Harley Quinn Origins

So, I've decide to start a series where I tell you guys about the past of certain superheros or villains and today was my birthday. One of my presents happens to be a custom Harley Quinn doll made by my best friend known to the interwebs as The Dorky Dinosaur. (Visit her blog here, she does toy reviews and talks about her custom dolls, she's incredibly clever) Anyway, my first "History Of" is going to be about Harley Quinn.

So, Harley Quinn started in the Batman Animated TV series during the 90's as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a new doctor at Arkham Asylum. As she was observing the patients, a certain one got her attention. That patient was The Joker.

Dr Quinzel slowly started becoming obsessed over The Joker, and used to schedule meetings between herself and The Joker. It started as Dr Quinzel asking The Joker about his life, but slowly turned into The Joker listening to Harleen's life problems. The Joker came up with a pet name for her, she was his Harley Quinn. They became very close friends. Close, to the point that Harleen helped The Joker escape Arkham Asylum, knowing he was destined for better.

A few weeks later, Batman walks into Arkham Asylum, holding a beaten, bruised Joker. Batman throws him on the floor and Harleen runs over to look after The Joker. She looks over at Batman and scowls. She'd never admit it, but at that point, she'd defiantly fallen in love with The Joker, and realised she wanted revenge for what had been done to her love.

Other workers at Arkham had realised of her infatuation with The Joker and cut her off from all contact with him, for her own safety, but that angered her further, and she began to make plans for hers and The Joker's future together.

First, she realised that The Joker needed to escape from Arkham easily, but if she were to go with him, she couldn't be the Arkham doctor she was. So Harleen went to a fancy dress shop, grabbed some gag weapons, and a jester catsuit. She stormed out of the shop without paying and hurried back to Arkham with her bundle. She put on her outfit, and some stage makeup, strapped her gag weapons to herself. She walked over near to The Joker's cell and blew it open. During the explosion, The Joker looks up from where he was sat to see Harleen dressed as a harlequin. She opened her mouth and said in a London accent "Hello puddin'. Say hello to ya new Harley Quinn!" Dr Harleen Quinzel was dead now. There was just Harley Quinn now.

And that's Harley's origin, according to the Batman Animated Series. There are several origins for Harley, but this is the most widely accepted.  I'll see you later!