The Joker’s real identity was revealed in the ‘brutal ending’ of Folie à Deux – and it’s not who you think.
Identity confusion is the theme of the entire film, as the title suggests, but the ending of the second part may surprise some fans.
Following on from director Todd Phillips’ 2019 psychological thriller, Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as clown Arthur Fleck, who has fallen into mental illness.
Folie à Deux begins with Arthur behind bars at Arkham Asylum, waiting to see if he will be deemed sane enough to stand trial for the murders he committed two years earlier.
Meanwhile, he enjoys his celebrity status among fellow inmates and even the guards, one of whom, a sadistic Irishman played by Brendan Gleeson, feeds him cigarettes in exchange for jokes.
The Joker’s real identity was revealed in Folie à Deux’s ‘brutal ending’ – and it’s not who you think
Identity confusion is the theme of the entire film, as the title suggests, but the ending of the second part may surprise some fans.
Lady Gaga plays Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, a fellow inmate who, fans believe, is on his way to becoming Joker’s girlfriend Harley Quinn.
The pair hit it off at a music therapy class and are soon mutually in love, but Lee makes it clear that she loves the dangerously charismatic Joker, “clown prince of crime,” and not the broodingly introspective Arthur.
Finally, after Arthur’s high-profile TV appearance with a smug interviewer played by Steve Coogan, it’s time for the trial, with all of Gotham gripped by the subject of multiple personality disorder.
His lawyer (Catherine Keener) tries to prove that Joke is accused of five murders, instead of Arthur. Lee is just as desperate to identify himself as his demonic alter ego.
In the final scenes, Arthur renounces his Joker alter-ego and is found guilty of first-degree murder.
While he is being sentenced, a car bomb explodes outside the court, with two people helping Arthur escape, but he is later captured by the police and taken back to Arkham.
At the asylum, a young patient begins to tell Arthur a joke before stabbing him in the stomach and putting a smile on his own face as he bleeds to death.
It raises questions about the Joker’s true identity, as it appears he never became the famous villain, but was merely the person who inspired the man who eventually became him.
Folie à Deux begins with Arthur behind bars at Arkham Asylum, waiting to see if he will be deemed sane enough to stand trial for the murders he committed two years earlier.
However, in the final scenes, a young patient begins to tell Arthur a joke, before stabbing him in the stomach and putting a smile on his own face as he bleeds to death.
It raises questions about the Joker’s identity, as it appears he never became the villain, but was merely the person who inspired the man who became him.
Director Todd, shared Entertainment weekly: ‘If those guards put that kid in the [hospital] he realizes that wearing makeup and putting this thing on doesn’t change anything.
‘In a way he has accepted that he has always been Arthur Fleck; he has never been this thing that was imposed on him, this idea that Gotham people imposed on him, that he represents.
‘He is an ignorant icon. This thing has been imposed on him, and he doesn’t want to live like a fake anymore; he wants to be who he is.”
The film serves as a sequel to Phoenix’s 2019 blockbuster, simply titled Joker.
The Todd Phillips-directed musical was released in theaters on October 4, following an international release on October 2.