Have you ever read a Batman comic or watched a film where the hero comes face to face with the Joker and wondered why he just doesn’t kill him once and for all? A theory posted on Reddit answers that question in a way that makes a lot of sense.
The fan theory has gone viral, and with good reason, it’s well-thought-out and researched. The fan also mentions that Robot Chicken, among others, has spoofed Joker being killed but that Batman can’t, or better yet, won’t kill the Joker.
So why does this fan, and several others, feel so strongly about Joker never meeting his death at the hands of Batman? It’s a layered answer, but the heart of the matter is that the Joker will just come back, and it’ll be hard for Batman to find him again and again. Like in the horror realm, the superhero realm often cheats death, and Batman and Joker have died before.
Of course, the Joker loves to taunt Batman, so the two would find each other, but that wouldn’t stop the death and destruction at his hands until the two met for a ‘final battle’ once again.
There’s another layer to this theory with two parts, and the fan feels that it’s part of a moral and psychological reason. Batman’s moral code isn’t to kill, even when it comes to the Joker. For argument’s sake, the fan says okay—let’s consider he breaks that rule and vows to kill him anyway. Batman knows that if he kills Joker, the chase is over. What happens if he says enough is enough and takes his life? When the Joker inevitably returns; that game won’t exist anymore; the Joker will know he no longer holds power, and he’ll search for another victim.
Batman doesn’t want to place that on anyone else; he doesn’t want to give someone that weight to carry. So he keeps him alive, knowing that it’s the Joker’s most beloved game.
Do you agree with this fan theory, or do you believe one day they’ll have a proper showdown? Let’s talk about it.