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  1. #1
    Fantastic Member
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    Default Why hasn't the Joker been executed?

    This has been on my mind for a long time.

    Yeah, I get that you can't execute someone who's insane, but insane or not no society would ever tolerate this mad man. Once he has proven that he can't be cured or contained, the populace would demand his execution. I'm not saying Batman should do it, but is it believable that the citizens of whatever state Gotham City is in would allow this mass-murderer to continue his rampage? Has this issue ever been addressed?

    (I'd like to see a Nexus crossover in which Nexus arrives to execute the Joker.)

  2. #2

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    Whatever state Gotham City is situated in doesn't have the death penalty.
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  3. #3
    Extraordinary Member Caivu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheNewFiftyForum View Post
    Whatever state Gotham City is situated in doesn't have the death penalty.
    Yep. It's in New Jersey, which abolished the death penalty in 2007 and hadn't executed anyone since 1963 anyway.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheNewFiftyForum View Post
    Whatever state Gotham City is situated in doesn't have the death penalty.
    I hear that. But my point is that no sane society would tolerate Joker. If the laws did not permit him to be executed then they would change the laws. I disagree in principle with the death penalty but there are times when you act out of pragmatism because it would be insane to do otherwise.

  5. #5
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
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    Because corporate storytelling never ends, and you don't kill your golden goose if you want to keep getting that sweet, sweet moolah.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by daBronzeBomma View Post
    Because corporate storytelling never ends, and you don't kill your golden goose if you want to keep getting that sweet, sweet moolah.
    You ruined this whole debate! You gave the REAL answer!

    I guess what I'm looking for is the in-universe justification for not killing the Joker. Or, is this one of those problems they don't ever directly address because it would destroy the fiction - much like why some characters seem to age and some don't?

  7. #7
    Astonishing Member Inversed's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marvelman View Post
    You ruined this whole debate! You gave the REAL answer!

    I guess what I'm looking for is the in-universe justification for not killing the Joker. Or, is this one of those problems they don't ever directly address because it would destroy the fiction - much like why some characters seem to age and some don't?
    My understanding, at least for some stories, is because Gordon does not like killing or want to kill anyone, and signing off on their execution would essentially make him responsible, no matter if its someone as reprehensible as the Joker.

    I do know now that Snyder has retconned the reason to being that Joker poisoned his heart so whoever kills him will be effected and turn into a new Joker (as seen in The Batman Who Laughs), so I guess now that's their reasoning for avoiding doing it.

  8. #8
    Concerned Citizen Citizen Kane's Avatar
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    DC isn't going to kill off the Joker in the main universe; it's as simple as that. However, in the real world, I'm pretty sure someone would kill him sooner or later.
    Last edited by Citizen Kane; 09-21-2019 at 02:28 PM.

  9. #9
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Inversed View Post
    I do know now that Snyder has retconned the reason to being that Joker poisoned his heart so whoever kills him will be effected and turn into a new Joker (as seen in The Batman Who Laughs), so I guess now that's their reasoning for avoiding doing it.
    I don't know if that's canon for main Joker but it seems so over the top that I can believe Snyder came up with it .

  10. #10
    Not a Newbie Member JBatmanFan05's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marvelman View Post
    my point is that no sane society would tolerate Joker. . . If the laws did not permit him to be executed then they would change the laws.
    Firstly, it's unconstitutional to make laws targeted at one individual or that seem to be. Secondly, people in society have tried to kill Joker. In Shadow of the Bat 37, a father tried to kill Joker for killing his family. He failed.
    Last edited by JBatmanFan05; 09-21-2019 at 05:41 PM.
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  11. #11
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    There are actually many stories that indicate Gotham does have the death penalty.

    Read Joker: Devil's Advocate to see what happens when the Joker gets sentenced to death row.

  12. #12
    Extraordinary Member Caivu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PurpleGlovez View Post
    There are actually many stories that indicate Gotham does have the death penalty.

    Read Joker: Devil's Advocate to see what happens when the Joker gets sentenced to death row.
    That was '96. Still works out for Gotham not having it now.
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  13. #13
    Extraordinary Member DragonPiece's Avatar
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    because people like stories featuring him and even if a writer decided to do that, eventually he would come back somehow.

  14. #14
    Astonishing Member Tzigone's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Citizen Kane View Post
    DC isn't going to kill off the Joker in the main universe; it's as simple as that. However, in the real world, I'm pretty sure someone would kill him sooner or later.
    That's one the issues I have with what the Joker has become. It made a lot more sense for him to stay alive when he just killed 2 or 3 people each time he showed up instead of huge acts of mass murder. More importantly, I enjoyed those stories more, too. Him being made an ambassador was just flat stupid even at the time, though.
    Last edited by Tzigone; 09-21-2019 at 04:03 PM.

  15. #15
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tzigone View Post
    That's one the issues I have with what the Joker has become. It made a lot more sense for him to say alive when he just killed 2 or 3 people each time he showed up instead of huge acts of mass murder. More importantly, I enjoyed those stories more, too. Him being made an ambassador was just flat stupid even at the time, though.
    Yeah, I think of The Joker as a homicidal maniac but that aspect of him feels so one-note now with how exaggerated it's become.

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