10 Most Important Video Game Deaths This Decade

7. The Joker (Batman: Arkham City)

As you can tell from this list, it's very common to mourn allies that were close to the player, who aided beyond what needed to be done or provided a few laughs along the way. However the Joker is far from an ally to Batman; as a diametrically opposed force to The Dark Knight, The Joker looks to hound both Gotham and its protectors in ever escalating ways.

And that's exactly why his death is so important.

The cycle between the pair being broken has much greater reach than simply Batman going "thank god I can take Tuesdays off now I don't have to de-gas a school," as it effectively sends the superhero off the rails. This was his greatest foe and even though he almost met his end numerous times thanks to the Clown Prince of Crime, it was also his greatest challenge to save him. Batman doesn't want Joker to die because if he can convert him, he will prove to the city that it can be saved. Killing and death brings only more killing and death, so Batman tries his best to avoid either.

With the Joker gone, how does he carry on? Well the answer is... not without some deep scars. In fact, one could argue that watching Batman battle the choices of his past was the entire thrust of Arkham Knight.