Why The Joker is the Best Superhero Villain

Jared Leto in Suicide Squad

In the realm of superhero pop culture, there is one villain that seems to overpower everyone else. Even the most casual of fans will be able to tell you something about The Joker, whether it be from The Dark Knight, Batman (1966), Batman (1989), or this weekend's Suicide Squad. He's a character that seems to linger as the de facto enemy of good in comic book lore for a variety of reasons. Sure, one could argue that Lex Luthor is just as big, but the sheer amount of adaptations featuring The Clown Prince is unsurpassed not only in prestige (Jared Leto will be the third Oscar-winning actor to play him) but in memorable moments. Even in Batman's canon, The Joker is often a central figure in The Caped Crusader's greatest work from "The Killing Joke" to "The Dark Knight Returns." So, what is it that draws us to a character who embraces anarchy and clever pranks? The answer may simply be subversion.

When speaking of Leto's thoughts on Heath Ledger's work in The Dark Knight, he mentioned something telling. He thought that if Ledger was the sole creator of The Joker, it would be disrespectful to try and fill his shoes. However, the character's longevity spanning over 50 years on TV and film gave him some leeway. He believed that it opened up opportunities to try different approaches. Leto's "method acting" has been well documented and likely has annoyed its share of people. The actor even claimed to watch endless videos of committed crimes on YouTube for preparation. Among other things, the Suicide Squad look was immediately controversial, if just because of the "Damaged" tattoo on his forehead and the 80's sheen that seems to be found in his color pallet. It is something so despairingly different from the iconic perception that it may have turned many off entirely. However, to borrow a phrase from Ledger, it may be for the best that Leto "Introduce a little anarchy."

It is tough to say because Leto is himself a conflicting figure because of his method acting and occasionally pretentious choices. However, it is the type of logic that one must use in order to portray The Joker with gravitas. Ever since Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), there has been conflict over a new take on The Joker with many arguing that Nicholson wouldn't do Caesar Romero's version justice. Same for Nicholson and Ledger, and in 2016 with well... everyone and Leto. This animosity hasn't met most of Batman's other foes. Though it could just be that The Joker is an inherently exciting character that embodies the sickly fascinating side of crime that we as viewers secretly crave. We want to see him shove a pencil through a man's head. We want to laugh at something disturbing. We want Batman to win, but we want him to work for it.

The thing is that The Joker is both the most niche and lacking form character in D.C.'s canon. One could look at The Riddler, The Penguin, Catwoman, Bane, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, or The Scarecrow and find their weak spots. They all have a gimmick that is easily definable and even easier to combat. They're all engaging, but The Joker's main thing seems to be that he thrives on annoying people. In the Batman series, this involved the illogical decision to have baseball plates launch him outside of prison walls. In Batman (1989), it involves destroying the city to Prince songs. In The Dark Knight, it involved setting up sadistic goals that tempered the entire community of Gotham. It wasn't just that Ledger's character brought destruction wherever he went. He existed in a Saw-like universe where there were two choices and either one would screw you over. You also just had to play by ear, as he wasn't always the most cooperative.

Much like Batman himself, the concept of Joker can perfectly adapt to the format better than some of the rogues gallery. The Joker could be silly like Caesar Romero, choosing to ham it up while pulling dastardly (if generic) plans. He could kill your girlfriend or ruin your political career, as seen in The Dark Knight. It's a wide spectrum, and it it works because the idea of a menacing clown is something ingrained in our psyche. As much as they represent comical entertainment, they also can embody mental instability. The Joker is one of the most unhinged of Batman's core villains, and it's part of what makes him so interesting to watch time and again, no matter what decade or tone is set.

Most of all, The Joker works because he is the least defined. Beyond antagonistic gimmicks, he is a character often lacking backstory. Some have even contested that The Dark Knight's version is an unstable war veteran akin to First Blood's Rambo. The sense of anarchy is something that disturbs us all, and having an unstoppable force is something that rings even truer. How can you stop The Joker when you can't even explain his motive? As mentioned in the film "Some people want to watch the world burn." That's the kicks that The Joker seems to have. You can capture him. You can beat him up. However, it's seeing others miserable that makes him the happiest. You wish that he would feel some guilt and finally give up, but it isn't likely to happen. He will always keep laughing, and you'll never know why exactly.

Suicide Squad is technically an ensemble movie with dozens of characters that the average viewer hasn't heard of. To watch the trailers is to become aware of this, as they seem to focus on the somewhat popular Harley Quinn (originally written as The Joker's girlfriend) and the star power of Will Smith. The rest of the cast gets their moment to act kooky, but it's a tough film to sell without The Joker. It isn't clear what his involvement to the titular Suicide Squad is, but his scant appearances in the trailer suggest that he's a rival, even to his villainous chums. With exception to promos and few available clips, Leto's Joker isn't that clear beyond seconds of him laughing and looking flamboyant. We don't know what his thing will be. Frankly, that may be part of the allure - though again it will be tough to argue against Ledger's version, which hasn't only redefined the character, but has helped to define what the gritty reboot culture should be (especially since it's the only Oscar-winning superhero performance, good or bad).

Even if Harley Quinn is threatening to be the real star of Suicide Squad, there's no denying that everyone is also wanting to know what Leto's take on The Joker is really about. What makes this one so special? The better question is if it will justify - which it shouldn't - Leto's method acting. The film's production sounds insane, and it will hopefully be beneficial of an anarchic new take on superhero culture. If nothing else, it will hopefully continue the spontaneity that is The Joker, who has taken on many forms and has done many shameless, disturbingly exciting things over his many incarnations. Will Leto be the best? Not likely. However, knocking him because of his different take is wrong. The Joker thrives on being unpredictable, which is about the only thing that Leto has done right. Otherwise, it's time to see if he shares the mantel on the supervillain mountain with anyone worthy of his talents.