Warning: Contains spoilers for Poison Ivy #24!

Summary

• Poison Ivy embraces a new codename, "the Green Knight," and rejects black-and-white definitions.
• Ivy's rebirth leads her to fight for people, not just the planet.
• As the Green Knight, Ivy evolves into a balanced savior, embracing love and harmony.

Poison Ivy has taken one of DC's most comprehensive journeys of self-discovery since losing (and regaining) her powers, leading to a new codename. Ivy has moved beyond the belief that humanity must be destroyed for the sake of the planet, embracing that she can act as a steward of the Earth while people still walk it. Pamela Isley never asked to be categorized by black-and-white definitions, but now she actively rejects them.

In Poison Ivy #24 by G. Willow Wilson and Haining, Pam makes the ultimate sacrifice. She dies to rid the world of the monstrous Jason Woodrue, but death does not claim her for long. Poison Ivy's rebirth in Slaughter Swamp isn't just bringing her back to life, it's ushering in her next chapter. For the first time, she's able to embrace the idea that there are people worth fighting for just as hard as she fights for the planet, and that self-discovery leads her to a brand-new codename for Poison Ivy.

As Ivy ponders the idea of harmony, graffiti announces that "the Green Knight is coming!" Though she has yet to be called such a name by another character, this suggests the people of Gotham see Poison Ivy as "the Green Knight," cementing her status as a new kind of hero.

Poison Ivy Rejects "Hero" and "Villain" Labels to Become "the Green Knight"

A New Kind of "Dark Knight"

Pamela's long journey frequently touched on her relationship with the notions of "hero" and "villain," highlighting that she never intended to be one or the other. Since developing her powers, Poison Ivy's primary concern has been saving a screaming, dying planet at whatever cost. Her methods (and by extension, her cause) were rejected by heroes she sought alliances with — including Batman — leaving Poison Ivy stuck with a villain label she never tried to shake off. She reached such extremes that she lost touch with the idea that she could fight for the right people just as well as she could target the wrong ones.

Alongside her anti-heroine comrades Harley Quinn and Catwoman, Poison Ivy will appear in August 2024's four-issue weekly series Gotham City Sirens by Leah Williams and Matteo Lolli.

After Solomon Grundy brings her back to life, Ivy concludes that what she does is the only thing that matters - not what anyone else chooses to call it. Saving the world will likely require violence, but she doesn't need to define herself by tactics. She is, after all, "just particles of carbon rearranging themselves over and over," and there is room in that for love. Rather than save the planet for the sake of itself, Ivy's days as the Green Knight seem to be centered around saving it for the people she cares about.

Poison Ivy Understands the Need for Balance

The Villain's Methods Have Changed

If Pamela Isley has learned anything, it's that long-term success requires balance. Rage and single-minded devotion cause more harm than good, and her old methods rarely worked. She tore herself away from the people who cared for her and caused pain when she meant to heal. Now, she knows that she needs to evolve into something balanced to save the world and have a life worth living, even if others refuse to follow suit. As the Green Knight, Poison Ivy can reject all labels and finally become the savior she set out to be.

Poison Ivy #24 is available now from DC Comics.