The True Clown Prince of Crime
Everyone has their favorite interpretation of the Dark Knight’s greatest foe, but for our money, none can top that of Mark Hamill. After portraying the murderous jester for decades, his performance has become so synonymous with the character that many view him as the standard by which all others are measured. As you can guess, after playing the part for so long, this particular version of the Joker has more than a fair few memorable moments under his belt.
#5: Christmas with the Joker
“Batman: The Animated Series†(1992-95)
On Christmas Eve, the Joker escapes Arkham Asylum, and soon hijacks Gotham’s airwaves for his own Christmas special full of holiday horror, with plenty of challenges for Batman and Robin. Some episode highlights include Joker’s hand puppet sidekick and his rendition of the popular school children’s version of “Jingle Bells.†Also, this was the first episode of the show that Mark Hamill recorded as the Joker, and he hit the ground running; perfectly capturing the villain’s manic glee, menace, and hilarious dialogue.
#4: The Last Laugh
“Batman: Mask of the Phantasm†(1993)
While he’s not the primary antagonist of this animated “Batman†film, the Joker makes quite an impact nevertheless. The Clown Prince of Crime has a number of standout moments throughout the movie, but his best happens near the end. Utterly defeated by Batman, cornered by the eponymous Phantasm, and with his hideout exploding around him, the Joker laughs in the face of how completely doomed he is. Mark Hamill has delivered a wide range of wonderful Joker laughs over the decades, but this is arguably his greatest, both in terms of quality and context.
#3: The Joker Sings “Only Youâ€
“Batman: Arkham City†(2011)
Joker’s Titan injection in the first “Arkham†game ends up poisoning him in the sequel, and forces the clown to face the prospect of his imminent demise. While Batman debates giving his nemesis the cure, the Joker attacks him and shatters his only chance at survival. Joker’s death itself is oddly tragic, but the ending credits reveal that Joker left an audio message for Batman, where he sings the song “Only You,†as a twisted way of telling his foe how much he means to him. Hamill’s performance of the song is perfection, as he alternates between laughing and sobbing.
#2: Without Batman, Crime Has No Punchline
“Batman: The Animated Series†(1992-95)
When a nobody appears to kill Batman, the Joker is at first in denial, robbing a jewelry store in the hopes that Batman will show up to stop him. When the Dark Knight doesn’t appear, Joker is actually disappointed. He then goes on to hold a mock funeral for Batman that shows off many aspects of his character; from his murderous side, when he uses it as a pretext to kill the man who “killed†Batman, to his humorous one, by putting a “kick me†sign on Batman’s empty cowl. He even displays a rare bit of emotion by shedding a tear.Â
#1: Joker’s Death
“Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker†(2000)
Some of the vilest deeds Hamill’s Joker perpetrates happen when he kidnaps Tim Drake. After spending weeks torturing and conditioning the boy, the Joker finally learns who Batman is, and mocks the Dark Knight with this knowledge when he confronts him. Even worse, he reveals that Tim has essentially been turned into a miniature Joker. In what he thinks is a great joke, the Joker tells Tim to kill Batman with one of his gag spear guns. Struggling with the prospect, Tim instead shoots the Joker, prompting his ironic final words, “That’s not funny!†Fitting and incredibly dark, this is a fantastic end for the Joker and our list.
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Actors You Didn’t Know Were in Anime Films.
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