What Makes This Scene so Great
Zack Snyder's Justice League
The Epilogue of Zack Snyder's Justice League is probably the closest the DCEU will come to an MCU post-credit scene/easter egg. It is fascinating how the scene does not exist in the original cut of Zack Snyder's film. No, this was something he added on in reshoots for the 2021 release. We can question the why of such inclusion, but that is not the argument. Instead, what Zack Snyder delivers here is revolutionary!
In Tim Burton's Batman, this is the origin of The Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. Fans even argue the film is also Batman's Year One. Hence, the two have no prior engagement outside of the odd Waynes' Murder Burton forced onto the story. No, their origin dates back to Bruce Wayne and Jack Napier. In Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, The Joker shows up to a still relatively young Batman. Although, Heath Ledger's Joker summarizes the relationship of these two in the interrogation scene. One can maybe make an exception for The Joker in Batman: Mask of The Phantasm, a great film, no doubt, but is simply a theatrical adaption of an animated series. Hence, being tied into the show, Mask of The Phantasm brings in all of the pre-existing material. Under Zack Snyder - for the first time, the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime share a history!
In almost all other movies, The Batman and The Joker are hardly mortal enemies but a foil to one another. By no means is this to degrade earlier films. Batman is simply a reactionary force to The Joker's schemes under Tim Burton. Whereas in The Dark Knight, The Joker exists to challenge the status quo, which Batman defends. Again, in both, merely opposing forces. However, the fact that the DCEU is that - a universe, these two can have chemistry rather than be two set pieces in just an action flick.
There is no drawn-out origin or trivial easter egg of Batman meeting The Joker in Brute Nelson's residence ala Batman #1 (1940). With these two simply conversating, we learn so much about their dynamic. Mera does not believe, out of her suffering, that Bruce ever lost anyone he loves. Inside and outside of Batman lore, this is a general assumption from audiences. Bruce is some cold, unfeeling cynic. Yet, The Joker knows better than all of us, noting all of the people Bruce has lost. The clown hits hard with the "adopted son" he murdered. He questions how many deaths it will take until Batman accepts defeat. Throughout comic history, we see Batman lose countless loved ones - Alfred, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Silver St. Cloud, Kathy Kane, and much more. Now, you may bring up how almost all of these characters return from death in the comics. Yet, this is not the comics where death is so easily exploitable. Except for Superman, we see death as an absolute in Zack Snyder's DCEU.
Snyder almost continues the deconstruction of Bruce from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The Joker asks a compelling question that even many fans ask. What does it take? How many more? How many timelines suffer because Batman did not have the 'cajones' to die himself? Such questioning almost speaks to the critics who routinely bring up how Gotham City suffers simply due to Batman's existence. The Joker even scoffs at Batman crossing his line, stating how Batman needs him, and jokingly asks who will give him a "reacharound." Dig deep enough, and you can find numerous gay allegories and interpretations of this duo. The macho-bravado in leather and the flamboyant stage act in make-up.
Batman digs at The Joker, noting how Harley Quinn died in his arms, begging for him to kill and make The Joker suffer. Throughout time we see Batman view Harley as more of a victim who can have a second chance, unlike The Joker and many other rogues. Yet, for some reason, it is Harley who answers The Joker's question from earlier. It was her death that made Bruce numb enough to finally cross that line. Why Harley Quinn though? I do not know, for that is part of history we do not know. This is what makes history so fascinating and complex. Given it is the study of people, we do not or cannot know all of the answers driving human thought and emotion.
On a final note about this scene is the fact that these two are teaming up. Super-hero/super-villain collaborations are not uncommon amongst comic books. Magneto and Professor X in the pages of X-Men come to mind for some. There are times of Batman and The Joker fighting together - in Batman: Europa, an episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, to name a few. What is so controversial about this is how chaotically evil The Joker is. People view these two as such different sides, with no common ground. The fact that Zack Snyder is also willing to tease us with a Batman/Joker team-up on the big screen is also revolutionary! Especially when comic-book movies still try to play it safe away from a dichotomy like this.
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Also, check out my other writings on Zack Snyder's Justice League.
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About the Creator
Skyler
Full-time worker, history student and an avid comic book nerd.
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