Warning: This article contains spoilers for Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 9.As we near the final episode of Harley Quinn season 5 and possibly the last entry in the DC animated series, I’ve quite liked how this season has panned out so far. Harley Quinn season 5, episode 8, was more of a slower entry that still had an impact on the overall story. We got a nice bit of character development for Harley, Poison Ivy dealt with an infiltration gone wrong, and Lex Luthor finally returned to the show. Its ending set up the final two episodes by building up the stakes.

The animated DC series surprised me earlier when it came to Lena Luthor not working with Brainiac, but overtaking him as the season’s true villain. By the end of the last episode, she had managed to achieve Brainiac’s ultimate goal, perfecting Metropolis and bottling the city. With Harley and Ivy back home and half of the show’s core cast of characters stuck inside Brainiac’s ship in the miniature-sized Metropolis, I was curious to see how episode 9 would explore those situations. The result was that some of my favorite characters got their time to shine.

Bruce Wayne Gets To Shine As Metropolis Finds Itself In A Rough Spot

The Joker & Lois Lane Also Have More Screen Time

Since Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are back on Earth, it comes down to a different set of characters to defend Metropolis from the inside. As one would imagine, all hell broke loose inside the city once everyone realized they had been bottled, with a nod to conspiracy theorists through the “bottle deniers” being one of the episode’s funniest gags. While I love Harley and Ivy, the show’s irreverent take on so many classic DC characters is my favorite aspect, and after spending most of the season in smaller roles, three of them got to shine.

Bruce Wayne, the Joker, and Lois Lane teamed up to try to save Metropolis from inside. The dynamic between Batman and the Joker is one of the most refreshing in the animated DC series. In most other media, the two are always at each other’s throats. However, the Joker is no longer a villain in Harley Quinn. Earlier in the season, their dynamic entered friendship territory and it was fun to see how hilarious they could be in the show’s latest episode when paired up once again.

I also loved the fact that we got more of Bruce Wayne as an action hero. The show’s version of Batman has Bruce behaving like a whiny rich man-child often, which leads to hilarious moments. However, seeing more traditional Batman action is always appreciated, and I was a fan of seeing Bruce fight Brainiac’s drones — now being used by Lena Luthor — alongside the Joker. Lois Lane’s role in the ordeal was also bigger than what she had done in the season so far, and her final call to Superman for help ended the episode emotionally.

Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy’s Lex Luthor Plan Backfires

The Season 5 Finale Will Feature Two Main Villains

While the team inside Metropolis held its own and managed to use one of Batman’s gadgets to help Harley and Ivy, the duo faced one major issue. Their whole plan hinged on Lex Luthor being able to take down his sister. That confrontation was built up throughout the episode. I liked the flashbacks to their childhood, which helped add more depth to both characters and fun moments. Lex had a few hilarious lines alongside Harley, Ivy, and Sharon, Harley’s mom. Based on how that chemistry was playing out, I was confident they would successfully work together against Lena.

I always knew Lex backstabbing them like he has done countless times in other media was very much a possibility. That said, Lex’s comments about his hatred for his sister and how she was destroying the city he loved felt genuine. In the end, you can never really trust a Luthor. I was shocked to see their confrontation ended with Lena and Lex teaming up against the rest of the characters. While I felt a betrayal was possible, I imagined that Lex would do so to have full control of Brainiac’s ship, not to share it with Lena.

As we head towards the Harley Quinn season 5 finale, episode 8 did a great job of setting up how the season will come to a head next week. Lena and Lex working together presents a major threat to the heroes. With Superman not answering Lois’ call for help, she, Bruce, and the Joker — along with other characters in Metropolis — will have their work cut out for them. While Brainiac played a small part in episode 9, I believe he will still be able to emerge as the answer Harley and Ivy need in the finale.

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