Poison Ivy's First Words To Harley Quinn Were Far From Loving In The HBO Series
This romantic couple may have split up within the DC comic book pages, breaking the hearts of millions of readers (via Pride), but on the HBO Max animated comedy "Harley Quinn," lovers and villains Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell), given the couple name "Harlivy," got together at the end of Season 2. And they're still going strong as of Season 3.
The series showrunners, Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, even assured fans that they had no plans to ever break the pair apart (via The AV Club). Over the course of three seasons, Harley and Ivy's relationship has become the emotional center of the show. Ivy serves as a source of stability and rationality for the flighty, impulsive "Harls," while Ivy knows that Harley will always have her back no matter what.
However, when a second season episode flashes back to when they met, their first exchange isn't exactly a pleasant one.
Ivy's first words to Harley can't be printed in a newspaper
Season 2 "Harley Quinn" episode, "All the Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues," reveals that Quinn, originally named Dr. Harleen Quinzel, meets Poison Ivy around the same time she meets the Joker (Alan Tudyk). In the episode, Quinzel is asked to interview the Joker about a bomb he's implanted within the city. The young psychiatrist also tries to connect with Ivy after she's mistreated by the Arkham security guards.
After getting gassed and burned by the asylum staff, Ivy replies to the doctor with an explicit insult: "F*** off, narc!" Nevertheless, Quinzel's warmth and compassion soften Ivy's hard exterior enough that she helps her with the Joker's interview. Later she rescues the young doctor from being kidnapped by the Clown Prince of Crime, beginning their long friendship and later relationship.
The episode demonstrates that while both Harley and Ivy have understandable issues with trusting other people, they'll always be there for one another. As far as actress Lake Bell is concerned, their relationship just makes sense to her: "There was zero question. It was so obvious that they were in love with each other" (via The Daily Beast). And based on the hugely positive reactions to their characters' pairing, fans absolutely agree (via Entertainment Weekly).