NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to writer Tee Franklin as "Tia Franklin." The story has since been corrected, and we apologize for the error.
Harley Quinn voice actor Ron Funches assured fans that the Clown Princess of Crime's new relationship with Poison Ivy will be a part of the upcoming third season.
In an interview with PopCulture.com, Funches, who voices Nanaue/King Shark in HBO Max's adult animated series, addressed Harley and Ivy's relationship in the upcoming season. "I think people really fell in love with it and the fact of them getting together near the end of the season is a beautiful thing and just watching them grow together as a relationship, I think, is what you're going to see a lot in the next season," he said.
The romance between Gotham's larcenous ladies has long been subtext in the series but became explicit in Season 2, Episode 7, "Nowhere to Go But Down." After many distractions and complications, the two confessed their love for each other in the Season 2 finale, "Something Borrowed, Something Green." Before Harley Quinn was renewed for a third season, series co-creator Justin Halpern made it clear that he and co-showrunner Patrick Shumaker "want to focus on Harley and Ivy's relationship" in the next installment. "I'm less interested in if the Joker gets a new girlfriend or not than I am in [deepening] this relationship that we've spent two years building," Halpern said at the time.
In particular, the showrunners are looking to explore Harley and Ivy's romance within the context of surviving their previous toxic relationships. "That's the big thing for us to chew on. The thing we have discussed preliminarily is the idea that these two characters have had a lot of toxic relationships in their past," Halpern said in another interview. "So I think like, 'what is it like to be in a good relationship after you've only ever been in bad relationships with abusive people?' is a big theme we want to play with."
Fans have been patiently waiting to see what becomes of 'Harlivy' since mid-2020, and DC has been sating that appetite with the comic miniseries Harley Quinn: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour. Written by Tee Franklin and drawn by Max Sarin, the series takes place immediately after the Season 2 finale as the girls try to revel in their newfound love while also staying one step ahead of Commissioner Gordon.
Franklin said she was excited to see Harley and Ivy consummate their relationship in the series. "On the show, you dip your toe in. It was just like, 'Okay, they're kissing.' We're not really seeing the sex scene, just a little dip of the toe," she said. "In the comics, we get to see a lot more -- that I do hope we'll get to see in Season 3. Their relationship is needed. It is important to talk about, and I'm really grateful to be the one to tell this love story. There's a lot of will-they-won't-they in the comics, and when they do, it's not as beautifully shown."
The third season of Harley Quinn is expected to air in 2022. The first two seasons are available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: PopCulture.com