A key element of the Joker in The Dark Knight is that he's basically chaos personified. He doesn't have a plan, he just does things and wants to watch the world burn. But one theory paints him not as a sociopath who loves blowing things up, but instead as a bizarre hero with an elaborate plan. At the beginning of The Dark Knight, organized crime is still a major problem (even infiltrating the Major Crimes Unit). And rather than addressing these problems, Gotham has just left it all in the hands of an unaccountable vigilante of questionable sanity. The Joker's actions were about luring Lau out of hiding and to get him into a place where the Joker could get to him and his money. And by the end of the film, all the corrupt cops and politicians are behind bars, organized crime is basically dead, and the vigilante has gone into hiding. Leaving Gotham in the care of a heroic police commissioner. Of course, you have to disregard that the Joker basically murders his way into making Gotham a better place. And in the course of that bloody rampage, he ends up killing one of Gotham's most incorruptible District Attorneys and physically and psychologically Harvey Dent, the city's white knight. His actions even morally compromise Gordon, who perpetuates the lie of Harvey's death in order to keep the city safe.
Percival Constantine is the author of several novels and short stories, including the Vanguard superhero series, and regularly writes and comments on movies, comics, and other pop culture. More information can be found at his website, PercivalConstantine.com
