A classic Batman villain receives a new origin story on the grounds of Gotham University. Five college students have all died under suspicious circumstances, experiencing daring hallucinations before their untimely deaths. However, the college chancellor doesn’t seem too concerned. He’s preoccupied with Homecoming festivities and hoping alumni, like Bruce Wayne, donate to their alma mater. Wayne can’t help but suspect something more to the mysterious “college crazies.”

Meanwhile, Barbara and Renee connect between their busy schedules. While Renee’s hands are full with Flass, Barbara struggles to find a qualified psychologist for a client. She mentions missing Harleen, wishing they had some form of closure. Renee repeats the same while harboring a secret. Harleen is not only alive, but living secretly with Renee.

Harleen keeps her promise to remain hidden, until she’s drawn to Renee’s latest case concerning dying college coeds. Investigating at the morgue, Harleen runs into the culprit  — a well-dressed man in a crow masquerade mask. The duo is interrupted by Batman, who evades the masked figure and takes Harleen into custody.

At the Bat Cave the unlikely team deduces all the victims studied chemistry from one Professor Charles Burton. We witness Burton court a female student, Jane, at a party. She declines his offer, but he persists, until two male students tell him to back off. Jane goes home, but can’t shake the feeling she’s being followed. A call to the police is rules void as the masked man is in her apartment.

Batman and Harleen arrive as the suspect sprays Jane with a green toxin, making her hallucinate a house fire. Harleen summates that milk is a natural antidote, but falls victim to the hallucinogen before she can help Jane.

Harleen sees herself back in Renee’s apartment, the walls caving in on the fugitive. Batman awakens Harleen from the nightmare, but can’t save Jane. The young woman leaps into an imaginary lake from her second-story balcony.

We see Burton again corner a student named Junior. Thinking Junior is the next victim, Batman & Harleen uncover the young student is Burton’s TA, Jonathan Crane Jr., the son of Harleen’s teacher and mentor. Crane is none other than Scarecrow.

Soon, Scarecrow is attacking random students, ridiculing them for their childish phobias. Batman attempts to disarm Scarecrow, but can’t evade the hallucinogenic gas. Batman awakens as an elder Bruce Wayne seeing a burning Gotham City outside his window. As Scarecrow tauntingly asks what his fear is, Batman replies slowly, “No” and “Fear,” until the refrain becomes a complete sentence. The Caped Crusader has no fear, making him immune.

Later, Harleen rendezvous with Renee at the ice skating rink, their rain-check date. She says while this dream was wonderul, it’s time they wake up to face reality. Kissing Renee goodbye, Harleen turns herself in to Jim and Barbara Gordon.

“Sudden Fear” is an interesting episode that focuses on the battles of the mind. And quite fitting as they reintroduce Jamie Chung’s Harleen, while creating a new through-line for the Scarecrow. Both characters — one anti-hero, the other a villain — deal with mental anguish as their weapon. While Crane’s exact motivations were unclear, one could deduce he sought to play with the minds of those he thought less of. People who did not match his intellect, or doubted him because of his intelligence.

With Harleen, she’s a great reader of people, and uses her expertise to be one step-ahead of her enemies. It’s also this fascination with human nature that makes her less adversarial with Batman, and more of a twisted peer. Chung is excellent in her performance. And making Harley Quinn void of the Joker’s influence remains a refreshing narrative choice.

In addition to its strong themes and performances, the show’s stronger violence continues to be executed without feeling gratuitous. Overall a solid episode. While Crane’s remaking was fine, Quinn’s return lifts the episode for a satisfying experience.

Rating: 8/10