#Sexy Self! (~Harley Quinn~)

[poisonousquinzel]

also also also the idea of Harley returning to crime in Gotham in a Full Evil Villain way can't work because she literally knows who Batman is at this point.... she's known since like 2020-2021 in the Joker War arc...

Like,,,, if they're not on good terms, she really has no reason to not tell the rest of the rogues that he's Bruce Wayne. Joker probably keeps it to himself because he's an obsessive loser.

But Harley's not stupid. She knows how much revealing his identity could fuck with him. Hell, she also knows Tim has a boyfriend !!! she could cause so much havoc for the batfam and it just.... it'd set back so much of her development to make her regress back into Full Evil Villain mode...

and people are praising it like "maybe there's hope for modern Harley" y'all really hate comic characters developing huh?

I'm sorry but that's so lackluster and boring. It'd be a pathetic character arc.

Character development is literally needed when they're the main focus, if she was still just the jester henchwoman from Joker's Favor then fine, she'd be a random member of the clown posse.

But she's not.

I have no idea why this fandom is particular seems so hellbent against real development and growth ...

[theharleenquinn]

Harley Quinn #6, May 2001. First Harley Quinn solo comic series.

[anarcho-smarmyism]

love love love batman being an arrogant self-loathing emo self-destructive freak and his own downfall bc he doesn't trust anyone else or himself until his broken body literally gives out and forces him to rely on his friends. love that shit. it's also reminding me of the comic birds of Prey where harley quinn is actually the one who (while sleepwalking) hires a bunch of mercenaries to come after her, as a gambit to find and eliminate all of her enemies therefore ""keeping herself safe"" by creating the central threat to her own well-being that the story centers on. these 2 characters are actually so so similar in intelligence and in maladaptive coping mechanisms it's a shame movies always want Bruce to be an Ubermensch and Harley to be a Sexy Relatable Girlboss NO!!!! NO!!!!!!!!! THEYRE GENIUSES BUT SO MENTALLY ILL WHEN THEY HAVE MANIC EPISODES THEY INENTIONALLY DESIGN ELABORATE PLANS TO KILL THEMELVES and then forget about it. UGH no one gets them but me

[lullabyes22-blog]

In fnf how does jinx feel about being seen so sexual. (Ex. Ch 12 the noxian dude, ch 24 the black guards, etc) does it bother her? At what age did she start to notice it? Does she wish it would it stop or does she not mind it? I started to think that maybe that her being seen so sexual was the reason she started dressing so provocative like maybe it was a way to reclaim power. I’m curious about how she feels about it mentally and how it may unconsciously affect her.

I... don't think Jinx sees herself as sexual all that much. Nor do I find her outfit in the series to be particularly provocative given Zaun's laissez-aller setting (she's not even animated to be titillating - her body language alternates between menacingly shifty or defensively huddled throughout the episodes to highlight that fracturing of self and her attempts to reconcile it into a more cogent persona.)

Jinx began as a very literal Harley Quinn expy + a hat-tip to the Manic Pixie Dreamgirl trope, and Arcane goes out of its way to dismantle that paper-thin caricature by making her grungy, disheveled, ranty, messy, morbid, but also imbuing her body language/expressions with all the fragility/softness of an actual teenage girl - and it works beautifully.

As for FnF - I try to get across the undercurrent of danger that's always present in the setting. Zaun (and Runeterra in general) are not wholesome or welcoming environments for those perceived as vulnerable - and there will always be those who are willing to take advantage of them for their own depraved ends.

Re: the Noxians + blackguards - the former sees Jinx as a conquest, and is demonstrated to be a skeezebag. For him, it's not Jinx's sexiness (or lack thereof) that's the appeal. It's what she represents for Zaun - and his way of debasing it.

Similarly, for the blackguard, it's not Jinx being 'sexy' that attracts his notice (she's grubby, unkempt, holding hands with her dad, and probably looks like a drowned cat with her terrible hairdo.) It's the fact that he perceives her as a vulnerable target, with nobody nearby to assist in her rescue - or so he believes.

Re: Jinx's fashion sense - given Zaun's real-life parallels as sort of a Moulin Rouge + entertainment mecca along the lines of Las Vegas, I doubt Jinx's outfit will get a lot of raised eyebrows (hell, I used to dress in little tank tops and low rise jeans when I was 17-22 also, less for the 'sexy' factor and more because that was the fashion at the time, and it's what I was comfy with wearing.)

Point being: Zaun isn't some Disneyland with suburban pseudo-christian values about modesty. And Silco is not the sort of father figure who will look over disapprovingly at Jinx's miniskirt and go, "Young lady, you are not setting foot outside the door unless you change into something appropriate." Hell, it's more likely he won't notice what she's wearing at all, beyond the impact it has and what statement she's trying to make.

As for Jinx herself - she's been trained to be a certified menace and takes great pride in being able to handle herself (much like her sister.) She knows Zaun is a dangerous place. She also knows that her youth and prettiness make her an appealing target to scavengers with salacious intentions. On the whole, though, she's confident enough in herself (and with Silco's support behind her) to stop a troublemaker in their tracks.

To her, the clothes she wears are simply her way of expressing herself. She's got no plans to 'tone it down' to attract less notice, and if you've got a problem with her sense of style, then hey! It's not her fault your taste is terrible.

(Also LoL Jinx canonically is known to strip in public if cake enters the picture. We stan a messy queen.)

tldr: Jinx is no shrinking violet, and Zaun is no private school with a dress code. It's a city that highlights the extremes of progress, in its setting and character designs, and is one of the few places someone like Jinx feels comfortable with being exactly who she is<3

[ask21771]

What your cartoon crush says about you (90's edition)

Ariel (little mermaid)-you’re into tiny waistlines and oral sex

Belle (beauty and the beast)-you’re into girls who are smart and caring

Any of the Lion King characters-you’re a furry and not just a dabbler furry you’re super furry 99 (you may also have been banned from all local zoos)

Batman(BTAS)-you’re into the brooding loner with a heart of gold and a tortured past

Joker(BTAS)-you’ve never heard of Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn-(BTAS)You told yourself her and Ivy we’re “just friends” more times than you could count

Renee Montoya(BTAS)-you felt secure that she was only a lesbian in the mainstream  comics but when Batman: The adventures continue came out you were devastated 

Lois Lane(STAS)-You’re into the tough no nonsense type

Superman(STAS)-you want someone that’s kind, dependable and will always put you first

Supergir(STAS)l-you swear that massive collection of porn movies all titled “Farmers Daughter” on your computer isn’t yours, you have no idea how it got there

Mercy Graves-(STAS)you somehow want your partner to be both dominant and submissive all at once

Terry Mcgunniess(Batman Beyond)-you’ve got a thing for brooding heroic and mysterious loners and are totally ok with them randomly disappearing (you may have self esteem issues)

Dana Tan(Batman Beyond)-You think party girls are more innocent than they actually are

Max Gibson(Batman Beyond)-You’re happy there’s finally a character Cree Summer voices that turns you on as much the actress does

Inque (Batman Beyond)-You’re into some weird shit like even by internet standards

Curare (Batman Beyond)-You just really wanna see what she looks like without the mask

Rogue(X Men)-you don’t care how deadly a night with her would be, to you it would be worth it

Bernice(Duckman)-You never thought ducks were sexy before her, now you can’t go near the park

Marge Simpson(Simpsons)-There’s an 85% chance she was the first cartoon character to kick start you going through puberty

Miss Sarah Bellum(PPG)-The second you found out she wasn’t in the 2016  show you threw your TV out the window Tommy Wiseau style

Sedusa(PPG)-you’re broke because you keep giving your personal information to live cam girls

Miss Keene(PPG)-you’re hot for teacher

The Powerpuff Girls(PPG)-sir why don’t have a seat over here

Nazz(Ed Edd n Eddy)-You like the calm relaxed type

Sarah(Ed Edd n Eddy-you have low self esteem (you’re also a total bottom)

The Kanker Sisters (Ed Edd n Eddy)-WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

Dexter’s Mom (Dexter’s Lab)-Yeah you and every other 90’s kid

Dee Dee (Dexter’s Lab)-You’re a pedo and a weird one

Dot (Animaniacs)-uhhh…pedophile? (srlsy the warners ages are all over the place)

Hello Nurse (Animaniacs)-You’re mind is stuck in the 50’s and you make girls who dress up as nurses for Halloween uncomfortable

Slappy Squirrel(Animaniacs)-you like “mature” women and you won’t apologize for it

Minerva Mink-You don’t care if she only appeared in 2 episodes your heart will always belong to her

Babs Bunny (Tiny Toons)-You just started going through puberty when you first saw her and she awakened something in you (at least I hope you were going through puberty when that happened)

Fifi Lafume-You would sell your soul for her to lust after you the way she lusts after….pretty much every guy 

Shirley Loon-you like girls who sound vapid and like they’re from the valley

[namethatghostling]

Give me your strong opinions/headcanons on Harley Quinn❤️🖤

Transgender

had a pretty intense and genuinely embarrassing truecrime girly phase through like her late teens/college. probably would have started a podcast if shed had the ability at the time.

i think that and her desire to pursue a career in psychiatry/work at arkham sorta stem from this same root interest in like understanding why certain people commit violent crimes which was well-intended but ultimately came from a kind of ableist place. like she always sympathized really heavily with the people in her care but also like subconsciously saw a lot of them as these poor lost little lambs that needed her help rather than full complex human beings and thats what kinda fucked her in the end.

generally an empathetic person. tends to take on other peoples burdens. sometimes to an unhealthy degree.

i think her and bruce actually have a lot in common in that regard and when theyre not actively at odds they vibe p well for that and other reasons. also shes just the sort of person whos rly easy to get along with. she may one of if not the only rogue who none of the others rly has any lasting beef with.

bi and poly (this is basically canon anyway). i feel like some ppl tend to act as if shes only ever dated the joker and pamela but i def think shes been in and out of a lot of relationships over the years, some better than others.

she has a bad habit of 1) finding kinda messed up power dynamics a lil sexy and 2) harboring some serious "i can fix them" energy when it comes to her more obviously misguided crushes. she likes the security of a partner who she feels like will take care of her but who still relies on her emotionally and unfortunately some people use that to take advantage.

i dont know if she would necessarily consciously identify as a Femme but like. she soo is.

this is like more related to my specific dyke scarecrow au than anything canon but i see them as old exes. in true dyke fashion, they have stayed good friends in spite of the breakup. take this one or leave it but either way i like the two of them as besties soo much.

has always struggled with this impulse towards violence especially when shes feeling restless or manic. (i say struggled but shes probably having a blast with it now) i think in the past she was very self conscious about this (especially when she was newly out and trying very hard to be perceived as feminine) and tried very hard to present herself as someone self contained and in control. for better or for worse, shes much happier when shes allowed to be a force of chaos.

lowkey had a weeb phase. still very much loves j-fashion and magical girl anime. plays some video games but largely prefers the feel of a big clunky cabinet arcade game over a home console. its the buttons, the lights, the ability to loudly and dramatically tip the whole thing over if youre mad enough about losing. has watched mlp. fav is pinkie pie. obviously.

there is an aspect of her like hyper girly almost childish persona which is kind of a performance. like. it is her to a degree, but its also kind of a coping mechanism. almost like a form of drag, shes leaning into the stereotype to get a rise out of people or to protect herself. sometimes both at once. the few people who really know her well enough will start to notice little tells to differentiate when shes really feeling the vibe and when shes deliberately putting on a show.

has definitely given herself a shit haircut/dye job while in a depression spiral.

generally its just like. she feels so so so so so much all the time like oh my god make it stop for two seconds.

theres probs more but this is what i feel certain of in this moment ✌️

[mataurin]

“I have nothing to hide. Do what you want with me, Slayer.”

I’m sorry but the chokehold this buffy!harlivy au has me in

[theharleenquinn]

Harley Quinn #1, 30th Anniversary Issue, Stanley Lau Variant, November 2022

[lahkiin]

❤️🖤❤️🖤 (i’m really sorry i haven’t been answering/replying to messages i’m having a really bad time rn but hopefully will be able to get round to it this weekend on my mini holiday, hope you’re all doing good)

[lilithsrecord]

𝖗𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖈𝖎𝖟𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖘𝖈𝖍𝖔𝖔𝖑

part 2

♱ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

outward appearance means nothing if your are unable to carry yourself with grace and confidence. it’s important to radiate an aura that is unique to u and is beautiful and enchanting to others. find your essence. are u an ethereal innocent angel or a bombshell femme fatale? Just by channeling in a sort of character in your demeanour can drastically change how other people view you. you might be wondering “hey this is a bit much just for school,” and ur right but it’s all fun at the end of the day

𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬

𝔣𝔢𝔪𝔪𝔢 𝔣𝔞𝔱𝔞𝔩𝔢:

femme fatale: noun

an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who is likely to cause distress or disaster to a man who becomes involved with her.

"a femme fatale who plays one man off against another in pursuit of money"

a femme fatale is a women who shows power through how well she can toy with a mans brain. in hindsight she might seem like a women catered to the male gaze due to the strong enchantment she has upon men, but do not be fooled. a femme fatale is a strong willed and powerful women who only caters to her own needs. she achieves her goals by seducing her pawns to use them to her own advantage. channeling in the characteristics of a femme fatale can make one feel powerful, sexy, and oh so alluring. to become a femme fatale you must ooze with seduction. femme fatale examples include gilda, from the movie “gilda”, jane smith from “mr. and mrs. smith, and amy dunne from “gone girl”.

feel powerful when you walk from one place to another. let other people stare at you while they feel intrigued by ur allure but never completely give them what they want.

make your appearance look bold and striking. be sexy. dress to show off what other people want for themselves. wear dark and luxurious colours. let your hair be free and voluptuous. a bold lip and sharp eye makeup brings attention to the most seductive parts of your face. a femme fatale is nothing without a striking appearance

have your voice sound like smooth whiskey. speak slow to captivate others. make sure your voice comes out prominent and clear. add a slight rasp into your voice. each word u speak should be carefully chosen. people should be addicted to hearing you speak. be sassy and smart but always with class.

smell expensive. pick a scent that exudes class. examples: black orchid by tom ford. mugler alien. good girl by carolina herrera.

a femme fatale makes sure to always get her way. don’t be afraid to use ur seductive quality’s to get what u want whether that is good grades or social status. [ however do not put urself in dangerous positions. please don’t sleep with a teacher lmao ]

𝔠𝔬𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔱𝔱𝔢

coquette: noun

a woman who flirts.

in my own definition a coquette to me is a girl who is delicate and radiates innocence. she is more commonly known as the girl next door or the pretty girl. people become attracted to this essence due to the childish ways of a coquette. though that sounds concerning, a coquette isn’t a women who tries to act like a child on purpose. she is just a women who is naturally sweet and innocent. they hold onto a childlike quality that the rest of us have lost and so desperately crave. the allure of the coquette is ultimately her adorableness. her demeanour is light hearted and youthful. no one feels the need to do her wrong because she is just too cute for any harm. she is an ingenue. examples of coquettes are lizzy grant, cat valentine from “victorious”, alice cullen from “twilight”, and marilyn monroe.

wear clothes that make u look cute. the coquette aesthetic has been around for quite a while. the main aspect of a coquette outfit is its innocently teasing nature. wear bright colours that compliment ur skin like a blush pink, bright reds, and pretty lilacs. make people around u appreciate ur innocent look but know that there imagination is running wild. the makeup for these looks are more natural and rely on the condition of ur actual skin. take good care of ur skin. have a set routine but remember that it’s completely okay if u have pimples! you can still be a pretty little coquette even with acne.

vanilla or any kind of sweet scents are a staple for the coquette essence. ariana grandes perfumes are perfect for making people mouths water for a sweet snack when u walk by. olympea by paco rabanne is my personal favourite.

be kind and sweet to people who deserve it. people need to see u as a sweet and innocent doll who can do no wrong. but don’t be afraid to be risky and be the complete opposite of that once in a while. the rare moments where u show ur femme fatale side will have people incredibly intrigued by you.

perfect your voice. your voice should sound pleasant like some sort of princess. make your voice sound higher but not ear screeching high. add a beautiful mix of air and softness to ur voice. a breathy voice is incredibly intoxicating and suits the coquette.

𝔭ê𝔩𝔢-𝔪ê𝔩𝔢

pêle-mêle: adverb

in a confused, rushed, or disorderly manner.

also known as the manic pixie dream girl, a pêle-mêle is the essence of a girl who is described as whimsical, eccentric and is quite literal the life of the party. though at first glance she’s all rainbows and sun shine, the shadow side of the pêle-mêle can be described as a tortured artist. her optimism is delightful. she is not afraid to take risks. she’s a mess but people can not help to be intrigued by her free spirited ways for she is a drug to people who crave adventure. examples of a pêle-mêle include ramona flowers from scott pilgrim vs the world, mia wallace from pulp fiction, harley quinn from the DC comics, and holly golighty from breakfast at tiffany’s.

don’t be afraid to take risks. risks and adventure is what the pêle-mêle lives off of. be brave. do things you are afraid to do. start small and work your way up like from riding that roller coaster your so afraid of to having a motorcycle race with your friends (trust me those are so fun!). show people just how daring you can be and immediately people will be magnetized to you.

wear clothes that are unique and you feel comfortable with. the pêle-mêle rejects conformity and the way you appear should reflect that. wear clothes that harmonize with your crazy personality. be daring and bold with your makeup. make sure you stand out from the crowd and that you do not care what people think. the alternative style perfectly suits someone who embodies this essence.

be confident. obviously this rule applies to all the essences but confidence and self love is at the core of the pêle-mêle. you need to show people that you do not care what they think of you and that at the end of the day, you are just here for a good time. the more you practice self love, the easier it will be for you to express yourself without the fear of judgement from others.

be a socialite. don’t be afraid to speak your mind to people. pêle-mêle’s are usually people persons. they love good company that they can go on adventures with. make friends by being your true self and don’t hold yourself back. even a few mishaps by saying the wrong thing from time to time can make people fall in love with your clumsy nature.

obviously there are plenty of other essences you can achieve for yourself but these are my top three favourites. to find out who exactly who you want to become try the few tips listed below!

how to find your personal essence

what kind of people captivate you? what type of personalities do you see that you wish you could be? do you find yourself being envious of the pretty girl next door, the man eater, or the mysterious persona? figure out what kind of a person do u wish to truly become and inherit their manner. find out the characteristic of ur desired essence to the littlest of detail. this can include from the way you walk, talk, eat, sleep, look, smell ext. think of this as becoming your ideal best self. take the female archetype quiz to get a better understanding of your self.

what kind of aesthetic catches your eye? do you enjoy the glamorous high fashion life or do you like the softer cherry coke and heart shaped sunglasses niche? maybe you enjoy completely different things or a blend of a few. live up to this aesthetic. do this by expressing this aesthetic in the way you dress to how u decorate your room.

what kind of environment do you feel the most comfortable in? are you someone who loves education and school? or do you love the idea of being free and living in an RV for the rest of your life? maybe you just want to live in a cozy high rise new york apartment or a huge mansion up in beverly hills. envision where you see your ideal self in 10-20 years. your ideal environment can reveal a lot about what kind of lifestyle choices you want to make.

you might be thinking to yourself hey these aren’t the best tips for school. and at an educational standpoint you’re right. but it’s important to embody your best ideal self to truly enjoy this lifetime. these are little things that can be used to motivate you. i believe that inner self work should be prioritized over your school work though both are important. make sure you are taking some time out of your week to find out more about yourself and who you want to become. be the best you.

[fangirlstarot]

QUEEN OF WANDS “Some women can easily get lost in the fire, but strong women are built from it.” - Kamal Gujjar

Being a court card, the Queen of Wands will often point to actual people in our lives-- in this case it will be a woman who is attractive, vivacious, energetic and and overall vixen who will be there to add a little spark into your life. Her energy is contagious and she wants you to learn how to have fun in life, how to be self-assured and will keep that upbeat energy flowing into your life. This is a very sexy card with that chaotic whirlwind electricity that has entered your life to shake it up in delightful ways. When she's around, the party atmosphere never stops!

::Who's Who On This Card::

1. Fran Fine from The Nanny - As the theme song goes, "she's the lady in red when everybody else is wearing tan". This fiery social butterfly shows off the vivaciousness of the Queen of Wands, spicing life up for what used to be a square boring mansion in the Upper West Side of NYC.

2. Chel from El Dorado - I'm under the suspicion that Chel's sex appeal was why El Dorado was rated PG instead of G. This Queen of Wands is assertive, passionate, independent and self-assured-- radiating with enthusiasm that cleverly gets her what she wants.

3. Madonna - Madonna is known to be ambitious and enthusiastic, showing the world just how strong a woman who owns her body and choices can be. She often sings about how it's human nature to express yourself through your own creativity and sex drive, no holding anything back as she tackles everything with total dedication.

4. Blanche Devereaux from The Golden Girls - Fun-loving, outgoing and promiscuous-- Blanche takes full charge of her life just like a confident Queen of Wands should! Her feistiness and spunkiness show that the nightlife doesn't stop even when you're in your 60s when you have that Queen of Wands energy and enthusiasm.

5. Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - Jessica Rabbit is beautiful, passionate, glamorous, and very sexy. She doesn't hold much back and seems to brighten every room she is in. Throughout the movie, she shows off that passionate determination and courageous spunk that the Queen of Wands is known for.

6. Harley Quinn from DC Comics - Harley Quinn is known for being bubbly, energetic, and charming-- but also very chaotic, hot tempered and overly self-assured of how much butt she can kick. And she became even more like the Queen of Wands after leaving the Joker, becoming more independent and proud when she finally kicked him to the curb and came into her own power.

[ziltoidcoffee]

Since we’ve done Christmas: Halloween with the Larusso-Silvers. We know from KK1 that Daniel gets really into his costumes, and Terry being the dramatic bitch he is probably encourages him. Their Halloween parties must be WILD.

Okay, this was really hard which is why I took forever to respond. I’M SORRY. I thought of some ideas of Terry and Daniel's costumes through the eras, but I would love people to add more in reblogs or comments!

Late 80s (AKA KK era): They recently got together, and since they bonded over karate, they go as some martial arts characters. Maybe Terry as someone from Bloodsport, and Daniel as Rocky. It’s cute, and he doesn’t suit the costume at all. But Terry enjoys staring at his chest all night though immediately regrets it when everyone else at the bar does too.

Early 90s: Terry is still working for Dynatox as his usual insane self. With their age difference, he thinks it would be funny to show up as Batman and Robin to some corporate party. He brags about how amazing Daniel is all day, so he’s practically his little Robin. Plus, Terry gets to stare at those skin-tight leggings all night.

Late 90s: Daniel starts watching Buffy as a guilty pleasure even though he should be too old to watch a teen show. Terry thinks it is cute, but instead of dressing up as Buffy characters, Terry convinces Daniel to dress up as Mina and himself as Dracula. This is when Daniel starts experimenting with more feminization. They have extremely hot vampire roleplay sex that night though Daniel won’t admit how into it he was the next morning.

Early 2000s: Daniel and Terry are no longer alone. Sam is still quite young, so when they take her out trick or treating, Daniel tells Terry they can’t go as anything too “sexy.” They decide to go as Harry Potter and Voldemort (because I can’t help myself) and Sam is Hermione. 

Late 2000s: Sam is still a child, so they still want to keep things PG. So Terry and Daniel decide to dress up as themselves essentially. She is getting into karate, so they just dress up in gis, which Daniel finds extremely insulting to karate. But Terry gets him to lighten up. Then later that night, Terry and Daniel roleplay the old days. ;)

Early 2010s: Sam says she wants to dress up as a princess one year, and Daniel beats Terry to saying he will be the king. So Terry naturally gets them a white horse and everything to go around to all the houses, which he pulls around all night as their servant. Then he “services” King Daniel that night in the bedroom.

Late 2010s: Finally, Sam can stay at home alone, and they can go to an adult halloween party. They decide to go back to comics costumes, but Daniel has the courage to dress up as Harley Quinn in those short shorts and pigtails wig, which means Terry gets to wear the joker costume. Daniel is so pretty in his costume that no one even recognizes him. They are there for maybe 5 min before Terry decides to have his way with Daniel in some closet.

[fairymascot]

when i started watching harley quinn TV, about the last thing i expected of it was to be feminist in any way. i mean, it's an adult comedy cartoon. it's based on 2016 suicide squad's take on harley. the poor woman doesn't even wear any pants. but man, the more i think about it, and the more i consume other dc content featuring those characters, the more appreciative i am of its takes on its female cast.

let's talk about ivy. i watched the btas episode 'house and garden' today, and was honestly appalled by how blatantly male it all felt. in this episode, ivy 'rehabitilates' herself by getting released from arkham, marrying her therapist (which nobody even pointed out is illegal?!), taking care of his two kids from a previous marriage, and basically living the perfect suburban housewife dream. when batman suspects she's up to some shit, she tells him she's never been happier, and no longer has any need for crime. of course it turns out to be an elaborate ruse, but the ending reveals that she wasn't completely insincere -- she does, in fact, dream of having a husband and children, something she cannot accomplish due to the infertility caused by her powers.

unfortunately, this episode must have had a serious impact on ivy's characterization, as the book 'cycle of life and death' from 2016 is heavily founded on it. in my humble opinion, it's terrible. i mean, i get it, it was the nineties and written by men, and tv writers only really started picking up on how to write women as complex multilayered beings in recent years, but damn.

ivy's original character is already rooted in a very male, distorted perception of women. she's a textbook femme fatale-- she's dainty, gorgeous, scantily clad, and her powers are seducing men into doing her bidding. and to pile further on top of her misogynistic foundation, the only way they could think to humanize her is by forcing more of their stereotypical male perception onto her-- how do we show she's a sympathetic character? by making her deep down a 'normal woman', who has normal woman dreams of being a housewife with children. the rather blatant subtext that she turned to a life of villainy because her infertility denied her that dream -- a failed woman that has turned into a despicable monster -- only makes this depiction all the uglier. i'm actually amazed this take on her character managed to survive all the way to 2016.

but then you have hqtv ivy, who takes all that and unceremoniously dumps it in the trash. it rethinks the basics of ivy's personality and attitude from the ground up. she's a misanthrope -- the only company she seeks outside of her plants is harley -- why would she make a villain career out of seducing men? why does she have to be sensual and coy? no. instead, she's awkward, stoic, and anti social. she dresses a whole hell of a lot more practical, she's blunt to a fault, and wastes none of her time trying to appeal to men.

the sexual element of her powers has been removed, or at the very least severely limited-- no more poison kisses or seducing men to do her bidding. the only scene that incorporates that element at all is when she has to peck a bunch of dweeby 12 year old boys on the mouth to reverse the effect of her toxin that's been slipped into their bar mitzvah punch bowl by mistake. it's ridiculous, it's absolutely mortifying for her, and it's funny. nothing about it is remotely sexy.

as for her dreams of becoming a housewife... well, ivy very clearly doesn't know what she wants for her future. or rather, she's so repressed that she doesn't allow herself to want. she always saw herself ecoterroristing it up solo-- but then harley happened, and she found herself going soft, and opening up to other people through harley's influence as well. she allows herself to acknowledge that she's lonely, and that she does crave human connection. specifically, she craves harley -- but that's a part of her she had to seal away, out of fear of ruining their friendship. this leads her to pursue a relationship with kite man (or rather: be pursued by him), even though at every step of the way she pretty obviously has to force herself farther into it.

it's not that she doesn't like kite man. the opposite. she can tell he's a good guy, he treats her so well, he cares for her so deeply. for someone like ivy, coming from a life of abuse and isolation, that's rarer than rare. and that's why she forces herself to overlook all their differences, all the aspects of their relationship that clearly aren't working, and clings on to it regardless. finally, someone genuinely wants her, cares about her. she'd have to be stupid to let that go, right?

but she doesn't want it. that's spelled out the most blatantly on their wedding day-- while he's reciting his dream future of them living in a nice house with a white picket fence, a dog and three kids, ivy is horrified. unlike btas' ivy, who would've surely been delighted, it's completely removed from anything this version of ivy ever wanted for herself. and in that moment, she realizes she fucked up. she locked herself into a life she never wanted because she thought it was the best she could hope to get.

and then their wedding goes up in literal flames, kite man calls it quits, and ivy finally lets herself pursue what she really, truly wants: harley.

it's such a great, fresh take on ivy's character. she's written as a woman, but not some male writer's narrow view of one, but an actual honest, human woman. her struggles and insecurities are incredibly relatable to me as a female viewer, because she's allowed to breathe and grow and have depth outside of the list of stereotypes female characters are so often shoehorned into. she's aloof, she's cynical, she's a loner; she's carrying years of trauma that's made her insecure and closed off, and she's just starting to grow past that; she's desperate for love but forces herself to settle for tepid affection because she's too scared to pursue anything more; she's a genius biochemist and a badass with the power to control all of plant life, but she's fucking chickenshit and wishy-washy and doesn't know how to be honest with her feelings, leading her to hurt those she cares about. and the fact that they took btas' ivy's dream of getting married and having a family, and used it as a stepping stone-- subverted it as part of ivy's self-realization and growth-- that's just the icing on the cake.

hqtv ivy is hands down the best take of this character i've seen to date. god bless, i cannot wait for season 3.

[incognitowetrust]

Unpopular opinion as someone who doesn’t even read comic books, play the Arkham games, or is even technically really “into” DC and Marvel as a whole, but I’m gonna say it anyway because I guess I need to vent or something…

The existence of Harley Quinn and the ways she is typically handled as a character really friggin’ gets in the way of my ability to enjoy The Joker. Why? Hm, well, I suppose the simplest way of describing it is that… like… cartoony evil-bastards are loads of fun because they’ve got big personalities and whatever they are and/or the situation the characters are in is separate enough from reality. It’s not hard to enjoy the conflicts between characters, because nothin’ like good ol’ escapism via witnessing worldbuilding. However, if you add some form of motivation/conflict/etc that’s not only dark and edgy and gritty, but a bit too close to shit that happens in the real world, suddenly the tone of literally everything is different. Not to say that “edgier” interpretations of superheroes and supervillains are inherently bad, though admittedly I feel like a lot of these attempts ironically actually lose their emotional maturity and heart when they attempt it.

Harley wouldn’t bother me as much if she had some more self-agency. Like, okay, I get that she’s also not sane and whatever, but she’s not exactly dumb, she’s capable and independent when it’s convenient. If she gave zero fucks and couldn’t be emotionally hurt by Joker, as well as not being afraid to be a danger to him in return, then her typical role at Joker’s side wouldn’t bug me. However, she’s pretty damn submissive to him, and so many damn times over and over again what keeps happening is she puts total blind trust and love in him, and he deliberately screws her over, and her reaction is of genuine hurt and surprise. Cue surprised pikachu face. I understand that some would argue that they’ve got a good character dynamic (good as in well-written and fucked-up-with-a-purpose), because of a variety of reasons, and I also understand that Harley as a character, Joker as a character, and their relationship/dynamic/etc has varying iterations and interpretations, but… Imma be real with y’all, I’d rather just enjoy some campy villains and not have to also sit through some domestic violence that’s just… there. I don’t care if it’s fictional and iconic, lemme hear Mark Hamill’s glorious voice sass and troll the hell outta a sad man dressed as a bat, in peace. Part of it also might be the fact that Harley is also (like many comic book women) often a sex symbol. You know, like that shitty Suicide Squad outfit the actress friggin’ hated, and is unimpressive design-wise at best. I don’t really even feel like elaborating on the ways I’d figure blatant-sexy-Harley is an issue for me. Blah blah blah really it’s simply one thing that when paired with the other things makes it problematic and obnoxious.

Anyway, uh… yeah I think I’m just done. For some reason I got a bunch of pesky thoughts buggin’ me, and I had to write the basics of it down so my brain could relax and switch subjects; a common problem of mine. In a world where real women are killed every day by their partners, and good representation matters, and representation that isn’t bleak-as-fuck also matters, AND bruh sometimes I just want an enjoyable distraction from the world and I’m not ashamed to admit that… I just kinda wish I didn’t have to manually filter through abuse-victim-Harley in order to find and enjoy hammy (especially Hamill) Joker time.

[theladyofdeath]

The Joker {Nessian}

31 Days of Halloween: Day 17.

All installments co-written with @snelbz​

Based on a prompt sent in by anon : “Well, one of us has to change and it’s not going to be me.”

Warning: language, alcohol.

Autumn/Halloween 2020 {Collection}

Nesta looked in the mirror at her ripped fishnets, her shorts, her shirt that read Daddy’s Little Monster, and her red and blue pig tails. At first, she always thought that Harley Quinn was overly done on Halloween, but this year, she was feeling sexy in her costume. 

Her sisters would be there soon to pick her up, and although Nesta didn’t typically do the whole Halloween party thing, she was grateful for the break this year. 

Her work schedule had been grueling, every day leaving her exhausted, and she was grateful to finally have a day off. 

A night to drink, when she didn’t have to be up early the next day.

After one final look in the mirror, Nesta made sure her small, crossbody purse was appropriately packed for the night, with her mints, her lipstick, cash, ID, and one condom….just in case. After tossing her apartment keys inside of the bag, too, she was waiting, patiently, for the knock on the door to come. 

And when it did, Nesta was completely thrown off guard, because when she opened the door, she was met with the Joker. 

Cassian dressed as the Joker, to be more specific.

Nesta said nothing when she threw open the door and found Cassian’s shaggy hair dyed green, and his red suit, and yellow vest. His face was painted, and his grin was rimmed in red face paint.

Nesta blinked. “Where the hell are my sisters?”

“At the club,” he said, shrugging. “I told them I’d pick you up since your apartment is on the way.”

Nesta’s mouth opened, but was quickly snapped shut, before it opened, once again. “You have to change.”

He arched an eyebrow. “What?”

“You have to change,” he said, again, gesturing to her costume. “I’m Harley Quinn. You have to change.”

He chuckled. “And why is that?” 

She gestured again at her costume, and when he shrugged, she said, exasperated, “We’re a couples costume, and we’re not a couple! You have to change.”

Cassian snorted. “I’m not changing.”

“Well, one of us has to change and it’s not going to be me,” Nesta said, crossing her arms.

Cassian sighed. “Well, considering we’re at your house, and you insist that one of us must change, it has to be you.” 

Nesta’s lips formed a straight line. “I’m not changing, Cassian.”

“Well, neither am I,” he said, shrugging. “Now, we can go to this party, or you can stay here all alone, pissed off that we match. So. You ready?” 

Nesta scoffed. “You really know how to talk to a lady, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” Cassian grinned. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting. The party has started. Let’s go.”

Nesta hesitated. “No.”

Cassian looked at her for a moment before slowly shaking his head. “You’re so fucking stubborn.”

Nesta was taken aback, offended. “What?”

“You’re stubborn,” he repeated. “You’re stubborn, and it gets in the way of you having a good time.”

“I am not stubborn,” Nesta fought.

Cassian rolled his eyes. “You’re literally the most stubborn person that I know.”

“You’re so full of shit!” Nesta said, her offense growing. 

Cassian laughed as his head fell back, his hands shoved into his pockets. “Just come to the party, Nesta. I promise to keep my distance from you, if that’s what you wish. No one will even know that we’re together.”

“We’re not together,” she said, deadpan. 

Cassian blew out a breath. “Just come on, will ya? The truck is on, the heat is on, your sisters are waiting-”

“Cassian-.”

“Please?” he begged, and when she said nothing more, he took that as a good sign. “If you don’t show up, Elain will-.”

“Alright, alright,” Nesta sighed. “Back up.” 

Cassian took a step back and Nesta stepped into the hall, locking the door behind her. Without a word, she followed Cassian down the flight of stairs and to his truck, where she helped herself inside.

The ride was quiet, aside from the soft music playing in the background. It was so low that there were moments it got lost in the sound of the heater, blowing out toasty air.

Nesta picked up on the tension just a few minutes before they arrived, and once she did, she wasn’t sure how she had missed it. In the few glances she snuck at him, she could see how tight his grip on the wheel was, how tightly his jaw was clenched. His teeth must have been singing as they locked together.

But the most telling sign, the way she knew something was off, was the way he refused to look at her.

She wasn’t inclined to ask what it was.

When they arrived at the club, the line was around the building and Nesta nearly groaned, until she remembered who her younger sister was. Elain had bought VIP tickets the day they’d gone on sale, allowing them to bypass the line and enter exclusive areas that Rita only allowed a select few.

Hopping out of the truck, Nesta didn’t bother to wait for Cassian as she made her way towards the front of the line, popping a pink wad of chewing gum into her mouth. She’d wanted to go all out with the baseball bat, but knew it would get lost somewhere halfway through the night. Better to save her money for booze.

She retrieved the lanyard attached to the VIP pass from her clutch and held it up to the bouncer. Wordlessly, he let her through.

Nesta didn’t wait to see if Cassian was behind her. 

Maybe she should have, or maybe she should have at least thanked him for the ride that saved her from public transportation, but she didn’t. Even as the thought crossed her mind, her feet just kept moving into the club. 

She spotted her sisters and their boyfriends, along with Mor and Amren and their dates, in a booth along the far wall, close to the bar. They all cheered as Nesta approached.

“Where’s Cass?” Elain asked, beaming, after complimenting her sister’s costume. 

“Yeah, thanks for sending the ride, by the way,” Nesta muttered. “I hate the bus and I nearly almost took it anyway. Why’d you send him, anyway? Didn’t he have better things to do? Like, I don’t know, pick up his girlfriend?” 

Elain’s smile faltered. “You don’t know?”

Nesta arched a brow. “I don’t know, what?”

“They broke up,” Feyre said, shrugging. “A couple days ago, I’m surprised that you hadn't heard. Or, at least, saw it on Facebook.” 

“I’m taking a break from Facebook, it just pisses me off,” Nesta mumbled. 

She stared down at her hands, which were folded on the table. Cassian was single for the first time in years.

No wonder he had been so tense in the car.

The man himself appeared, a crooked grin that matched the gruesome one painted on his face, sliding into the booth, next to Rhys. Nesta looked at him for the first time, really looked at him, beneath the costume.

Those hazel eyes that she knew all too well, they were...hollow and empty. And she didn’t like it.

“Nice of you two to finally join us,” Amren said, shooting them both an impatient glare.

Nesta just raised an eyebrow at her friend, but Cassian said, “My apologies, ma’am. First round is on me.”

No one was arguing with that.

Drinks were ordered and as Nesta sipped on a tropical beverage, she kept glancing at the disheveled Joker across the booth. 

“Come on, Rhys, let’s dance!” Rhysand was dragged onto the dance floor, leaving Nesta and Cassian alone as the other couples followed, enjoying their time together.

Nesta cleared her throat, but Cassian continued to stare at his half-full glass of whiskey. 

She cleared her throat again.

Cassian’s eyes shot up and met hers. He blinked a few times as if he had completely forgotten she was there. “Sorry, what?”

Nesta hesitated. She really hadn’t thought of what to say, only that she hated seeing him so miserable. “Your costume looks good,” she said, deciding small talk was safe. “I’m glad you went with this version of the Joker.”

“I thought I needed to change.” His words were meant to bite, she could tell. But they didn’t. They were empty.

She didn’t like that. 

She’d never liked Cassian’s girlfriend. She was a haughty bitch, who constantly judged people and-.

Nesta stopped her thoughts before she let them follow that particular rabbit hole. But she had to admit she wasn’t upset at the news that Cassian wasn’t with her anymore.

Cassian definitely seemed upset, though. 

“I changed my mind,” she said, at last. “Who’s Harley Quinn without the Joker?” 

Cassian chuckled, even though the light didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re known to say that Harley is much better without the Joker.”

She had walked right into that one. But, for the sake of making him feel better, she’d push her personal beliefs of DC villains aside. 

“Just because you dressed up like Joaquin Phoenix instead of Heath Ledger, who was clearly the best Joker to date, doesn’t mean that I think your effort is a total waste,” Nesta went on.

He rolled his eyes, the first thing she’d seen that was anything similar to his normal self. “Please. Ledger’s interpretation may have been iconic, but it only blew up as big as it did because of his untimely death right after,” he said, bringing the glass to his lips and taking a drink. “But you’re not ready to talk about that.”

“It was a tragedy that added to the element of chaos that were his final years,” she defended, sipping down the rest of her drink.

Cassian raised a hand, looking over his shoulder at the bartender, who had two new drinks heading their way shortly after. They discussed the aesthetic differences in the different adaptations of characters, from the Joker and Harley, to Batman and even over to Marvel, getting into a heated debate over who was the superior Spiderman.

Cassian narrowed his eyes at Nesta, who had somehow ended up next to him in the booth - or did he end up next to her? - and said, a slight slur to his words, “Look, just admit it, you like Heath Ledger better because he’s prettier.”

Nesta snorted, something she thought was decidedly unladylike, but she didn’t care. “I mean, yeah, that’s obvious, but that’s not the only reason. It is the reason you should have been him though.”

“Because I’m pretty?” Cassian asked, with a crooked grin.

“I walked right into that one,” Nesta mumbled, downing her drink before setting it down on the table with a clunk. 

“So you do think I’m pretty,” Cassian said, his grin remaining. 

“Everyone thinks you’re pretty,” Nesta argued, snatching a full glass and not hesitating to take a drink. 

Cassian’s grin widened, and with the Joker makeup, Nesta was caught between thinking it was cute or terrifying. “Even you?”

Nesta didn’t answer. Her lips pressed together in a straight line. “Let’s dance, Nazari.”

She was already up on her feet when Cassian stared at her, dumbfounded. “What?”

She shrugged. “Let’s dance.” 

Cassian looked at her for a moment before saying, “I’m not really in the mood to dance, Nesta.”

“Why?” she asked. “Because you were dumped?”

Cassian’s shoulders tensed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Nesta shook her head, rubbing her temples. “It’s Halloween, Cass. You deserve to have a good night, and I’m going to make sure you have a good night.” 

Cassian took a deep breath as he looked up at Nesta, through his dark lashes. “Why do you care so much?”

Nesta wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. “We’re friends, right?”

Cassian snorted. “We are?”

Nesta rolled her eyes. “Come on, Cass. Let’s dance.” 

Once again, Cassian stared at her for a long moment. “If I dance with you, will you admit that Joaquin is a better Joker?” 

Nesta slowly shook her head as she crossed her arms. “Never.”

Cassian’s eyes narrowed. “Can we at least agree that Jared Leto was the worst?”

Nesta grinned. “Oh, absolutely.”

“I’ll take it.” Cassian stood, and took Nesta’s hand. She led him onto the dance floor and wasted no time trying to take his mind off his breakup.

They had come together, after all. Even though they weren’t a couple.

Not yet, anyways.