“Got a joke for us today?”

Joker. Always Joker. While I do think that Harley loves Ivy both as her closest friend and a lover, Joker is the one who Harley will always be more connected to. Joker changed Harley on deeper level than Ivy ever has or could; Harley’s worldview and morals align with Joker’s not with Ivy’s, her identity was shaped by her relationship with Joker not with Ivy, until she was rebooted to be OOC Harley always chose Joker again and again. I just don’t think that Ivy can ever replace Joker in Harley’s heart because Harley’s love for Joker is so integral to who she is. And honestly, I think the fact that Harley doesn’t and can’t love Ivy as much as she loves Joker and always goes back to him is a large part of why Ivy has chosen Harley as her one and only human to love.

Ivy can only handle so much intimacy with a human. Joker thrives off of interacting with people, in a sadistic and uncaring way but interacting nonetheless, whereas Ivy doesn’t. Just as Ivy is Harley’s home-base when she’s overwhelmed by Joker’s Jokerness and needs to decompress, Harley is Ivy’s home-base so she can stay tied to her humanity while not actually fully committing to it because her mission with the plants is and always will be most important to Ivy. Basically, even if Harley’s heart didn’t already irrevocably belong to Joker (which it does), Harley could never dedicate herself to Ivy as completely and intimately as she does to Joker because Ivy wouldn’t tolerate it whereas Joker (although sometimes his own feelings frighten him) relishes in Harley’s devotion to him.

I answered a similar question about whether Joker loves Batman or Harley more, and my answer ultimately boils down to the same thing. The main reason I ship Jarley as my OTP over Harlivy and Batjokes (although all three do interest me and I value them all for the characters) is that Harlivy and Batjokes are defined by one partner trying to force the other to change. Batman obviously doesn’t want Joker to be Joker (which is fair, Joker is terrible). And Ivy constantly calls Harley an idiot for loving Joker, constantly wants Harley to act less like Harley, and overall is trying to “save” Harley by smothering who she really is and force her worldview onto her.

Jarley’s relationship, on the other hand, as selfish and toxic (from both ends) as it is, is defined by how completely connected and alike Joker and Harley are. Neither of them have to be a “better” person for each other because they are the same, they will love each other unconditionally and I can’t say the same about Harley and Ivy. Harley loves Joker more than anyone and always will because, as much as he is capable, Joker loves her for who she truly is in all her evilness not for who she could maybe be.

Dealing with complex thoughts and emotions I can't work through in therapy, like grief, despair, a complicated relationship with pain and addiction

THIS ART????? is better than a thousand character studies on joker's and harley's relationship..... pay attention to the incredible details of their posing: both have their hands holding the back of each other's neck and head, a rather controlling and possessive placement; they're side to side, but facing one another..... considering the joker doesn't appreciate needless touching(that isn't violent/initiated by him) from anyone else but harley, it shows them as equals and intimate— better yet, comfortable!

and for the very BEST part of it: joker has a gun that he's supposedly hiding from harley, but she's so in tune with his particular flavor of madness that she effortlessly renders his weapon useless— this isn't only an amazing look into the roots of joker x harley, as mastered by paul dini, with joker's struggle to handle harley's caring, devotedly kind love and reaching towards his usual method for 'making his problems go away'...

...BUT ALSO, it brings to front harley's cunning handling and blasé attitude towards joker's behavior— exactly what makes her so special to him, she's insane in a way that allows her move him because she's not scared of joker, she madly loves him and he can't quite let go of her love even if it isn't under his control!

(furthermore, consider she's doing the opposite: that she's loading the gun for him instead— it speaks of partnership and her willingness to make sacrifices for their love, a darker aspect of their dynamics although there absolutely are times the joker's the one to give in; still, we get sides to a love that's complicated but very real for them!)

Gotham City Sirens: Unfit For Orbit #5 (2025)

I really loved Harleys design <3