A rose is a rose is a rose....
So 90scartoonman and I decided to team up again to bring you this fabulous post of pure unadulterated geekdom.
I'm just guessing that quite a few people have read the award winning Bruce Timm/Paul Dini graphic novel Mad Love, but if you haven't I definitely recommend picking it up, especially if you enjoyed Batman: the Animated Series, since it's told in that style.
Anyways, I picked it up for the first time when I was 12. (If you know when it was published, you can pretty much figure out my age now from that). I loved it and read it over and over and over.
What is so interesting is that the ending can be interpreted in different ways, when Joker presents Harley with a 'get well' rose in her cell.
At the end of the GN, there's a scene where Harley is being wheeled into her cell at Arkham. She's just attempted to kill Batman, in hopes of proving her love to Joker and finally getting rid of his main distraction and has come closer to doing it that Joker ever did.
But her Puddin' wasn't too impressed with it -- he pushes her out of a window coz she "didn't get the joke" and he actually ends up being the one to rescue our favourite Dark Knight.
She's sustained major injuries -- head, broken arm and leg and is swearing off the Joker as she's being brought to her cell (probably for the first time since becoming Harley Quinn). She says: "No more obsession. No more craziness. No more Joker. I finally see that slime for what he really is.
"I'll serve my time peacefully, heal myself and get out of here. I will."
Dr. Joan Leland then remarks: "Well Harley, I hope you've learned your lesson. But probably not. And to think you were once so strong, so sure of yourself. So, tell me, Harley -- how did it feel to be so dependent on a man that you'd give up everything for him, gaining nothing in return?"
To which Harley replies: "It felt like... " and she looks over to see a single red rose on a table beside her cell bed with an enscription that reads: Feel better soon --J.
And it ends with her saying (chillingly): "It felt like a kiss."
So there are various interpretations of this gesture by the Joker.
There's the one that he's just doing it to use her and that's all.
Then there's the interpretation that while this is sinister manipulation because the Joker knows exactly what to say to charm Harley, he still put in the effort -- despite being previously insulted by her -- and rather than just leave a note, he also left a rose -- a romantic gesture as well. (Thanks lovedatjoker, zhinxy and irish_spectre )
Then there's what IGN reviewer Hilary Goldstein said, which is close to what a friend of mine also said: "Mad Love shows why Harley stays with her man no matter how cruel he is and why Joker puts up with her, despite a hatred for such attachments."
If he was just being manipulative, though, would there have been a less romantic way of winning her back? Or was he being dramatic just because he's the Joker and that's what he does?
Which interpretation do you prefer? Do you think it's just manipulation or completely sincere or a bit of both?
How long do you think it took Harley to forgive Joker afterwards?
What do you think the relationship was like right after? Do you think it went back to what it was or did it further evolve?
ETA: reposted because the html code was being a bit wonky. I apologize again to any posters!
I'm just guessing that quite a few people have read the award winning Bruce Timm/Paul Dini graphic novel Mad Love, but if you haven't I definitely recommend picking it up, especially if you enjoyed Batman: the Animated Series, since it's told in that style.
Anyways, I picked it up for the first time when I was 12. (If you know when it was published, you can pretty much figure out my age now from that). I loved it and read it over and over and over.
What is so interesting is that the ending can be interpreted in different ways, when Joker presents Harley with a 'get well' rose in her cell.
At the end of the GN, there's a scene where Harley is being wheeled into her cell at Arkham. She's just attempted to kill Batman, in hopes of proving her love to Joker and finally getting rid of his main distraction and has come closer to doing it that Joker ever did.
But her Puddin' wasn't too impressed with it -- he pushes her out of a window coz she "didn't get the joke" and he actually ends up being the one to rescue our favourite Dark Knight.
She's sustained major injuries -- head, broken arm and leg and is swearing off the Joker as she's being brought to her cell (probably for the first time since becoming Harley Quinn). She says: "No more obsession. No more craziness. No more Joker. I finally see that slime for what he really is.
"I'll serve my time peacefully, heal myself and get out of here. I will."
Dr. Joan Leland then remarks: "Well Harley, I hope you've learned your lesson. But probably not. And to think you were once so strong, so sure of yourself. So, tell me, Harley -- how did it feel to be so dependent on a man that you'd give up everything for him, gaining nothing in return?"
To which Harley replies: "It felt like... " and she looks over to see a single red rose on a table beside her cell bed with an enscription that reads: Feel better soon --J.
And it ends with her saying (chillingly): "It felt like a kiss."
So there are various interpretations of this gesture by the Joker.
There's the one that he's just doing it to use her and that's all.
Then there's the interpretation that while this is sinister manipulation because the Joker knows exactly what to say to charm Harley, he still put in the effort -- despite being previously insulted by her -- and rather than just leave a note, he also left a rose -- a romantic gesture as well. (Thanks lovedatjoker, zhinxy and irish_spectre )
Then there's what IGN reviewer Hilary Goldstein said, which is close to what a friend of mine also said: "Mad Love shows why Harley stays with her man no matter how cruel he is and why Joker puts up with her, despite a hatred for such attachments."
If he was just being manipulative, though, would there have been a less romantic way of winning her back? Or was he being dramatic just because he's the Joker and that's what he does?
Which interpretation do you prefer? Do you think it's just manipulation or completely sincere or a bit of both?
How long do you think it took Harley to forgive Joker afterwards?
What do you think the relationship was like right after? Do you think it went back to what it was or did it further evolve?
ETA: reposted because the html code was being a bit wonky. I apologize again to any posters!