This is something I've talked about with many people, but yet I feel like I want my thoughts to be written somewhere so I can organize them
It's basically my take on the Killing Joke ending AND YES, before you'll have a need to inform me, yes, I know that the creator said he didn't mean Batman to kill Joker, butbutbutbutashgf shut up.
IN FACT, I
actually do believe that Batman didn't kill him! This fact didn't break my theory, it just made me think harder
NOW, the idea is, in my opinion, Batman WAS about to murder Joker at the end. But then he didn't. Why is that you ask? Because of his morals? Well, not quite actually. But on the other hand, did Batman want to murder Joker because of the monster he is?
Not quite actually Shit's getting complicated you see.The Killing Joke is an unique story in that aspect, that it has "an ending". They never can end the relationship between Bats and Joks because it would ruin the future comic books. But Killing Joke didn't give a shit 'bout that
Killing Joke did something many comics don't have balls to do, to make Batman actually not to be an utter asshole for once and play against Joker's rules. You see, the only reason for Joker to live is to be Batman's nemesis. But here, good old Batsey offers Joker help. His help at that. Here's the page for those who have never read it
And with that said, you can see that something in Joker cracked. His response is serious, not demanding, not ridiculing. It doesn't matter if it was the memories coming back or maybe the real pain behind his fake laughter, something has cracked. With that single sentence, Batman broke their game. Forever. And Joker obviously realized so.
Everything felt down like a pack of caaards Then, Joker tells the famous joke:
Now, let's explain the joke. I know, it ruins it, but it's not like it was a kneeslapper from the start
Right now we all know that the joke was supposed to symbolize, in fact, Brucers and Joks. It's even a bit implied that Joker was making it on the spot. The guy that jumped across with no problem, that is obviously Batman. His 'friend', the Joker, is afraid of not making the jump. Of falling down into the gap. Into the madness.
Mindblooooow
The analysis of the joke is something like this - One day, guys decide they don't like living in an asylum anymore (Batman's way of trying to help Joker and thus ending their stability), cuz they like a city far away (Freedom, it's literally spelled there
) // First guy (Batman) was able to jump over the gap (insanity/instant death), because he wasn't afraid. The other guy (Joker) couldn't make it, since he was afraid of falling, failing. The first guy (Batman) offers him help in the form of flashlight's beam (something he genuinely thought would help him, even tho it was nonsensical). But the other guy (Joker) didn't ridicul him for that as expected, but rather for the fact, that he didn't trust him.
Now, the point is simple. Batman genuinely wanted to help Joker, but Joker couldn't accept his help, not because he didn't want to be helped, but because he didn't trust Batman. He implied Batman would intentionally "kill him" the halfway across.
ArE yOu GeTtInG iT yEt????????
It was a moment of weakness for both of them. As the moment of weakness when you talk to your ex again. Or when you understand your teacher's struggles. THAT moment of weakness
Even by looking at Joker's expression and his laughter after, something tells me Joker was subtly
asking for death at that point. Because of all the reasons I stated above. And Batman laughed too. Obviously not because he found the joke funny
(because as we stated, it wasn't THAT funny ), but because he understood. Either he wanted to easy it off for Joker by laughing at this supposed last joke, or he sullen laughed at the sad idea of having to kill him, that I can't tell
ANYWAYS, here we come to the end of my theory. But wait, didn't I say Batman doesn't kill Joker at the end? Well, yes I did
You see, most of fellow theorizers I see use only the movie as their source. Ya know, Batman murdering him because at the end only he laughed and Joker's voice was absent. But other than that, I think one sound was missing from the movie as well. One practicually important sound. Let's see if you can tell from this pannel alone:
What's that I see in the background? Could it be GAAAASP, a police car maybe?
Because that would explain everything! As Joker in the Death of the family said, Batman could just easily kill him somewhere in the darkness where they would be alone. But at the end, they weren't alone. Of fucking course Batman didn't kill Joker when police arrived all out of the sudden! :bademoticon:
I don't really know what this blog shit was, mostly me rambling instead of studying
But I wanted to have it somewhere, maybe just for me to look back at it anytime and think about it some more
I like...started writting it in the middle of the day, then I did ton of other shit and came back to it eventually
Whaddya think anyways? Your theories?