How JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX Delivers a Surprise Origin Story

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As a seasoned film critic who’s seen more than my fair share of origin stories, I must say, “Joker: Folie à Deux” has left quite an impression on me – not just for its gripping narrative, but also for the profound insights it offers about the human condition.

In our anticipation for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” we were aware that it would introduce Harley “Lee” Quinzel to Todd Phillips’s version of Gotham. What caught us off guard, however, was the sequel also serving as an unforeseen backstory. The film’s surprising finale revealed a foe that Bruce Wayne may encounter in his future battles. Among the many Batman villains, the one we least suspected was the one portrayed in the end.

The trial for the movie “Folie à Deux” concluded dramatically as Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Arthur Fleck, made a quiet exit instead of a bang. However, his faithful followers chose violence, detonating a car bomb to free him from the courthouse following his guilty verdict. This was perhaps foreseeable given that he had already chosen to abandon his Joker persona and accept responsibility for his actions. Despite this, he didn’t immediately surrender. Instead, he sought out Lee, hoping they could escape together. Unfortunately, she rejected him once more. Arthur also discovered that she neither loved him nor carried his child, but was only interested in his Joker character. With her out of the picture, he humbly returned to prison.

Towards the end of the movie, a guard (who vanished mysteriously, suggesting complicity) informed Arthur about having a visitor. However, Arthur never made it to the meeting room. Instead, a young inmate, portrayed by Connor Storrie, blocked him in the corridor. This inmate had shown an eerie interest in Arthur earlier in the film. Crucially, this obsession was shattered when Arthur exposed the Joker as a hoax during his court trial.

The inmate asked Arthur if he wanted to hear a joke and Arthur said sure. The inmate then told one about a “psychopath” who enters a bar. The punchline was about giving a patron who was clearly Arthur what he “deserves.” The inmate then stabbed Arthur again and again in the stomach. And as Arthur died, the inmate laughed maniacally while using his knife to carve a smile into his own face a la Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker. The implication was obvious. While Arthur Fleck was “Joker,” Storrie’s character is the one who will go on to be “The Joker.” In this Gotham he will become the supervillain an adult Bruce Wayne fights years from now.

In a surprising twist, the backstory revealed wasn’t centered around Storrie’s character; instead, it focused on the film’s titular figure. Arthur’s thirst for recognition, his heinous acts, and the loyalty he garnered ultimately left his followers disillusioned. Everything he believed he desired turned out to be as insincere as the affection he received. Tragically, Lee abandoned him, and another inmate ended his life. What’s more troubling is that this young man will now become the Joker that society has longed for.

They won’t pay attention to the person Arthur was or his anguish and torment. Regrettably, his legacy will be marked by more misery, turmoil, and suffering – a stark contrast to what he felt remorseful about in the courtroom. The sight of what he had inflicted on Gary Puddles, the one individual who ever truly knew Arthur and appreciated him, managed to pierce through his rage. Gary’s compassion helped Arthur recall his own empathy, yet it came too late.

In a different phrasing: “The Joker” movie series portrayed the backstory of Gotham’s most notorious villain, but it wasn’t Arthur Fleck who ultimately became The Joker. Initially, he was the one who took on the Joker persona, yet his story turned out to be far more somber and heart-wrenching. Despite this, he played a crucial role in fostering and motivating the creation of the villain he had never intended to become.

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2024-10-04 20:02