A Fight Worth Fighting For

"A Fight Worth Fighting For" is the eleventh episode of the second season of Harley Quinn, and the twenty-fourth episode of the series overall. It was released on June 12, 2020, on DC Universe.

This episode is preceded and followed by Frank the Plant and Chaz in the basement from the cold opening of "Batman's Back Man". Here, Frank does a recap of past episodes to explain how the Justice League ended up in Queen of Fables' storybook in the season 1 episode, "Devil's Snare", requiring Harley to restore his memory in the previous episode, "Dye Hard", which he had lost in the season one finale. This episode then plays as normal, and afterward they return, with Frank singing praises of the show's writing quality while also complaining about Chaz's buttered popcorn, declaring that he is "watching [his] cholesterol".

Synopsis[]

In order to defeat Psycho's army, Harley and Joker need to track down Fables' storybook with the Justice League inside.

Plot[]

Following a cold open with Frank, the Joker emerges from the vat of acid, insane once more. His maniacal laughs are interrupted when Harley beats him up and demands to know where Queen of Fables' book is. Meanwhile, Doctor Psycho has taken over Gotham Mall as a base of operations from which to control the Parademons as they slaughter their way through Gotham. When the Riddler questions what the plan is from here, Psycho phones Darkseid.

In Ace Chemicals, Joker starts to remember what happened to him since he fell into the vat of acid: from the rubble of his tower, he was recovered and tended to by a nurse named Bethany. They fall in love, and Joker even becomes a father figure to her children by getting them a puppy and reading them bedtime stories.

Joker is appalled at what he has become, but Harley drags him back to the topic of Fables' book. Threatened with a bomb Harley had placed in his brain, Joker reluctantly agrees to help her.

In the Batcave, Batman uses surveillance cameras throughout Gotham to track the Batplane to ACE Chemicals. He spots the Joker and Harley Quinn on the cameras, and presumes them to be behind everything. The Caped Crusader prepares to rejoin the fight at last, but Alfred has to disinfect the Batsuit first.

Kite Man and Poison Ivy are planning their wedding even as the skies over Gotham are swarming with Parademons. Kite Man suggests they postpone things for happier times, but Ivy insists on getting married in Gotham as rapidly as possible so that she can "move forward with my life and leave some things behind" before saying "things" catch up with them. She adds she loves and wants to marry Kite Man, which fills him with joy.

Meanwhile, Harley and the Joker arrive at Bethany's house, where the Joker laments his time as a "loser suburban stepdad" (he nonetheless stops to turn off the sprinklers out of a domestic concern). At her front door, Bethany threatens them to leave with a (unloaded) handgun.

Joker elaborates that they're just there for an evil fairytale book. Using his knowledge of her household, he also convinces her that he, under amnesia, was the man she'd been dating for the past six months. Amazed, a disarmed Bethany opens her door, but slaps him, then rants at him in Spanish. Joker's patience quickly expires, and he threatens her with death, though Harley vetoes him.

Bethany
That's fuckin' ridiculous.
The Joker
Is it any more ridiculous than pointing that gun at my face? The gun you think little Sofia and Benicio don't know about? The gun you've never loaded or shot in your life?
[The Joker takes the gun away]
The Joker
Soy yo, pudding.
Bethany
Mi corazon.
— The Joker proves his identity to Bethany

Bethany demands to know if anything they had was even real. She rattles off all the fun times they had, which the Joker begrudgingly admits to having truly enjoyed, but he insists: "I'm the Joker! Obvious, I'm not going to date some suburban mom." A tearful Bethany gets the fairytale book, but in her anger, she throws it at him. At that moment, a Parademon swoops by and snatches it away. Bethany curses the Joker angrily in Spanish one last time and then slams the door in his face.

Meanwhile, Doctor Psycho finally gets in contact with Darkseid and asks for Harley's contract to be transferred to him. Darkseid seems unimpressed, but Psycho evil origin story, Based on Riddler's advice that "87% of apocalyptian business transactions are fueled by revenge," Psycho successfully entices Darkseid into making a new contract, delivering Harley's head in exchange for control of the planet Earth.

Wedding dress — Poison Ivy's wedding dress

The Parademons flood out even to where Ivy and Kite Man are doing a dress fitting. Kite Man worries that seeing his bride in a dress before the wedding day breaks tradition and that Harley should be doing this; Ivy brushes off both points. They're interrupted by a Parademon bursting into the room. Ivy dispatches it, but the scuffle ruins the expensive dress. Enraged at Dr. Psycho, she rushes off to deal with him.

Harley and the Joker are also taking the fight to the Parademons, seeking out Fables' book in a Parademon nest. Harley blames them having to sneak around the vile creatures on Joker being rude to Bethany. He transfers blame to Bethany, but comments that it may have been the most fulfilling relationship he's ever been in (discounting his time with Harley completely). Harley's failure to get with Ivy prompts Joker to think about his own love life.

❝ [W]e could just sit on the couch and talk about nothing for hours. We just got each other. She always had my back. ...Good God! That's true love. ❞

— The Joker's words parallel Harley's feelings for Ivy

Harley and the Joker come upon two Parademons snuggling together, which reminds the Joker of his time with Bethany. As he monologues, Harley remembers her times with Ivy and urges Joker to "fight for" his true love. They then grab the book, but as they escape, they're surrounded by Parademons. Fighting side by side once again, Harley and Joker defeat scores of the creatures, but they tire while the Parademons keep coming. They prepare to die, but the villains are saved by the Batplane flying in and capturing them.

Caught by Batman — Harley and Joker are found by Batman

Batman accuses them of working with Psycho, but Harley clarifies that they're trying to free the Justice League from the Queen of Fables book. Unfortunately, the book they just retrieved is the wrong one, so they direct Batman to fly them to Bethany's and also call Zatanna Zatara to meet them there. Back in the Gotham Mall, the Parademons report to Psycho their failure to kill Harley. He is initially concerned, but a vengeful Poison Ivy arrives to end him. Doctor Psycho adapts and proceeds to mind-control her.

Batman and company arrive in suburbia to get the book, but the Joker says he will speak to Bethany himself. She answers the door coldly, but Joker, in an uncharacteristically vulnerable moment that surprises Batman, earnestly says that he's been missing something in his life; love. Bethany joyfully takes him back. With the correct book in hand, Zatanna magically liberates a shellshocked Justice League, with Wonder Woman describing the world of the book as "hell", After Batman debriefs the other Leaguers, they head out to deal with the Parademon army (with the Flash deciding he must return to Central City, and Zatanna also taking her leave).

With the heroes gone, Harley asks the Joker if he just plans on returning to his amnesiac suburban self. He replies that he'll still be a serial killer, just with a reason to kill and love. He then urges Harley to go get her own love. As Harley leaves, she is met at the door by Ivy. Before Harley can make her move, mind-controlled Ivy drones: "I am going to kill you."

Cast and Characters[]

Main Cast[]

Guest Cast[]

Diedrich Bader as Batman
Michael Ironside as Darkseid
Tom Hollander as Alfred
Justina Machado as Bethany
Vanessa Marshall as Wonder Woman, Wedding planner
Scott Porter as The Flash
James Wolk as Superman

Cameos[]

Chaz
Forager (flashback to "Inner (Para) Demons" in cold opening)
Sofia
Benicio
Zatanna Zatara
Green Lantern

Trivia[]

This episode is preceded and followed by a cold opening, mirroring that of "Batman's Back Man", even taking place in the same basement but featuring Frank the Plant and his weed dealer Chaz. It is filled with fourth-wall-breaking jokes with Frank praising the show and promoting Harley getting a EGOT.
- When Frank recaps the story so far, clips from "Dye Hard", "Devil's Snare" and "Inner (Para) Demons" are shown.
- At one point the website EGOTforharley.com shows up on the screen, which was a real functioning URL created for the show.
- Showrunner Justin Halpern confirmed in a Reddit post after the episode was released that the segments with Frank the Plant recapping the plot was added to reach the necessary run time.^[1]
Alan Tudyk is credited for the voice of Clayface despite that character never appearing in the episode.
The shot of a frantic Joker grabbing his head after emerging from the acid is a reference to perhaps the most iconic panel from Batman: The Killing Joke.
A shot in Joker's flashback montage, remembering his relationship with Bethany featuring the pair sharing a sundae in a diner is a reference to the painting Nighthawks.
Harley and Joker's profiles seen on the Batcomputer in this episode is full of easter eggs.
- On Joker's profile, Jerry Robinson, Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the original creators of his character, are listed as "Known Associates" and on Harley's profile, her creators Bruce Timm and Paul Dini are listed.
- Harley's profile shows she's wanted for, among other things, "Nuclear Intimidation", a call-back to her threatening to nuke the city unless she got a highway named after her in "So You Need a Crew?".
- Aside from more obvious and serious crimes like arson and murder, Joker is wanted for "cattle rustling" and Harley for "digital piracy".
When Batman decides to return to crime-fighting he says "It's time for Batman to... return" and shortly after "Batman begins... again", referencing two of the most well-known Batman movies Batman Returns and Batman Begins.
Beth references the hit show The Sopranos, stating she and the Joker used to rewatch the show which is the only part of their relationship that he admits to enjoying.
Doctor Psycho references The Wizard of Oz in his call to Darkseid when telling him the word "Dwarf" is a slur.
The line "Darkseid is... late for a meeting" is a play on the phrase "Darkseid is" which frequently shows up in the comic books featuring him, referring to the inevitability of his presence.
The shop Poison Ivy and Kite Man visit for her dress fitting, Palmiotti's Bridal Shop, is likely a nod to Jimmy Palmiotti one of the co-writers of the New 52 and Rebirth Harley Quinn solo series which the show takes much inspiration from.
When Harley thinks back on her relationship with Ivy, clips from "A High Bar", "Catwoman" and "There's No Place to Go But Down" are shown.