Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.
Be prepared for significant spoilers ahead for “Joker: Folie à Deux”.
The narrative surrounding comic book movies is being challenged. The original “Joker” in 2019, which starred the infamous adversary of Batman (though Bruce Wayne never donned his cape), introduced a raw and gritty backstory for the Clown Prince of Crime. This unique approach won Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar and shattered box office records for R-rated films. The highly anticipated sequel was expected to raise the bar, and it did not disappoint. Phoenix is joined by Lady Gaga, who plays Harley Quinn, or “Lee Quinzel” in the film, in a plot that unfolds as a full-fledged musical, a deviation from the norm in the superhero genre.
As “Joker: Folie à Deux” reaches its peak, director Todd Phillips shatters a significant rule: he kills off his protagonist in a shocking twist reminiscent of Thanos’ victory in “Avengers: Infinity War”. The unexpected turn of events comes after a deep dive into the mind of the villain, following his killing spree in the first movie. Now a resident of Arkham Asylum and on trial for his crimes, Arthur Fleck’s fate appears to be sealed.
However, instead of dying by electrocution, the Joker falls prey to a fellow inmate who bears some striking similarities to himself.
Is the Joker truly dead?
Scott Garfield/Warner Bros.
Did you anticipate that death? Arthur Fleck certainly didn’t, being completely consumed by his delusions of grandeur. His actions in the 2019 “Joker” were real, except for the imagined scenes involving Zazie Beetz’s Sophie Dumond. However, there’s a chance that much of what we witness in “Folie à Deux” is a product of Fleck’s fevered mind. Did he genuinely form such an instant bond with Lee (assuming she exists), leading to one of the most unsettling sex scenes in superhero film history? Was he truly allowed to represent himself in court, complete with clown makeup, while intimidating his witnesses? Did his antics inspire a wave of followers, their collective adulation turning him into a cult figure? Regardless of the truth, one thing is certain: as his blood pools on the floor, life leaves his eyes, and the film fades to black, the Joker is undoubtedly dead.
But that’s the beauty of Gotham City — there’s always another clown waiting in the wings. So far, Arthur Fleck’s story has been an alternate yet definitive take on the Joker’s origin. Although the first “Joker” included franchise staples like Thomas and Bruce Wayne, nothing else felt overtly comic-booky. The man behind the clown mask clearly suffers from mental illness and has a penchant for makeup, rather than being a victim of a vat of acid, and even his iconic laugh is due to a real medical condition, not a villainous quirk. However, “Joker: Folie à Deux” subtly implies with his death that Arthur Fleck was not the notorious Batman villain after all. The unnamed inmate who kills him, on the other hand, might just be.
Who is the real Joker?
Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.
It’s already known that “Joker: Folie à Deux” is likely the last installment in this relatively standalone series of films, but it seems appropriate that it potentially ends with an open-ended question. In hindsight, Arthur Fleck’s fate was probably inevitable. Even the most notorious prisoners must watch their backs, lest they provoke the ire of other unstable and extremely violent inmates. And with no real hope for redemption after confessing his crimes to the jury and on live television (again, assuming that actually happened), his fate was all but sealed. The unexpected twist, however, is that the killer might have just begun his journey to becoming the real Joker.
The murder wasn’t sudden. Earlier in the film, while Arthur watches his own TV interview with other inmates, we get a brief closeup of the same inmate glaring at the Joker with nothing short of pure disgust and hatred. With the foreshadowing already in place, audiences probably suspected something ominous would happen the next time he appeared. Regrettably for Arthur, that happens when he’s navigating Arkham’s complex corridors and momentarily left alone. Fortunately for the inmate, this seems to have been the push he needed to plunge into outright madness. After delivering a terrible joke (which aligns with any Joker, real or aspiring), the literal punchline concludes with Arthur being stabbed multiple times in the stomach and left to bleed out on the floor. With the perpetrator out of focus, we can only listen as his frenzied screams evolve into laughter eerily similar to the Joker’s.
While “Joker 3” won’t be happening (at least not with Phillips as the director), the Joker’s legacy continues — even in his death.
FAQs
Q: Who directed “Joker: Folie à Deux”?
A: The film was directed by Todd Phillips.
Q: Who played the Joker in “Joker: Folie à Deux”?
A: The character of the Joker was played by Joaquin Phoenix.
Q: Will there be a “Joker 3”?
A: As of now, there are no plans for a “Joker 3”, especially not with Todd Phillips as the director.
Q: Who killed the Joker in “Joker: Folie à Deux”?
A: The Joker was killed by an unnamed inmate in Arkham Asylum.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
