20 best movie villains of all time

Harley Quinn (Suicide Squad)

The DC universe has some of the best villains in the world, so we had to acknowledge some of our favorites. And speaking of the Joker, we couldn’t possibly ignore the woman he turned to the dark side: Dr. Harleen Quinzel, otherwise known as Harley Quinn.

Harley Quinn first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992 and was so popular that they introduced her into the comics as well. She first met her man The Joker, whom she lovingly calls “puddin’,” when she was working as a psychiatrist at the Arkham Asylum, and the psychopathic clown was her patient. She falls hopelessly in love with the Joker. That love leads to madness, and she becomes his accomplice.

Harley may be most often associated with the Joker, but the two actually have a really toxic, abusive relationship. When she’s on her own, though, Harley knows how to kick some butt with a good sense of humor. She’s less dark and calculated than her male counterpart, but she’s just as ruthless, and usually does everything with a smile and a giggle in her trademark harlequin costume (until they revamped her with a new look, shown in Suicide Squad). 

We most recently saw Harley Quinn come to life on the big screen in Suicide Squad, and even though the film got mixed reviews, critics agreed that Margot Robbie is pretty much perfect as Harley. Everything from her accent to mannerisms were spot-on, and she manages to bring the manicness of Harley to life.

Harley is a misunderstood character, and unlike Joker, she’s not inherently evil. She’s just in love and chasing after a harmful man. But when she’s paired up with other Gotham City Sirens, she is unstoppable.