Warning! This article contains spoilers for Joker: Folie à Deux
Joker: Folie a Deux
Introduced the character of Harley Quinn to the popular DC franchise, but not exactly as the character had been seen before. Lady Gaga tackles the role of the iconic Harley Quinn, a sidekick to the Joker who eventually strikes out on her own and becomes one of the most notorious villains in Gotham. However, Harley’s popularity in recent years has seen the character interpreted several times, with variations on the norm in each. From the early days in the comics, when the character was introduced in 1992, to the latest versions in film and television, Harley has mostly stayed consistent until now.
Much more than simply changing the style and look of the character, with Gaga’s Harley looking far less comical than her comic book counterpart, the background and characteristics normally associated with the character have shifted. She still has outfits that pay tribute to the original character, and there are clear links between her and the other popular versions, but a lot has changed in adapting the character for Todd Phillips Joker Sequel. From her name, to the core characteristics that make her a villain, Lady Gaga’s version of the character is distinctly different.
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Harley Quinn’s name is a little different
First of all, one of the most interesting changes was the name of the character. Just like in Matt Reeves The penguin Where the name of the title character is adapted for the story, Harley in Joker 2 Changed her name a bit. When she first introduces herself to Arthur Fleck, she says her name is Lee. This is clearly a minor adjustment, as the character shows a preference for her nickname to be a shortened version of Harley.
However, as the film progresses, and her full name is stated in newspapers and by other characters, it becomes more clear that her full name is Harley Quinzel. This is a minor change from the comics, where her full name is typically Harleen Quinzel, which is then shortened to Harley Quinn. Although the change may seem trivial, this version of they-G-C.
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Lee is not a qualified psychiatrist
The Harley Quinn of the comics is also a character who originally started out as a qualified psychiatrist. This is the role that initially puts her in contact with the object of her obsession, the Joker, but in Joker 2Her backstory was changed quite considerably. The movie reveals that Lee Quinzel is not currently employed, but spent some time studying psychology in grad school. But before they completed their studies, Lee dropped out.
While it is still possible for both characters to be highly intelligent, educated figures, it is clear that the comic book version has more knowledge in the field of psychology and is able to apply that to get a job. Meanwhile, Lee seems to have found a more direct route to connect with the Joker. It is unclear how far she has come in her studies, but she does not lack motivation or determination when it comes to getting what she wants.
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Lee is a patient at Arkham Hospital
This can be seen in her commitment to connecting with the Joker when she chooses to check herself into Arkham Hospital in order to be closer to the notorious murderer, Arthur Fleck. Lee is a voluntary patient, which means she is situated in the B ward, while Fleck is a dangerous criminal, so he is detained in the E ward. However, the two cross paths when Fleck moves to the lower security area to speak with lawyers, conduct interviews and eventually attend a music therapy class.
In the comics, Dr. Harley Quinn actually begins her career as a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum. After landing the position, she immediately requests to be assigned to the Joker, and introduces herself as Harley Quinn, hinting at the connection to the classic Jesters. , Harlequins. Both characters set themselves in the Joker’s way, but their approaches were slightly different. Ultimately, Lee’s way was much quicker and easier to execute, but Harley’s would have given her more freedom and flexibility to interact with. The Joker.
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Harley’s parents are different from the comics
In the comics, there were brief cases involving Harley Quinn’s parents. Harley’s mother and father seem like a poor match, considering her father, Nick, is a hardened criminal and hard man who has often spent time in a jail cell, and her mother, Sharon, is a simple, kind and genuinely good person. Who cares for others and deeply loves her family. Depending on the version of the character, Harley also tends to have a brother or multiple brothers.
Meanwhile, in the film, Lee lies that she burned down her parents’ home, but the truth is that she still lives at home with both of her parents. It is not clear if she has any siblings, but Arthur’s lawyer mentions that Lee’s father is a successful doctor. This is a clear shift from the comics, as it appears her home life is much more settled, and her father seems to have made very different choices to his comic book counterpart. However, in both instances, Harley’s parents seem to be together and remain loyal to one another.
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Harley Quinn in Joker 2 is rich
In the comics, Harley’s father has to lie, steal and cheat to try to make a living in a corrupt Gotham. This probably meant that money did not flow freely in the home, and the funds were probably even more strained by the fact that the Queensels had many children to feed. It is clear to see that, under the circumstances, the family did not have access to significant wealth, and so Harley grew up without extravagant things or other luxuries. When she became a teenager, she could get expensive things, but even then they were taken, not earned.
in Joker: Folie à DeuxHarley was raised in very different circumstances. Her father’s success as a doctor meant that the family could afford to live at a higher standard, and there were no male siblings for Lee, which could have caused her to become disabled as an only child. Since very little of Lee’s home life is actually revealed in the film, this is still speculation, but it is highly likely that Lee grew up under very different circumstances and with greater access to money than Harley in the comics.
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Joker 2’s Harley dances and sings, while in the comics she is a gymnast
One of the most controversial aspects of Joker: Folie à Deux Is the fact that the film is a jukebox musical with many song and dance numbers breaking out throughout the films runtime. Considering Lady Gaga’s popularity as a singer and performer, this was a stage for the singer-turned-actress to show off her impressive singing and dancing skills, but it was never really part of the character as seen in the comics. Where Lee sings and dances throughout the film, comic book’s Harley tends to excel in another type of profession, gymnastics.
Harley Quinn is a gymnast who uses the same flexibility, strength and versatility in her criminal life to fight and break into buildings with incredible fluidity and technique. But even outside of her criminal career, Harley’s gymnastic skills are exceptional. Harley was able to use her talent for gymnastics to get a scholarship to university, where she began studying psychology. The talent for the extremely physical and demanding sport that is gymnastics is thus an essential part of her journey to meet the Joker and become a villain in her own right, but the same gymnastic skills are not present in Lee.
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No enhanced abilities or immunities
As a comic book character, Harley Quinn also possesses exceptional abilities that put her ahead of the average person. While she started life as an ordinary person, her close friendship with another villain, Poison Ivy, led to Harley gaining some notable abilities. Ivy was able to create a chemical compound that gave Harley enhanced strength, speed, durability, and even resistance to most toxins. In general, even the stories where Harley has no enhanced abilities, she still continues to have immunity or resistance to toxins, poisons and most chemicals due to prolonged exposure.
Meanwhile, in Joker: Folie à DeuxHarley is a very ordinary person with no special enhancements or resistance. If this is due to the character still in the early stages of her development, it is possible that she can build an immunity over time, but in this film, she is a regular person. This stands out as just one more way that the character is different from her comic book variant, but both Joker: Folie à Deux And the comics do a great job in establishing the character of Harley Quinn as a loyal disciple of the Joker, and a highly intelligent manipulator.
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