WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), in theaters now.
A great deal of Birds of Prey is centered around Harley Quinn's journey towards self-actualization following the end of her relationship with the Joker. But while their past is a defining part of Harley's character arc, the Joker never actually shows up during the course of the film.
While he may not have a major physical presence in the movie, that doesn't mean that Birds of Prey doesn't confront the Joker and the impact he left on Harley. In fact, by not featuring her ex in the film, the movie makes a larger point about how Harley is learning to stand on her own.
JARED'S JOKER
Jared Leto's Joker first appeared alongside Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn in 2016's Suicide Squad. Leto's version of the iconic villain is established as a bizarre and flashy criminal who uses his ability to terrify the world around him in order to take what he wants and do as he pleases. He's breaks the sanity of Harleen Quinzell, and is responsible for pushing her into becoming Harley Quinn in the first place. He (alongside Harley) was responsible for the murder of this universe's Robin, and has generally made a name for himself as a force of terror across Gotham City. He was a minor antagonist in Suicide Squad, trying and failing to liberate Harley from the titular squad during her mission. The film ends with the Joker arriving at the prison to break her out of custody, setting up the continuation of their mad love.
But by the events of Birds of Prey, things have taken a turn in their relationship. The film even opens with Joker having Harley thrown out of his hideout after their latest blowup. Though the two have gotten back together in the past, Harley seems convinced that this breakup is for good. So, like any reasonable jilted lover, she decides to make a very public statement by crashing a truck into the ACE Chemicals building. This sets off much of the plot, as Harley's new relationship status has painted a massive target on her back because she can now be targeted for her past actions.
HOW HE EXISTS IN BIRDS OF PREY
Despite the shadow that his character casts on the story, Leto doesn't actually appear in Birds of Prey. Instead, footage from Suicide Squad is briefly shown while Harley is crashing the truck. Even then, he's only seen from behind, helping lift Harley out of the chemicals that she leapt into. There are only three other times when the Joker even appears in the film in any real form. He appears prominently in the animated recap of Harley's origins at the beginning of the film. Notably, however, he's not specifically Leto's Joker, but sports a more comic book accurate appearance. He can be seen from behind when Harley remembers how she enraged a man by getting Joker to tattoo a clown design on his face. Finally, Harley has turned a drawing of his face into a target for throwing knives into her wall.
Harley and Joker's break up has radically changed her world. Now, average criminals are willing to target her, civilians she's wronged are after her and the police are willing to try and pursue her. Making matters considerably worse, Roman Sionis is especially pleased that he now has the chance to kill Quinn once and for all. Before they broke up, he'd slipped snide remarks to Harley about the Joker. Harley almost takes a deal with Roman to protect her in the same way Joker used to, but Harley is able to eventually stand up on her own and move past the person the Joker and the world tried to turn her into.
THE BEST JOKE NEVER TOLD
It was always going to be necessary for Birds of Prey to confront Leto's Joker. With Harley Quinn trying to break free from the influence he and other men in her life had on her, the Joker's impact was always going to loom over the film. But instead of letting him steal attention from Harley's journey by featuring him in any real form, the film turns the Clown Prince of Crime into a dark memory, but nothing more. He's just another element of her life that she needs to move past, not a character to showcase or explore who could potentially garner sympathy. It keeps the movie centered on Harley, not the relationship, her ex, or his perspective on their breakup.
The Emancipation of Harley Quinn is a vital part of the movie (so much so that it's actually in the title of the film), so it's fitting that Harley isn't trying to share the stage with anyone else. Even while the rest of the Birds of Prey get a solid amount of attention, Harley is the one who gets a full arc to explore her development and growth. This movie is about her moving on, all building to the climatic moment where she finally holds herself up as the one people should fear instead of the other way around. By never allowing the Joker to steal her thunder, Birds of Prey makes that revelation all the more powerful.
Directed by Cathy Yan from a script by Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn stars Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Ewan McGregor, Ella Jay Basco, Steven Williams, Derek Wilson, Dana Lee, Francois Chau, Charlene Amoia, Chris Messina and Matthew Willig.