Does Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck Die In Joker 2?

Major spoilers for “Joker: Folie à Deux” observe.

Comedian ebook films aren’t presupposed to be like this. That narrative appeared to be the primary hook behind the unique “Joker” in 2019, starring Batman’s biggest rival (although, notably, with out Bruce Wayne ever really suiting up as his alter ego) and telling a brand new, gritty origin story for the Clown Prince of Crime. It was sufficient to win Joaquin Phoenix Greatest Actor on the Academy Awards and break field workplace data for the R-rated blockbuster, however the long-awaited sequel at all times felt like it could take issues up a notch or two. This time round, Phoenix is joined by Girl Gaga as Harley Quinn — or, as she’s referred to within the movie, “Lee Quinzel” — in a narrative that is nothing lower than a full-blown musical. That is not how this superhero “style” usually works, both.

However by the point “Joker: Folie à Deux” reaches its climax, director Todd Phillips goes and breaks one other main rule: killing off his personal title character in as surprising an ending since, dare I say it, Thanos emerged victorious in “Avengers: Infinity Battle.” Effectively, no less than we all know why Phillips has been taking part in coy about whether or not a “Joker 3” would ever be within the playing cards (see what I did there?). It is somewhat tough to maneuver ahead with one other film in regards to the Joker for those who simply left the Joker for lifeless, definitively. The surprising twist arrives after a reasonably extended descent into the supervillain’s thoughts, set within the aftermath of his murderous rampage on the finish of the primary film. Now a resident of Arkham Asylum and standing trial for his violent acts, the person generally known as Arthur Fleck would appear to have his destiny sealed.

Slightly than dying by electrical chair, the Joker finally ends up a sufferer of a fellow inmate — one who has some pretty Joker-like traits himself.

Did you see that dying coming? Arthur Fleck definitely did not, having absolutely purchased into his personal delusions of grandeur. Whereas his actions through the 2019 “Joker” really did occur (properly, apart from the fantasy scenes involving Zazie Beetz’s Sophie Dumond), there’s purpose to imagine that a lot of what we see in “Folie à Deux” is a figment of his personal feverish creativeness. Did he actually strike up such an instantaneous reference to Lee (if she actually ever even existed), full with one of many extra off-putting intercourse scenes in superhero film historical past? Was he actually allowed to behave as his personal lawyer, decked out in clown make-up whereas intimidating his personal witnesses? And did his antics really encourage a wave of supporters, their mixed adulation turning him into his personal cult of character? Regardless of the actuality could also be, one factor’s for certain: as his blood swimming pools on the ground, the life drains out of his eyes, and the movie fades to black, the Joker is properly and actually lifeless.

However that is the factor about Gotham Metropolis — there is a clown behind each nook. Up to now, the epic and tragic story of Arthur Fleck has felt like an alternate (although no much less definitive) tackle the origins of the Joker. Regardless of the primary “Joker” together with franchise mainstays equivalent to Thomas and Bruce Wayne, nothing else has felt overtly comic-booky within the least. The person behind the clown masks clearly suffers from psychological sickness together with a style for make-up, versus falling right into a vat of acid, whereas even his basic chuckle is a results of an precise medical situation, quite than a villainous affectation. However what “Joker: Folie à Deux” implicitly suggests along with his dying is that Arthur Fleck wasn’t the well-known Batman villain all alongside. The unnamed inmate liable for his dying, nonetheless, very properly may be.

We already know that “Joker: Folie à Deux” is probably going the final we’ll ever see from this (comparatively) standalone collection of flicks, however it feels becoming that all of it presumably ends on an open-ended query mark. On reflection, Arthur Fleck’s final destiny was most likely inevitable. Even essentially the most well-known prisoners higher watch their again, lest they incur the wrath of different unhinged and very violent inmates. And with none actual hope for salvation after overtly admitting to his crimes in entrance of the jury and TV cameras alike (once more, assuming any of that really occurred), the writing was all however on the wall. The large twist we did not see coming, nonetheless, is that the assassin might very properly have taken his first step in the direction of turning into the precise Joker.

The dying did not come out of nowhere, thoughts you. Earlier within the movie, whereas Arthur watches his personal interview on TV with the opposite members of their cell block, we get a short closeup of the identical inmate evident on the Joker with nothing lower than outright distaste and hatred. With the foreshadowing already established, audiences doubtless knew one thing troubling was liable to occur the very subsequent time he pops up once more. Sadly for Arthur, that happens when he is making his method via Arkham’s labyrinthine hallways and momentarily left alone. Luckily for that inmate, this appears to have been the push he wanted to take the leap into outright madness. After telling an terrible joke (which is absolutely on model for any Joker, wannabe or in any other case), the very literal punchline ends with Arthur getting shivved a number of instances within the abdomen and left to bleed out on the ground. With the perpetrator ignored of focus, we are able to solely hear as his manic screams find yourself in some very familiar-sounding laughter.

“Joker 3” will not be occurring (no less than, not with Phillips within the director’s chair), however the Joker nonetheless lives on — even in his dying.