One of the most prolific storylines in Batman comics was adapted into an animated film, and Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) immediately grabbed the attention of fans. With the DC Universe being upended recently, many are turning to the animated films for the quality retellings of some of their favorite stories, and this adaptation is faithful to the source material, only changing minor details here and there.

As we dive into some of the significant aspects of the film, we are also going to be covering the reasons why this movie is an integral watch for Batman fans that may have initially decided to pass on the animated projects. Looking at how the film and story have impacted the overall franchise, this film is one of the most popular animated projects since Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993).

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Oracle’s Origin Story

     Warner Bros. Pictures

While most know Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, the events of this film would seriously alter Barbara’s life in the field of crime fighting. After having an intimate affair with the Dark Knight, Barbara retires the cape and cowl and tries to live an easy life with her father, Commissioner Gordon. All that changes when the Joker arrives at their doorstep and accurately shoots Barabara at hip level, aiming not to kill her but to paralyze her from the waist down.

After the credits roll, we are treated to a scene where Barbara has become more accustomed to her life in the wheelchair, speaking of participating in sports and even fixing a picture frame with no difficulty. It is then revealed that Barbara had a secret room installed into her apartment where she works from a high-tech computer set-up. Comic fans recognize this as her stepping into the role of Oracle, the code name for the person who helps the Bat-family when they are in the field.

One of Joker’s Origins

     Warner Bros, Pictures

Interspersed throughout the film are flashbacks to a time when a young man sought to become a stand-up comedian. Unfortunately, he fails to maintain any gigs and, desperate to move himself and his pregnant wife out of their dingy apartment, agrees to perform a heist with a gang of criminals. On the day of the heist, the man is informed that his wife and unborn child have died in an electrical fire.

Strong-armed into going through with the heist despite his grief, the man dons the costume of the Red Hood and is pursued by Batman. Accidentally falling over a railing and into a chemical vat, the man is permanently transformed into the Joker. It is often noted that the Joker has multiple different origin stories, as the psychotic maniac is an unreliable narrator. Some viewers even point out that a room inside of the fun house the Joker is occupying is eerily reminiscent of the apartment seen in his flashback.

Batman’s Introduction to the R-Rating

The year 2016 is known as the year superheroes started breaking into more mature themes. With Deadpool (2016) leading the charge in the live-action space, The Killing Joke would become the first Batman project to be given an R rating. While the film would feature a similar level of graphic violence to Deadpool, the majority of its mature themes come in the form of talks about insanity.

Centering around the Joker’s pursuit to prove that all it takes is one bad day to drive a man insane, he would paralyze Barbara and (it is implied) that he left her undressed for police to find, though the film doesn’t show this. We would see Commissioner Gordon stripped nude and paraded through a circus, with him being pushed in repeated attempts to drive him insane. We would also see a Batman that refused to pull his punches when it came time to fight, leading to plenty of blood and broken bones.

The Ending

There are many elements from this film that are kept throughout separate continuities, such as Barbara becoming paralyzed and becoming Oracle. One part of the movie that remains self-contained is the ending, featuring Batman confronting Joker about their never-ending war, admitting that he fears that one may end up killing the other.

With Joker stating that it’s too late for him to become better, he shares a joke with Batman, one that ends up causing the Dark Knight to burst out into laughter. The camera pans down as the two men share a laugh, with Batman laying his hands on the Joker’s lapel. The ending is meant to be ambiguous, but many point to the fact that you can only hear Batman’s laughter as the camera pans down, and the positioning of his hands would imply that he potentially strangled the Joker to death, finally accepting that one of them had to die for this war to end. While this is only one interpretation of the ending, it appears to be one of the most popular. However, the implication that Batman finally crossed the line and the murder of the Joker would be factors that most don’t consider when creating adaptations for story arcs that happen after The Killing Joke.