Harley Quinn's appearance in Batman: Arkham changed Harley Quinn forever, but Injustice 2's portrayal was a sign of things to come with Harley becoming less a villain and more of a hero.
Harley Quinn was originally created as a henchwoman/romantic interest for the Joker, but she has since evolved far past that role. In the comics, Harley eventually left the Joker and began her own adventures that were both violent and whimsical. She has since settled into a role as an antihero, and occasionally an outright hero, even becoming a member of the newest incarnation of the Justice League. However, her portrayal in various spinoffs and other media has varied wildly, both in alignment and quality. Case in point, when Joker seemingly returns in Injustice 2, Harley rebuffs him easily, reasoning that she doesn't want his kind of life.
Harley Quinn's portrayal in Injustice 2 manages to hit most of the traits that make Harley both likable and engaging. She comes off as the type of character that she should be, charming and lovable despite her violent tendencies. In the future, taking cues from Harley's Injustice 2 incarnation would not be a bad idea at all.
Injustice 2's Harley Quinn Spotlighted Her Heroic Journey
In many spinoff properties that feature Harley Quinn, she is used as a villain. Even in her own animated series, Harley Quinn, she is portrayed as trying to become a big-shot villain after splitting off from the Joker. All of this is despite the fact that Harley hasn't been a villain in the main comics for years, and has only gotten more heroic over time. This makes her continued incarnations as a villain rather confusing, especially considering Harley's overall popularity. Things like the Batman: Arkham games bungling Harley's backstory haven't helped.
In Injustice 2, Harley broke off her relationship with Joker of her own accord after being threatened by him, and ed up with Batman's resistance. She remains her cheerful self, and she's optimistic enough to expect her old friend and flame Poison Ivy to the heroes as well. Throughout the game, she does her best to assist the rest of the heroes in their various battles. Harley is genuinely trying to be a better person, and that comes through in her actions over the course of the game.
Injustice 2 does a much better job of encapsulating Harley Quinn's character than most of her spinoff appearances outside of the comics. She is effective and believable as a woman trying to atone for her past and tame her darker impulses. Harley's Arkham story continues in Suicide Squad: KTJL, but Injustice 2 is giving that game a high bar to aim for in of her characterization.
Harley's Injustice 2 Outfit Suited Her Character Perfectly
One common criticism in many of Harley Quinn's appearances has been that her appearance and outfits tend to be oversexualized to her detriment. This was present in the Batman: Arkham games when she was placed in skimpy nurse and leather outfits, and even the 2016 Suicide Squad movie where the cameras frequently lingered at lecherous angles. It was almost a cliché for adaptations to play up Harley's looks over everything else.
In Injustice 2, Harley Quinn has a customizable outfit just like the rest of the playable cast. However, her outfit is quite fitting and functional with almost any combination of equipment available. The main inspirations for Harley's gear in Injustice 2 is the same as in the comics: a combination of roller derby and tactical gear, as well as her familiar red-and-black jacket. Unlocking better gear in Injustice 2 will upgrade Harley's style as well as her fighting abilities. The end result is a sleek and stylish look for Harley that can be further improved with the game's customization options.
Harley Quinn's outfit in Injustice 2 is one of the best that she's had across any of her spinoff appearances. Not only does it suit her personality and style perfectly, but the game's gear customization lets players make an already cool outfit even better. Injustice 2 took a lot of chances and liberties with the playable casts' costumes, and Harley was one of the cases where it was a resounding success.
Harley's Personality Made It To Injustice 2 Completely Intact
Harley Quinn's personality is one of the biggest reasons for her popularity. She has a bent toward chaos that can rival even the Joker's at times, but unlike him, she actually has morals. As a result, many of Harley's adventures wind up being well-intentioned trails of destruction where Injustice 2's unused Brutalities would feel right at home. All the while, the sunny, wisecracking Harley acts as the player's guide. However, Harley's character frequently gets lost in spinoffs, and even the comics have made some egregious writing errors with her in the past, regressing the character in more than one way.
Injustice 2's Harley Quinn is the peppy wild woman that DC fans adore. Her pre-fight quips and jokes mostly sound like things that she would say in the comics themselves. Likewise, her energetic yet brutal fighting style packs the perfect combination of violence and whimsy that fits her like a glove, and would be perfect if Mortal Kombat meets the DC Universe again. Even her role in the story is precisely tailored to her, trying her best to help save the world despite knowing she's not a perfect hero. Her desire for her best friend Ivy to her in atonement is also a faithful nod to their comics relationship, although Injustice Ivy is sadly much more treacherous than her main universe self.
Injustice 2 managed to recreate Harley Quinn's personality faithfully, with her writing feeling similar to that in her own comics. She's reckless, irresponsible, and destructive, but also caring, determined, and ultimately well-meaning. Injustice 2 shows off the traits of Harley that explain why fans have grown to love her, and it does so with flair. Harley has changed a lot since Batman: Arkham, and Injustice 2 shows that in spades.
Although Harley has appeared in plenty of spinoffs, Injustice 2 managed to capture her character almost perfectly. Not only does it manage to do her justice in design and personality, but it also avoids all of the pitfalls that past spinoff incarnations of the character have fallen into. By embracing the character as an antihero and not someone ensnared by the Joker, Injustice 2 ensured its version of Harley Quinn was one of the character's best.