What Did the Ending of the Killing Joke Mean?

The Killing Joke is one of the best DC comic books ever made when it comes to the Joker. We get an origin story of the Joker in this comic, and we follow both the present and his backstory as we slowly get the anticipated ending of the story. 

In the present time, Batman is determined to stop Joker, once he learns that he has shot Barbara, and then kidnapped Jim Gordon. Batman learns about Barbara's attack, and goes to visit her in the hospital, where she begs him to go and save her father. 

Joker had taken him to an amusement park that he had recently purchased, and turns the park into Jim's personal nightmare. He strips him naked, and has him watch television screens located in certain parts of the roller coaster, that depict his naked daughter, as she is in constant pain from her injuries. This is honestly one of the most disturbing crimes Joker has ever committed to anyone, and it was all because he wanted to scare Gordon, as a sort of super twisted joke. 

We constantly get Joker's backstory as well, and it feels like whiplash when you see the man he used to be, before he became the monster that he is today. He was a struggling comedian trying to make ends meet, trying to support his pregnant wife. Despite his shortcomings, she still loves him, and he decides to make a crazy decision, to ensure that they will be alright. He joins a gang, and over time, he eventually learns a sad truth. 

His wife had died unexpectedly, due to a terrible accident at the apartment they were living in. He is left grieving after hearing the horrible news from his gang, and he still proceeds to go along with their scheme to make money. He was most likely broken after what he lost, and just went along with the plan. Batman shows up, and in a panic, he falls into a chemical vat, and he emerges from the carnage as the Joker, going fully insane.

We cut back to the present, where Joker is now getting the crap beaten out of him by Batman. He had found Gordon, and even though Gordon felt defeated to another level, he still maintained his composure, proving that Joker failed in his plan. Batman and Joker get into a brutal fight, and at some point, they both stop fighting. 

Batman proceeds to talk to the Joker, telling him that he can help him heal, to move on from the monster he had become. Joker tells Batman this situation reminds him of a joke, and Joker tells Batman the joke. Joker starts to laugh, and even Batman joins in. 

The story ends with the two of them laughing, as Batman reaches his arms out toward Joker's neck, and we never see what happens, as the last shot of this moment is a puddle of water.

I love that the comic ends with the fanbase coming up with their own interpretation of what actually happened between Batman and Joker here. 

Some people think that Batman snapped, and couldn't help but laugh at Joker's stupid joke. 

There are even some crazy theories that maybe Joker started crying, and Batman had to comfort him. 

What I believe…is that Batman snapped, and straight up killed the Joker. 

We all know that Batman has a no killing rule, but maybe at his moment, he realized that he had no choice. Maybe that was why he was laughing, because after Joker rejected his offer of getting better, he knew what he had to do. Batman most likely lost his mind, and laughing was his way of coping with the sin he was about to commit.

It's such an eerie ending, and it's personally my most favorite DC comic of Batman and Joker.

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Thank you for reading!

Emy Quinn