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Poison Ivy, known as Dr. Pamela Isley, is a supervillain from the Batman franchise. Half-woman and half-plant, Poison Ivy was a crafty and seductive eco-terrorist. Just as her name indicated, her exterior was as beautiful as ivy, but her interior was as deadly as poison.

She is one of the two main antagonists from the 1997 film Batman & Robin and was portrayed by Uma Thurman.

History[]

Personality[]

This incarnation of Poison Ivy is a much-more sexually provocative seductress while her connection and control of plants- while still present- is given limited screen time, showing her once able to control plant growth and issue them orders with ease. She frequently uses her irresistible looks and seduction to get what she wants, becoming the epitome of a vamp. She has no qualms when it comes to murder either, even displaying some personal enjoyment from it.

Poison Ivy also displays a very vain side to her, taking great pleasure and care in her own appearance and the attention it brings her. Though this is likely due to how much of a boon it is to her, her unrivaled beauty often being enough to seduce the average male to lower his defenses in his desire for her. A fact she's quite aware of and eager to exploit.

In the end, everything Ivy does is to further her own ends, even going as far as to attempt to murder her partner-in-crime, Mr. Freeze's wife (the very partner she broke out of prison nevertheless) to make him pliable to her own desires. Poison by name. Poison by her very nature.

Physical appearance[]

Pamela Isley is a slender, fair-skinned woman with brown hair and green eyes. She dons black-framed glasses, a white lab coat with a grey tank top underneath, a beige skirt, and brown boots.

After her transformation and rebirth, she now has red hair and became very attractive. She now wears green clothing with ivy leaves, high heel pumps, and gloves.

Appearances[]

Live-action films[]

Batman & Robin[]

Dr. Pamela Isley was a scientist and botanist specializing in several types of flowers in a lab in South America, with her work sponsored and funded by Wayne Enterprises. She hated how the world treated its plant life and attempted several experiments, including using a South American rattlesnake and other venomous fluids to give flowers the chance to fight back against "the thoughtless ravages of man", but each one failed. Her employer and co-worker, Dr. Jason Woodrue, constantly took her Venom samples back to his lab area for reasons that were unknown to her.

After she wanted to find out once and for all what Woodrue was up to, Isley crept into his lab and watched in horror as he used some of her Venom and created a powerful super-soldier who was called Bane.

Woodrue spotted Isley and, after he dragged her back to her lab, told her that Wayne Enterprises had cut their funding, but had it not been for her research, he would never have succeeded. Woodrue asked Isley to join him, but she refused, said that he had corrupted her research for world-domination, and demanded to be set free.

Unfortunately, Woodrue - who was not good with rejection - decided to kill Isley and pushed her into her table of animal-plant toxins, along with her rattlesnake and the same Venom that had created Bane.

Woodrue left Isley and allowed the poisons to burn a grave for her deep within the Earth she loved so much, unaware that they were actually creating one of the deadliest and most seductive villains that mankind would ever know.

Sometime later, Woodrue entered Dr. Isley's former and dormant area of the lab and conversed with the winning bidder of Bane on his cell phone. Suddenly, Isley's grave began to stir, and, in a pink eruption, the so-called dead scientist re-emerged as a goddess of irresistible and seductive beauty: slightly disheveled magenta-red hair that was nonetheless long and lush and brushed her shoulders, heavily-lidded chlorophyll-green eyes, and severely ravaged clothes that set off a tall, slender, and yet voluptuous figure to full advantage.

Woodrue, who had expected Isley dead, was instantly smitten with her to the extent that he fell to his knees. The former Pamela Isley seemingly shrugged off her apparent death as a good night's rest while Woodrue looked on. Isley revealed that the animal-plant toxins made a "unique effect" on her; they replaced her blood with aloe, her skin with chlorophyll. After she kissed Woodroe, who immediately kissed her back, her lips were filled with Venom, and thus, made her poisonous. She then pushed him backward, with Woodrue choking and finally dying.

Her revenge complete, Isley then trashed her part of the lab, shattered vials, spilled chemicals, and finally started a fire, all the while proclaiming herself "Mother Nature" and decided that she would use her new persona for floral world domination. After she caught the logo of her former work sponsor on a nearby vial, Isley plotted the next step of her plan. With Bane in tow, she headed for Gotham City and left the whole lab to burn to the ground.

A week later, Isley arrived at Gotham Airport, put ten security guards in the hospital, left a businessman dead by her poisoned kiss, and stole his limousine. Heading towards Gotham, with Bane as her chauffeur, Isley heard on the radio that Bruce Wayne was unveiling a special telescope at the Gotham Observatory, so she put on a wig and disguised herself in her previous identity of Pamela Isley and decided to go there.

Isley sneaked in while Bruce was at a press conference, and, despite her rude entrance, her pollen charmed Bruce as he greeted her warmly and asked what he could do for her.

After she introduced herself to Bruce, Isley told him that she had already worked for him in South America. Bruce explained that he cut her funding because of Woodrue's military activities.

Isley handed him a proposal that stated how Wayne Enterprises could stop all actions that polluted the environment. Bruce admired Isley's intentions but told her that it would cause millions of people to die of cold and hunger alone by using those actions. He handed it back to her and stated that people came first.

Isley responded by calling them "mammals", threatened them, and said that plants would reclaim the planet and there would be no one to protect them. Everyone laughed, and Gossip Gerty, one of the journalists, said that Batman and Robin protected them "even from plants and flowers".

Bruce handed her an invitation to the "Save the Rainforest" Charity Ball at Gotham Plaza, with Batman and Robin as special guests.

After she said a rueful goodbye to Bruce, Isley left and started to plot how to get Batman and Robin out of the way so that Gotham would be hers for the greening.

At Gotham Plaza, dances took place. Batman and Robin were there with many rich businessmen who bid money for several beautiful flower girls such as Lily and Magnolia.

Suddenly, the original music died down, and all the people turned to see a pink furry gorilla dancing to a new tune while it removed and pulled off the hands and the head of its costume and revealed a woman who was as beautiful and sensual as a goddess of nature: her lush waist-length red hair was adorned by red roses and green ivy leaves, her eyebrows are adorned by more ivy leaves, and there was a confident, sultry smile on her full glossy lips.

Isley then held out her hand and blew out pink pheromone dust, which caused some of her audience - especially Batman and Robin - to become thoroughly enraptured with her. Isley finally took off the entire costume to reveal an emerald-green ivy leaf swimsuit with green tights and high-heeled shoes, all of which set off her voluptuous figure to perfection.

With a wink at her audience (which increased Batman's and Robin's infatuation with her), Isley suddenly dropped backward while all the dancers caught her and led her toward the main stage.

After she introduced herself to the stunned audience as "Poison Ivy", Isley turned her attention to Batman and Robin and seduced them both further with her pheromone dust, and she whispered offers of sexual pleasures. Isley then took the Eye of Isis (the diamond necklace that was donated to the charity) from Commissioner James Gordon, fastened it around her own neck, and promised an evening of her company to the winner, with the guarantee that she would bring everything about her that was visible to the entire audience along with everything that was not visible.

The bids got higher and higher with the audience and the Dynamic Duo trying to outbid each other. It finally ended with Batman bidding 7 million dollars. Ivy started to enjoy her plan coming together, but it was soon interrupted by a villain named Mr. Freeze, who broke in and started to freeze everyone in sight. Ivy watched him in admiration.

While Batman and Robin dealt with Freeze's Henchmen, Freeze went over to Ivy and demanded that she hands over her diamond. She tried to use her dust on him, but she let him take the necklace when it didn't work.

After he thanked her, Freeze left, Robin stared at Ivy while she blew him a kiss, and Batman immediately dragged him away. Gordon told Ivy that she had just met one of the most sinister men in Gotham. Ivy thought that Freeze could be useful in her next plan and took a Gotham snow globe to remind her of their meeting. She turned to Bane, who was dressed as another gorilla, and they left with work to do.

After she and Bane went through the alleyways and streets, Ivy recalled how resistant the Dynamic Duo were to her Love Dust, but she would give them a stronger dose next time. She spotted an old run-down place called Turkish Bath in Blossom Lane that was spray-painted and boarded up with signs. Bane ripped away the boards, and the two barged in. They soon discovered the Golums, and their leader, who sat some feet away from a huge fire in the middle of the room.

Ivy stated that the place may need fixing up, but it had a homely charm to it. The Golum Leader looked at her, began to compliment her, and said that she was even good enough to eat.

Ivy set down a challenge to come and get her, which he willingly accepted. With that, the Golum Leader sent his gang to her. She sent Bane, who sent them all flying by stepping hard on a plank that they all stood on. The gang then fled for their lives.

Ivy and Bane redecorated by removing the plastic hanging from the walls and the wooden beams that boarded up the windows and broke a water pipe that allowed water in. Ivy planted her own seeds that instantly grew into many exotic plants that filled the whole place.

Ivy sat on a makeshift throne and told Bane that Freeze had a ruthless charm that she would use to her advantage in her plan.

Ivy went to Arkham Asylum, where Freeze was locked up for his crimes. Ivy arrived under the alias of Freeze's Sister and was immediately let in by Freeze's Guards, who were amazed by her beauty. She blew her pheromone dust at them and instantly killed them with her poisoned kiss.

Freeze looked at her in admiration. Ivy went over to Freeze and gave him her proposal of an alliance. Freeze accepted but asked what she wanted in return. Ivy didn't answer but opened the door to let in Bane, who brought back Freeze's cryo-suit.

After he got dressed, Freeze realized that his diamond-powered cryo-suit was running out of power and that he needed the diamonds from his hideout. Ivy agreed to help him and noticed the other guards coming. She ordered Bane to get them out of there, but the room was reinforced steel.

Freeze used what was left of his energy and froze the pipes in his cell, which completely shattered the wall. Freeze gave out his instructions to his new partners and told them to retrieve his wife from his hideout while grabbing his diamonds and weapons.

Ivy was angry because Freeze never told her he was married. The three of them then dove into the waters below, and the guards shot at them to no avail.

Ivy entered Freeze's Hideout with Freeze and Bane, and they all entered a shaft where Nora was above them, with Batman and Robin examining her. Freeze revealed his wife to Ivy, who then told him to retrieve his diamonds while she rescued her and distracted the Dynamic Duo. Ivy blew her dust through the vent, and the Dynamic Duo went after her.

After he was tossed by Bane, Robin was flung down the steps where Ivy waited. She tried to seduce Robin and kill him with her poisoned kiss. However, Bane knocked Batman into where they were, which distracted her. Ivy turned her attention to Batman, who instantly refused and attempted to arrest her. Bane suddenly appeared again and held Batman while Ivy escaped.

Batman and Robin continued to fight Bane until Ivy finally blew more Pheromone Dust in Robin's face and told him to leave Batman and work alone. However, the Dark Knight knocked out Bane, stopped the seductive Ivy from kissing Robin again, and explained how her kiss poisoned people.

Robin took that as jealousy, and Ivy watched as the two heroes turned on each other, which resulted in Robin being flipped into a vat of ice cream. Ivy once again made her escape with Bane close behind her.

Ivy went to the room where Nora was kept, pulled out the plug of her cryo tank, and left her to die. Ivy told Nora: "I've never been good with competition, who needs a frigid wife anyway?"

Back at Ivy's Hideout, Ivy met Freeze, who had already settled in and turned part of the hideout cold for his survival. The moment that he saw her, Freeze demanded where his wife was.

Ivy told him that Batman killed her. At first, Freeze didn't believe Ivy until she showed him the snowflake necklace that he had given to Nora as a gift. Ivy pretended that she was sorry about what happened.

Freeze was furious and immediately swore vengeance on Batman and Robin, but Ivy suggested that the society that made them what they were shouldn't go unpunished. Freeze picked up Ivy's snow globe and said that he would blanket the city in endless winter: "First Gotham, and then the world!".

Ivy was delighted and showed Freeze one of her Animal Plant Hybrids that would overrun the world, make them rulers of the world, and who would be the only people left in the world.

Freeze agreed and told Ivy to distract the Dynamic Duo while he prepared to freeze Gotham.

Once again, Ivy went to the Gotham Observatory again under her identity of Pamela Isley. She approached Commissioner Gordon and asked him where the Batsignal was. Gordon was confused at the question, but then Ivy blew her dust on him, and he happily told her that it was on the roof of Police Headquarters. She then placed her arm around him and explained that she'd die to see it but questioned his power to get access. Wanting to impress her, Gordon showed Ivy the keys. She then blew more dust onto him, and he handed her the keys and smiled while he asked for her name. She grasped his tie and almost kissed him, but then said that he was too old for her and walked away. Heartbroken, Gordon begged Ivy to come back.

Ivy had Bane pull the Batsignal out of its place when they arrived and carried it back to her hideout, where she changed it to a Robin signal, while Bane went with Freeze to help him.

Robin, after he saw the signal, arrived at Ivy's Hideout. After he went through several entrances made from flowers that closed up behind him, Robin saw a giant animal-plant behind a giant pond in the middle of the room.

The petals of the plant suddenly opened and revealed Ivy, who looked more beautiful than ever. Robin went over to her and said if they were going to be together, she should give him a sign of trust. After she got nowhere with her attempt to kiss him again, Ivy revealed the plan to Robin but gave him one last kiss for luck.

With a sly smile on her face, Ivy planted the poisoned kiss on his lips and sneered: "Bad luck, I'm afraid. Time to die, little Robin". But to Ivy's surprise, Robin peeled off one of his rubber lips that counteracted her poison so that it didn't enter his body. Furious, Ivy shoved him into the plant-infested pond to drown and made her escape. She walked straight into Batman, who had followed Robin, and, in retaliation, attempted to arrest her again. Ivy sent her vines to bind Batman up. She then tried to leave once again to meet Bane and Freeze at the Observatory.

Suddenly, a caped figure crashed through the window and landed right in front of her. The figure was Batgirl, the Dynamic Duo's new partner. A fierce battle ensued with Ivy struck down with the heroine's Judo style of fighting. Ivy attempted to tie Batgirl up with vines and then hit her while she told her: "As I told Lady Fries when I pulled her plug: this is a one-woman show". Batgirl responded, pulling her backward with the vine. Ivy pulled out her knife and was ready to stab her, which failed when Batgirl kicked the knife out of her hand and then kicked her into the giant plant throne, where the petals closed in around her and supposedly crushed her.

The Titanic Trio left Ivy for the police and went to Gotham Observatory to stop Freeze and Bane. Following the defeat of Bane and a fierce battle with Freeze, Batman showed him a recorded confession of Ivy attempting to kill his wife, but he had restored her systems; she was still frozen alive and waited for Freeze to find a cure. Ivy was later shown at Arkham Asylum looking miserable and disheveled from being inside the plant. She played "Loves me not" with one of her plants. Freeze, who finally surrendered to the authorities after he gave Batman a cure to help save "a dying friend" and was assured that his wife would be moved to the lab at Arkham where he would be able to continue his research, suddenly appeared in Ivy's cell and told her that he was her new cellmate who would make her life a living hell for what she did to his wife and her deceit, much to Ivy's distraught.

Animated media[]

Video games[]

Comic books[]

Quotes[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn's relationship is so popular that as far back as Batman: The Animated Series, people saw Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn's friendship as a romantic relationship, with there even being a comic implying this.
    • As of the New 52, they become "friends with benefits".
    • In the Harley Quinn TV show, as of season 3, they are a romantic couple.
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