Harley’s character arc is defined by her journey away from the Joker's toxic influence toward becoming an independent anti-hero. Harley Quinn: A Quinntessential Crash Course - GateCrashers
: Assigned to treat the Joker, she instead became obsessed with him. He manipulated her into helping him escape, leading to her transformation into the jester-themed villain, Harley Quinn.
: This definitive origin story was established in the 1994 graphic novel The Batman Adventures: Mad Love , which won Eisner and Harvey awards. Evolution and Independence
: Before her descent into madness, she was Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a promising psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum.