Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 4 Review: I Don’t Want Brainiac To Die After Such An Emotional Origin Story

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Harley Quinn season 5, episode 4.Harley Quinn season 5 is on its way to being one of the show’s very best. While not all episodes have been at the same level as episode 4, the animated DC series has done a great job overall with its Metropolis setting and the new storytelling opportunities it brings for key characters. Harley Quinn is a series that has often shown new sides to classic DC villains. Be it through Harley Quinn joining the Bat-Family, Clayface’s hilarious antics as an actor, Bane’s softer persona, and more.

Now, Harley Quinn season 5 turns its focus to the show’s new main villain. Brainiac has always been one of Superman’s most interesting antagonists. As such, I was excited when the first few season 5 episodes started setting up Brainiac’s villain arc. After a couple of small appearances and connections to the events of season 5, Brainiac takes center stage in episode 4. However, for those who just wanted to see a being intent on pure destruction, Harley Quinn offered a more layered take on the villain, and I loved it.

Brainiac’s Origin Story Includes A Tragic Event

The DC Series Makes Him A Nuanced Character

After Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy moved to Metropolis and Brainiac was revealed as season 5’s main villain, I was excited about the character’s potential. While I expected his role to grow in importance as the season went by, the DC series surprised me by not only making Brainiac such a prominent part of the show early on, but also dedicating a full episode to his origin. What’s even more interesting is that Harley Quinn wants us to root for Brainiac.

I don’t mean that the show necessarily puts him above its heroes, but episode 4 was clearly made with a lot of love for what Brainiac could be beyond a one-dimensional villain. In most of the other projects I have seen him in, Brainiac has been treated as a collector of worlds who only seeks perfection. While that is a key part of the character, Harley Quinn season 5 manages to explain how Brainiac became that way. The answer to that question is as tragic as the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents.

The series’ latest episode reveals Brainiac’s family back on the planet Colu as it explored their interesting dynamic. Brainiac’s wife was supportive of his endeavors, but he had a difficult relationship with his son and pushed him too hard. Dedicating most of his time to work, Brainiac returns from a trip to retrieve a powerful item and finds that his planet has been destroyed and his family is dead. I felt for him, as Brainiac had just seemed to shift to appreciating his son more before losing his family.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Uses Brainiac’s Loss To Power His Quest

The Villain’s Plans For Metropolis Are Revealed

There are two major takeaways for the character. Because he allowed Colu to be at 99% perfection, Brainiac starts to believe he is to blame and the 1% that was missing is responsible for the planet’s destruction and the death of his family. This is a great take on the character’s mission, allowing us to understand the strong reasons behind why Brainiac acts the way he does. After watching the episode, I don’t want Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy to kill Brainiac like they have done before with other foes.

I hope there is a way for the show to add Brainiac to the crew of misfits that includes the likes of King Shark, Clayface, Bane, and more. The second major takeaway from the Brainiac episode is that his son ended up being the driving force of his mission. Not only due to his death, but his parting gift to his father led to the DC villain’s idea of bottling cities. The plan does make sense, as levels of perfection will always fluctuate, but by bottling a city at 100%, it will stay that way forever.

After so much time was spent on Brainiac’s backstory, I almost forgot about Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. It was nice that the DC series managed to give Brainiac the focus he deserved while also including the show’s lead characters at the end to connect their stories. As expected, it is revealed that, much like her brother, Lena Luthor is also a villain. The fact that she is working alongside Brainiac is interesting, and with Harley and Ivy’s memories of their encounter with him being wiped, I wonder how Harley Quinn season 5 will move forward.

New episodes of Harley Quinn season 5 stream on Max each Thursday.