20 Awesome Moments When Comic Book Movie Villains Totally Owned

2. The Pencil Trick - The Dark Knight

The first time we properly meet the Joker in The Dark Knight occurs when he invites himself to a meeting of criminal minds, whereupon Gotham's biggest underworld leaders and their henchman discuss the "Batman situation." The Joker enters the room, laughing like a maniac, practically inviting himself to be shot by all the worst people in the city at once. He narrowly avoids that situation, however, with a well-placed grenade - he tugs the string connected to the explosive beneath his jacket with a grin, threatening to blow them all away if they make any sudden moves. Then, to establish his territory, he offers to show everyone a magic trick, lodging a pencil in the table. As he explains how he will make it "disappear," a goon stands up, the Joker grabs him and slams his head into the pencil - it disappears all right... straight inside the goon's head! It's hilarious, terrifying and totally characteristic of the Joker. As an introduction and as an isolated moment, it's big screen comic book villain antics at their most brilliantly nutty.