Those who are new to the Worlds of DC may not know that, unlike most other superheroes and villains, Harley Quinn is a relatively new character. She made her debut in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, and her breakout role made her a mainstay in DC media, including DC Comics.

After Harley Quinn’s successful big-screen appearance in 2016's Suicide Squad, the character has become one of the most popular figures in the DC Extended Universe. Her unique personality and dark comedic humor make her quite entertaining. There are many Harley Quinn quotes from her various iterations that highlight why she's become a favorite among DC fans.

Updated on November 19, 2023 by Jordan Iacobucci: Harley Quinn is officially returning for a fifth season, giving the beloved character yet another chance to shine in her acclaimed animated series. Now, with Lady Gaga also set to portray the Joker's zany henchwoman in Joker: Folie à Deux, Harley Quinn's popularity remains at an all-time high. This list has been updated to reflect the character's recent appearances in DC media.

15 "Now That's A Killer App!"

"Now That's A Killer App!"

Read CBR's Review of DC's Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn #1

Harley Quinn developed apathy toward death after spending so much time working with The Joker. It got to the point that watching someone die actually appeared funny to her. Her remark occurred when one of Suicide Squad's most ridiculous villains attempted to escape from Task Force X.

Rick Flag used the detonator chip injected into Slipknot prior to the mission to blow his head off. Harley quipped that the device Flag used was one “killer app.” Normally the sight of seeing someone lose their head would be traumatic, but Harley Quinn had seen that a few times before in her line of work.

14 "A-Okay, Mr. J."

"A-Okay, Mr. J."

Harley’s loyalty to The Joker generally knew no bounds, and someone threatening her beloved often led to her unleashed wrath. Harley Quinn was quick to stand up for her man, even if it meant that she might get into a fight. During the crossover between the Batman and Superman animated series in the '90s called "World's Finest," fans saw this extreme loyalty in action.

When Harley came across Lex Luthor’s assistant Mercy, the two women started battling each other while Joker and Lex casually conversed. The fight became so intense that both women ended up bruised and beaten. However, Harley was quick to respond to The Joker in a cheery tone, despite being in the middle of a vicious fight.

13 "How Rude!"

"How Rude!"

Read CBR's Review of Harley Quinn Season 4

Harley Quinn isn't considered the expert when it comes to manners. This is especially true when she's standing up for her man. When The Joker procured Kryptonite to kill Superman during the "World's Finest" crossover, he also captured Lois Lane. This obviously angered the Daily Planet reporter, who fought back with her words.

Lane rightfully called The Joker out as a madman and a killer. However, she was swiftly quieted by Harley, who called Lois Lane out for being rude. At the time, The Joker had been talking about killing a man, so Harley's admonishment of Lois seemed a bit twisted.

12 "It's The End Of The World. Have A Drink With Us."

"It's The End Of The World. Have A Drink With Us."

One of Harley Quinn's greatest traits is her ability to maintain a positive attitude even during the possible end of the world. One of DC's most powerful magic users, Enchantress' plan to destroy the world in the first Suicide Squad movie looked unstoppable. Rather than engage her, Harley and the rest of Task Force X stopped and had a drink instead.

While the others looked solemn at the likelihood of their collective demises, Harley Quinn casually went about making drinks for everyone. She accepted their potential death and failed mission by toasting with her newfound family at the end of the world. The others then followed her back into battle when she joined Flag, which revealed the loyalty other villains felt toward her.

11 "Sweetie, Get Mommy's Bazooka."

"Sweetie, Get Mommy's Bazooka."

One of the worst things that The Joker and Harley Quinn ever did to the Bat-Family occurred in Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker. Kidnapping Tim Drake, they Jokerized the young Robin. Harley Quinn enjoyed the new family dynamic, and she took to referring to herself as Drake's mother.

When confronted by Batgirl, Harley Quinn kept a jovial attitude. During the battle she had the Jokerized Robin fetch her a Bazooka so she could blow Batgirl apart. Harley Quinn wasn't winning any parenting awards by asking Drake to fetch her a dangerous weapon. However, the hilariously dark moment felt perfectly in line with Harley's character.

10 "I’m Rubber, You’re Glue..."

"I’m Rubber, You’re Glue, Whatever You Say Bounces Off Me And Makes A Six-Inch-Diameter Exit Wound In You."

Read CBR's Review of DC Comics' Harley Quinn #28

The thing about Harley Quinn’s threats is that they can take a sudden and dark turn that surprises her enemies. Harley often starts her taunts with her usual cheerfulness before her true intention comes out with a beautiful turn of phrase.

When someone made fun of her during a robbery, Harley Quinn answered with the classic “I’m rubber, you’re glue” routine. It quickly turned dark when she introduced the very real possibility of a violent reaction that could include shooting a hole through her would-be victim.

9 "Stupid Bats, You're Ruining Date Night!"

"Stupid Bats, You're Ruining Date Night!"

Harley and Joker’s origin in Suicide Squad featured a joyride through the streets of Gotham City. This ride ultimately ended with Batman apprehending Harley Quinn. Usually, Batman's arrival struck fear in the hearts of even the worst villains. However, Harley responded by shooting through the roof of the car in an attempt to hit Batman above her.

Harley Quinn wasn’t concerned about Batman taking her down. Instead, she was angry about the Bat "ruining date night." While most wouldn't consider wreaking havoc on the streets as a romantic evening, Harley Quinn proved she wasn't like most people, leading to her recruitment for Amanda Waller's team of DC Comics antiheroes.

8 "Maybe I Can Sneak You Some Shampoo?"

"Maybe I Can Sneak You Some Shampoo?"

Harley Quinn played a huge role in the Arkham video game series, and during the game's story, Harley and The Joker imprisoned Poison Ivy. Due to her unhealthy obsession with her plants, being kept from her "precious babies" put Poison Ivy in visible distress.

Despite locking up her friend, Harley Quinn still wanted to make Poison Ivy comfortable. However, she assumed that a lack of cleanliness had been the issue distressing Ivy. Harley sweetly offered to sneak in some shampoo because she didn’t realize Ivy was reacting to being incarcerated and separated from her plants.

7 "Angel."

"Angel."

Read CBR's Review of DC's Harley Quinn Romances

In an episode of The New Batman Adventures, Harley Quinn attempted to please The Joker by capturing Batman. Rather than being appreciative, The Joker abused her, and Harley fell out of a window. At the hospital, Harley vowed to never fall under The Joker’s influence again.

However, Harley quickly changed her mind after receiving a "Get Well" note from the Clown Prince of Crime. She branded The Joker an angel, even though he'd literally just put her in the hospital. This quote highlighted just how obsessed Harley was with The Joker, and it revealed Joker's complete and toxic influence over Harley during her original appearances.

6 "I Always Thought There Was A Spark Between Us."

"Y'know, Bats? I Always Thought There Was A Spark Between Us."

Harley Quinn's relationship with Batman has occasionally been flirtatious on her part. Fans have seen her make a move on Batman before, like when she kissed him during Suicide Squad. However, these were usually just attempts at catching him off guard.

Harley Quinn displayed a new level of attraction toward him in Batman: Arkham Asylum, where she had no fear of the angry Batman moving toward her. On the contrary, Harley took this moment to tell Batman she felt the two had developed a connection over the years. She seemed to enjoy being trapped in close confines with an angry Batman, although it again proved to be a distraction.

5 "The Joke's On You, I'm Not Even A Real Blonde."

"The Joke's On You, I'm Not Even A Real Blonde."

Harley Quinn’s hair has usually been blonde through the character's various iterations. She sometimes dyes her hair to match her updated red and blue costume colors, but she mostly keeps her hair blonde. However, Harley revealed in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series that her hair had always been dyed.

When in Batman’s captivity, Harley tried to make light of the situation and claimed Batman underestimated her. Her argument was that Batman only saw her as a dumb blonde. She then defended herself by claiming she wasn’t even a real blonde. Batman rarely involved himself in these discussions, so it was nice to see Harley Quinn play out the reveal for herself.

4 "It's Called 'Animals Attack People I Hate.' It's A Comedy."

"It's Called 'Animals Attack People I Hate.' It's A Comedy."

Read CBR's Review of DC's Harley Quinn 30th Anniversary Special

Taking a life is one thing, but inflicting pain before taking a life shows how sinister a person can be. The fact they want to make their victims suffer separates The Joker and Harley Quinn from almost every other villain. Harley Quinn was holding a TV crew captive in order to screen her new show in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series.

Naturally, no one was particularly impressed with Harley's show. They were more preoccupied with not wanting to die. An enraged Harley presented her second idea for a show, which was to sic her hyenas on the TV crew. Harley thought this would make a perfect comedy, despite the death and gore that would surely follow.

3 "You Really Put The 'Fun' In Funeral."

"You Really Put The 'Fun' In Funeral."

There’s nothing fun about someone's death. However, Harley Quinn and The Joker specialized in taking out their victims in what they assumed to be a “funny” manner. In an episode of Batman: The Animated Series, Joker was on a roll with his monologuing. He kept coming up with more schemes to annoy Batman that would have generated a significant body count.

Harley Quinn quipped this memorable line that ultimately revealed she had the same mindset as the Joker. Creativity in her job was clearly important to her, even when planning to take out the citizens of Gotham City. Harley Quinn was just as dark as The Joker during her earliest appearances, but she showed incredible growth as one of the main characters in the animated Batman series.

2 "Love Your Perfume. What Is That, The Scent Of Death?"

"Love Your Perfume. What Is That, The Scent Of Death?"

Rick Flag introduced his ally Katana, intending to strike fear in the hearts of Task Force X during Suicide Squad. It worked on almost everyone when they learned Katana’s blade could steal the souls of her victims. Of course, this information didn't bother Harley Quinn, and she looked to bond with Katana instead.

Harley Quinn offered her hand to introduce herself and claimed it was nice to meet the person who could trap her soul for eternity. Harley's comment about Katana's "perfume" was a small jab that ultimately connected them in the end. It also proved Harley wasn't easily intimidated.

1 "Mama's Gonna Paint The Streets With Blood."

"Mama's Gonna Paint The Streets With Blood."

The Batman: Arkham City game saw Harley Quinn attempting to evade Batman rather than face him head-on. This was unlike her behavior in the games, but players soon learned the reason behind her evasiveness. Batman found discarded pregnancy tests that seemed to imply Harley Quinn was pregnant.

After Joker’s death in Arkham City, Harley sang a lullaby during the end credits. Harley then promised she would paint the streets with blood in honor of The Joker. It turned out Harley Quinn wasn’t actually pregnant, but she played along with the idea to better enact her revenge against Batman.