‘Harley Quinn’ Season 2 Episode 13: “The Runaway Bridesmaid”

In the Season 2 finale, “The Runaway Bridesmaid,” Poison Ivy and Kite Man prepare for their wedding, and Harley Quinn wants to do what’s best for the couple, which means trying to stop Commissioner Gordon from ruining the big day.

S2E12 Review (Spoiler-Free)

Kite Man now knows about Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy‘s “mistake.” I mean, all of Gotham saw them having sex, thanks to Doctor Psycho‘s projection. What happens next?

Well, the wedding is still on.

The big day is here, and every bad guy that’s worth something is invited. Harley doesn’t seem like she wants to go and decides to pass on go. That is, until she finds out Jim Gordon is going to crash the party and arrest everyone.

Will Kite Man and Ivy’s wedding go off without a hitch?

Does Gordo succeed and make his big arrests?

Where does Harley go from here?

These questions and more are answered!

Takeaway

Magnifico! Brilliant! Bravo to the cast and crew of Harley Quinn for another tremendous season.

After a crazy season and a lot of hard work, the show finally delivered on an amazing, epic season finale. 

It was better than I could imagine. Twists and turns, ups and downs, highs and lows, it was an emotional ride that allows us to enjoy the journey we have been on for two seasons.

It has everything you could want: stellar voice acting, beautiful animation in the form of action scenes and visually-pleasing framing, call back to characters, and a random celebrity. 

Kaley Cuoco really deserves a lot of credit for her work on this show. She breathed new life into this character, and Harley Quinn was already establishing a place in the public. I’m happy she’s Harley, and I want more!

This show really delivers on the work it has built over every episode, and the character development has been its shining quality. We are rewarded for the development of characters we love and characters we didn’t expect to enjoy watching. In a way, everyone gets what they deserve.

Harley Quinn is brave, moving, in-your-face, and a must-see for everyone.

EGOTforharley.com

SPOILERS are present for the rest of the article. Proceed with caution!

S2E12 Recap (Spoilers)

Breaking News from GNN! Behind a crowd in front of Gotham City Hall, reporter Tonnie Young is reporting with the lower third saying that “Gotham has a Mayor.” She reports that the mayor, who barely comes out in public, is going to reward the heroes that fought for the city in “the Battle of Gotham.”

The mayor, who is standing next to a line of attentive people, is handing out keys to the city, with him holding one and his aide holding six. He goes down the line, giving a key to Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, a Space Cabbie that the Mayor says he couldn’t have done it without, and two other people that aren’t recognizable (one looks like a bootleg Aquaman and the other looks like an 80’s cross between a rock star and early X-men member. At the end of this line, the seventh one down is Gordon. He doesn’t know who these guys are either, but then he gets quickly interview by Tonnie. She asks what he thinks of the ceremony to which he replies that he is honored to get a key to the city since he in Gotham, the whole time, fighting for the city. He thinks the mayor is saving him for last. The mayor announces he has one last key to give and delivers a speech talking about how this person was important and, even though he has no super powers, he is still super. Gordon feels humbled for the kind words, until he finds out the mayor was talking about him.  Gordon is outraged, and the GNN feed is cut.

Later that night, at Arkham Asylum, a guard makes his rounds. Doctor Psycho is levitating and mediating in his cell. Riddler is in his cell, flexing and enjoying himself. Then, the guard comes up to a cell that has Harley Quinn. Her back is turned towards him and is upset. The guard says she’s not supposed to be here, implying she came to Arkham on her own choice. Harley says is she supposed to be anywhere, in which he responses offering to listen to her troubles, over a fruit cup. She declines, saying she wants to be alone with her thoughts, and, when she’s done, she’ll break out. She does take up the offer of the fruit cup but is denied because the guard would only give it to her if they had a convo. He leaves.

The next day, Poison Ivy is on the back of Kite Man’s kite, as they are discussing the “mistake” mid-flight. Kite Man rightfully questions her motive for sleeping with Harley, which Ivy doesn’t really give a good answer to. She just reinforces that she loves him and everything else was a mistake. Kite Man gives her a out if she doesn’t want to marry him, saying he’ll just got drink his miseries away, get into an argument about the best Metal album of all time, and then puke on himself. Ivy reinforces that she does want to marry him and then says that if Kite Man was a metal album, he would be Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses (seemingly it implies that she was only half listening to him). He’s confused because Guns N Roses isn’t metal. Ivy apologizes for hurting him, says he deserves the best, and tells him to land ahead.

They land at the Old Gotham Corn Factory, the place he wanted for his wedding venue but lost out to Condiment King. Kite Man thinks this is some kind of torture to remind him of his failure, but Ivy reveals that she got the place for their wedding. He’s confused because Condiment King got the reservation for this “rustic monument to perfection.” A flashback shows that she found the baddie his fiancée in a bar, and they were eaten by Frank the Plant. Ivy, though, explains that she found Condiment King, and he just gave it to her and is very much alive and as went out of town indefinitely and probably won’t be coming back. The head of the Corn Factory comes out to greet them and says he’s excited to host the wedding. Kite Man, excited, is so blown away that she risked her life against one of the “most formidable villain” in Gotham just to get his dream venue. She downplays the magnitude of Condiment King but agrees to the sentiment because she loves him. He is clearly overwhelmed with emotions, and Ivy tells him to take his time.

Meanwhile, in an armored prisoner transport, a clearly peeved Gordon, with shotgun in hand, is sitting across a locked-up Two Face. Two Face asks why Gordon is so upset with the villain going back to Arkham, but Gordo tries to hide it saying he is complex and has layers of emotions. Two Face immediately guesses the correct answer, and Gordo flips out about being overlooked, before trying to hide it again. Now, in an Arkham cell and prison clothes, Two Face tells Gordon that he has some advice: don’t be the key-getter, be the key-giver. Two Face says Gordon should be mayor. Gordo refutes this, saying he got into public service so he could shot people and lie about the occasional accident. Gordo doesn’t like politics, but Harvey Dent does. He offers to run Gordon’s campaign from behind bars, like a real campaign manger. Gordon refuses and walks away, only to come back and ask a hypothetical: he’s police commissioner of a danger city; he’s got low favorables. Two Face says he seems like a low-trigger guy that runs his mouth off when backed into a corner. Gordon yells that’s bull, ready to fight. Two Face says that Gordo’s a cop, not a hero, unless he does something heroic enough worth mentioning. He leaks info to Gordo about Kite Man and Ivy’s wedding and provides the Commish with the guest list of a ton of criminals. Gordo gets the idea of busting up the wedding and arresting them all. Two Face’s manipulation is complete. “Mr. Mayor” sheds a single tear.

Back at Harley’s cell, she’s approached by King Shark, Frank the Plant, and a shape-shifted Clayface, all dressed like security guards. Yes, all of them. They ask her if she’s got the electronic invite from Ivy and Kite Man informing everyone the wedding is still on. They say Ivy wants her there, but Quinn says she ain’t going because she doesn’t want to be a distraction. They argue with her saying it’s her best friend’s wedding and everyone wants her there, but Harley won’t go. Not even Clayface’s annoucement of him singing an aria at the reception changes her mind. Shark tries one last time with the promise of vanilla cake, but she refuses. He says they’ll save her a seat, and the three walk away.

In the Asylum’s cafeteria, Quinn is approached by Two Face, who’s learned she ain’t going to the wedding. Harley is upset that everyone is so chatty; this placed used to be so good for silent brooding. He says that Ivy’s wedding is going to be ruined but only offers the reason if she agrees to help him escape. She doesn’t believe him but eventually changes her mind. The two manage to break out, with him telling her that Gordo is planning to crash the wedding and arrest everyone. Two Face is playing it as if it’s Gordon’s idea all on his own, and, even though he won’t succeed, he is going to try; he states that weddings are so meticulously planned that any thing that is off ruins the whole thing. Harley makes it her mission to save Ivy’s wedding, and the two escape.

At GCPD headquarters, cops are taking doughnuts as Gordon explains the plan, but not before he reveals the doughnuts are vegan, causing everyone to vomit. He gives them he has a mission, which upsets a cop because it’s Saturday and she has her half-sister’s baby shower. He mentions the wedding, which two cops that are twins are upset that each member of the couple are still getting married. The baby shower cop says it sounds like a problem for Batman, and Gordon gives a speech about how he’s tired of supers getting all the glory. I mean, look at how the guest list has some big names. Who cares if the villains have superpowers? The mission is badass and key worthy, which he has a frame to put said key on the wall with an inscription that says “Reserved for Jim Gordon’s Key to the City.” He is confident they will succeed because he has a damn good plan.

It’s Saturday, and Gordon and his squad arrive at the Corn Factory to stake out the wedding. He spots caters, florist, and a bearded man coming out of hatchback car that’s a priest and a lot like Gordon. Gordo intercepts the priest and says he has a sin to confess and punches out the priest. He takes his clothing and puts on a fake beard, getting into character. Members of his squad take out various workers, like someone designing the cake, a bartender, and a waiter, only to replace them.

In the back of the florist truck, there is a big floral arrangement with purple and white flowers. Next to it is Frank, who’s in a tux and is hitting on the flowers. Gordon tases Frank and closes the truck door.

Inside the event space, the room is filled with villains. Catwoman walks in with a date, revealing the room’s occuptants are the likes of Black Manta, the guy that looks like Aquaman and got the key to the city, Livewire, Man-Bat, and Killer Croc. King Shark and Clayface are there and are enjoying themselves. They comment on the aesthetic, prompting Clayface to call Kite Man a “basic bitch” and Shark to get excited over Man-Bat drinking out of a mason jar. Clayface is nervous, but Shark reassures him weddings aren’t a big deal. The two are joined by Tabitha, Shark’s wife. Clayface clarifies he’s nervous about his performance because Catwoman’s date is none other than Tim Burton, and he wants to impress him. This makes Shark upset. The conversation and party is interrupted when Harley Quinn arrives.

Quinn approaches the trio and asks them about the layout of the room, staking out for any mischief. She see a guy with his back turned, talking to a waiter. She is intercepted by the photographer for the wedding, who pulls her to another room to get ready with the bridesmaids or the Cobb Squad: Catwoman, Norma Fries, and Jen (Jen and Norma are in dresses, Catwoman is not). Jen’s upset Harley didn’t show up for the rehearsal dinner, and Catwoman claims she abandoned Ivy. Harley is shocked Catwoman is there, who replies that she doesn’t like the fashion but wants to be a good bridesmaid. Harls asks her if she can wear the dress, which Selina says she needs to lose ten pounds.

Jen tries to get Harley in the dress, but it’s too tight. Harley sees her suspected Jim Gordon walk by and runs off. Jen is upset because Quinn promised to braid her hair. Harley is searching through a sea of people that includes Solomon Grundy and Bane, calling Jim a rat bastard. Kite Man hears this, thinking someone is talking to him, and turns to find Harley. Awkward. Kite Man is feeling things and looks for Frank, who promised him Xannies if this happened. She’s intercepted by the photographer again, who calls her a “runaway bridesmaid,” and is taken outside for a photo (also he’s tasked with keeping Kite Man and Harley apart).

Outside, she is standing next to the other bridesmaids for photos and spots the venue representative and the priest (Gordo) standing next to each other. She runs towards them, believing to have found Gordon, who is low-key panicking. Harley punches out the venue rep (Mr. Cuttington), choosing wrong. Gordon whistle-walks away, as Harley stands over the knocked out, bleeding rep, and the photgrapher, who faints at the sight of the blood. Poison Ivy walks out in her dress and sees the mess. Ivy is furious and pulls Ivy inside. Gordon’s cover is safe. He calls up Tonnie to give her the scoop of the wedding and arrest that will follow, tell her to bring her cameras.

Inside the venue in a private room, Ivy chastises Harley for ruining the wedding, which Harley says she’s trying to do the opposite. Ivy points out how Harley is failing and says she promised Kite Man things would go smoothly. Also, she reveals that Chuck didn’t want Quinn there, which devastates her. Ivy apologizes for saying that but continues that today is supposed to be the happiest day of her life, before going on a tirade of how the view of marriage is a patriarchal construct. Harley confirms that they don’t believe in that, but Ivy doesn’t want to hear it. Ivy says that day is supposed to be good vibes, and she is sick of managing everyone’s feelings except for her own. She’s nervous and scared but doesn’t get the time to reflect on that before going down the aisle because Harley is making a mess of things. Ivy loves her friendship with Harley but realizes she can’t have her cake and eat it too. Harley yells that Gordon is here to mess up her wedding, but Ivy doesn’t believe her. Harley defends the claim due to Two Face’s intel, which Ivy immediately dismisses because the man’s name is Two Face. Ivy thinks Harley wants to ruin the wedding and is looking for any excuse to do it so she asks Quinn to leave.

On her way out, Clayface asks her if she’s leaving the party. Quinn admits her defeat, believing that Two Face lied and Gordon isn’t there. While she is saying all this, Gordon is in the background, putting down a potted plan and running away. Hmmm. Harley goes to the table, sees her name plate, and picks up a flower before leaving. She goes outside the venue and sniffs the flower. It has no smell; the flowers are plastic. Harley turns back, shifting from sad and defeated to focused and determined.

Now it’s during the ceremony. King Shark and Clayface are the groomsmen for Kite Man, who is giving his vows. He goes over how they met, saying cringy things like he knew he couldn’t do better and that he was rejected over and over again. He says he was determined to share a life with her, this in response to claims that some may call it stalking. He looks over to the guests, and there is a TV on a rolling stand that shows Sy Borgman (he’s not convinced).

He says he’s excited to spend the rest of his life with her in a modest, ranch style, suburban home, grilling meatless proteins, while, on the weekends, shuttling their four kids between soccer, ballet, karate, capoeria (his defintion: a sick mix of karate and ballet), spending sunday dinners at his parents’ house when they allow the couple back into their lives, annnd just a lot of chillin on the couch, binging premium streaming content and looking at our phones. (I’m sorry for the long runon sentence, but that’s pretty much how it sounded.) Ivy is not happy with this extremely detailed version of the future. While this is happening, Harley is sneaking back in. Jen spots Harley and confronts her. It’s Ivy’s turn, and Kite Man’s vows have thrown her off. She tries to recuperate by checking her notes that she wrote on a note card. The guests softly murmur. Ivy finally starts, but all that’s heard is “Charles ‘Kite Man’ Brown.”

While her vows are under way, Jen is not letting Harley interfere. Quinn says that she is trying Ivy, but Jen doesn’t buy it; she’s 37, and this may be the last wedding she can be a bridesmaid at. She punches Harley twice: once in the boob and once in the face. Harley falls to the ground, and, when she looks up, she sees one of the caterers, who looks very nervous. Quinn asks, very loudly, why he’s at the ceremony, and he doesn’t respond, looking away. Ivy and Kite Man look in their direction, and Harley jumps up, kicking the caterer in the face. It grabs the attention of everyone in the room, which includes Zsasz, the MC from Hedonikka, and the Cheetah. Harley rips open the guy’s shirt to reveal a GCPD uniform underneath.

The priest, Gordo with a terrible Irish accent, skips ahead to the “I Do’s.” Kite Man and Ivy both agree, and Gordo pronounces them “Under Arrest” right after Tonnie and the GNN camera crew bust in. Gordo tells his men and Sheryl (the bridal shower cop) to pull their guns, and he goes to take off his beard, realizing he put too much glue. Kite Man breaks down, crying, and Ivy thinks up of the flowers as a way to get them out. It’s now when she realizes what Harley knew, the flowers are fake. Gordon tells the cops to put their gas masks, and Sheryl presses a button, releasing a knock out gas that comes from the fake flowers. The GNN crew can’t see anything through the gas, and the cops are the same, as Harley punches a cop to get her gas mask. Catwoman tells Tim they have to leave, which upsets Clayface, who decides to start his song but faints due to the gas. Everyone is knocked out, except for everyone with a gas mask, and Gordon handcuffs the new bride and groom.

All of the sudden, Harley Quinn leaps in the air and kicks Gordon in the face. She notices the Commish has a grenade and a rocket launcher equipped to his belt, takes the launcher out, and blows a hole in the roof. The hole clears out the gas and allows everyone to wake back up again. Tonnie Young starts her broadcast prematurely and leaves. The villains, now conscious again, get into a fight with the cops, as Clayface properly starts his song. The solo is beautiful, as the operatic sound is flanked by total chaos and violence around them. Burton, who hears the song, sheds a tear, but he is ushered away by Catwoman, who’s freaked out by Clayface. Important note, she calls her date Gary, which could imply he isn’t actually Tim Burton. The song goes on, as a montage plays off the supervillains making their way outside and besting Gotham’s finest.

Harley carries the unconscious bride and groom to safety outside behind cover. Ivy comes to and sees Harley in front of her. As Kite Man comes to, Ivy thanks her for not leaving when she was told to. Harley says she just wanted to do something right for once and wants them to be happy (all while evading what looks like electric bullets). Kite Man says it’s too late because everything is ruined. Harley says it isn’t because she became an ordained minister online and can marry them now. Ivy is impressed at how thorough Harley is, but Kite Man ain’t having it. Ivy says let’s do it, but Kite Man rejects her.

He FINALLY stands up for himself. He rants about that he should have known that, since the third proposal, he’s had to constantly redo things in the relationship over and over again. After this debacle, he is not redoing his wedding. Ivy is confused, asking if he wants to get married still, and he says he does, but she doesn’t. TRUTH BOMB dropped by Kite Man. He saw her face during the vows and knew she wasn’t on board. He may be simple, but he is not a fool; he can finally admit that he is not the person for Ivy. Then, he quotes Ivy, “he deserves the best,” and turns his back on Ivy. He pops out his kite that says “Just Married” and has confetti before flying away.

Gordon and the cops finally catch up and shoot a rocket at them. Harley saves Ivy and they both run. They steal a red car with no top, which happens to have a “Just Married” sign on the back and cans dangling on a string. They speed away as Gordon shoots at them, and he eventually gets in his car to follow. They are trying to find the exit, but, as it is a Corn factory, the parking lot is a maze. They drive by the parked florist truck, which is rocking. Frank’s voice is heard saying “it’s pollen season in this bitch. POLLEN SEASON!” insinuating that he is having sex with the floral arrangement.

Harley, while driving, tries to reassure Ivy that Kite Man will come around, but Ivy can finally say she doesn’t want to be with him. Ivy is finally able to stop denying what she wants and stop going along with what others want. Harley says people change, which Ivy agrees with, using Quinn as an example. Ivy says today, because of everything Harley did, she finally got to see the Harls she always wanted. She knows that Harley will be chaotic and messy, but she also knows Harls is trying to grow and is actually growing. That matters to Ivy.

Harley tells Ivy that she loves her, and Ivy says it back. They are about to kiss, but they realize they are about to hit the factory. Ivy tells her she loves her but she hasn’t to keep her eyes on the road; the car goes through the doors of the factory and hits Clayface, who just reforms and keeps singing (yes, he’s been singing this whole time). As the car launches out of the building from the second floor, the car is flying in the air. The two ladies look at each other, and ask the song reaches its climax, Harley and Ivy finally share a kiss that is intentional and in the right mind. The car lands, and they continue their car chase.

The two are in love. What a wonder season, folks. Until next time.