"Breaking Brainiac" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of Harley Quinn, and the fifty-first episode overall. It was released on February 6, 2025, on Max.
Synopsis[]
Brainiac has one last task to finish before he can be promoted within the Coluian government -- but unforeseen variables change his life forever.
Plot[]
A flashback depicts Brainiac's origin story, which shows his life before he became the infamous supervillain. In the past, he was a family man going by his real name, Vrill, and had a Wife, a son named Vrill II, and a pet monkey named Koko.
Sitting at the kitchen table beside his son, Vrill learns that his wife wants to celebrate his recent promotion at his job, which Vrill humbly downplays. They then enjoy their dinner, but Vrill II wants to play his game before he eats his dinner. They then talk about how Vrill's wife learned how their neighbor's wife's husband was powering down, and Vrill hopes they can sell the house to purchase it themselves. Receiving a phone call from his boss, Vrill leaves the table to take it, and his wife and son talk about fixations on his job.
Outside, Vrill receives a call from his boss Mr. Starr, who informs him of his last assignment before he takes his position with the Coluian Government. It involves traveling to Bryak, a planet with less than 50% perfection, and possessing a weapon called the Hyper-Ray, a gun capable of shrinking organic and inorganic matter. Once Vrill retrieves the gun, he can return home. Vrill then mentions his fondness for his home planet, which stands at a 99% perfection level. Mr. Starr states that Vrill can fix that 1% imperfection with his new position. To that remark, Vrill downplays the 1% imperfection level, which Mr. Starr found humorous. Their conversation ends after Mrs. Starr pesters Mr. Starr about taking out the trash.
Inside his home, Vrill turns on the stereo, plays the music to which his wife and he are married, and starts to dance with her. As they dance, they talk telepathically about Vrill II's behavior. Vrill promises to talk to Vrill II after they stop dancing.
Entering his son's room, Vrill II demands to be left alone, but Vrill notes that Vrill II's mother was concerned about his recent uneasy nature. Vrill tries to have a heart-to-heart with Vrill II, but is shut down by his son's disapproval of him and his superior intellect. He leaves his son's room with disdain and later talks to his wife about how his son thinks he can't comprehend him. Although his wife tries to reason with him, Vrill states his motive to unplug his son, but his wife notes his impulse always to destroy anything he can't understand. Vril segues the conversation to "exchanging vials", which his wife agrees to do, and once they do, they briefly solar down, but his wife wakes him up noting her concern about his last job. However, Vrill assures his wife that he's run through the various variables of his final job and will go out for "C.I.G.A.R.E.T.T.E.S." one last time.
The next day, Vrill receives food from his wife, and Vrill II gifts him a finished object, which he nearly compliments Vrill II over. Taking off in his Skull Ship, Vrill rides off and learns that Koko had tagged along with him. The two then share a light-hearted chat with each other as they head to their destination.
Arriving at Bryak, everything goes smoothly; however, upon returning to Colu, Vrill discovers that the entire planet has become unviable or in complete ruins. Frantically, Vrill searches the area for his wife, and Vrill II with Koko, then tries to contact Mr. Starr, who cannot connect with him properly. Vrill then discovers the remains of his wife and son and laments over being unable to predict the outcome of what had happened to Colu. Koko speaks to Vrill, who concurs that the 1% matters and that he'll never again have a home. From there, Vrill vows to wander the cosmos, raging against all imperfection.
Years later, Vrill scans multiple planets and discovers Krypton, a planet with 93% imperfection, which Vrill believed was perfect to perfectionalize despite its unstable core. Scanning Kandor, which stood at 96% perfection, and Koko suggested that they salvage the planet's advanced municipality instead of the planet. Vrill complimented the idea and decided to do it.
Once Vrill's Automation Sentries to optimize Candor to maximum perfection. Although Koko mentions that time will destroy its perfection, he notes that he can't freeze time. Even so, the Hyper-Ray gives Vrill an idea, and he uses it to shrink Candor to a curio-sized object.
Relishing his newfound destiny, Vrill travels from planet to planet over the years, perfecting cities and shrinking them to a diminutive size, which he encases in glass cases.
Calling out to Koko but getting no response, Vrill then watches a dirty video until Koko appears before him and sits on his lap. Vrill then laments that after "saving" so many places, there was no challenge to them, and he believes he's outlived his usefulness.
However, this changes once Earth appears on his screen, and Vrill notes that Metropolis, with a 20% perfection rating, was the only place with any genuine potential.
In the present, Harley and Ivy are captured by Brainiac's Automation Sentries and teleported to his ship. Harley and Ivy chastise their confinement within a laser grid cage as Brainiac watches this from his computer screen. He remarks that Koko's analysis of Harley and Ivy was correct and that he takes a keen interest in Harley.
Brainiac then introduces himself to the two, and they complain about his voice. They talk about various subjects, and Brainiac scans them for information on them. Koko then tells Brainiac something, making him realize that his intercom is still on. Hence, Brainiac incapacitates Ivy and teleports Harley to his control room. Restrained by a beam of light, Harley remarks about the pungent smell, which Brainiac takes offense to, and Harley then notices that Koko, to which Brainiac was talking, were some skeletal remains.
Brainiac informs Harley that perfecting Metropolis was one of his greatest challenges, and he welcomed it, but Harley had ruined it in his endeavor. Harley scoffs at this, remarking that Brainiac destroys things he can't understand, causing Brainiac to recall his wife and superimpose her with Harley. Noting that her remark had struck a nerve, Brainiac vowed to overcome Harley, the embodiment of a barrier to his plans for perfection and must be stopped. Lashing out at Brainiac for being called damaged, Brainiac turns off Harley, and before he can destroy her, Lena arrives and stops him. Brainiac found it offensive that Lena stopped him and called him Brainiac, but not by his real name, Vrill. Lena claimed that Brainiac sounded more fun and asked that he let her go, citing their agreement that she takes care of the humans while he takes care of everything else. Despite Brainiac's disapproval, Lena notes her liking Harley and blackmails Brainiac into agreeing, mentioning she could tip off the humans of her plan. Begrudedly, Brainiac agrees and reverts time.
Now in the condo, Harley blurts out "damaged," and Ivy, holding onto a bag of Chinese takeout, thinks she was talking about the Thai iced tea she ordered. Harley remarks that she doesn't remember ordering the Chinese food, and Ivy admits that she did it as a surprise for killing Woodrue twice. Ivy then asks if Harley is alright, and she relates her emotions about scrolling through Waynestagram and having a blackout in the middle of the night.
The two are then shocked by the sudden appearance of Lena, who notes getting security alerts about multiple people entering their condo and wants to check up on them. After Harley says they're alright and are about to eat their food, Lena takes joy in hearing that but suggests they go out and about more often and that she'll never allow them to leave.
Once Lena was gone, Harley asked if Ivy was happy in Metropolis, and Ivy said that since Harley was in Metropolis, it was perfect, while adding the vegan restaurant she enjoys going to.
Later, they prepare to enjoy dessert while Harley plays with her food, making it look like Brainiac's Skull Ship.
Cast and Characters[]
Main Cast[]
Recurring Cast[]
Guest Cast[]
- Phil LaMarr as Mr. Starr, Koko, Citizen
- Mary Deaton as Kandor Woman
- Jill Talley as Wife, Vrill II, Mrs. Starr
Trivia[]
- Clips from the previous episode, including episode credits, are seen when Brainiac erases Harley and Ivy's memory.
Gallery[]
- See also: All images from "Breaking Brainiac"
