Villain Critique: The Joker (DC Animated Universe)

Hey, everyone. I'm back and ready to get started again with Villain Critique. But before that, let's go over the rules of this series:

1. First, if you haven't seen, read, played, or heard of any of these villains and/or the media that they appear in, there will be spoilers. You have been warned. Also, keep in mind that I haven't seen, heard of, and/or known a lot about every villain out there, so if you have a villain that you want to show me and I haven't known about him or her yet, please be sure to lend me some information through either reply or via PM.
2. Second, This is all just my personal opinion and you don't have to agree with me if you don't want to. Just please be nice, constructive, and considerate, especially when telling me why you disagree in the comments down below or via PM.
3. And finally, I don't just do movie or cartoon villains. I also do villains from video games, comics, television, and even fan-made, popular OCs.

Now, without further ado, let's start reviewing everyone's favorite Clown Prince of Crime and Batman's arch-enemy: The Joker!

This villain is widely known as one of the most popular, comedic, and vile fictional antagonists of all-time and for good reason. It's instantly made clear how different he is from most villains that the Dark Knight has faced. No tragic backstory or sympathetic qualities. Just deliciously evil 24/7 and all for his own amusement. While he may not be the most powerful, he definitely makes up for it in terms of malice and intellect. Let's look at him further, shall we?

1. Design: There have been many iterations of the character, especially in terms of design. However, one of the most popular adaptations of the character is during his animated universe look. Every villain in Batman's rogues gallery has a certain motif that makes them stand out from the rest and the Joker is no exception. His clown motif really fit his more comedic, yet still malicious personality and his weapons are based around comedic themes like his acid-spitting flower and lethal laughing gas. It also fits with him being the complete opposite and nemesis of Batman. While the Dark Knight has more mysterious, serious, and visually darker design to contrast his more heroic, caring, and justice-obsessed attitude, the Joker uses wackier, lighter, and more comedic look to contrast his more psychotic, heartless, and malevolent behavior. A great design for a great villain to match.
2. Personality: What sets the Joker apart from most other villains is his personality. Rather than a serious enemy or a more tragic/redeemable antagonist, this guy is nothing more than a comedic yet pure evil sociopath with no feelings of remorse or regard for any of his victims and only cares about himself and his own entertainment at others' suffering. Even before his disfigurement, he's still a psychopath who used to work as a hitman for both money and amusement. Not only that, but he's also a physically and emotionally abusive boyfriend towards his assistant, Harley Quinn. He didn't even care if she died during a horrible incident that led her to fall off a very tall building to his lair, even when she was trying to help him and wanted his love. But despite there being nothing sympathetic or redeemable about the Joker, he still a very entertaining villain due to his comedic and laughably evil behavior and moments being very fun to watch and another thing that sets him apart from the more serious antagonists. A funny villain with a very black heart.
3. Backstory: As mentioned before, the Joker used to be a hitman who only cared about money and chaos for his own entertainment. But like most of the other interpretations of the character, the reason why he became the Joker is that he fell into a vat of chemicals that not only gave him his disfigured clown-like appearance, but also made him even more insane than before. After being beaten by the Batman, he became his mortal enemy who haunted the hero even after death. Aside from his disfigurement, his backstory is far from tragic and only increased his insanity and more despicable nature.
4. Abilities: Physically, the Joker doesn't have much in terms of power or supernatural abilities, but his genius-level intellect, gadgetry, manipulation, intimidation, and very high pain tolerance and ability to cheat death on multiple occasions are more than enough to make up for it. Like the Batman, he uses these abilities and his fighting skills to accomplish his goals and give him the advantage against his enemies, even the more powerful opponents. He's also one of the most intimidating villains due to his unpredictability and usual ability to survive and come back from anything that would normally kill him. One of the most persistent and terrifying villains in not only the DC Universe, but of all time.
5. Weaknesses: Along with not having any superpowers, his biggest weakness is his arrogance. He's the greatest comedian in the world and Batman's greatest enemy and is willing to exterminate anyone who thinks or demonstrates otherwise. Unfortunately, it's his own hubris that led to his downfall at the hands of the Batman at least twice. He'll even lose his cool when his pride in being the only one who's allowed to kill Batman is damaged, though it's very rare that he loses it despite his insanity. So, if any other villain dares to go up against Batman or succeeds in killing him, they better be afraid.
6. Character Development: Despite being a very irredeemable villain, his relationship with the Batman does show that how he and the Caped Crusader are pretty much destined to be enemies forever. Because of Batman's personal ideal of not killing anyone, even his enemies, and the Joker's masochistic and sadistic pleasure of fighting against the Batman, neither of them are willing to end the other's life or defeat them for good. This shows that how eternal their battle against each other is and one of the reasons why the Joker keeps coming back for more, no matter how many times he loses against his bat-themed nemesis or how close to death he becomes. So, no matter how hard they try to get rid of the other (willingly or not), they will always be a thorn in each other's side.
7. Miscellaneous: Sorry for sounding mean, but due to me not knowing as much about the Joker as other fans of him, I'm not sure if there's anything else for me to talk about him in terms of miscellaneous aspects about him. Again, sorry.
8. Overall: This is one of the best villains I've ever seen in my opinion. A comedic and entertaining, yet still vile and heartless monster who has won the hearts of many, including mine. While my favorite type of villain is the more sympathetic, tragic, redeemable, and comedic antagonists, I don't mind showing some love to the more malicious and irredeemable foes as long as they're just as well-written and interesting as the others. And the Joker is definitely one of them. Chaotic, funny, and enjoyable cruel, this is one villain that I can't wait to see more of in the future.

Now, if you have a favorite villain (movies, cartoons, video games, etc.) that you want me to critique, let me know either in the comments down below or via PM. Also, be sure to give me some information of your villain if I don't know that much about them.

What do you think of both this critique and this villain? Do you like them both? If so, why or why not? Please let me know.

Have a fantastic day.

Comments

[sykko]

The Joker doesn't have a set backstory. In the comic The Killing Joke, he said "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes I remember it another. If I were to have an origin story, I'd prefer to be multiple choice." The Joker has at least a dozen origin stories, all of them equally true and untrue.

[Heroic412227]

5659937
Oh. Sorry.

[TheClownPrinceofCrime]

This warms my heart to see folks recognize and respect the greatest villain ever. Much love from yours truly! 💜🃏💜

[Heroic412227]

5659939
You're welcome.

[sykko]

5659938
Don't be sorry. I know not everybody has read the comics. I love all of the potential Joker backstories. A comedian who fell on hard times and turned to the mob for help so he could earn enough money to help his pregnant wife and wound up falling into a vat of industrial chemicals. A vigilante named Red Hood who was working alongside Batman early in his career to help take down a crime family and fell into a vat of industrial chemicals. A mob enforcer called Red Hood who Batman was trying to take down and fell into a vat of industrial chemicals. A night watchman working at the Ace Chemicals Factory making his rounds when a fight broke out between Batman and several mob enforcers and fell into a vat of industrial chemicals. The man who murdered Bruce Wayne's parents got tracked down 15 years later by Batman, chased into the Ace Chemicals Factory and fell into a vat of industrial chemicals. The main attraction of the Joker is that no one knows who he was before falling into that vat of industrial chemicals, getting messed up physically and mentally and becoming the Clown Prince of Crime.