WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for DC's Very Merry Multiverse #1 short story "It's a Horrible Life" by Paul Scheer, Nick Giovanetti, Steve Lieber, Marissa Louise, and Carlos M. Mangual, on sale now.
During a Multiverse hopping adventure to rediscover her zest for life, Harley Quinn discovered that somehow, in another world, she became her universe's White Lantern. And she seems to be just as confused about it as everyone else, or at the very least, less enthused.
While this may make no sense at all, it is still pretty hilarious, which is very much par for the course with Harley Quinn, adding to this madness is that it all happened in a chibi version of the DC Multiverse.
The irony of the situation was palpable. The main Harley Quinn was feeling depressed during Christmas. She was alone, disconnected from everyone due to Scarecrow's "fear virus" which required everyone to social distance. This left poor Harley alone and desolate. Unable to drum up any joy during the most wonderful time of the year, Harley started to jump off the roof. Fortunately, she was stopped by her angel without wings. And rather than take her on another overdone It's A Wonderful Life parody, he took her through the Multiverse to show her the good that could come from her life.
The White Lantern Corps sole duty is to protect life itself. They are capable of reforesting devastated landscapes, healing terrible injuries, and even bringing back the dead. So for a suicidal Harley to witness a version of herself fighting for all life is pretty ironic. But that still doesn't really take away from how little sense it makes for any version of Harley Quinn to be a White Lantern. On principle, Harley is a violent person who typically delights in the horrific (and creative) ways she dispatches her enemies, so for her to be battling the likes of a zombified Batman and Superman is a huge stretch of the imagination.
Also, the word "battling" may be a bit too generous with Harley wielding the ring. She's not some sanctimonious hero who tries to see the good in people. She smashes them with her mallet and in this case, she smashed the undead Batman and Superman with a mallet made of life energy. Which, just further contradicts the purpose of the White Lantern. How can someone be a paragon of life and yet squash two of the universe's greatest heroes like insects? Thankfully, the Harley of this universe seems to agree with this.
She, in no uncertain terms, does not believe she is a hero. If anything, she seems pretty peeved that she even has this ring. But then again, with an army of zombies hurdling her way even Harley isn't crazy enough to turn down a free weapon in a fight, much less one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. But all the same, both the readers and Harley have a hard time believing that she is capable of being an avatar of life, and, somehow, this is now canon in the DC Multiverse.