In episode 2 of Season 5, the storyline of Harley Quinn delves into the backstory of Poison Ivy, portrayed by Lake Bell. We learn that the intelligent college student, Pamela Isley, was not always a green-skinned villain. Instead, her transformation was triggered by a sinister act: Jason Woodrue, her former professor and lover, tried to kill her. This betrayal, rooted in their personal relationship, led to Pamela’s evolution into an eco-criminal, molding her into the character we recognize from DC Comics. The episode takes inspiration from the continuity post-Infinite Crisis, suggesting that there was no lab accident responsible for Ivy’s powers.
Incorporating Jason Woodrue into Season 5 of Harley Quinn significantly escalates the emotional intensity of the series, since it compels Pamela to face her troubled history. Yet, his inclusion is significant for another reason – Woodrue is infamous as the Floronic Man, a DC Comics antagonist who shares a strong connection with Swamp Thing.
Who Is DC’s Floronic Man?
Jason Woodrue’s journey from a mad scientist to a plant-human hybrid unfolds across more than six decades in DC Comics lore. Making his debut in The Atom #1 (1962), Woodrue was initially introduced as the Plant Master, an outcast from another realm called Floria who harnessed his botanical expertise to manipulate plant life. A pivotal change occurred for him in 1976 when he employed an experimental serum to metamorphose into the Floronic Man, a creature made of vegetation with the power to psychically command plants.
As a passionate film buff, I’d say that throughout the years, the character of Woodrue has had many battles against heroes, but it was during Alan Moore’s iconic run on “The Saga of the Swamp Thing” where he truly left his mark. In this tale, Woodrue made a groundbreaking discovery that shook up DC Comics like nothing before – Swamp Thing wasn’t just Alec Holland transformed into a plant creature, but rather an intelligent plant that had assimilated Holland’s memories and consciousness. This mind-blowing revelation completely redefined Swamp Thing’s character and forged a profound bond between Woodrue and “the Green,” a mystical force linking all Earth’s vegetation.
The bond between Swamp Thing and Woodrue became more intricate when Floronic Man sought to exploit his link to the Green for global human annihilation on Earth. Following a mental collapse due to his Green communion, Woodrue was apprehended by the Justice League and confined in Arkham Asylum. Subsequently, Neil Gaiman’s Black Orchid comic series revealed that Woodrue previously served as a university professor who instructed botany to Alec Holland and Pamela Isley – linking the three plant-based DC heroes together.
After the events of Infinite Crisis, Dr. Jason Woodrue assumed the role of the Seeder, acquiring powers from the Green yet unable to match Swamp Thing’s complete potential as the Green’s Avatar. This narrative reached its climax when Woodrue and Swamp Thing clashed for the title of Avatar, a battle that Woodrue won momentarily before being defeated again. This revised continuity also connects Poison Ivy’s villainy to Jason Woodrue.
Harley Quinn Season 5 Remixes Poison Ivy’s History with Jason Woodrue
Following the events of “Infinite Crisis”, the narrative delved deeper into the relationship between Pamela Isley and Jason Woodrue, revealing that it was Woodrue who orchestrated her transformation into Poison Ivy. This storyline shares similarities with the 1997 film “Batman & Robin”, in which John Glover’s character, Woodrue, attempted to kill Isley, leading unintentionally to the creation of Poison Ivy instead. The comics introduced this twist by portraying Pamela as an innocent student, who was deceived and manipulated by her teacher, Jason, turning her into his test subject for numerous unethical experiments that ultimately fractured her mind.
In Season 5 of Harley Quinn, the narrative draws inspiration from the storyline post-Infinite Crisis and makes improvements on some of its more questionable elements. As in the source material, the characters Pamela Isley and Jason Woodrue share a romantic relationship in the TV series. However, unlike her comics counterpart who was easily manipulated, the show portrays Pamela as a self-assured scientist.
In this particular episode, we find that Pamela has successfully split a plant’s DNA, with Frank (voiced by JB Smoove) serving as the subject of her experiment. Jason, wanting to take advantage of Pamela’s work for his own gain, tries to steal her research. When she refuses, he locks her in the lab and releases poisonous gas. In a desperate bid to survive, Pamela injects herself with the altered plant DNA, transforming into Poison Ivy.
In one of Harley Quinn’s darkest incarnations penned by Jason Woodrue, his actions are among the most wicked in the character’s history. Instead of loyalty and love for Pamela, a woman he professed to cherish, he chose scientific acclaim over her, leading to a treacherous act that left Pamela reeling. This selfish move was a pathetic reason for such an appalling deed, causing Ivy to be utterly stunned upon encountering Jason once more. However, it seems Ivy’s problems are far from over as she has just transformed Jason into the Floronic Man in the series, mirroring events that occurred long ago. With a looming threat on the horizon, Ivy may soon find herself compelled to utilize the White Kryptonite for protection.
New episodes of Harley Quinn Season 5 premiere on Max every Thursday.
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2025-01-23 12:09