Warning: This article contains spoilers for Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 10.I loved how Harley Quinn season 5 ended. The DC series built up Brainiac throughout the season, leading to his (albeit surprising) actions in the finale making sense. In episode 9, the show set the stage for the finale, with the characters divided into two groups. I enjoyed that, and for a significant portion of the finale, we got to see the same dynamics play out. Only Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's team managed to succeed this time around and defeat both Lena Luthor and her brother, Lex.
I went into the season 5 finale with mixed feelings. The season was fantastic, easily becoming one of my favorites so far. The move from Gotham City to Metropolis allowed the show and its characters to reinvent themselves, leading to a fresh adventure that was every bit as charming and hilarious as the ones we saw before. However, Harley Quinn has yet to be renewed for season 6. While I could see that happening, given how James Gunn has said that Elseworlds projects outside the DCU can still be developed, I'm unsure of where the animated series stands.
Brainiac Makes A Surprising Decision
Lena & Lex Luthor Are Defeated
One of the few issues I had with Harley Quinn season 5 was how the show revealed Lena Luthor as its biggest villain, reducing Brainiac's role. Don't get me wrong, I really liked this family man version of Brainiac and thought it was a lot of fun to see such a different take on the Superman villain. However, I still wanted to see him have a more active role in the plot. Well, the Harley Quinn season 5 finale seemed to listen and made Brainiac's shocking decision its most important moment.
I liked how Lena and Lex were defeated at the start of the episode. It was interesting to see an unusual team like Harley, Ivy, Brainiac, and Sharon Quinzel work together. Frankette also helped, and she continues to be as adorable as when she was first introduced. As with any good Luthor adaptation, the family ends up not being able to live peacefully with one another, so I felt the method Harley's crew took to take Lex and Lena down, which was to make them fight between themselves, was effective and a classic solution for the Luthors.
With Lex and Lena out of the way, Brainiac became the episode's most important character. I was a fan of how they did not make him become a full-on villain again out of the blue, but his disillusioned outlook on life led to him turning on the self-destruct sequence of his ship and putting everybody's life in danger. Brainiac's journey was one of realizing that his old life with his family was perfect despite its imperfections. Him dying as he saw visions of his family, while also allowing Harley and the others to leave in an escape pod, was emotional.
Superman Arrives To Save The Day
Harley Quinn Season 5 Finds A Possible Ending For The Show
When I heard that Harley Quinn season 5 would be set in Metropolis, I was excited to see what kind of role Superman would play in it. While I thought it made sense to send him away on a self-discovery journey, as the Man of Steel would have taken the spotlight from Harley and Ivy, I was disappointed the show didn't find a way to keep him around in some capacity. Thankfully, the season 5 finale gave Superman the moment he deserved, with the Man of Steel returning just in time to save everyone from dying in space.
It also helped Superman to settle the score with Harley, as she saved his life previously and was angry about him not saying thanks at the start of the season. Back on Earth, everyone was safe and sound, thanks to Superman. After fearing that the show might not be renewed, even though the showrunners have stated plans for a possible season 6, the finale only helped increase my fears. At the end of season 5, Harley and Ivy finished their Metropolis adventure and moved back into their Gotham City apartment.
At the start of season 5, Harley and Ivy felt their relationship was in a rut. They left for Metropolis in search of making things fresh. Now, they returned home and realized that they had everything and everyone they needed all along. Besides Superman pushing Metropolis to be closer to Gotham, they make very few changes to their way of life in the end. Harley Quinn season 5's final scene has the tone of a goodbye. Harley and Ivy jump off the balcony to go on new adventures, allowing us to imagine their future if the show is not renewed.
