DC Just Made One Classic Villain’s Origin Story Even More Messed Up 37 Years Later

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After the first project in the new DC Universe, the studio’s next 2025 entry has just made a classic villain’s story more tragic than it is in the comics. James Gunn’s DCU started at the end of last year with Creature Commandos. The TV-MA animated series focuses on a team of villains — some not as violent as others — who assemble as Amanda Waller’s replacement for the Suicide Squad. This allowed DC to add many exciting villains to the DCU right from the start, which is very important for the franchise’s future.

After all, a superhero movie or TV show is only as good as its villain. Prior DC releases have had amazing heroes, but with poor choices for a villain, even acclaimed versions of classic DC characters, like Christopher Reeve’s Superman, have struggled. DC has both unredeemable villains and others that only turned to evil due to tragic circumstances. That happens to be the case of a major character from Batman’s corner of DC Comics. While the villain has yet to be announced for DC’s upcoming movies, the studio’s most recent release has made changes to their origin story.

2025 Has Given DC Its Newest Take On Poison Ivy’s Origin Story

A Long-Running Animated Series Returns

After Creature Commandos, the next project from DC before James Gunn’s Superman movie is one that was created years before Gunn even joined DC. Harley Quinn has returned for season 5, and Max’s TV-MA animated series finally delved deeper into one of its main characters. The DC series focuses on Harley and Poison Ivy’s relationship. After the duo moved from Gotham to Metropolis in the season 5 premiere, episode 2 saw Ivy start a new chapter in her life. The character is the head of the Metropolis Green Initiative, but she encounters Jason Woodrue, a person from her past there.

Harley Quinn season 5 makes some changes to Poison Ivy’s story, though it keeps the character that led to her transformation. There are two main versions of Poison Ivy’s origin in the comics. The most popular — and the story that Harley Quinn adapts — comes from her Post-Crisis origin. In 1988, DC revealed how Dr. Pamela Isley studied botanical biochemistry at a university, where she met her professor, Jason Woodrue, and became entangled with him. However, Woodrue did not have good intentions for their relationship, using Pamela for an experiment. After being injected with a concoction, she transforms into Poison Ivy.

How Harley Quinn Season 5 Makes Poison Ivy’s Origin Story Feel Even More Messed Up

The DC Show Makes Tweaks To Her Story

Harley Quinn season 5 used Poison Ivy’s Post-Crisis origin as the basis for the character’s past in the animated show. However, there are some key differences between the two. In the 2025 DC series, Poison Ivy’s conflict with Jason Woodrue begins when she reveals to him that she has come up with a brilliant invention. That happens to be Frank, a character who has been a regular since Harley Quinn season 1. Ivy created the talking plant by mixing human and plant DNA. Woodrue views this as a way to get the funding he needs from the university.

As such, Woodrue attempts to get Frank from Ivy, and when she refuses, he decides to kill her. The show changes Poison Ivy’s origin in two ways. The first is Frank’s role in it, as he does not exist in the comics. This way, the show makes her origin sadder, as Pamela was fighting to save a sentient being from being explored for money by Woodrue, who did not consider Frank deserving of respect. The second key change is that Pamela injects herself with the concoction that makes her Poison Ivy, as it saves her from toxins Woodrue had released.

Harley Quinn Season 5 May Have Just Set Up Another Major Villain For The Show

A Superman Villain Had Already Debuted

In the season 5 premiere, Harley Quinn revealed that moving the show to Metropolis meant that a major Superman villain would play a big role. Brainiac is Harley Quinn season 5’s main villain, but that does not mean that other antagonists will not rise as the season goes along. While Harley could end up being the one to take on Brainiac directly, it seems like the show has just set up another major villain for its other lead. It all stems from Poison Ivy’s decision to get revenge.

Pretending to be ready to make peace with Woodrue, Ivy lures him into a trap. She recreates the toxins Woodrue had locked her with all those years ago and leaves him to die. However, Woodrue, much like Ivy did, transforms into a new plant-like being. DC Comics fans will recognize him as Floronic Man, a character who most recently appeared in the live-action Swamp Thing series. Based on his important role in Poison Ivy’s past, Floronic Man could become one of the main threats Harley and Ivy face in Harley Quinn season 5.

Upcoming DC Movie Releases

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