It is no secret that ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ has ignited outrage among fans precisely for its controversial ending. Arthur Fleck, the mentally ill character played by Joaquin Phoenix, who everyone assumed to be Joker, dies in the climax without ever becoming Joker. Comic book fans have known the notorious character for his elaborate robberies and crimes in Gotham City, but Arthur was stabbed brutally by an inmate in the Arkham City Hospital.
In a dramatic twist, the inmate also uses the blade to cut a Glasgow smile onto his face, mirroring Heath Ledger’s scar from The Dark Knight. Which means Joaquin Phoenix starrer Joker film series, highly-publicized as the origin story of Batman’s most infamous nemesis, was never really Joker’s origin story. The inmate who stabs Arthur is actually the true Joker, who was inspired by the saga of Arthur Fleck’s killing spree, and eventually takes on the persona of the Clown Prince of Crimes.
Many have condemned the story, feeling cheated on but the audience’s reservations do not quite match with what the lead actor thinks of Arthur’s story. In an interview with IGN, Joaquin Phoenix spoke highly of the climax, where his character dies, “There’s a warmth in that scene, which is nice.”
Breaking down the conclusion about what went through Arthur’s mind, he noted, “That’s all that I was thinking about, here’s this young man who’s telling me a joke and he’s nervous to tell me the joke. I can tell that he’s nervous, and I’m going to hear him out.” Meanwhile, reflecting on how the ending makes a connection to DC’s Batman lore, Phoenix stated, “It’s a pretty good setup.”
Joker 2 is now in theatres.
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