Recaps

Harley relived the memory of Joker abandoning her in a chemical pool, while Batman and his allies monitored the illusion to confront her with the truth and try to free her from Joker’s mind control. As Harley’s pain resurfaced, Pamela recalled how Joker had repeatedly manipulated Harley into returning to him.

• Harley remembered struggling out of a chemical pool while Joker dismissed her survival, realizing that her sacrifice meant nothing to him.
• Batman, Miaomiao, and Oracle used a modified dream manifestation device to project Harley’s illusion as Pamela, Selina, and Batman watched over her.
• Pamela asked whether the method could free Harley from Joker’s mind control, and Batman promised Harley would be safe while Selina admitted they could not be certain it would work.
• Pamela recalled helping Harley decide to break up with Joker, only for Joker to claim he was leaving her to protect her.
• Joker suggested that only a love strong enough to defy death could keep them together, and Harley abandoned her resolve and returned to him.

Miaomiao explained that Harley’s apparent journey was an illusion unfolding in her mind while her real body slept under hypnosis in Selina Kyle’s Safehouse. As Miaomiao took a break to soak, “Harleen” continued guiding Harley toward the truth about her past with the Joker.

• Miaomiao reassured Pamela that the illusion was stable and that she only needed water to recover.
• The chapter revealed that Harley had been asleep since returning to Pamela’s apartment, while the group monitored her at Selina Kyle’s Safehouse.
• Batman sent Miaomiao to a prepared pool, where her legs transformed into a fish tail.
• Pamela and Selina learned that Miaomiao was a merfolk and saw her tail for the first time.
• Inside the illusion, Harley repeatedly revisited her memories and realized that she had deceived herself rather than been misled by “Harleen.”

“Harleen” challenged Harley’s belief that Joker loved her, showing how he had repeatedly abused and exploited her despite the affectionate memories she clung to. Harley watched the memories restored to their painful reality and began to doubt her conviction, though she still tried to defend Joker.

• “Harleen” told Harley that Joker’s demand for proof of love and his treatment of her showed control and disregard, not devotion.
• Harley defended her relationship by recalling moments when Joker accepted her as his partner and called them Gotham’s king and queen.
• “Harleen” replayed the memories without Harley’s romantic distortions, revealing Joker abandoning her to the police, abusing her, using her as a decoy, and pushing her from a helicopter.
• “Harleen” showed Harley how Joker treated her as a disposable tool, including leaving her unconscious in a sinking car while he escaped.
• Harley watched in shock, screamed, and tried to explain away Joker’s actions while insisting that he loved her.

Harley confronted Harleen in an Illusion, defending her life with Joker as a colorful freedom from the rigid expectations she had once followed. Harleen challenged her to separate that freedom from her obsession with Joker, leaving Harley to consider whether she could remain Harley Quinn without him.

• Harleen told Harley that Joker had exploited her and never loved her.
• Harley rejected Harleen’s claim and argued that Harleen’s obedient, conventional life had been a lifeless cage.
• Harley described how Joker had let her embrace her desires and live without society’s rules.
• Harleen acknowledged Harley’s longing for freedom, then made every Joker in the Illusion disappear.
• Harleen told Harley that she was obsessed with freedom, not Joker, and could live as Harley Quinn without being his girl.

Harley confronted the trauma of the Joker’s betrayal with Pamela beside her, and began questioning her lingering love for him. Pamela revealed that the childhood story that first drew Harley to the Joker had actually happened to Pamela, and that the Joker had stolen it to manipulate Harley.

• Harley relived the Joker trapping her in a rocket and abandoning her, then Pamela comforted her and reminded her that he had kept her captive.
• Harley apologized to Pamela for pushing her away, and Pamela forgave her and promised she had never blamed or abandoned her.
• Harley realized Pamela had entered her illusion with her own mind, while Harleen explained that she was Harley’s subconscious and left after finishing her work.
• Pamela asked Harley whether she still loved the Joker, and Harley recalled falling for him after hearing his story about an unloved childhood and a ferret named Ferris.
• Pamela revealed that the story had happened to her, and that the Joker had learned it during counseling and pretended it was his own to win Harley’s sympathy.

Harley confronted the Joker in Arkham as the final test to break his mental hold over her. His memories nearly drew her back in, but a flower thorn reminded her of Pamela and brought her to her senses.

• Pamela told Harley she had to face the real Joker and sever her attachment to him to escape his control.
• Harley entered an illusion of Arkham and told the Joker she had come to end their relationship, not rescue him.
• The Joker tried to manipulate Harley with declarations of love and memories of their shared promises.
• Harley nearly gave in and reached for the door, but a thorn on its handle made her remember Ivy and regain her resolve.

Harley saw through Joker’s manipulation and told him she had killed Batman, revealing his bloodstained cowl as proof. Joker reacted with rage and despair, furious that Harley had touched his nemesis.

• Harley realized Joker’s declarations of love were manipulative and mocked how easily she had once believed him.
• Harley told Joker she had killed Batman as a gift for their reunion.
• Pamela, Batman, Miaomiao, and Selina reacted with shock while they watched the Illusion.
• Joker insisted Harley must be lying, then tried to coax her into admitting it.
• Harley showed Joker Batman’s bloodstained cowl and said she had killed him.
• Joker exploded in fury, berating Harley for killing Batman without his permission.

Harley rejected Joker’s manipulation and declared that their relationship was over, then revealed that she controlled the illusion trapping him. She forced Joker toward the chemical vat and taunted him as she claimed her place as Gotham’s new king of crime.

• Joker raged at Harley through the door, then tried to win her back with false professions of love.
• Harley told Joker she saw through his manipulation and would never be his lackey again.
• Joker insulted and threatened Harley, but she declared that she was Harley Quinn and condemned his emotional control.
• Harley snapped her fingers, revealing the Ace Chemical Plant as her illusion and making Joker walk toward the vat against his will.
• Harley taunted Joker about jumping into the chemicals and declared that she would become Gotham’s one and only new king of crime.

Harley woke free of the Joker’s influence after Miaomiao’s Illusion helped her break away from him, while Miaomiao recovered from the effort. After waking from a day of sleep, Miaomiao received a formal invitation from Tony to visit him in New York.

• Harley woke beside Pamela and learned that Miaomiao, Pamela, and Selina had helped her escape the Joker’s mental imprint.
• Harley thanked her friends, asked to see Miaomiao’s mermaid tail, and urged the exhausted Miaomiao to go home and rest.
• Batman waited for Miaomiao, then took her back to Wayne Manor, where she fell asleep in her underwater nest.
• Miaomiao woke after sleeping for a full day and realized that her Illusion Song abilities had grown stronger.
• Bruce gave Miaomiao a formal invitation from Tony to visit him in New York.

Bruce encouraged Miaomiao to accept Tony Stark’s invitation to visit New York, and she flew there for the first time. After arriving, she met Happy, who was taking her to Tony’s company.

• Bruce told Miaomiao that Tony had invited her to New York and supported her choice to go.
• Miaomiao decided to visit New York and boarded a private plane with a backpack prepared by Butler Batman.
• Miaomiao marveled at the clouds during her first flight and fell asleep before the plane reached New York.
• Miaomiao arrived in sunny, bustling New York and met Harold Joseph Hogan, who introduced himself as Happy.
• Happy opened the car door for Miaomiao and welcomed her to New York before driving her toward Tony’s company.

Miaomiao arrived at Avengers Tower in New York and waited for Tony, where she met Steve Rogers. After mistaking Steve’s radiant presence for a sign that he was Kryptonian, she explained that Kryptonians were aliens like Superman.

• Happy drove Miaomiao from the airport to Avengers Tower and showed her to a room with a small indoor swimming pool.
• J.A.R.V.I.S. welcomed Miaomiao and told her that Tony and Pepper were in a meeting.
• Steve returned from a run and introduced himself to Miaomiao while he waited at Avengers Tower.
• Miaomiao asked Steve whether he was a Kryptonian, and Steve asked her to explain the unfamiliar term.
• Miaomiao told Steve that Kryptonians were aliens and that Superman was a Kryptonian superhero in Metropolis.

Miaomiao met Steve, Bruce Banner, Natasha, and Clint at the Avengers’ headquarters and told them she was Bruce Wayne’s adopted daughter. Tony arrived with Pepper and welcomed her, then asked about her flight from Gotham.

• Steve explained to Miaomiao that he was born on Earth, and Bruce Banner joined their conversation.
• Miaomiao became excited to learn that Banner’s name was Bruce, then revealed that her father was Bruce Wayne.
• Banner explained Bruce Wayne’s fame, while Natasha introduced herself and asked Miaomiao about her trip to New York.
• Miaomiao said Uncle Nini had invited her and that she had traveled alone; Natasha gently questioned whether she had been scared.
• Tony and Pepper arrived, and Tony hugged Miaomiao before asking about her flight and joking that Bruce had refused to send the Mark armor to pick her up.

Tony introduced Miaomiao Wayne to the Avengers and warned them not to expose her to danger or report her to S.H.I.E.L.D. As Miaomiao settled into Avengers Tower, Steve and Banner discovered that her strength and stamina were far beyond those of an ordinary girl.

• Tony introduced Miaomiao to the Avengers as his childhood friend's newly adopted guest and told them not to report her to the director, expose her to danger, or take her on missions.
• Pepper and Natasha took Miaomiao shopping in New York and filled her walk-in closet with clothes and accessories.
• Steve invited Miaomiao on a morning run and was astonished when she kept pace with him for two kilometers.
• Banner watched Miaomiao effortlessly lift a machine weighing more than 150 kilograms.

Clint sneaked cheesecake into the kitchen and shared it with Miaomiao, but Tony joined them before J.A.R.V.I.S. exposed their snacking to Pepper. The three were caught, and Clint blamed J.A.R.V.I.S. for allowing him to hide the cake overnight before reporting them.

• Clint crept into the kitchen to eat the cheesecake and doughnuts he had hidden in the fridge.
• Miaomiao found Clint, and he shared a small piece of cake with her in secret.
• Tony caught them and joined in, eating cake with Clint and Miaomiao.
• J.A.R.V.I.S. announced that Tony had exceeded his dietary limits and reported both men's food intake to Pepper.
• Tony learned J.A.R.V.I.S. had noticed Clint's cake the previous night, and Clint accused Tony's butler of setting him up.

Pepper confronted Tony after J.A.R.V.I.S. sent her footage of him and Clint sneaking sweets with Miaomiao, and she made Tony promise to improve his health. The chapter ended with Pepper revealing that Steve would coach Tony’s workouts under J.A.R.V.I.S.’s supervision, to Tony’s horror.

• Pepper called Tony after J.A.R.V.I.S. sent her kitchen camera screenshots of him eating sweets with Clint and Miaomiao.
• Miaomiao defended Tony and Clint, but Pepper reassured her and scolded Tony for setting a bad example.
• Tony admitted he was wrong and promised to limit sweets, begin exercising, and let J.A.R.V.I.S. supervise him.
• J.A.R.V.I.S. revealed Tony had skipped his workout plan, and Pepper arrived to explain she was worried about his health.
• Pepper told Tony that Steve would be his fitness coach starting the next day, and Tony protested.

Tony was forced by Steve, Miaomiao, and J.A.R.V.I.S. to join a morning run in Central Park despite his attempts to stay in bed. After struggling through a few laps, he stopped exhausted while Miaomiao remained comfortable and Steve was ready to keep going.

• J.A.R.V.I.S. refused Tony’s request to skip exercise because Pepper’s health directives took priority, and Steve and Miaomiao came to get him up.
• Tony reluctantly dressed for the run while complaining to Steve and threatening to change his alarm.
• Steve led Tony and Miaomiao through Central Park as Miaomiao ran easily and Tony struggled with the exertion.
• After two more laps, Tony stopped on a bench, gasping and saying he could not continue.
• Miaomiao wondered why Tony had stopped when Steve could keep running, prompting Tony to point out Steve’s Super Soldier Serum.

Miaomiao accompanied Steve and Tony on a morning run, while Hydra Remnants secretly watched them and chose her as a target for revenge against the Avengers. The Hydra agents prepared to strike at the girl they believed was the Avengers’ weakest link.

• Steve handed a winded Tony water and teased him about his poor fitness while Miaomiao stayed with him on the park bench.
• Hydra agents observed the trio from a nearby building and discussed Miaomiao’s closeness to the Avengers.
• The Hydra Remnants recalled how the Avengers had dismantled their organization and rejected a direct attack as too dangerous.
• The agents decided Miaomiao was an easier target than the Avengers and waited for an opportunity to capture or attack her.

Miaomiao was left alone after Steve and Tony rushed to investigate an explosion, and Hydra agents abducted her after luring her into an alley. The chapter ended with the agents celebrating while Miaomiao, apparently hypnotized but still bewildered, wondered whether Hydra had even checked on their hostage.

• Tony, Steve, and Miaomiao jogged in the park until an explosion sounded nearby.
• Tony flew toward the explosion, and Steve told Miaomiao to return to Avengers Tower while he went to help.
• Miaomiao heard a plea for help in an alley and approached a person whose malice she sensed.
• A Hydra Soldier sprayed Miaomiao with Hypnotic Potion as other Hydra Soldiers rushed out and bundled her into a modified car.
• The Hydra Soldiers escaped and celebrated their successful abduction while Miaomiao wondered why they had not checked on her.

Hydra kidnapped Miaomiao in a disguised ice cream truck and planned to brainwash her into a weapon against the Avengers. When the kidnappers reached their destination, Miaomiao pretended to be unconscious, but one of them noticed the smell of ice cream.

• Miaomiao removed her hood and found that Hydra had left her unguarded after taking her phone and watch.
• Miaomiao ate some of the ice cream stored in the truck while Hydra sent identical trucks along separate routes to confuse the Avengers.
• A Hydra leader explained that they intended to torture Miaomiao, erase her memories, and turn her into a weapon against the Avengers.
• The truck reached a new location, and Miaomiao pretended to be unconscious as Hydra members came to remove her.
• One Hydra member smelled ice cream on Miaomiao and asked whether Number Seven had eaten any.

Miaomiao used her strange influence to keep Hydra believing she was unconscious while the Avengers discovered she had been kidnapped and began searching for her. Hydra brought her to an underground outpost, where an emergency message about the Winter Soldier arrived.

• The Hydra squad leader caught Miaomiao awake, but she persuaded the squad to believe she was still unconscious and continue their plan.
• Tony ordered J.A.R.V.I.S. to investigate Miaomiao’s disappearance, and the surveillance footage showed someone had deleted the recording after she left the park.
• Tony instructed J.A.R.V.I.S. to access every nearby camera while Steve blamed himself for letting Miaomiao travel back alone.
• Hydra brought Miaomiao to a hidden underground outpost to change disguises before moving her to a more secluded base.
• A Hydra member announced an emergency communication concerning the Winter Soldier.

Hydra brought Miaomiao to Outpost Three, where she saw the Winter Soldier arrive for a cleanup mission and recognized the signs of his conditioning. As Hydra began activating his hypnotic triggers, Miaomiao remained strapped down and prepared to fight.

• Hydra’s squad leader learned that the Winter Soldier was headed to Outpost Three and redirected the team there with Miaomiao.
• The squad brought Miaomiao to the outpost beneath an abandoned factory and strapped her to a medical bed.
• The Winter Soldier arrived, noticed Miaomiao, and asked who she was, prompting the squad leader to order him to stand by.
• Hydra used hypnotic trigger words to weaken the Winter Soldier’s resistance while Miaomiao sensed his remaining humanity.
• Miaomiao grew furious at Hydra’s plans to turn her into a controlled weapon and silently extended sharp blue-violet claws.

Miaomiao broke free of Hydra’s restraints and fought off the agents, while the Winter Soldier was ordered to kill her. The chapter ended with him attacking Miaomiao, who blocked his metal fist.

• The squad leader ordered the Winter Soldier to memorize Miaomiao’s photograph and eliminate her, but the Winter Soldier questioned who she was before being placed in the brainwashing chair.
• Miaomiao awakened, shattered her restraints, and stopped the Hydra agents’ bullets with a water barrier before disarming and injuring them.
• Miaomiao grabbed the squad leader, then released and knocked him unconscious when he ordered the Winter Soldier to kill her.
• The Winter Soldier attacked Miaomiao from behind, and she blocked his metal fist with her arms.
• The Winter Soldier continued attacking Miaomiao with greater force.

Miaomiao fought the Winter Soldier and suicidal Hydra agents as their base began to self-destruct, then knocked him unconscious and escaped with him before the explosion. Outside, she noticed that his unmasked face looked familiar.

• The brainwashed Winter Soldier attacked Miaomiao while Hydra agents swarmed her with weapons and explosives.
• A Hydra agent activated the base's self-destruct countdown, and Miaomiao struggled to fight off the attackers as the facility began to collapse.
• Miaomiao used a silent shriek to stun everyone, struck the Winter Soldier unconscious, and carried him toward an exit.
• Miaomiao tore through the base and escaped with the Winter Soldier just before the explosions destroyed it.
• Inside her protective bubble outside the ruins, Miaomiao looked at the unconscious Winter Soldier and thought his face seemed familiar.

Miaomiao recognized the unconscious Winter Soldier as Bucky Barnes after remembering him from a museum film about Captain America. The chapter recounts Bucky and Steve’s friendship from childhood through the war, ending with Bucky’s steadfast loyalty to Steve.

• Miaomiao recognized the Winter Soldier’s face from a film she had seen with Steve at the museum.
• Steve had told Miaomiao that Bucky was his childhood neighbor and best friend, who protected him from bullies.
• When Steve decided to enlist despite his poor health, Bucky agreed to join him and became a sergeant.
• Steve later became Captain America, rescued Bucky and hundreds of other prisoners, and brought the two friends together again.
• Bucky accepted his place beside Captain America and said he followed the little guy from Brooklyn into every fight.

After escaping the destruction of Hydra’s underground base, Miaomiao carried the wounded Bucky through the wilderness and into a frozen river. She calmed him with the Merfolk’s Requiem, and the chapter ended with Bucky asking who he was as Miaomiao introduced herself and asked how to reach Manhattan.

• Miaomiao found Bucky unconscious and injured after the underground base exploded.
• Bucky woke under Hydra’s kill order and attacked Miaomiao, who knocked him unconscious to stop him.
• Miaomiao carried Bucky through the wilderness until she found a river, then jumped into the icy water with him.
• Bucky woke choking on river water, and Miaomiao sang the Merfolk’s Requiem to calm him.
• Bucky asked Miaomiao who she was, where they were, and who he was, and she told him her name and asked for directions to Manhattan.