WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Suicide Squad #11 by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas & Wes Abbott, on sale now
Harley Quinn has been reinventing herself lately, even finding herself unofficially a part of the Bat-Family during the events of the Joker War. Now, as she says goodbye to a former role she held in the DC Universe, she may have found someone to teach along the way.
Harley Quinn may have left the Suicide Squad, but she has also found a potential protegee in the form of Zoe Lawton, the daughter of Deadshot.
The Suicide Squad has survived its mission and even saved the small nation of Badhnisia from the machinations of Black Mask and his allies. But despite the victory -- and the sanctuary they're given by the President of Badhnisia (aka Wing's mother) -- the Suicide Squad ends up losing another member. Harley Quinn decides that she wants to become her own person, and part of figuring out who that is means she'll need to leave the Squad behind.
But Harley still has some work to do -- including approaching Deadshot's daughter Zoe. Deadshot and Harley had developed a surprisingly close bond over the years, and the pair ultimately came to see each other as dependable allies within the system of the Suicide Squad. With Floyd killed on their final mission, Harley makes sure to take his mask to his daughter, Zoe. Harley's able to break the news of Floyd's death softer than any news announcement ever could. She tells Zoe that her father wanted to be a better man in the end and that he ultimately died doing a very good thing for the world. She even decides to stay with Zoe for a while and tell her stories about her father and their adventures together -- albeit somewhat censored.
It's an incredibly sweet gesture from Harley and should help ensure that she can keep an eye on Zoe. Zoe might be targeted for her father's crimes, so having Harley over her shoulder could keep her and her mother safe from surprise threats. Harley could even theoretically take Zoe under her wing and become something of a mentor to the young woman. Zoe has already proven to have inherited her father's skill with ranged weapons and has expressed becoming a hero in her own right. With Harley trying to fly the straight and narrow as well, it could be a fun way to incorporate a relationship into the DC Universe that's functionally similar to the one Harley shared with Cassandra Cain in the DC Extended Universe film, Birds of Prey.
With Harley's help, Zoe could become a clever and tricky fighter, capable of holding her own with the likes of dangerous fighters and killers. It could also be the perfect way for Harley to truly ground her commitment to becoming a better person. Like Deadshot, Harley made the decision to become something better than the killer she'd been in the past. And for that to take full effect, Harley could ensure that Zoe grows up protected, mentored, and skilled. While it might be a longshot, Harley could do far worse for Zoe -- and herself -- if she were to actively take Zoe under her wing and turn her into her sidekick.