How The Joker Manipulated Everyone in The Dark Knight

[@SonnyK248]

he comes out of nowhere in the gangster scene in a kitchen somewhere and instantly walked in laughing and takes over the conversation. he was probably hiding in an oven for hours waiting for everyone to show up and then listening until he was ready to come out.

[@brokenfunnibones]

An if they would have caught him in there, he woulda been cooked

[@Level_Eleven]

@@brokenfunnibonesHe also would’ve been cooked had somebody tried using that oven. I’m here all weekend folks

[@tappajaav]

@@Level_Eleven I can do this all year.

[@keithm11112]

And I thought my jokes were bad

[@tappajaav]

@@keithm11112 Think better ones then dammit!

[@MrCount987]

Each time i see Joker scenes it never stops to amaze me how magnificent and out of world his performance was.

[@WeirdWhiteRabbit]

Heather Ledger was hands down the best Joker.... After seeing his other movies.. I had my mind blown when I found out one of his last movies was the joker ! So sad... he have us that amazing portrayal , then died 😢

[@VersusArdua]

​@@WeirdWhiteRabbit bro copied his comment into this reply 😂

[@s33ur3lv3lvly]

Think about how the dark knight rises would have changed.

[@harshsonawane6076]

Comprehensively won in the end. No villain has ever so scarily have an upper hand to the point where the audience’s expectations of any sort of win from the protagonist were completely shattered.

[@imacg5]

That's because he pretends to be the advocate of Death. Since all life dies, you could argue he can't lose. On the other hand, you could argue this is the ultimate cowardice, to give up life before you're born just to prevent losing. Even for the briefest moment, your living is winning.

[@bob1986]

The Joker never technically "won". He certainly caused major problems for Bruce in the end but his goals were either to ruin the White Knight of Gotham with Harvey, get the people to turn on each other by blowing up one of the other boats or get Batman to embrace his dark side and throw away his morals. None of those happened, Harvey's rep was covered up (until DKR but it's a moot point then) the people of Gotham rejected his plan, and Batman didn't throw away his morals. Batman had to sacrifice his reputation for Harvey's by taking credit for the kills, but that's not something the Joker really wanted to happen, he wanted Batman to actually go bad for real. He dealt him a blow, but it wasn't the one he wanted. Joker probably considered his whole plan a massive failure. If anything Batman taking the morally selfless route and giving up his heroic reputation probably pissed him off since it proved he wasn't doing it for self rightousness or glory like Joker was trying to convince him he was.

[@Level_Eleven]

@@bob1986Well said

[@JabamiLain]

​@@bob1986huh ! When you put it like that...

[@bob1986]

@@JabamiLain As Batman said, what the Joker really wanted to do was prove that everyone deep down was as ugly as he was. He proved Harvey was, but that was it. Batman and the overall city proved too pure for him

[@sa4m74]

16 years have passed and we're still making video essays about the dark knight's joker, this shows how much powerful this joker was and how much heath's performance was phenomenal.

[@neoshift2000]

@@sa4m74 yes sir

[@Auctorion]

It's not just the performance though. A lot of what was highlighted in this essay was the writing. The film isn't just a masterpiece because of Ledger's performance, but because of the sum of many parts that all worked together to elevate the film.

[@Kenny-the-Platypus]

Joker played BOTH The Dark Knight and The White Knight. Like CHESS

[@cobaingrohlnovo]

That’s not how you play chess

[@inthecloudz1272]

​@cobaingrohlnovo it's hilarious how many likes this got

[@Deriv44]

The Joker is the flip side of the Batman coin

[@neoshift2000]

True but got discover check mated in the end when the queen was sacrificed

[@fouraztecas6342]

Like in chess he lost overall the game...but irl and chess the opponent loses pieces....gotham lost its knights(batman, harvey) and kept its rooks the 2 boats...lost its queen rachel You need to lose things to win

[@TactileTherapy]

When Joker says "I have no plans", I notice a lot of people misconstrue the true nature of what he is trying to convey. Yes, he meticulously planned everything that unfolded as a result of his actions, but by plans, he's more so referring to the context of operating from a place where he thrives by crawling and standing over other's heads. Joker's entire goal was to show that he can expose man's true nature - they whose nature is defined by stepping over others for self-interest and long term sustainability. He has no long term self-interest; he '"just does things." One of those things happens to be exposing man's inherent selfish nature. Something that took, yes, some intermittent planning, to do.

[@volbound1700]

I think he was more of an improviser than people think. He didn't always have plans but went on them. I think there are a few occasions in the movies were his plans blew up but he still found a way out of it.

[@fitforfreelance]

I think that's a misquote. I'm pretty sure he was pointing out that he doesn't physically look like someone who has a plan

[@Kinos141]

I figured he was straight lying. Joker lies alot in this movie.

[@NewbieOG741]

@@fitforfreelance no way. that is just plain stupid. he meant he appears too crazy to have a plan. and reality that is true. he just wanna have fun with batman. if my "nemesis" is wearing costume, so shall i type situation

[@fitforfreelance]

@@NewbieOG741 he only appears too crazy. But he is thoroughly planned and considered. "Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" I guess not? But you infiltrated the hospital in evil clown makeup and a nurse uniform to give me this wicked dialogue. I bet you thought through this some

[@Blobertbigly]

One theory I'd heard, the detonators blow up their own ferry, causing an ironic death for those who press the button.

[@jennyanydots2389]

That's homophobic brugh.

[@JTwelks32]

Wasn’t a “theory” they say it in the movie….

[@Level_Eleven]

@@JTwelks32When?

[@JTwelks32]

@@Level_Eleven use Google

[@Smiley_Boi76]

@@JTwelks32In the movie they say that the detonators explode the OTHER ship. The theory is that they actual would explode THEIR OWN ship. That’s some saw level shit right there 😂😂😂😂 I like to think either of the 3 detonators would have blown up both ships because why tf not. At that point in the movie, of Batman losses, all hell breaks loose anyway lol

[@cloudbloom]

9:31 when i first saw this scene i thought it was one of the most devious things a villain has said in a movie. Whoever wrote that dialogue did a brilliant job

[@jennyanydots2389]

Logan Paul was the author of that entire screenplay.

[@originalSiiiN]

​@@jennyanydots2389why would you say such a thing?

[@imacg5]

Essentially it means "Life is meaningless, death is more meaningful." Paradoxically, if you see the survival of your own life above everything else, you fall prey to this philosophy, because your death becomes your master. So yeah, if you are willing to live nobly and get ready to die, you might beat this philosophy, like the two ship experiment.

[@crypt5129]

​@@originalSiiiNHe's insane

[@doublep1980]

Jonathan Nolan, Nolan's brother ( writer of Memento, showrunner of Westworld, Person of Interest & Fallout shows) wrote all the Joker scenes. Heath Ledger also contributed to the Joker dialogue. Jonathan Nolan made that clear in an interview earlier this year.

[@304Kid]

The more I think about the opening bank scene the more I realize how much of a huge risk it is for the joker to have the other robbers take each other out. Because what if they decided to not follow through with that and decided, “hey this guy I’m working with is good I want to work with him again in the future” he really had to be confident that there short term greed would override there long term thinking.

[@thegrimharvest]

Only a huge risk if he doesn't set it up carefully. If he doesn't carefully screen and choose who gets in on the heist. I think the whole "agent of chaos" aspect is a gaslight manipulation of self aggrandizement. To make himself look bigger and more powerful than he actually was. He doesn't just "do things", but he wants you to believe that, because it makes him harder to understand and predict. Makes him more threatening and unstoppable, like a natural disaster. Like if he just randomly picked out a crew to run the job, and setup his experiment, then sure, it would be risky. Some or all of them might decide to cooperate and just take him out instead, and split his share between themselves. But that would risk disproving his fundamental thesis of everyone only being self interested. He isn't looking to test that belief, or to have it be demonstrated wrong. He's not interested in finding out, he's already a complete devout believer in what he wants, and everything operates from that to prove that to be true to himself. So he either consciously or unconsciously sets up the heist in such a way that it would work exactly how he wanted it to work. Each one eliminates the other, every man for himself. Is it 100% foolproof, of course not, but he's always taking very carefully calculated risks while trying to convince everyone else that he's just so clever, so random, everyone else so incompetent and corrupt, that he just slips past them all and pulls off these elaborate set pieces on the fly, and there's no way to stop him, because he's the embodiment of chaos and randomness. He wasn't going to give some nobody the opportunity to off him before he got the chance to really prove himself right, and everyone else stupid and wrong, on the big stage. And show everyone else how much they were all faking it and have been the entire time.

[@ndalum75]

That's the point of the Joker in this film. He loves chaos, he embraces it himself. He plans, but not even the best plan is foolproof. Walking into Harvey's hospital and putting a gun in his hand, the Joker had no way of knowing for sure if Harvey would pull the trigger or not. The Joker doesn't know Harvey personally. He has to make a bet and hope its correct, and that's fine. Joker's audaciousness is his greatest asset, because he doesn't care if he lives or dies, only that he follows his own code and tries to spread it to the rest of Gotham.

[@GaMeRfReAkLIVE]

Just pick people who you know dont think much

[@dariusewing6962]

he understood that most people are sheep can be easily controlled becuz they long to belong to something!!! any even

[@tivednagol9127]

*their

[@Arno1911]

Best joker hands down

[@poltb-ic6sp]

Fr

[@FernandoLopezGarcia-dw9tp]

Frdr

[@minichad5456]

Yes, just yes

[@frederickshaibani5655]

Even if Heath Ledger hadn't passed, his take on the Joker would still be beyond chilling. RIP legend

[@lyudmilapavlichenko7551]

Mark Hammel joker is best.

[@blackmesacake5361]

And here. We. Go.

[@VLFBERHTwolf]

If the actor didn't die, the Joker would have been in the Dark Knight Rises along side Bane. However when Bane read Commissioner Gordon's resignation letter on the news thus finally igniting the anarchy the Joker wanted to start. The Joker would be laughing his ass off as he escapes Arkham Asylum and into the chaos filled streets of Gotham.

[@SiriusCygnus]

also a good detail about joker dropping Rachel out the window is when batman dives for her he yells her name. dead giveaway to the joker that theres a personal connection between the two.

[@walshproductions1]

Lmao no he doesn’t but that would be really funny. Spider-Man would be caught for sure. Bro was always calling MJ by her name

[@cynicaltheastrocreep4504]

@@walshproductions1 i mean she literally gets abducted in every single movie.

[@jeemu3141]

he doesn't, you guys just making shit up now

[@alancobain9508]

No he doesn’t 😂

[@CheesecakeXIII]

He doesn't.

[@matthewkuchinski1769]

Joker is when Hobbesian concepts are put through the most extreme test imaginable by a complete psychopath.

[@許國讚]

History has already done enough tests for Hobbes to make his conclusions.

[@Ampersand00]

Anytime I watch one of your videos, I want to rewatch the movie. Outstanding insights are unlocked every time!

[@roel.vinckens]

Very well done. For me this film, and Heath Ledger's performance in particular, stands out because it/he breaks through the fourth wall to eat away at the spectators morality as well. You can almost physically feel your foundations being questioned. This role isn't just scratching that itch we all carry, as a Keyser Söze or more obviously Tyler Durden does, it cuts right into it and keeps on peeling away layer after layer. The potato peeler is more than just a gimmick...

[@AJ0223]

I can honestly say that I've never felt my own morality be chipped away by watching a Hollywood movie but okay

[@lightupdarkness]

Overthinking it who cares I'm a Agent of 3

[@lightupdarkness]

Chaos be original an upset the establishment

[@robmanseries6721]

Men,i dont understand why your channel dosen't get the views it would deserve. I am glad that you still keep um the insane quality.Mutch love from germany❤❤

[@Men_of_Tomorrow]

You’ve helped me see this film in a new light, and I didn’t think that was possible at this point. Thanks for making this video.

[@JayMaverick]

That scene with the criminal destroying the remote is awesome. Even if it is a bit fairytale that the big black man is the one who does the right thing, it also makes sense that it would be the criminal boat who would have the initiative to go against societal pressure and make the difficult decision.

[@lightupdarkness]

Ok detectives😅 riddle me this....l

[@lightupdarkness]

I laugh in your face goof

[@torachan23]

In real life, the citizens would've blew up the convict boat within seconds of getting the choice and half of the people on board would record it

[@localvega688]

Sadly, this is not wrong 😥

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@torachan23 it really depends on the specific people on each boat but unfortunately like you say that is possible

[@CrunchyMD]

I think the joker gave them the detonator to their own bomb, it seems on brand given what he did to Batman by reversing the addresses of Harvey and Rachel.

[@hebercluff1665]

​@@CrunchyMD now that you mention it, I wouldn't be surprised

[@Jupiterxice]

exactly or vice versa.

[@captainjerry4146]

What's terrifying about the Joker is that he is meticulous, but also spontaneous. Like he's still a psycho. He's still very much mentally unstable, and you're actually still not sure exactly what he's looking for or what he's doing.

[@thedudeabides3138]

Superb essay, as always, thank you. I particularly liked your observations on how the general public will hail Batman when they need him and deride him when they don’t. The true fickleness of humanity laid bare.

[@PlagueInjected]

People do this with police today.

[@thedudeabides3138]

@@PlagueInjected How right you are. Unfortunately.

[@ilijacogelja6580]

Video suggestion. Watching a man try to change - Jimmy McNulty

[@frederickshaibani5655]

Excellent choice

[@torachan23]

Perfect

[@FidelIsaacVargas]

Finna like this to boost it. Hopefully he'll do the video by the time I'm finished with the show. Mid season 4 rn

[@Kenny-the-Platypus]

I thought you meant Jimmy McGill for a bit… did they do that on purpose?

[@Schwartzzz]

Who?

[@MrSprinkles6921]

Best analysis of the movie I have seen. You brought up some really good points.

[@KingConnor-zc2mm]

2:50 joker farts

[@malcom1111]

🤣🤣

[@SnapTales0]

😭

[@elusivent]

Nah youve explained this in a way i haven't seen in the last 15-16 years. Sub!

[@deshaunreid7728]

"How Tony Soprano manipulated everyone" would be interesting

[@KillerGrim47]

Facts and the video would be longer too lol cause man

[@rhymenoceros3303]

While it’s undeniable that the Joker largely wins, we also cannot deny the one thing the film provides at the end: hope. Despite it all the civilians choose to do the right thing and not blow up the other boat. Lucius destroys the spy station Batman made since he knows that’s too much power for one person to have. Batman himself chooses to make himself a pariah for the sake of the people. The Joker is right that some people will eat each other when the chips are down. However there are still those who will ultimately choose to do the right thing because they believe in something more. They have hope that despite it all, people can and will do better.

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@rhymenoceros3303 well does it really matter if their lives are any much over if they are convicts? Also, what if the other boat was filled with people like nazis, abusers, offenders, mass shooters, and other types of the most despicable and detestable people on the planet. What would happen then?

[@littlegiantj8761]

​@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674 it's easy to talk big about setting off the detonator when it's not in your hands

[@strikemasterice2004]

​@@littlegiantj8761Yup, especially when there are also prison guards on the other boat.

[@JabamiLain]

This series pointed out to me why the Robins are so important for the Batman mytho. They represent his faithful side, and at least Tim represents a deviation from Batman's planning. They remind him there are good people who do believe genuinely in what he does, but not for vengeful purposes. Without a Robin for his career, Batman did not have enough faith to trust the people of Gotham with the truth, or the world in general outside his Batman phase. This is why I love kid heroes and to watch them grow.

[@neoshift2000]

@@rhymenoceros3303 joker temporarily won when he flip dent but ultimately loss when he killed Rachel sacrificing the queen

[@jameslough6329]

Every time I watch your videos it gets me to think about the movies and TV shows I watch from a completely fresh and unique prospective.

[@thegunslinger1363]

In my personal opinion. Nolans Joker is the greatest villain in cinematic history.

[@OmnipotentSpud]

I'll 2nd that. The whole game changed after that performance.

[@minichad5456]

Not just in cinematic history, I did argue that he is one of the best villains ever

[@cloudbloom]

Totally. No Country for Old Men had the second best villain

[@blakerashad777]

@@cloudbloomfacts! That gas station scene still gives me chills

[@torachan23]

It's okay to be wrong.

[@offredd]

I love ur vids. I always watch em multiple times and I learn a lot from them. All the best mate!!!

[@JM-ql7mh]

So glad I subbed a good while ago - excellent video followed by another and another. Clicked this INSTANTLY.

[@fobwatchful]

Heath Ledger showed the Joker as much more of a genius than Jessie Eisenberg showed us for Lex Luthor.

[@grandcanyon-d4d]

Neither played the actual characters, Heath played Anarchy and Jesse played Riddler, it's the directors' fault for the most part.

[@BlancheDP]

Excellent analysis! Though I disagree with the idea that the Joker succeeded. Pardon the sports analogy, but got it to the 2-yard line and couldn't get past the goalpost. The Joker wanted to corrupt everyone; Dent, Batman, and Gotham. He only ended up getting Harvey Dent; and even then only half of him. Like the last few seasons of Game of Thrones, no one really says you succeeded if you shit the bed in the end.

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@BlancheDP Joker did prove though when the chips are down people will tear each other apart. But those chips arent cookie cutter and the same for everybody. For Harvey Dent they were up front traumatic and personal so thats why he succumed to Two-Face. Maybe Gotham and Batman werent corrupted through the exact methods Joker orchestrated, but doesnt mean they cannot be corrupted (especially the average person) in other different ways and other circumstances, just because they arent willing to blow up a boat full of people doesnt mean they cant be corrupted and not be ruthless in other ways, such as Batman choosing to knock Dent off the ledge even if it was an unintentional kill and focus on saving a child than somebody that was too far gone and was an immediate threat. One small example There are so many other ways too. Like in Echo people cheered and were satisfied with Wilson Fisk beating an ableist to death that was mean to a deaf child. Point is there can be other ways where the chips can be down with people where they have to resort to violence or some sort of humanity/morality being "corrupted" for either justifiable or unjustifiable reasons as we see in both real life and fiction Plus Joker also points out that no matter how flawed or harmful, people want to maintain a status quo that harms others but the ones enforcing it arent harmed by, just to feel better about themselves no matter how flawed and only panic and protest when that status quo is threatned with no way out. Plus neither boat had much choice so if they were to die there is nothing that could be done, they wouldnt be able to kill themselves, and Batman was there to save the day. If it werent for him theyd be toast

[@thegrimharvest]

​@@Seasonal-Shadow_4674fair points for both sides of the coin. I think Joker succeeds in as much as he does because of when and where and how he's choosing to operate. He's looking for confirmation bias and Gotham is the place most likely to prove his points, not for some societal benefit but more from his own insane principle, and out of sheer petty spite. He wants to be right, and wants everyone to have to agree he's right, by showing that everyone else is lying, stupid, and faking it, and they have been all along, and will continue to do so in the future. It's not as if he's purposely set up situations to purposely disprove his fundamental beliefs that he claims not to have or operate under. His proposition is that people are crap, they'll do things that contradict their stated principles when faced with situations of self preservation, and that then proves that holding to principles and beliefs is stupid and wrong, and were never true, and everyone should strive to be like him, who's "not a monster" but simply "ahead of the curve". Except that in of itself is asserting a set of principles and a value system, while denying that's what it's doing. It's all petty spite and self aggrandizement, applied through means of very clever psychological warfare gaslighting and manipulation tactics, which a side of probably reality tv show level careful screening and selection, so as to almost guarantee a favorable outcome for himself regardless of whatever happens. Heads he wins, tails everyone else loses. His criticism lands only because we're not as rational, moral or principled as we would like to admit to ourselves or on polite company. It only works when we refuse to acknowledge that we're capable of doing awful things for selfish reasons and justifying it afterwards to absolve ourselves of guilt and/or to avoid taking responsibility for the consequences. If he'd tried it in, say, Metropolis, even without the instant hand waving away of problems by mans of an alien super powered deux ex machina boy scout... His plan might still work, but for sure it would require more effort and ground work in advance preparation, because that city isn't being driven into the ground by corruption, poverty, crime, and intentionally caused decades of intentionally planned accelerated social decay by an outside wacky club who needed a reason to justify their wanting to burn the city to the ground in the first place. The pickings might be just a bit slimmer than in Gotham, where he could throw a rock in any direction and probably hit someone willing to sell their own grandma out for an extra nickel.

[@wrenchracers2083]

I think a fascinating aspect of joker manipulating Harvey was giving him the 50/50 chance of killing him. But if you pay attention to how joker is holding the gun it will not fire if the trigger is pulled

[@Squince01]

Well now I gotta go rewatch the movie, what a masterpiece! 🤌

[@OmarAbuGhosh-sl7ij]

Irrelevant, the hammer would have pushed through anyways he was simply holding the gun Why wouldn’t he want to die? He solidifies Harvey’s descent, he was fine w Batman killing him why not dent?

[@bobjayhan]

I've seen a million TDK/Joker video essays, and never been so completely convinced by an entirely new take, and so perfectly illustrated a perspective. There is such quality to your videos, every new one out is an event in itself and a treat to save up for watching at the right time, and savour every bit. Fair play lad 👌☘️

[@sirashley2355]

lets just remember that the joker only lost (the last test ONLY) because ONE CRIMINAL PRISONER had a good heart and took matters into his own hands by sacrificing EVERYONE on his ship(in his view). its the type of shit that only a Hollywood writer would think was probable.

[@enigma7310]

*I always had a theory that Heath Ledgers Joker was a secret rogue League of Shadows member or a crazed journalist of them since his message and cause was close to Rals al Ghul's but the only difference is instead of utilizing his goons he was manipulating and using people around him to make Gotham fall into chaos...*

[@jennyanydots2389]

There's a theory he was a disgruntled Blockbuster Video CEO.

[@animn7386]

Matpat who does film theory made a video about how Joker was the only one who could and did fix Gotham brutal as it was

[@sbyamibakura]

This is my favorite film of all time and Heath's performance is my all time favorite Joker and you got EXACTLY some of the reasons why his was the best and why he's my favorite. Instant sub from me.

[@TeamCat1128]

All of your 'observations' are spot on, but this one is especially good. Bravo!

[@evolve5527]

How can you make so many videos of this level of quality so fast? Do you have a team of writers? This is impressive.

[@JustanObservation]

Thank you. No just me

[@Kenny-the-Platypus]

@@JustanObservation “I work alone”

[@zichithefox4781]

Joker was the main character in The Dark Knight, that's really the truth.

[@jahcode6132]

He's da Joker baby

[@debrachambers1304]

He makes good jokes!

[@discman15]

I always enjoy your villain analyses, please keep it up

[@Kinos141]

One thing that made me think the Joker was refreshing is that he straight up lies. He lied to Harvey when he said that he didn't have plans. Most movie villains skirt the truth, Joker straight up lies to people's faces.

[@jasonaugustine3370]

This video is brilliant It’s the breakdown of the social contract People don’t do things because they’re afraid of the consequences But that’s just normal people Psychopath and sociopath don’t care about the consequences They weigh the pros and cons and choose accordingly without fear of reprisal Brilliant

[@crispydonut9553]

Amazing video like always! Although, I would like to point one crucial detail that you missed. After the Joker's philosophy is proven false when neither of the boats decided to blow the other up, he says "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself", before attempting to blow up one of the boats. This proves that the Joker doesn't actually care about the people of Gotham or revealing to them their "true" selves. He just wants to manipulate them into abandoning their morals and having society turn to chaos for his own amusement. His believes were just a means to an end, which undermines the idea that he knew some hidden truth of human behavior.

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@crispydonut9553 Joker is an unintended (kinda) genius.sometimes people can choose revenge in the face of their self-interest that can also be compassionate and empathetic; and what if the other boat was filled with the most despicable and unforgivable people such as Nazis, Bigots, Creeps, Offenders, Abusers, Anyone thats hurt women and children, and/or all sorts of corrupt and rich powerful people that anger and are damaging society, would that other boat have the same chance? Look how many people justify what almost happened to Trump. And/or what if even the more innocent boat in any circumstance was filled with more ruthless people with stronger compassion towards the innocent and less towards the non innocent, then the other boat may have been blown up. And also its blowing up a boat, humans can take justice and vengeance into their own hands in other physical ways, and also verbally and psychologically in so many other ways that dont involve mass murder but stil living out the same eye for an eye mentality especially with the internet and various other ways people can have power; there are so many ways to hurt others that feel less morally consequential, bankrupt burdening, or heavy as blowing up a boat, but can be still detrimental and the everyday people and average joes can ruin each others lives or severely sabatoge and demonize each others over petty reasons and/or understandable vengeful reasons in ways that dont always involve breaking the law outright but can still harmful and damaging. I mean people are already justifying Harley Quinn in Batman Caped Crusader I think Joker did win but its complicated, it really depends on the person,Joker is right on human nature, as just because people are not as ugly as him doesnt mean their ugliness doesnt comes out; if its isnt like his, plus you cant predict humans and succeed all the time, he is good at understanding the fallacies and viciousness of human nature, but cannot predict each individual and how they act depending on circumstance. And did it really matter if the other boat was blown up if the incarcerated would rot in prison without a second chance? And/or does that make the incarcerated person redeemable and forgivable, just because he didnt blow up the "innocent" boat?? Do all the innocent people on the boat become automatically good people just because they didnt pull the trigger and have some humanity? How do we know they never screwed up or ruined peoples lives that arent necessarily illegal or they were able to evade the law?

[@Ikaros23]

He is a narcissistic psychopat. His main goals are to 1: Get attention at any cost. Specialy Batmans attention 2: Power over his victims minds and emotions by manipulation, lies and gaslighting ( creating confusion, doubt) 3: Create his « art», that is kaos and mayham The battle is not over Gothams soul. But over Batmans soul. Attacking his main philosophy of stoicism, by killing Rachel and breaking the soul of Harvey Dent. The Joker is simply the opposite of The Batman. The most dangerous criminal in all comics. He even broke Superman’s mind and sanity

[@Seasonal-Shadow_4674]

@@Ikaros23 which proves anyone can break and become ruthless and anti heroic over specific circumstances

[@thegrimharvest]

I think both can be true to some degree. He's a self described agent of chaos. But also an unreliable narrator. Do we trust anything he says he's doing for the reason he's saying he's doing it? There's a sort of intentional paradox in him. He says he's not a schemer and doesn't have a plan other than to show the planners and schemers that plans and scheming are stupid. By mapping out this series of deviously clever traps and plans upon plans. Ultimately the end goal was the means itself of arriving there. For his own personal amusement, and as some really insanely petty spiteful personal goal that makes sense only to him. He can be correct but for all the wrong reasons, that doesn't mean he necessarily doesn't believe in them. It's hard to pin him down, because he's by principle choosing to be unprincipled in order to prove his nihilistic point to himself. If Gotham goes along with it and Batman crumbles and Dent breaks bad, well those are pluses, but I think incidental to his original intentions. To blow everything up and prove that everything anyone ever claimed to believe in was a lie, a delusion, and a bad joke. Then, "I'm not a monster! I'm just ahead of the curve!". Joker needs that to be true, so operates on that premise, and sets out to prove it true. Becoming an agent of chaos, to show that chaos is real and true, he's the real enlightened one. That he happens to succeed in crime ridden corrupt Gotham is hardly shocking. Considering the groundwork laid for his success by both the mob, the government, the rich and influential, and especially the League of Shadows. Easier and ample opportunities to prove himself right for the sake of proving himself right. He has a point, but it's all for the sake of pettiness. In a twisted sort of way he's operating under a moral code, it's just obfuscated by his gaslighting and intentional manipulation to seem completely like he's truly an agent of chaos who "just does things" for the sake of sheer randomness. Everything he preaches is him justifying and proving himself right through circular logic. That it happens to be right more often than wrong is incidental, as is how it affects everyone else. He frames it as if it's for everyone else's sake, but that's the gaslighting and manipulation. I kind of think of him like an Anton Chigur from No Country for Old Men, only far more persuasive and theatrical. He's operating on a principle, but that principle is fundamentally insane.

[@WillyGrippo]

You've provided companion pieces to so many of my favorite movies and shows, keep up the great work!

[@doublep1980]

The fan theory, that the Ledger Joker is some sort of disgruntled former Secret Agent/ Black Ops operative that was abandoned during a failed mission and now came back to take revenge from society as a whole, makes more and more sense. Think about it. He's highly adept un things like infiltration, psychological warfare, manipulation, intelligence gathering, recruiting, planning & executing complex operations, weapons handling ( from knifes to small firearms to RPG's), explosives etc etc. The Ledger Joker is basically what would happen if James Bond or Ethan Hunt would go anarchist terrorist.

[@TheMartian4u]

You know a movie is a work of art when there’s still videos being made about it years after its release

[@Ccdssdgvbbbb]

What an analysis . Subscribed. You’re a excellent KZbinr brother

[@niterida380]

This was superbly done.

[@dosemulero3963]

THIS WAS AN IMPRESSIVE CASE STUDY. GREAT CONTENT!

[@spiderflytv5894]

Thank you so much for your videos, I learned more from your videos than my professor taught me

[@PinkyJustice]

Professors are there to show you how to teach yourself, not to think for you.

[@michaelmcinerney1425]

Great vid as always!

[@arkrayen]

Keep up the good work , love ur videos

[@shragamildiner8472]

A decade after I saw the movie I'm still seeing it in a new light. Thank you for this video!

[@volbound1700]

The wrong address ploy works both ways. If he values justice, he would lose Harvey; if he is selfish, he loses Rachel which is what happens.

[@fugpog685]

So early. Love your videos.

[@martino5742]

1:37 one of the best and most poetic ways ive heard the ruling class be described

[@cws480]

Excellent work. I enjoyed this. Thank you.

[@dmill9020]

The best performance hands down ever. Joaquin is great. But he even knows he doesn’t hold a candle to this. First time I watched a character and couldn’t imagine it being an actual person.

[@mohammedfaizan616]

Great analysis! Love your content!

[@genjitsu7448]

Excellent commentary and synopsis! The fact that we are all humans makes every single one of us susceptible to being manipulated to do really bad things. This movie - at the time it came out I was not into "Batman" so I passed on this - wow what a mistake! Heath created the kind of persona that is truly one in a million. The components of the character from the makeup, the colors of his clothing, that combined with awesome fabric choices for everything, it just fit!. That and all of the other things he did, the voice, the licking of his lips (supposedly he did that a lot because the prosthetics were falling off or uncomfortable,,,) whatever reason he was licking his lips that added something very special that went along with the part beautifully. I am really glad I ended up seeing the movie, overall it was ok but the parts with the Joker were truly exceptional. Cheers

[@genjitsu7448]

I also just wanted to add that back then when everyone was talking about Heath and how awesome he was and how great the movie was, i just could not buy in so i pushed the ideas away... I became a "hater" for no reason, i didn't know him from Adam (that is a saying i think, and it means the person is a complete stranger to you). I was judging without any knowledge of who he was, what the role was, why it was good, i did not have facts on my side and that did not matter. Sometimes it is interesting to look back to see that on many things you don't know yourself, ideas that you held as facts may not have been actual facts at all! It makes me wonder what I don't know right now... it makes me wonder how to help someone else learn the actual verifiable truth about something that goes against their ideas and beliefs... yea.

[@Aditya-gx1xv]

That's a great video. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and observations.

[@atmintiesakademija]

you are very insightful. The movie just became that much better after your explanations. Thank you.

[@Ruylopez778]

"Do I really look like a guy with a plan?" is a great way to instil fear into others, because as Alfred spells out for the audience, you can't reason with the Joker. Dent can predict what Gotham organised crime will do, because he understands their motivations and methods. Part of the chaos Joker creates is in the unpredictable pattern that he's either constructed in advance, or his multiple contingencies.

[@RogueJyn]

I remember a thesis on the dark knight a while ago that mentioned how Joker used game theory in his plans. And how he liked using poker terms in his monologues. It was like a game to him.

[@Bowdy_Up]

But Batman didn’t protect Harvey because of his power. Batman went after Rachel just like before when Batman “threw himself at her!” Joker already knew who Batman would choose so he gave Batman the wrong address.

[@dancing_rock]

One of the best analysis of character I have heard

[@fergie42069]

wonderful analysis as always, love this channel!

[@jalonglover4488]

Man I love analysis videos on The Dark Knight. You've done well with this video. My only criticism about question is what did you expect him to do with Rachel being dropped out of the window?

[@davidgncl]

Awesome analysis thanks. Subscribed!

[@keithm11112]

What you explained is why I love this movie so much. Such an amazing story and so well written for Batman Vs Joker 😊

[@jakeail1995]

what i love about the part where Joker give the wrong address, beside the point already brought up in the video, is the switching the address was a "bad joke" he give to the Batman: - if Batman choose to save Harvey doing the right thing, he is reward with the woman he love Rachel and fully ruins Batman reputation and even Batman sense of moral - If he choose to save Rachel, Joker punish him by giving him Harvey making it look like Batman did the right thing which is extremely ironic coz Batman fully know which person he choose => it all a sick bad "joke" the Joker present to Batman

[@JabamiLain]

This series pointed out to me why the Robins are so important for the Batman mytho. They represent his faithful side, and at least Tim represents a deviation from Batman's planning. They remind him there are good people who do believe genuinely in what he does, but not for vengeful purposes. Without a Robin for his career, Batman did not have enough faith to trust the people of Gotham with the truth, or the world in general outside his Batman phase. This is why I love kid heroes and to watch them grow.

[@daviddariey9481]

Excellent video as always

[@jahu35]

great video, loved it! I guess now I'll check out more of your channel's content!

[@ipersonify9604]

A very thought provoking video about who we are as a human race, and what we truly believe in. Nicely done. (Subscribed)

[@TylerBenjamin-q4t]

Very insightful! Great work

[@danielwisniewski6962]

Seeing this really makes me lean into the theory that this version of the Joker was former spec ops who was thought to be killed in action. The physicality, the knife work, knowledge of explosives and firearms, being literally IN the police crowd and having a knowledge of proper ceremony so as not to stand out, the strategy, the absolute disgust with society, and specifically mentioning a “truck load of soldiers” being blown up all being part of the plan, it all makes sense at least from a headcanon place. Almost 20 years later, Ledger is still missed.

[@Pete-q8b]

This movie was such a masterpiece

[@MOTHEROFGODD]

This video was so nice, I watched it twice.❤

[@VersusArdua]

Nolan's Joker is the best modern Joker because he came in, fucked shit up, then vanished back into the night like the Joker should as apposed to the rest of them who need to keep popping back up in sequels like 'I exist, more money pls'

[@krewdugdale7973]

his body language and mannerisms border on having absolutely no fear or being almost childlike

[@Wildfire_Renewal]

Best video so far. And that's saying something

[@wyatt8000]

I love your channel.

[@chazblank2717]

4:40 there’s actually three men fighting for one position here

[@PinkyJustice]

Yeah... I love that shot when you realize there are three. The logistics of that fight are actually horrifying.

[@terrisobeck9523]

Health Ledger was brilliant. Wish we didn’t lose him. The characters he would of played would of blown us away

[@ShadowIndividual]

Awesome video! Please do one on Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders 🙏

[@jakek1735]

One piece of head canon I've always had about this movie is that if one of the groups on the ferries HAD actually triggered their detonator, it would've blown up their own boat and not the other. His schemes always had one extra rug-pull like that.

[@digbiex02]

If this is just an observation then why did you not observe that Harvey Dent had decided to kill Commissioner Gordon's Son, James Gordon Junior, so Batman jumped Harvey Dent/Two-Face, grabbing Gordon's Son as the three fell over the side of the unfinished building? Batman could only save one of them, he chose Gordon's Son demonstrating that the Joker never really understood Batman and what drove him. The death of his Mother and Father who he could not save, respect for the Law from the kindness of Sgt. James Gordon, and the pursuit of justice (his way) he gained from Rachel Dawes; Batman Begins (2005 film).

[@daredevil6145]

DO one for *Frank Underwood* please and maybe Claire for good measure, or NOT, Just Frank. That video will be RICH

[@matthewrocca4197]

I’d LOVE that. *taps ring*

[@nahtay72]

Great vid.

[@OWXMUSIC]

Great analysis

[@jaredbelovich3020]

very interesting, well done

[@yeeyeeedits]

Thanks for the info!

[@MJR_ATX]

Jokers intricate plans were entirely dependent on things he couldn’t possibly predict going exactly how he predicted them to an almost magical extent. The writing overshadowed reality.

[@jacobp8294]

Almost every Machiavellian villain suffers from this. You can't set up intricate and detailed plans months or years into the future without something going awry. Timing and placement is almost impossible in real world plans, but they are needed for certain dramatic effects.

[@roel.vinckens]

Your comment works on all things fiction. It's heightened reality, not a documentary. Does the story respect the logic of the created world within which it is taking place? And is it entertaining enough to forget its fictional aspect for some, if possible the bigger part of its duration? For me this film scores positively on both of these necessities.

[@debrachambers1304]

Yeah. There are some plans I'm OK with, because they seem like contingencies he has set up to make improvisation easier, but I remember other things seeming overly convenient.

[@MJR_ATX]

I mean the cop just standing in the interrogation room to be antagonized into a fight so joker could escape… in what world does that make sense? No cops just hang out in the interrogation room with the suspect.

[@roel.vinckens]

@@MJR_ATX It makes sense in the Gotham of this movie. It's part of the art of storytelling. Tolkien's LOTR can be attacked on every detail from your point of view, but within the created world the story works, entertains and thus does its job. Are Platoon and Full Metal Jacket good movies? Would they stand any real reality check? The fact of the matter with all (good) fiction is that we are willingly tricked. Or not.

[@varunl6948]

Great breakdown!

[@anadegosling]

A good character study in manipulation id love to see you cover is the character Johan from the animated Series Monster. Another is the main detective and character from the show “the Mentalist” or even a video on Hannibal Lecter. Great video as always tho