“Whatever doesn’t kill you, simply makes you stranger.”
“This town deserves a better class of criminals.”
“Do I look like a guy with a plan?”
“Why so serious?”
Clearly, these are no ordinary dialogues. These are the words that the legendary late Heath Ledger engraved in our hearts. No matter how old one is, no matter how much he knows about Batman or the Joker, he is a fan of Heath Ledger. That guy gave the DC universe a much “better class” of criminal.
Rather than a being psychopath, maniac prankster, and killer, Ledger’s Joker was a manipulative freak whose only ambition was to send a message to the masses,
“When the chips are down, the so-called civilized people will eat each other up.”
So what made an unorthodox DC criminal become the idealist “hero” of the masses.
1. Man with a plan
“Do I look like a guy with a plan?” No, you don’t. Joker, you look like a maniac, who is just crazy and will do freaky stuff without having any second thoughts.
But that is so not true. The first scene of the movie gave a clear impression of the mastermind of Joker. Killing the robbers in a sequential order, tempting everyone for one less share and ultimately being the Last Man Standing, that brilliance stole everyone’s heart. And that is why he is the best Joker.
2. Practical and Straightforward
When Lou was telling about running away from Batman, Joker clearly gave away the statement, that Batman will find him and thrash him right into the prison.
He straightaway gave the statement that Lou is a squealer and will ditch everyone once he is screwed. That’s so un-villainy. Ain’t it? He never believed in assumptions. He believed in doing. That’s what gave him a heroic touch.
3. Every failure was a success
Everything that we thought went wrong for the Joker, was giving him an upper hand.
Let’s start with the prison thing. That clapping and applauding the promotion of Jim Gordon tricked us into believing that Joker has accepted his defeat, and is respecting the commissioner for his good work.
But who would have thought that everything was just a plan?
Getting arrested, so that he could finally meet the BATMAN, putting Batman in such a situation where he had to decide between Gotham and love. Batman chose Rachel.
But ultimately lived in the guilt that he chose himself over the people of Gotham, and still couldn’t save his love. A complete breakdown for Batman, which put him out of the picture for a while, and Joker could work on his plan in silence. Indeed, the iconic Joker.
4. Got what he wanted
Well, who was the winner in the end? Undoubtedly, the JOKER.
He wanted to prove a point that even the symbol of justice himself could turn into evil. And it did. Harvey Dent. Luckily, the Dark Knight took the blame on himself and somehow delayed the fact that Joker won. But for how long?
5. Laid out the platform for the destruction by Bane
Jim Gordon had a report prepared on how Harvey and not Batman was responsible for the death of cops.
But he hid it from the masses. When Bane got that report, he announced that since Harvey was himself a criminal, all the men he put behind the bars, have the complete right to freedom. The rest we know.
So, one must agree that Nolan’s Joker was no maniac, no psychopath. He was no freaky clown with creepy sidekicks, cheap fancy toys, and magic cards. All he had was his manipulative conversations that turned every single situation in his how. And the way he executed every bit of it. Man!
DC needed a better class of criminal. And Nolan and Ledger gave them one.
