Tamal Kundu
Even though Harley Quinn is a DC Comics character, her beginning was not in the comics but in ‘Batman: The Animated Series.’ In the subsequent years, she has emerged as a major character in the DC lore, who has made appearances in various projects across different mediums. As an adult animated series, ‘Harley Quinn’ reimagines the DC universe through the perspective of Harley and follows her transition into a hero.
In season 4 episode 7, titled ‘Most Culturally Impactful Film Franchise,’ Harley struggles with her issues and wonders if she is going insane, even more so than usual. Ivy and her mentees try to steal a time sphere, and Harley tries to stop them, but the lovers end up in a post-apocalyptic future. Meanwhile, Barbara tries to prove that Joker didn’t murder Nightwing so that they can move on to other suspects. Here is everything you need to know about the ending of ‘Harley Quinn’ season 4 episode 7. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 7 Recap
The episode begins with Harley nearing her breaking point. She has been severely unwell recently if her sleepwalking is any indication. However, it seems seeing her doppelgänger has increased her paranoia. It can be argued that as Harley is now, insanity is rooted deep in her personality, an unequivocal part of her. But this time, even she acknowledges that she feels more disturbed and unsettled than ever.
Moreover, Harley can’t find anyone to speak to. Alfred is gone, and Barbara has immersed herself in the efforts to find Nightwing’s killer. Unlike in the comics and other shows, there wasn’t any romantic relationship between her and Nightwing in ‘Harley Quinn,’ but he was ultimately her colleague, and she feels that it’s her responsibility to bring his killer to justice. As a result, she has little time to focus on Harley, even though she acknowledges that her friend looks unwell.
Harley visits Ivy’s office, where she runs into Nora, wearing a red wig. As Nora refuses to divulge her boss’ whereabouts, a frustrated Harley pins the other woman’s hair to the table. She then notices an explosion in the distance and realizes her girlfriend must be there. Earlier in the episode, Ivy declared to her three mentees that they would go steal the time sphere. When Terra, Volcana, and Tefe started suggesting what they should do with it, Ivy revealed that she wanted it as a decoration for her office. Satisfied with her answer, the three younger supervillains accompanied her. They encounter Superman and Wonder Woman during their attempt, and they somehow go toe to toe with two of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe.
Also, since we are on this topic of the heroes, it’s incredibly out of character for Bruce to keep himself still incarcerated after Nightwing’s death. Even in a comedic setting like ‘Harley Quinn,’ which largely has gotten the characters right, Bruce will not continue his largely self-imposed imprisonment. It seems that the longer this show goes on, the more tangent the narrative will become. There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact, that’s often the very nature of plot development, but it does become problematic when characters don’t adhere to their core principles. In episode 7, one thing leads to another, and Harley and Ivy end up in 2048 and discover that the world has turned into a wasteland.
Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 7 Ending: Who Caused the Apocalypse?
In the future, Harley and Ivy discover that Gotham is run by the only surviving member of the Bat family, Robin (Damian Wayne), and his robot sentinels. The human population has been nearly wiped out, but there is a resistance against Robin’s tyranny, led by none other than Ivy and Harley’s daughter, Neytiri. Apparently, in this future, the ‘Avatar’ franchise is considered one of the most impactful film franchises of all time, hence the episode title.
As Robin’s robot sentinels took possession of the time sphere shortly after Ivy and Harley arrived, they and the resistance decide to break into the Wayne headquarters. However, Neytiri and the resistance betray Ivy and Harley, trying to capture them for Robin and add to his collection of heroes and villains. The girls eventually return to the past, but six days after, when they departed, and discover that the apocalypse has already happened. Damian, with his hoarding of superheroes, is at least partially responsible for this. The people in the future also mention Lex Luthor’s involvement. It likely has something to do with his obsession with Superman and the fact that he owns the Moon.
Who Killed Nightwing/Dick Grayson?
The mystery surrounding Nightwing’s death only deepens in this episode as Barbara proves that despite his claim, Joker didn’t kill Nightwing while the Clown Prince on Crime is on air on Doctor Psycho’s podcast, leaving him deeply embarrassed. So it’s likely that Nightwing’s death is connected to whatever is happening to Harley and that Doppelgänger she saw. After Bruce’s incarceration, Nightwing’s death has been the death knell of the Bat family. Even now, the friendship between Harley and Barbara is falling apart. Things are bound to get worse if Barbara discovers anything about Harley’s involvement in Nightwing’s death.
Read More: Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 6 Recap and Ending, Explained
