Poison Ivy has a deep, personal connection to the Green. Her control and relationship with plants is her most defining characteristic. Pamela Isley doesn’t want to see any living plant die, so when she’s forced to cut some down to stop Floronic Man, clearly, it understandably hits her hard.
The Floronic Man first appeared in The Flash #245. Scientist Jason Woodrue experiments and turns himself into a plant monster. Like Poison Ivy, he has control over some plant life. In the comics, Floronic Man has mostly been a Swamp Thing villain - even appearing as a main character in the short-lived TV series.
In Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy #5 by Jody Houser, Adriana Melo, Mark Morales, and Mikel Janin, Harley and Ivy are chasing after Woodrue who’s taken control of things with his increased power. As they dig deeper into Floronic Man’s takeover, Ivy is forced to cut through plants that have overtaken parts of the city. Reluctantly, Ivy cuts through the vines and branches to get further into the mess Floronic Man created.
It might not seem like a big deal to cut through the Green, but Ivy is fiercely protective of all kinds of plants. She apologizes to the planets before cutting through them saying “I’m sorry,” and that “none of this is your fault.”
It can’t be easy for Ivy to mow down the things she tries to protect the most. Her number one rule seems to be protect plant life at all costs. But, that’s indicative of how bad of a situation she and Harley are in. The Floronic Man has slowly gained more power and control of plants - evident by the sentient trees trying to take down anyone who crosses them. Ivy was forced to make an extremely difficult position on the fly and chose to dig deeper into Floronic Man’s takeover.
When Ivy does get through all the plants and monsters, she discovers a giant rose pedal that opens and reveals an all-new Poison Ivy. How do two different versions of Ivy exist at the same time? Did Floronic Man create a clone of her? What role will this future Ivy play in the series? The answer to those questions isn’t clear at the moment. However, what is clear is Poison Ivy had a really tough day where she was forced to break her biggest rule and sacrifice plant life for the greater good.
Next: Doctor Psycho: The Harley Quinn Show’s Telepathic Terror Explained