Summary
Joker lets Batman win because he enjoys the game – revealed in Batman #144.
Joker’s deranged plans test Batman’s limits, as he doesn’t want Batman dead.
Batman and Joker’s twisted rivalry will never end – they need each other to keep the game going.
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Warning! Contains spoilers for Batman #144!Batman and the Joker have been brutal enemies for decades, and every plot that the Joker launches against Batman seems far more deadly and ridiculous than the last. It’s brought up the question several times of how Batman keeps surviving all of these death traps, and it turns out the reason is that the Joker has been letting him win this entire time.
The Joker reveals this shocking truth in Batman #144 by Chip Zdarsky, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Andrea Sorrentino. After the Joker unleashes a laughing virus that decimates the world, Batman is desperate to find a cure or any kind of solution to the situation. Despite being the world’s greatest detective, Batman simply isn’t able to unravel the mystery that the Joker has laid out — leading to his realization about the Joker’s true goals.
Eventually, the Joker delivers a gift to Batman: the clue Batman needs to figure out how to cure the virus. The Joker had successfully destroyed the world, then allowed Batman to fix it because it simply wasn’t fun for the Joker anymore. This leads Bruce to ask the terrifying question of just how many times in their history the Joker could have won if he wanted to.
Related “I Get It, It’s Just Not Funny”: Batman’s Favorite Joke Explains Why Joker Is So Obsessed with Him (Really) The Joker has been trying to get a laugh out of Batman for years — and part of that might be because Batman told Joker his favorite joke years ago.
The Joker Admits He Always Lets Batman Win
It’s no secret that the Joker and Batman have a twisted relationship. In this sick future, the two have been fighting each other for decades, and neither has been able to take permanent action against the other. While Batman has fantasized about killing the Joker, he’ll never cross that line. And now fans know for sure that the Joker won’t kill Batman because he enjoys playing with him too much. That’s why Joker’s plans have gotten increasingly deranged over the years: he wants to see just how much Batman can handle. But the moment it seems like it’s too much, he pulls back — since the Joker doesn’t actually want Batman dead.
If Batman dies or if the world actually ends, then the game ends, and that’s not something the Joker will ever allow.
Batman often presses the Joker to reveal exactly what he wants, and each time the Joker has admitted to something very specific. The Joker doesn’t want Batman to kill him. He also doesn’t want to kill Batman. The Joker simply wants to keep playing this game of theirs forever and ever. If Batman dies or if the world actually ends, then the game ends, and that’s not something the Joker will ever allow. That’s why, as shocking as it is, even when the Joker has successfully caused the apocalypse, he still allows Batman to pull the world back from the brink — because their rivalry simply wouldn’t be fun otherwise.
This three-part story, “Joker: Year One,” begins with the same creative team in
Batman
#142.
The Batman vs. Joker Rivalry Will Never End
It’s unlikely that Batman and the Joker’s rivalry will ever truly come to an end. Both of them have demonstrated that they cannot live without each other. While Batman has tried everything he’s willing to do to stop the Joker, the Joker has been actively holding back to keep the game going. This idea is only reinforced by classic stories such as Going Sane by J.M. DeMatteis, where Joker accidentally kills Batman and immediately gives up crime. The scariest thing about the Joker isn’t the crimes he’s committed, it’s that he’s actively holding back just so Batman can win.
Batman #144 is available now from DC Comics.
BATMAN #144 (2024)
Writer: Chip Zdarsky Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Andrea Sorrentino Inker: Stefano Nesi Colorist: Alejandro Sánchez, Dave Stewart Letterer: Clayton Cowles Cover Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Nesi, Tomeu Morey