No doubt about it, SUICIDE SQUAD is Harley Quinn’s coming out party. The character has been a beloved one ever since she made her debut in BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, and since she showed up in the recent series of BATMAN: ARKHAM games, she’s received quite the boost from geek culture. With her radically different look that found itself more grounded in the real world, it seemed natural that the SUICIDE SQUAD film would pull greatly from the games. 

However, despite the fact that this interpretation of Harley is quite different from its BATMAN origins, we can still expect much of the character’s backstory to remain relatively intact, which is obviously great news for hardcore fans. Perhaps more importantly, however, is how this backstory shapes the character and her motivations in the film.

While backstage at CinemaCon, actress Margot Robbie, who plays Harleyin SUICIDE SQUAD, talked to the LA times about Harley Quinn’s origins, and how it contributes to the dynamic of the squad.

“She’s definitely one of the more unpredictable members of the squad. She also used to be a psychiatrist so she has an extensive knowledge of mental illnesses and how to manipulate people — I’m sorry, well, she has a lot of knowledge on how to profile people, pick their triggers, and as Harley Quinn she kind of utilizes that to just manipulate people and mess with them. And she definitely does that with the squad. She’s always picking someone to be dissecting and playing off and messing with.”

This quote from Robbie is great for a couple different reasons. Not only does it confirm that her backstory is similar from that of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, but it also gives her a definite power over certain members of the SUICIDE SQUAD. Let’s face it. Next to the likes of El Diablo and Killer Croc, Harley’s just a normal human. While she’s definitely a bit unhinged, the fact that her ability lies in her ability to manipulate is just what is needed to level the playing field, because chances are that most of the squad isn’t too bright.

Her quote is also great because it seems to promise lots of internal conflict with the squad. These guys are all criminals. Criminals with agendas — many of them terrible. If you throw them in a squad and in dangerous situations, the chances of them getting along are very slim. I’d like to think that at least a good portion of the film will deal with in-fighting and manipulation among our ensemble cast. That’s where half the fun is, after all. 

What do you think of Robbie’s comments? Let us know in the comments down below!

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SOURCE: LA Times