10 Shocking Times The Joker Died
1. He Snapped His Own Neck - Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
On many occasions, the Joker has stated he could not exist without Batman. So when the Dark Knight retired as a superhero, the Joker lost his drive and withdrew into a catatonic state. However, Bruce Wayne was forced to come out of retirement 25 years later when he saw Gotham fall into anarchy.
As Batman returned, the Joker awoke from his catatonia and alerted his psychiatrist, Dr. Wolper, that he was now sane. Because Wolper hated Batman, he saw this as a perfect opportunity to discredit the vigilante and so, had the Joker appear on a talk show, depicting him as a victim.
Unsurprisingly, the Joker killed everyone in the studio during the talk show before escaping. Batman tracked down his oldest enemy at a county fair and battered him senseless.
After a heated battle, Batman broke the Joker's neck, paralysing him. Despite being badly wounded, the Joker had one more ace up his sleeve. As the maniac cackled to himself, he committed suicide by twisting his own neck, knowing the police would assume Batman murdered him.
This is one of the Joker's most iconic moments, since it showed that he would do anything, even take his own life, to torment his greatest adversary.
Watch Next
How Well Do You REALLY Know The Joker?
