The first thing the Joker ever said to Harley Quinn sums up everything wrong about the terrible relationship. Harley wasn’t always a part of the Prime DC Universe, but she finally made her way in thanks to a special one-shot. Unfortunately, the first words from her beloved Puddin’ revealed everything about how the Joker saw Harley.

In Batman: Harley Quinn #1 by Paul Dini and Yvel Guichet, Poison Ivy finds Harley Quinn in a pile of rubble. Recognizing the newcomer villain as former psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Ivy asks what happened and Harley begins to spill about her attempts to reunite with the Joker.

Harley Quinn reveals that after she donned her costume for the first time, she interrupted a meeting between Penguin and Joker. Harley does her best to make a good first impression, but all the Joker can say is that while he recognizes her voice, he “can’t place the face“.

Joker Didn’t Even Recognize Harley Quinn When They First Met

Of course, while this was the first time he met ‘Harley Quinn’, he had previously met her alter ego back when he was in Arkham Asylum. Out to make a name for herself, Harleen insisted on interviewing the Joker. However, the ambitious doctor didn’t expect that she’d wind up falling head over heels for him. Once the Joker was out of Arkham, Harleen decided to leave everything behind and dive headfirst into a life of crime. Sadly, she’d wind up regretting this decision, unaware that the Joker would never reciprocate Harley’s feelings and that he’d pay them back with abuse.

There’s a lot of evidence that the ‘relationship’ between Harley Quinn and the Joker was toxic. But more than any other, this moment really sums up the true tragedy of their dynamic. Harley left everything behind for Joker and completely reinvented herself for him. But the Joker didn’t recognize her or even really seem to care once he did. What’s worse is that this could have been a warning sign for Harley, advising her to reconsider what she was thinking. Instead, Harley Quinn pursued her chosen path in the hopes Joker would feel the same way about her.

Harley Quinn’s Origin is a Multilayered Tragedy

Harley Quinn is in a much better place now and is with someone who actually gives a damn about her. Unfortunately, there’s no changing the past and the fact that Harley completely reinvented herself for the Joker only for him to barely remember her is a haunting thing to see. This is the kind of thing Harley Quinn no doubt looks back on with regret, but it taught her a wise lesson: The Joker is incapable of caring about things other than himself and he never truly cared about Harley Quinn.