Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 4 Recap: Key Easter Eggs and Ending Explained

Warning! This article contains major SPOILERS for Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 4.

Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 4 Review

In a striking departure from its initial episodes, Harley Quinn Season 5, Episode 4 delves into the backstory of Brainiac, the season’s formidable antagonist. Viewers are taken on a journey through the origins of this Coluan villain, gaining insight into his motivations and current ambitions in Metropolis. This episode also clarifies the reasons why Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy represent significant challenges to Brainiac’s plans.

The previous episode left fans on a cliffhanger, with Harley and Ivy successfully dispatching Jason Woodrue, known as The Floronic Man. However, their triumph is short-lived as they find themselves teleported to Brainiac’s ominous skull ship orbiting Earth. This new installment takes a bold narrative turn, even resembling a separate show focused on Brainiac and his lost family. Below is a detailed recap, an analysis of the episode’s conclusion, and the most intriguing Easter eggs we unearthed in Episode 4.

Episode 4 Recap: “Breaking Brainiac”

Brainiac Eating Dinner With Family in Harley Quinn Season 5

Brainiac’s true origins are unveiled as Vril Dox, a seemingly ordinary family man from Colu, tasked with evaluating words and enhancing technology.
Anticipating a promotion that would keep him from intergalactic travel, Brainiac embarks on a final mission to acquire the Hyper Ray.
Upon returning home, he finds Colu devastated and his family deceased—a consequence of a mere 1% imperfection, which ignites his desire to eliminate imperfections across the universe.
Identifying the near-flawless Krypton, he shrinks and preserves Kandor, inspired by his son, in a misguided attempt to save it from annihilation.
Years later, Brainiac sets his sights on Earth, which boasts an 8% perfection rating, targeting Metropolis for his next grand project of supposed ‘perfection’.
Meanwhile, Harley and Ivy are held captive, and it becomes evident that Brainiac is struggling with his mental stability, evidenced by his conversations with a deceased pet monkey, Koko.
Brainiac considers Harley an unpredictable threat to his ideals, prompting him to prepare for her and Ivy’s erasure. A surprise ally, Lena Luthor, intervenes, advocating for their survival, which leads to their minds being wiped before they are returned home.

Understanding Brainiac’s Origins

Vril Dox’s descent into villainy is a poignant tale stemming from the loss of everything he cherished due to a minuscule imperfection. The depth of this narrative enriches Brainiac’s character, showcasing a tragic backstory that contrasts sharply with the show’s often humorous tone. Despite the series’ irreverence, it tackles significant themes effectively.

The humor remains present, particularly with Brainiac’s entertaining yet ironic need to “step out for CIGARETTES”—rebranded as Collecting Information and Gathering Analytics Regarding Extra-Terrestrial Technology, Equipment, and Systems. However, it’s darkly ironic that the device—Hyper Ray—that ultimately leads to his family’s demise is the very same he was in pursuit of when tragedy struck.

Now an isolated figure, Brainiac targets a new challenge: Earth. With a perfection rating of only 8%, he aims to transform Metropolis into a metropolitan utopia. He acknowledges that as long as Harley Quinn resides in the city, his goal of achieving perfection remains forever out of reach.

Episode 4 Conclusion: Unmasking Lena Luthor’s Role

Brainiac and Lena in Harley Quinn Season 5

Initially, Brainiac plans to eliminate Harley and Ivy to eliminate any obstacles. However, Lena Luthor’s timely arrival unveils her as an ally, covertly collaborating with Brainiac on Earth. While Brainiac focuses his efforts on executing his vision of perfection with drones, Lena diverts the populace’s attention from the impending doom facing Metropolis.

Lena manages to convince Brainiac to spare the lives of Harley and Ivy, citing her fondness for them. In a twist, Brainiac erases their memories of any interactions with him before sending them back to their apartment. Although they do not recall being captured, Harley’s subconscious perhaps retains fragments of their encounter, suggesting that future episodes may lead her to rediscover Brainiac’s intentions.

Episode 4: Easter Eggs and References

Space Sector 1287: Colu is accurately placed within this sector, reflecting original DC Comics lore.
Brainiac’s Real Name: Vril Dox, Brainiac’s true name in the comics, is acknowledged, with Harley suggesting “Brainiac”originated from Lena in this universe.
Vril Dox II: References to Brainiac’s son, Vril Dox II, a character founding the L. E.G. I.O. N.in the comics.
Mr. Starr: Brainiac’s superior is named after the merged government of Colu, known as the Computer Tyrants in the comics.
Hyper Ray: This device mirrors its comic counterpart’s abilities, shrinking and manipulating matter.
Classic DC Planets: Numerous planets, such as Bryak, Tamaran, and Krypton, among others, are featured during Brainiac’s travels.
Bottling Kandor: The act of shrinking Kandor remains a signature moment for Brainiac, preserved since Superman’s early stories.
The Great & Powerful Oz: Harley mockingly likens Brainiac’s intimidating presence to that of the Wizard of Oz.
Howie Mandel Reference: Harley humorously recalls Howie Mandel and the fate Joker bestowed upon him, linking back to the series’ previous events.