The debut episode of Gotham Knights affirms that the Batman in this version disobeyed his fundamental principle and terminated The Joker. This reflects a tendency in modern Batman depictions, in which the Caped Crusader’s deployment of deadly measures is intended to distinguish it from more conventional renderings. Yet, in the context of Gotham Knights, it additionally intensifies the conflict between two primary characters.
Gotham Knights takes place in an alternate universe that differs from the traditional Gotham City, where Bruce Wayne took in a young boy named Turner Hayes following the brutal slaying of his parents. Turner is stunned when he learns that Bruce Wayne was the man behind the mask of Batman, especially after his father’s corpse is found with the Dark Knight’s cowl. Nevertheless, Turner is accused of orchestrating the crime when investigators from the GCPD find that his bank account was utilized to compensate the accused murderers. As a result, Turner is arrested and locked up with the teenagers implicated in Bruce Wayne’s assassination, where he discovers that one of them may have had a motive for killing Batman that transcends financial gain.
Batman Killed The Joker In Gotham Knights
One of the suspects accused of murdering Batman is Duela Doe, who is believed to be the offspring of The Joker. Born in Arkham Asylum, Duela was known for her frequent appearances in juvenile court during her early years. District Attorney Harvey Dent swiftly latched onto the possibility that Duela may have targeted Bruce Wayne to avenge her father, speculating that The Joker was killed during a clash with Batman. In a subsequent conversation with Turner Hayes, Duela verified that Batman was the one who killed The Joker, but she dismissed the notion of seeking retribution, asserting that “Papa J abandoned me and my mom in Arkham before my first tooth had even emerged.”
Why So Many Adaptations Have Batman Kill Joker
The portrayal of Batman killing The Joker is not a new occurrence in live-action adaptations of the Caped Crusader. In the Batwoman season 1 episode 17, “A Narrow Escape,” Luke Fox revealed to Kate Kane that the Arrowverse’s Batman had killed The Joker, and the GCPD pretended he was still in Arkham Asylum. Similarly, in the Titans’ season 3 premiere, Batman killed The Joker in retaliation for his slaying of Jason Todd’s Robin. This repetition is due to Batman’s renowned aversion to killing in the comics, and showcasing him breaching his cardinal rule is an easy (if somewhat unoriginal) way to amplify the stakes in any Batman adaptation.
Additionally, disclosing that Batman killed The Joker also serves as a means of preventing the character from reappearing in the future. Although this is unlikely to happen in Gotham Knights, as the rights to the character are associated with the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux, the possibility of The Joker appearing in Batwoman or Titans was raised repeatedly until the shows dispelled the notion. This is probably for the best, as introducing the Clown Prince of Crime without a Dark Knight to confront him appears rather pointless.
Gotham Knights airs Tuesdays on The CW.
Source: Screen Rant
