Heath Ledger's Joker originates from the film Joker: Folie à Deux.
Somewhat anticlimactic, Joker: Folie à Deux ends with Arthur Fleck being stabbed to death by an unnamed Arkham Asylum inmate, played by Connor Storrie. Interestingly, as Fleck lies bleeding to death, Storrie's intern uses his blade on himself, carving a Glaswegian Smile into his face, which instantly resembles the scars on the face of Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight. 2008.
Storrie's intern's aggressive, twisted "joke" and repetition of Fleck's quote "you get what you deserve" also reflect the myth and violence of Ledger's Joker.
Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight featured the late Heath Ledger as the Joker opposite Christian Bale's Batman, and he quickly became one of the most notable and beloved portrayals of the DC Comics villain in live-action. The origin story of Ledger's Joker was never truly revealed in The Dark Knight, but Todd Phillips may have implemented that story into his own dark, gritty version of Gotham. While this connection has not been confirmed, it is quite possible that Storrie's Arkham Asylum inmate is actually a younger version of Ledger's Joker, taking over in Arthur Fleck's absence.
Connecting Heath Ledger's Joker to Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips' Joker duology also explains the villain's influence and power in Gotham City. Fleck started a complete revolution and amassed a large following of thousands who wanted to see change in the city. Even after Fleck's death, his followers would still be there, so a new Joker, perhaps Heath Ledger's, could easily recruit some of these followers for himself, despite his tendency to quickly turn on them. This would also explain why Bruce Wayne was a child in 2019's Joker, as Arthur Fleck simply wouldn't have been his Joker.
But do you think Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight was inspired by Arthur Fleck?
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