Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Harley Quinn season 5, episode 4Harley Quinnseason 5, episode 4 goes in a very unique direction compared to the first three episodes. Exploring the origins of Brainiac, the season’s big bad, viewers get to see how the Coluan supervillain formed his mission and learn what he wants in the present with the city of Metropolis. It’s also revealed why Harley and Ivy are the biggest obstacles standing in the way of his goals.
As was seen at the end ofHarley Quinnseason 5, episode 3, Harley and Ivy successfully killed Jason Woodrue aka The Floronic Man. However, the episode ends with the duo being teleported up to Brainiac’s skull ship in Earth’s orbit. Now, this new episode travels back in time to reveal the origins of Brainiac, almost like it’s a completely separate show starring the Coluan and the family he once had. To that end,here’sour recap, ending explainer, and all the biggest Easter eggs/references we found inHarley QuinnSeason 5, episode 4.
Brainiac’s Origins in Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 4 Explained
The Collector of Worlds Is Seeking A New Challenge
Having lost his entire family and world due to a single percent of unaccounted imperfection, it’s no wonder why Vril Dox chooses to “rage against imperfection"across the galaxy.Likewise, the fact that sucha major Superman villain from comics like Brainiacis given new origins so tragic and with such dimension is quite impressive. After all, it’s certainly not something one would likely have expected from a show as irreverent and comedic asHarley Quinn.
There’s still plenty of humor, such as Brainiac’s work requiring him to leave and go out for CIGARETTES (Collecting Information and Gathering Analytics Regarding Extra-Terrestrial Technology, Equipment and Systems). However, the fact that the signature device Brainiac uses to shrink cities is the same one he was sent out to acquire when he lost everything is brutal.The same goes for Vril Dox II giving Brainiac the idea to bottle and preserve said cities once they’ve been perfected.
Brainiac is well aware that his goals will remain impossible so long as Harley Quinn is living in Metropolis, confirming that she’s “an unpredictable variable beyond calculation” and “the ultimate barrier to perfection”.
Now, the present sees a Brainiac who’s been isolated and purposeless after years of collecting now seeking a new challenge. Picking a world and city that isn’t near perfection, Brainiac chooses Earth (which is only at 8%) and Metropolis (which was sitting at 20%). Intending to bring the city to 100% perfection, Brainiac is well aware that his goals will remain impossible so long as Harley Quinn is living in Metropolis, confirming that she’s “an unpredictable variable beyond calculation” and “the ultimate barrier to perfection”.
Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 4 Ending Explained
Lena Luthor’s Role Revealed
Brainiac was simply going to kill Harley and Ivy to be done with it at the end ofHarley Quinnseason 5, episode 4.However, Lena Luthor arrives on board the skull ship, revealing that she’s been Brainiac’s ally on Earth. While Brainac works to make the city perfect with his drones, Lena has been keeping humans distracted and unaware of what’s about to happen to Metropolis.
Surprisingly, Lena convinces Brainiac to spare Harley and Ivy, claiming that she likes them and will take care of them. As a result, Brainiac wipes Harley and Ivy’s minds of all their interactions with him before teleporting them back to their apartment. While neither of them can directly remember being captured by the Coluan, it seems as though Harley’s subconscious still does, as she’s shown unsure of recent events. As such, perhaps she’ll end up remembering Brainiac and his plans for the cityin the episodes ofHarley Quinnseason 5 still to come.
