“Harley Quinn” Season 1, much like the live-action “Birds of Prey,” was all about Harley’s emancipation from the Joker. That means there will be more time for romance in Season 2 of the DC Universe animated series. So will Harley finally get together with Poison Ivy?

In an interview with Geeks Worldwide, “Harley Quinn” showrunner Justin Halpern noted that he’s well aware of the Harley/Ivy shippers, but he wanted to establish them as friends first. In “Harley Quinn” Season 2, however, they’ll both be more open to romance.

“Now, this is the idea that we deal with in the second batch of thirteen and that becomes about both of them seeking love. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll just say I think we get to the place where people want us to get to, but we do it carefully,” Halpern teased. “We’re not trying to bait anyone or tease anyone. We pay off things off in a satisfying way but we want to make sure we earn it.”

The romance is actually canon in the comics. In 2011’s New 52 relaunch, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn start a romance in “Gotham City Sirens” that’s not unlike the beginning of their relationship in “Harley Quinn.”

Harley Quinn
16. "Harley Quinn" Season 2 (DC Universe) - Harley Quinn needs no introduction. She is one of the most intriguing characters in the entire comic-book universe. In 2017, it was announced that DC Universe ordered 26 episodes of “Harley Quinn,” an adult animated action-comedy show created by Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker and Dean Lorey. The first season consisted of 13 episodes and went on to become one of the best shows of 2019. The second season premiered in April 2020 and turned out to be even better. The series completely took Joker out of the equation and gave the creators much more space to figure out what makes Harley such a hypnotic character. The chemistry between Harley (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (voiced by Lake Bell) is the highlight of this engrossing show.  DC Universe/Warner Bros. TV

It seems Halpern knows that shippers are passionate. “I’m sure I was evasive enough here to where I’ve spoiled it and will also get yelled at. Fun!” he added.

It’s easy to see why fans are concerned they won’t actually get to see the romance. Though it’s in the comics, it hasn’t really made it to screen before. Even “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” only acknowledged Margot Robbie’s Harley as bisexual in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment.

However, it’s worth noting that DC TV has been very open to LGBTQ characters in recent years. On The CW’s live-action shows, Sara Lance/White Canary, who is bisexual, is leading “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” now in its fifth season, and Ruby Rose is playing Kate Kane, an openly gay iteration of Batwoman. “Black Lightning” also stars Anissa Pierce/Thunder, who identifies as a lesbian, and the Green Arrow’s son, William, was gay on “Arrow.” That representation has been stretched to DC Universe as well with Negative Man on “Doom Patrol,” and “Titans” showed Mercy Graves with a wife and kids.

Will DC Universe finally give audiences their favorite villains in a gay romance? Fans will have to wait and see, but it certainly sounds like it’s headed in that direction.

“Harley Quinn” Season 2 premieres on DC Universe on April 3.

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