Summary
The two rivals inBatman’slife who are the hardest for him to beat may surprise readers. The Dark Knight sports one of the most expansive rogues galleries of any superhero, filled with superpowered behemoths and elusive ne’er-do-wells. For readers,Batman has the greatest villains, but for Batman himself, his rogues gallery offers the greatest challenges.
The two biggest challenges that Batman has ever faced happen to be the Joker and Harley Quinn, according to Batman himself inHarley Quinn#16 by Stephanie Phillips and Riley Rossmo. The issue opens with Batman recalling the first time he met Harley Quinn. It was on a Tuesday, and his Batmobile chased her getaway car into a riverbank, which she drove into just to outsmart the Bat.
She manages to avoid drowning, but it leads Batman to say that"the Joker and Harley … more than any of the rest … those two could be unpredictable. And unpredictable gets people killed."
Harley Quinn’s First Canon Appearance Settled Her 2 Official Superpowers in DC Lore
Does Harley Quinn have superpowers? Yes. Were these powers established in her first comic canon appearance? Double yes. Can we stop arguing now?
Batman Names Harley Quinn and the Joker as His Toughest Opponents
Harley Quinn#16 by Stephanie Phillips, Riley Rossmo, Ivan Plascencia, and AndWorld Design
The Joker is a surprising choice, considering that, by comparison, he isn’t much of a physical threat to Batman. The same can be said for Harley Quinn. However, what they lack in physical prowess, they make up for bybattling Batman on a mental level. Neither is a match for his detective skills, but being unpredictable, they challenge Batman on a psychological level.The Joker is a psychological threatto Batman in ways no one else is. Batman may be the World’s Greatest Detective for a reason, but even he can’t predict the unpredictable.
Batman can think several moves ahead of his opponent, but even he isn’t clairvoyant.
Batman has faced physical threats before, but he manages to beat even his biggest, most powerful opponents by outsmarting them.Harley Quinn and the Joker — especiallythe Joker — can’t be reasoned with, challenged, or outsmarted. Batman can think several moves ahead of his opponent, but even he isn’t clairvoyant. Even when Batman isas mentally impressive as Sherlock Holmes, deductive reasoning doesn’t work on someone who doesn’t act or work within the scope of reason. The Joker’s too unreasonable for that.
What Does This Mean for Harley Quinn?
Harley Isn’t a Villain Anymore
The assessment is most interesting in relation to Harley Quinn, considering that she’s since transitioned into heroism. At least part-time heroism, asthe Justice League thinks otherwise. While Batman’s flashback shows what he thought of Harley Quinn when he met her, she isn’t a villain anymore. However, the same unpredictable assessment still applies, which gives her a new advantage over evil as a hero. Not many superheroes are as unpredictable as Harley Quinn. Just likeBatman, villains can’t predict unpredictability, so Harley Quinn can still prove useful as a superhero’s ally.
Harley Quinn#16is available now from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
