The DC animated series, Harley Quinn, features a variety of heroes and villains from across the DC universe, not to mention gives a chance for lesser-known characters to shine. Furthermore, being a new series, the show also introduced some brand new original characters, some of which have already made an impact.
Within this hilarious cast of characters, there are some very smart individuals. Whilst some of the brightest have doctorates, this is not the only factor that makes a character intelligent. The smartest in the show think rationally and use their skills to their advantage, which, as a result, brings them success in what they’ve set out to do.
King Shark
King Shark is introduced in the fourth episode, “Finding Mr. Right,” as a computer nerd and genius, much to the surprise of not just Harley but the audience. His soft side and sense of humor have made him a solid fan favorite and one of the most wholesome characters in the show.
Whilst he has proven to be more than worthy in a fight, thanks to his jaws and strength, King Shark would rather be used for his technical knowledge and skills, something which he has also proven to be very good at, although his wholesome side does give the lovable shark-man a bit of a goofy streak.
Riddler
One of Batman’s most famous villains, the Riddler is a regular supporting character in Harley Quinn. Whilst he played a memorable part in the first episode, he is most noteworthy in season 2. Here, he is part of the Injustice League and ultimately teams up with Dr. Psycho in his act of betrayal, forming one of the most unlikely friendships in the Harley Quinn animated series.
Riddler is one of Batman’s smartest foes, in general, and the Harley Quinn version is no exception. He succeeded in taking over Gotham University, escaped from his restraints under Dr. Psycho’s watch and his takeover of Gotham with Dr. Psycho was almost successful. Even when he became ripped, Riddler never lost his intelligence.
Batgirl
One of Batman’s most loyal allies, Batgirl does not appear in the series until the second episode of season 2. Barbara Gordon is a university student but inspired by Harley, and the ongoing crime due to Batman’s absence, Barbara decides to become Batgirl.
Before she even becomes Batgirl, Barbara already displayed her intelligence when she senses something strange is going on at the university campus. Furthermore, Barbara is one of the most level-headed characters in the show, particularly when dealing with her father. Considering she is of student age and already showing this amount of competence, Batgirl can definitely be considered as one of the smartest characters in the show.
Catwoman
Harley Quinn‘s version of Catwoman is one of the funniest versions yet. Aloof and self-assured, Catwoman only cares about herself and jewels and isn’t afraid to openly make rude remarks to those around her. That said, she is certainly one of the characters who deserved more screen time in Harley Quinn.
Yet her few appearances proved that she is a very smart character. Being a cat burglar who works alone, Catwoman is already naturally calculating and clever. But despite her disinterest in others, she is very observant and can pick up on things almost straight away, as she did with Ivy during the heist, and that Harley and Ivy hooked up.
Scarecrow
Notably one of Batman’s more fearsome enemies, Scarecrow in the Harley Quinn series is oddly more affable than most versions of the character. Yet, this has not stopped him from being one of the smartest characters.
Scarecrow is most noted for his skills in chemistry and fear toxins and these are put to great use in the series. But what makes this particularly noteworthy is that he not only creates a toxin using Poison Ivy’s pheromones but even a special fear toxin for her, something which wouldn’t normally affect her. Thanks to his intelligence, Scarecrow could have single-handedly taken down one of Gotham’s most powerful supervillains.
Joker
As Harley’s abusive ex, as well as Batman’s archenemy, Joker served as the primary antagonist of the first season. Initially dismissive of her, Joker eventually learns that Harley is an extremely worthy opponent, leading to some of the best fights in the show.
Joker has proven to be a very intelligent character throughout season 1. Not only were his villainous schemes to take over Gotham ultimately successful, but he is also shown to be very manipulative of not just Harley but his fellow Legion of Doon members, some of which are intelligent themselves. Joker isn’t Batman’s arch-nemesis for nothing.
Batman
Regardless of whether it’s the comics, movies, or television series, one of Batman’s key traits is his intelligence. Since he is primarily a detective vigilante without powers, Batman must rely on his brains and his gadgets to fight crime, and Harley Quinn is no exception.
Batman is often patient and calculating, assessing the situation before acting with a plan. Even when physically unable to fight, Batman can still use his brains, being able to work remotely from the Batcave. The only thing Batman isn’t too clever about is his emotions or ability to work with others.
Harley Quinn
Although she mainly relies on her physical abilities and infamously reacts with her emotions rather than thinking things through, Harley has proven to be a very intelligent character. As a doctor and a trained psychiatrist, Harley uses her psychology skills to help get herself out of trouble.
The best example of this is in “A High Bar,” in which she plays on teenage Joshua’s insecurities to stop him from shooting her. What’s more, Harley uses herself pre-Joker (Dr. Harleen Quinzel) in order to diagnose (and self-diagnose) the problems around her, which have been key to both accomplishing schemes and healing relationships with others.
Dr. Psycho
The nemesis of Wonder Woman, the telekinetic Dr. Psycho was kicked out of the Legion of Doom for calling her and Giganta the C-word. Strangely, it’s his ridiculous behavior and misogyny that somehow make him one of the funniest characters in Harley Quinn.
Despite his outdated attitudes towards women, Dr. Psycho is one of the show’s smartest characters. As a telepath as well as possessing telekinetic powers, Dr. Psycho can read minds and has a strong understanding of how the mind works. He truly used this to his advantage in the second half of season 2 and almost succeeded in taking over Gotham. It is easy to see why he was in the Legion of Doom before.
Poison Ivy
As perhaps the most level-headed of Harley’s allies, Poison Ivy is the smartest character in the show. A doctor in multiple fields, Ivy’s intelligence does not only lie in academia and plant life.
Whilst Harley emotionally and physically reacts almost immediately to problems, Ivy is more reserved and knows when to back down. What’s more, she is extremely witty and quick with comebacks when it comes to the other villains. Ivy is one of the show’s most powerful characters already, but her intelligence greatly enhances this.
