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230px-Poison IvyTNBA

Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley was a botanist who led a secret life as the eco-terrorist Poison Ivy. Unlike most of Batman's rogues, Ivy had little interest in money or power, but instead was obsessed with preserving plant life, and taking revenge on those who she believed had harmed it. Her ruthless methods frequently landed her in Arkham Asylum.

History[]

Holding a PhD in botany from Gotham University, Pamela Isley was once employed by Chez Gerard, a cosmetics firm, as a research chemist in charge of developing new perfumes. She also offered a weekly lecture series at the university on rare and extinct plant species.

At some point, she met or introduced herself to District Attorney Harvey Dent, and they began dating. Unknown to him, she had marked him as a "murderer" for his part in arranging the excavation of land for the future site of Stonegate Penitentiary. The excavation had involved bulldozing a field of wildflowers, including a rare wild rose that would have gone extinct, had she not saved it first. Appropriately, she used extract from the rose to create a rare and deadly poison, which she administered to Dent through a deep kiss. Dent fell into a coma and was not expected to live.

A personal friend of Dent's, Bruce Wayne investigated the crime as Batman. Discovering the origin of the poison, Batman confronted Isley, who now called herself "Poison Ivy". In the ensuing struggle, Batman captured the rose as a "hostage", forcing Ivy to surrender the antidote she had developed. He managed to save Harvey's life, and Ivy was imprisoned in Stonegate. She was later transferred to Arkham.

Months later, having escaped or been released, Ivy opened an all-natural resort spa outside Gotham, under the alias "Dr. Daphne Demeter". The "Eternal Youth Spa" was a bait through which Ivy attracted wealthy business men and women guilty of certain environmental crimes, and "treated" them with plant-derived toxins, which transformed the people into plants themselves.

By unfortunate coincidence, a greedy Wayne Enterprises executive had made a deal with a South American company to level a section of the Amazon rain forest, before Bruce aborted it. Ivy targeted Bruce for his perceived part in the deal, and Alfred Pennyworth attended in Bruce's place for a free spa getaway. When Alfred disappeared, Batman quickly deduced the doctor's true identity, and stopped Ivy's plan yet again.

She also developed a fierce feud with the Joker, at least one fight being over a channel to watch in Arkham Asylum's rec room.

After another escape, she was arrested at the Stacked Deck, over a poker game with Joker,Penguin, and Two-Face. Before the game, she exchanged a few amused reminiscences with her "old flame", Harvey Dent (the amusement was entirely one-sided).

Months passed, and for the first time, Ivy seemed to have returned to a normal life. Released from Arkham, Pamela Isley moved away from Gotham, married her psychiatrist, and embraced his two children as her own. Despite strange plant-related occurrences occurring, Batman and Robin were unable to link any connection to Isley. Unfortunately, Ivy had merely fooled the Dark Knight and Boy Wonder. Creating plant monsters to act as clones of her "family", Ivy had not only created a legitimate front for her activities, but also made a small drone factory. Though Batman and Robin once again foiled her plans, Ivy escaped.

After failing to meet the psychological requirements for rehabilitation, Ivy returned to Arkham and was present for the Trial of Batman. She acted as a juror and as a "witness", testifying towards Batman's involvement in her turning to crime.

Weapons[]

Poison Ivy has a unique genetic immunity from all forms of poison or toxin, including Joker gas. A side effect of the immunity is that she is incapable of having children.

She is also a chemist. Combined with her botanical background, Ivy frequently concocts poisons, toxins, and serums designed to kill, transform, or protect, depending on her purpose and needs.

In personal combat, Ivy is a skilled gymnast, and carries a miniature repeating crossbow on her right wrist, which she typically uses as a last resort—at least against people, since it's also useful for puncturing tires.

Later in her criminal career, she also had the ability to secrete potent pheromones that could make her (or her plant creatures) irresistible to men

Appearances[]

Batman: The Animated Series[]

  • "Pretty Poison"
  • "Fear of Victory" (Cameo)
  • "Dreams in Darkness" (Hallucination)
  • "Eternal Youth"
  • "Almost Got 'Im"
  • "Joker's Wild"
  • "Harley and Ivy"
  • "Fire From Olympus" (Cameo)
  • "Trial"
  • "House & Garden"
  • "Harlequinade" (Mentioned Only)
  • "Baby-Doll" (Mentioned Only)
  • "Harley's Holiday" (Cameo)
  • "Lock-Up" (Cameo in news report)

The New Batman Adventures[]

  • "Holiday Knights"
  • "Joker's Millions"
  • "Girl's Night Out"
  • "Chemistry"
  • "Mad Love" (Cameo)

Static Shock[]

  • "Hard as Nails"

Gotham Girls[]

  • "The Vault"
  • "Trick or Trick?"
  • "More Than One Way"
  • "Pave Paradise"
  • "The Three Babes"
  • "The Gardener's Apprentice"
  • "Lady-X"
  • "Miss Un-Congeniality"
  • "Strategery"
  • "Baby Boom"
  • "Bat'ing Cleanup"
  • "Scout's Dis-Honor"
  • "I'm Badgirl"
  • "Ms.-ing in Action"
  • "Gotham in Pink"
  • "Hear Me Roar"
  • "Gotham in Blue
  • "A Cat in the Hand"
  • "Jailhouse Wreck"
  • "Honor Among Thieves"
  • "No, I'm Batgirl!"
  • "Cold Hands, Cold Heart"

Screenshots[]

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