"Back to School" is the second episode of the fifth season of Harley Quinn, and the forty-ninth episode overall. It was released on January 23, 2025, on Max.
Synopsis[]
While Ivy's first day of work brings an unwelcome surprise, Harley juggles babysitting, landing a club membership, and her new friendship with Lena.
Plot[]
Harley takes off Ivy's blindfold to reveal their condo, which Lena had hired a bunch of decorators to help set up. Ivy was left in awe by the condo's design and loved Harley's housewarming gift, which was coasters with their faces on them.
As they make out, the doorbell rings, and it is King Shark who wants the ladies to babysit his kids while he goes on a date. Before leaving, he warns the ladies that if they eat peanuts, they'll die. As Shark leaves, Harley yells that she'll feed them peanuts, but Shark claims she won't, calling her auntie Harley.
Having to leave to meet Lena at the University, Ivy leaves Harley to oversee the kids.
At the university, Ivy walks and talks with Lena about the dean they're scheduled to meet with. To Ivy's shock, the dean is Jason Woodrue, which causes Ivy to activate her powers on Woodrue's salad, causing it to attack him. Ivy tries to leave, not feeling safe there anymore, but Lena stops and tries to reason with her. She argues that Ivy is a different person now and needs to move forward.
Back at the condo, Harley locks the kids in a closet by distracting them with a coaster. After praying to God for a miracle, Lena contacts her to ask how she's doing. Harley tells her that she's babysitting a bunch of shark babies, so Lena suggests that she bring them to a fairy tale-themed party she's going to.
Back to Ivy's side, she attends a class that Woodrue is teaching and takes a seat. Woodrue asks which student wants to answer his question, triggering a memory of her when she was his student, when he asked the same question and chose Ivy, who went by Pamela. She doesn't answer, but gives a curt response to the question itself.
After class, the two become intimate, but Woodrue draws the line when Ivy tries to unbuckle his pants out of fear of losing his job and grant. Although Ivy pep-talks him, it doesn't dissuade Woodrue of his cognitions about how he's failed to come up with the idea that'd save his position at the university. Ivy suggests they go someplace private, and Woodrue suggests the lab.
In the present, Ivy approaches Woodrue and expresses that she wants to put the past behind them and work together, but she also alludes to something else and suggests they do it in the lab.
Taking Shark's kids to the Vincent Edge Club, Harley was stupefied by the place's interior design. Harley contacts Ivy and leaves a message saying she needs to come to the place. Harley then spots what she thought was Lady Pippa, but she is disappointed that it is a Pippa Impersonator whom she disparages alongside Shaun, one of the shark kids.
To Harley's disgust, Harley tells Shaun to go away, but he wants to stay with Harley. Lena then approaches them and asks how they are enjoying themselves at the party. While Harley says she's having a blast, Shaun's answer is more crude. Getting a text about a flop with Humpty Dumpty, Lena leaves, and Bane, Betty, and Goldilocks approaches them. Bane reveals that they live there now, and despite the high property tax rates, the schools are worth it. Harley guesses it's because of the Dutch Immersion program she heard from Shark, and Bane confirms it. Betty and Bane then tell Harley that they formally adopted Goldilocks, who asks what she thinks of her dress, but Shaun then bites into it and rips her left sleeve off. Goldilocks starts to cry, and Bane consoles her as Harley apologizes to Bane. He brushes it off and suggests that Harley join the club there, but Betty thinks that is a bad idea.
On the other hand, Harley finds that remark offensive as to why she couldn't join the club there. Betty explains that they're very selective there. Wanting to know who the club owner is, Harley is told by Bane that it's Vincent Edge, who he directs her attention over to as Vincent reprimands an Old Lady. Witnessing this interaction, Harley thought convincing him would be easy for her.
From Ivy's side, Woodrue shows Ivy the lab. This triggers another flashback, during which Ivy and Woodrue get intimate. Woodrue then notices the time on his fancy watch, and Ivy wants to show him something she is working on. It was a baby plant with human DNA she called Frank. Amazed by Frank, Woodrue claims that it'd change the world, but Ivy corrects him, stating his name is Frank, and explains more about him as a sinister look starts to form on Woodrue's face. Woodrue states that Frank could help secure his grant and make him a billionaire, but Ivy says she created him.
At present, Harley tries to leave Shaun waiting in the hallway at the Vincent Edge Club, but Shaun wants to follow Harley. This causes Harley to snap at Shaun, who escapes through a floor air vent.
Again, in the past, Ivy told Woodrue he couldn't steal from her. However, Woodrue argues that she created Frank under her tutelage. He also offers her money, but Ivy claims it's not about money but credit for her work. A fight breaks out between them, causing Ivy to knock over some vials with chemicals inside of them. As she does, Woodrue tries to leave the lab with Frank in hand and is stopped by Ivy. Poisonous gas fills the room, and Woodrue locks Ivy inside it. Left with no other choice, Ivy injects herself with the same serum that created Frank, which starts to transform her.
Following Shaun through the vents, Harley lands in Edge's office and introduces herself to him. She then asks to become a member of his club, which is followed by some questions about the place. Harley's one-way discussion is interrupted by Shaun wreaking havoc elsewhere in the building, forcing Harley to chase after him.
Inside the lab, Ivy confronts Woodrue, surrounding the place with her vines and the local flora to entrap him. Ivy then chastises him for everything he did to her that caused her to become the supervillain she became. Ivy rejects any attempt at a meaningful apology from Woodrue, and instead of giving him a chance, he thinks it is forgiveness. Ivy recreated the same chemical reaction that she nearly died from because of him.
Later, Ivy celebrates her accomplishment and realizes that Harley tried to contact her. Listening to the text she left, Ivy curses.
At the club party, the Pippa Impersonator cries over losing her right arm as the shark kids wreak havoc on the poolside in what they call a feeding frenzy. Just then, Animal Control Officers arrive and tranq a few of the shark kids, forcing Harley to retaliate against the officers.
Moments later, Ivy arrives, and in the middle of their chat, Edge arrives. Harley realizes that her shark kids have caused chaos to his establishment. Before Edge could formally do that, Lena interjects and suggests they join, and Edge begrudgingly agrees.
That night, Harley asks Ivy to talk about her day at the university, but Ivy refuses. Ivy then tries to have fun with Harley underneath the covers, but Shaun interrupts, forcing Harley to deal with him. With Harley gone, Ivy lies on the bed with a pensive look.
That night at the lab, Woodrue's mutated hand, scratches the surface of a table.
Cast and Characters[]
Main Cast[]
Recurring Cast[]
- James Adomian as Bane, Vincent Edge, Animal Control Officer
- Ron Funches as King Shark
- John Slattery as Jason Woodrue
- JB Smoove as Baby Frank the Plant
- Aisha Tyler as Lena Luthor
- Casey Wilson as Betty
Guest Cast[]
- Kimberly Brooks as Shaun Shark
- Mary Deaton as Pippa Impersonator
- Carla Delaney as Goldilocks, Old Lady
Cameos[]
- Humpty Dumpty
Trivia[]
- This episode reveals how Ivy gained her powers and green skin.
- This slightly contradicts what we see in the episode "Harley Quinn Highway", where Ivy is portrayed as having green skin even as a child. However, it could be explained as that version was only seen inside Ivy's mind and could be interpreted as a representation of Ivy's childhood.
- This also stands in contrast to Ivy's statement in "Metamorphosis" that she gained her powers through a "freak accident in a lab," as this episode shows her injecting herself with the serum deliberately to survive being locked inside the lab with toxic pesticides by Jason Woodrue.
- The inclusion of Bane's new family with Betty and Goldilocks is a call back to the events of Kite Man: Hell Yeah!
Gallery[]
- See also: All images from "Back to School"
Video[]
