's cape gliding).
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's Harley Quinn Could Be Taking Charge
Historically, the Suicide Squad has been led by characters such as Colonel Rick Flag, Deadshot, and Bloodsport. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's trailer appears to veer from this formula, and may be placing Harley Quinn in a leadership role. She is the only character to directly interact with Amanda Waller through her earpiece, and also issues orders to her fellow teammates. This would be a welcome change from her traditional 'sidekick' role, and give fans of the franchise an opportunity to see significant character growth for Harley.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will take place in developer Rocksteady's Arkhamverse. Throughout the series, Harley Quinn is shown to be capable of careless cruelty and countless murders. However, Harley's moral compass appears to be growing more compassionate in the game's trailer. When Kill the Justice League's Superman vaporizes the helicopter pilot, her expression turns horrified and disgusted, despite the fact that she has witnessed far worse in Joker's employ. It's a subtle touch, but potentially a meaningful one.
Despite Harley Quinn's many differences in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, she still maintains many familiar traits from previous iterations of her character. Her dialogue in the Kill the Justice League trailer features the accent, sass, and aloof personality that brought the character so much popularity over the years. There is still much that remains unknown about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but fans will likely get to experience what is has to offer in 2022.