Suicide Squad: Harley Quinn's True Superpowers Make Her More Relatable than Ever

Summary Harley Quinn's true superpowers are her extreme range of emotions that allow her to accomplish superhuman feats.

The focus on Harley's combat skills in Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #3 solidifies her status as one of DC's most formidable characters.

Harley's iconic oversized mallet continues to be honored, emphasizing a unique facet of her character.

WARNING: Potential Spoilers for Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #3! Harley Quinn is widely known as one of DC's most iconic non-superpowered villains/anti-heroes, but according to Colonel Rick Flag, the Gotham Siren possesses two powers and a weapon that make her utterly undefeatable. What's even more intriguing about these two powers is that they make Harley more relatable than any other villain or hero in the DC Universe.

Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #2 saw Amanda Waller strategically incite chaos by releasing the asylum inmates to assess potential members for her Suicide Squad. The subsequent issue (#3), by John Layman and Jesús Hervás, follows Harley Quinn as she battles her way through guards and other inmates as she embraces the chaos and attempts to escape the asylum.

Unbeknownst to her, Waller and Flag monitor her progress closely. Waller is surprised to see Harley holding her own against the super-suit-equipped guards, given her lack of "real powers." However, Flag points out Harley's true superpowers–”...being crazy and really, really pissed off.”

Harley’s capacity for extreme emotions and the high frequency at which she experiences said intense emotions, endows her with superhuman abilities akin to superpowers.

Harley Quinn’s Superpowers Are “Being Crazy and Really, Really Pissed Off”

While Flag’s remark may appear humorous, it actually underscores an important aspect of Harley’s combat prowess that transcends ordinary human capabilities. Emotions and physical strength are intricately linked, as demonstrated in anecdotes of mothers displaying extraordinary feats of strength, such as lifting cars, in moments of extreme stress to protect their children. Similarly, Harley, driven by intense emotions, operates in a manner that lets her accomplish superhuman feats. Therefore, Harley’s capacity for extreme emotions and the high frequency at which she experiences said intense emotions, particularly when she's "really, really pissed off," endows her with superhuman abilities akin to superpowers.

Rick Flag's observation also underscores Harley Quinn's status as one of the DC Universe's most powerful non-metas, capable of achieving feats that even many superpowered individuals would find challenging. Furthermore, in addition to the power of her emotions, Harley's combat skills are bolstered by her expertise as a gymnast, placing her in peak human condition and endowing her with training and abilities that surpass those of most ordinary humans. Therefore, Harley's remarkable combat abilities deserve greater recognition, and fortunately, it appears that Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum is doing just that.

Related Harley Quinn Cosplay Is a Nightmare Take on Her Most Intimidating Costume A talented Harley Quinn cosplayer has taken it upon herself to reimagine one of the Siren's most classic costumes with a nightmarish twist.

Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum Is Giving Harley’s Mallet the Love It Deserves

Harley's oversized mallet stands as her most iconic and character-unique weapon, yet its significance often goes unrecognized. First appearing alongside Harley in her debut in the 1992 episode of Batman: The Animated Series titled Joker's Favor, this colossal hammer has since become inseparable from her identity. It has appeared consistently across various mediums, including comic books, animated series, films, and video games, despite certain iterations of the character primarily featuring a bat as her main weapon. Therefore, it's reassuring to see that Rocksteady's comic prelude to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League continues to honor Harley Quinn's quintessential weapon.

Rocksteady Studio's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is now available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows.

Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #3 is now available from DC Comics!