The next installment of the DC Extended Universe is Black Adam, which is set to release in October, and fans have grown increasingly excited. The film looks incredible and getting to see a character like Black Adam in a live-action adaptation is something more die-hard fans never expected.
Yet there is one DC character who regularly receives adaptations but has been absent from the canonical DCEU for years. Though Joker is a man who ought to be appearing on the big screen regularly, he's been notably missing, which has upset some fans. Still, even in his few appearances, Jared Leto's Joker had a few quotes that summed up the character perfectly.
"I Am Not Someone Who Is Loved. I'm An Idea. A State Of Mind."
Suicide Squad (2016)
As a clown, Joker always strives for humor, but that doesn't mean he's a character who's often the subject of much affection. Unlike in Joker, the Joker of the DCEU isn't a popular man among the populace. Instead, he's a crazed villain seeking to destroy society needlessly.
So, while Joker may proudly proclaim himself a symbol, he isn't a beloved one. Instead, he's a symbol of everything wrong with Gotham City, which is something he takes pride in. Just like he corrupted Harley, he intends to corrupt the whole of the city however he can.
"I Can't Wait To Show You My Toys."
Suicide Squad (2016)
A line cut from Suicide Squad, it still perfectly emphasizes who Joker is as a character. Despite referring to instruments of murder and torture, Joker calls them nothing more than his "toys". As an incredibly childish character with an equally childish outlook on the world, it makes sense that he would see them that way.
Joker has always been a character who fails to take anything seriously, which is exactly what this quote emphasizes. Torture, murder, and brutal behavior is nothing more than a game to Joker. There's no better way to display who he is than through that.
"Oh, I'm Not Going To Kill You. I'm Just Going To Hurt You, Really, Really Bad."
Suicide Squad (2016)
But Joker has never been a character who solely relies on murder to get by. After all, he's more than just a serial killer, or else he would likely have fallen out of the public's eye decades ago. Instead, he's a character who simply enjoys tormenting people.
Many of the worst things Joker did to Batman in the comics didn't put Batman in any danger at all, and that behavior is reflected in the DCEU. Killing Robin was a way to torment Batman, not a personal mark against Robin. He was there to hurt Batman and he did, just like he did to the prison guard.
"He Knows Exactly What It's Like To Lose Someone He Loves."
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Joker is also a character who enjoys lording his successes over those around him. Should he ever make a successful play, everyone around him knows it, because he will never let it go. That means that, after killing Robin, he needed to mention it to Batman time and time again.
Given that Batman has few friendships, losing a friend as close to him as Robin was a true loss that changed the course of his life and directly led to his assault against Superman. Given that Joker was the one who did it, reminding Batman time and time again proved just how cruel Joker could be.
"How Many Dead Eyes Can You Look Into Before You Die Inside Yourself?"
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Joker may have been targeting Batman, but this quote also hints at what might have happened to the Joker of the DCEU. Given that his origins have not been fully revealed, as they were in Joker, it provides some background if fans read it as Joker projecting.
Gotham City's history is dark, so it's likely that Joker suffered through seeing many dead eyes before eventually snapping. Though he was trying to convince Batman, it is fairly clear that Joker was just trying to cope with his own poor history.
"You Sent A Boy Wonder To Do A Man's Job."
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
The death of Robin was one of the elements that hardened the DC Extended Universe's Batman beyond compare. Given that he refused to take another Robin, it was clear that he rethought the idea entirely, yet his nightmare with the Joker in Zach Snyder's Justice League showcased the fact that Joker did it specifically to get at him.
In a way, it showcased that Joker was offended to be faced with a Robin, rather than the genuine article. As a man who sees himself as Batman's equal, sending a sidekick to deal with him was certainly something that was easy for Joker to take as an affront. Given the way he always handles slights, it was inevitable he would kill the boy.
"We Live In A Society Where Honor Is A Distant Memory."
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Joker is a man who has absolutely no scruples about anything. Whether it be killing children, torturing guards, or tormenting civilians, nothing is beyond his limits. Honor is a distant dream and not one that has ever particularly caught Joker's attention.
Blaming society for his own behavior is incredibly telling of Joker's character. He takes credit for his accomplishments but refuses to accept that any of it is actually his fault. Everything goes back to society being awful and creating him, and it's why he's such a powerful DC villain.
"Blah Blah Blah Blah. You Know All That Chit-Chat's Gonna Get You Hurt!"
Suicide Squad (2016)
While Joker holds the world to specific standards, he has never held himself to the same limitations. While he is allowed to monologue freely and harass those around him, if anyone dares to do the same to him, Joker finds it annoying or even worthy of retribution.
The hypocrisy is part of what makes Joker a strange villain. Despite seeing himself as a clown, Joker has never actually been happy when others joke with him. He sees himself as above the world and above any type of lawful rule, even his own.
"You Know What? Sometimes Hurt Happens."
Suicide Squad (2016)
Joker is as much a ive character as he is active. Instead of acknowledging that others getting hurt is his own fault, as he has the choice to lay down the guns and leave the people of Gotham City alone, Joker pretends that the hurt is absolutely inevitable, and he is forced to do it.
That nature is part of what drove Joker to blame society. He believes that, even if he wasn't involved, the same hurts would still happen, because the world is as hard as he is, and someone else would pick up the rifle he lays down. It's a bleak view of the world, but one he believes Harley Quinn reinforces, as she picked up the rifle when he was stuck in prison.
"You Know, I Live For These Moments With You."
Suicide Squad (2016)
Much of Joker's appearances in the DC Extended Universe have revolved around Harley Quinn. After all, she's a starring figure in the movies, and the entire plot of Birds of Prey revolved around their break-up and Harley learning to live without him. That's why Harley is so important to this version of the Joker.
Despite pretending that he loves her, Joker doesn't actually care for her. So, even when claiming he lives for her, he continues to manipulate her, as is his nature. After pushing his own lover into a pool of acid and abandoning her without care, it's clear the love was motivated solely by a desire to control her, and it's why it was so empowering when Harley proved she could stand on her own two feet and rise above him. It cemented Joker as a secondary character for Harley, instead of the other way around.
