Summary
Warning: contains spoilers for Poison Ivy #24Afterthe tragic deathofPoison Ivyat the hands of her zombie children, the reluctant hero proves just how powerful she is by regenerating through her connection to the Green inPoison Ivy#24. While Ivy has been resurrected before -most famously inHeroes in Crisis- this rebirth sees the powerful woman coming back to life almost immediately through her intense connection to planet Earth, a vast evolution of her past immortality.
Poison Ivydied in the hands of her partner and lover, the indomitable Harley Quinn, after saving Gotham City fromthe monstrous Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man.
Poison Ivy#24, from writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Haining, seesSolomon Grundy save the dayby suggesting they “plant” Ivy in Slaughter Swamp -the supernatural swamp where Grundy himself was resurrected- which results in Ivy connecting to the Green and being reborn, with a gorgeous new costume for her next arc.
Poison Ivy’s Connection To The Green Makes Her Basically Immortal
Just like a flower in winter, Ivy will always bloom again
Poison Ivy long agotranscended the plane of mortality, becoming one with the green forever, much like the elemental being Swamp Thing. Yet, she is intimately tied to the realm of humans and has only shown godlike abilities several times throughout her long career as an antihero. The monstrous experimentation of Jason Woodrue transformed Pamela Isley, but this tragic manipulation led to her connection to the Green, which granted her vast powers and abilities. Throughout Wilson’sPoison Ivyrun Pamela has struggled with some of her powers, like full control over plant materials, but after her rebirth, she has been restored to full power.
“From now on, I’m sticking to what I’m good at. Terrifying billionaires, sabotaging oil barons, and turning the occasional litterer into plant food…
InPoison Ivy#24 Pamela herself says that her regeneration “isn’t that special,” when you consider that many creatures in nature are functionally immortal, shifting to different formations of cells through “death” and rebirth. Bella Garten once spoke about Ivy’s immortality, confirming that since Pamela’s cells are spread throughout all the plants she controls,as long as one cell is still alive she will always return to life. Ivy confirms this herself in this issue, after a vision of the World Tree, stating, “I am just particles of carbon, rearranging themselves.” Poison Ivy’s rebirth also leads to a gorgeous new costume for the powerful elemental antihero, an updated look for her latest era as an immortal guardian of the Green.
Harley and Ivy’s Relationship Is Stronger Than Ever After Her Rebirth
These two are dedicated to each other in this life and the next
Poison Ivy’s death was obviously tragic for Harley Quinn, who loves Pamela with every fiber of her being. Thankfully, Harley trusted Solomon Grundy and allowed him to bring Ivy into Slaughter Swamp, whichcombined with her connection to the Green allowed her to be resurrected. After Harley and Ivy have a sweet heart-to-heart about their relationship - and their intimacy with Janet - they reaffirm their intense love and dedication to each other.
Much ofPoison Ivyhas been about Ivy being rebirthed as an antihero, moving past her belief that all of humanity must die, to nowunderstanding that humanity is part of the Green, and must be protected. The incrediblePoison Ivyhas finally defeated the Floronic Man, her greatest foe, and demonstrated that she is immortal, a guardian of the Green that will return time and time to fight for the planet and those she loves.
Poison Ivy
Inducted into Batman’s rogues gallery in the 1960s, Poison Ivy is a metahuman who terrorizes Gotham with her poisonous touch and control over plant life. A misanthropic eco-terrorist, Poison Ivy is also depicted as an anti-hero, using her powers in attempts to regrow the environment in the wake of pollution and deforestation. Together with her lover Harley Quinn, the two are always ready to wreak havoc in Gotham.
