Harley Quinn: The 8 Most Underrated Villains On The Show
The Harley Quinn animated series is one of the definitive versions of the character. First appearing in Batman The Animated Series, Harley has become a favorite anti-hero as fans have seen her grow into her independence and evolve as a character. However, one of the show's other triumphs is the respect that is given to the villains. Well-known villains, such as Two-Face and The Riddler, have become recurring characters.
But what is most fascinating are the performances of the show's supporting villains. Most villains from the show are ripped from the comic canon. However, Harley Quinn has taken the opportunity to revitalize them all so they are given more depth and are different from any portrayal they have seen before. Even the characters created for comic relief are turned into formidable foes.
8 Queen Of Fables
The Queen of Fables has to be one of the most villainous characters on Harley Quinn as she has proven to be deceptively evil. True to her name, Queen of Fables turns storybook characters into real-life antagonists.
She is a character that seems tame on the surface. However, her enemies shouldn't underestimate her as she is one of the most powerful sorceresses ever and extremely dangerous. She leaves nothing up to chance and has murdered entire family lines before, showing no remorse for her actions. Fans would certainly love to see her in a live-action movie because she would offer up a great challenge for the world's greatest DC comic book heroes.
7 Mister Freeze
Mister Freeze is a romantic and written as a tragic character. After his wife, Nora, is diagnosed with a rare blood disease, he places her in a cryogenic chamber until he can find a cure. Harley assumes that Mister Freeze imprisoned her unjustly. However, this is not the case.
Instead of the comical portrayal audiences have been used to in the past, audiences get a more grounded and realistic interpretation. Mister Freeze shows unconditional love for his wife and sacrifices himself so that she can live. Most villains are concerned with jewels or fortune. Mister Freeze only wanted to save his wife, which allows the viewers to get an insight into his thoughts and emotions. It's this sort of character depth that would have improved Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal in Batman & Robin.
6 Man-Bat
While stuck in prison for a year, Harley met a familiar array of faces, including Poison Ivy and The Riddler. Blink-and-you-may-miss-it, fans would also be able to see that Man-Bat is one of the prisoners. Audience members may find this appearance random, but Man-Bat is notable for appearing in the first episode of Batman The Animated Series.
Unlike the Man-Bat fans see in Batman The Animated Series, the character is not the dangerous monster audiences are familiar with. Rather, Man-Bat is seen to be a lot calmer and compassionate; he genuinely seems to care about Harley and Poison Ivy, even trying to prevent them from going to prison and is disheartened when he is unsuccessful. While he has only made brief cameo appearances so far, fans would love it if he ended up joining making more appearances in future.
5 Ratcatcher
Harley Quinn shows as much appreciation for Ratcatcher as The Suicide Squad does, though he was not on the main Suicide Squad team. One of Harley Quinn’s great joys is that it takes underrated villains from the comics and gives them room to expand. Here, Ratcatcher is dressed in his classic costume and is true to himself as he lives in the sewers with his rats.
While The Suicide Squad didn't delve too much into his powers or criminal history, Harley Quinn allows viewers to see what a dangerous threat he could be if he aligns himself with the wrong people - especially since his rats have proven they can be brutal when attacking a person. If DC were going to continue with the Suicide Squad franchise, then they could take a leave out of Harley Quinn and allow viewers to see Ratcatcher's powers in action during his crime sprees in more flashback scenes.
4 Calendar Man
Calendar Man has shown up most prevalently in the heralded adaptation of The Long Halloween. The comic is an inspiration for the new movie The Batman starring Robert Pattinson, being released March 2022. Although he was also portrayed briefly by Sean Gunn in The Suicide Squad, Calendar Man has a lot to offer in Harley Quinn.
His powers seem rudimentary and this is part of his charm. He keeps track of time and, at times, not even that well. However, his humor and charm go a long way. Unlike Sean Gunn's portrayal, this Calendar Man is kind to his fellow inmates. He is instrumental in establishing how Arkham functions in the first episode and has an amicable dynamic with Ivy, which fans enjoy watching.
3 Kite Man
Kite Man is not in opposition to Harley in her professional life but he is a rival personally. What makes Kite Man so compelling is his character. He first appears as a D-list villain who is interested in teaming up with Poison Ivy. Harley Quinn cleverly turns his villainy on its head.
Mostly known for basic crime, such as heists, Harley Quinn allows non-comic book fans to learn more about this character in-depth. He is funny and surprisingly confident. Unlike some of the more notorious villains, he also shows a softer, more vulnerable side of himself.
2 Bane
Bane was given a cartoonish treatment in the Batman and Robin film, shown only as mindless muscle. He was characterized better in The Dark Knight Rises, but his crowning achievement is as an iconic member of the League of Shadows. In direct opposition to his live screen counterparts, Bane is the most sympathetic character as he navigates workplace politics.
This version of Bane is sensitive and wants to help others. He creates the pit to help villains reach their potential and rehabilitate their frame of mind. He is also progressive and genuinely cares about those around him, which is something fans rarely ever see in Bane's adaptation.
1 Killer Croc
Killer Croc had his moment in the sun in David Ayer’s disappointing 2016 Suicide Squad film. Not only was the film a critical failure, but James Gunn didn’t include the character in the soft reboot either. This is why Harley Quinn's adaptation is highly underrated and gives the character more depth than the live-action film did.
Another one of Bane’s projects in the pit, Killer Croc spends his time painting, even though Poison Ivy points out that it is derivative at best. Killer Croc’s nature is softened in contrast to how he is usually portrayed. It is a point of humor but also shows that even the worst of people can be rehabilitated. His art makes him a better person.