10 Best Movie Character Introductions Of All Time
6. The Joker (The Dark Knight)
One of the greatest movie villains of the modern age, Health Ledger's Joker, has his back to the camera when the viewer first sees him. One epic, Heat-inspired heist later he unmasks himself to reveal a Glasgow smile nobody will ever forget.
The Joker is hidden in plain sight among the other clown-masked robbers, neither his colleagues or the audience has any idea he's among the pack until the scene has played out.
The Clown Prince's plan goes like clockwork, with each of the clowns taking one other out until it's just him and the bus driver remaining. Christopher Nolan wastes no time establishing that this is a criminal with genius-level intellect who doesn't believe in the 'whole honour among thieves' thing.
So what does he believe in? "Whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you stranger". It was clear Batman wasn't up against a run of the mill baddie this time. Here was a chaotic force of nature who gets off on manipulating, killing, and torturing people. The fans knew from as early as the opening scene that Bats had met his match.