Summary
Mark Hamill delivered a lot of incredible dialogue as the Joker inBatman: The Animated Seriesthat perfectly captured the iconicDCvillain. Mark Hamill’s performance as the Joker inBatman: TASwas so perfect that he played the villain for decades, in numerousanimatedBatmanmovies, television series, and video games. Hamill’s best Joker quotes often offer a revealing glimpse into the character’s twisted perspective and sick sense of humor, some of which have since lingered in popular culture.
Batman: The Animated Seriesstarred Kevin Conroyas the famed Caped Crusader, navigating Gotham’s criminal underbelly in a gothic, art deco style. Both Conroy and Hamill have been celebrated and many consider them to be the definitive performances, leaving an indelible mark on subsequentBatmanmedia for years to come. It all started withBatman: TAS, which was brimming with iconic quotations from the Clown Prince of Crime.
10 Things That Make No Sense About Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series deserves it’s high acclaim as one of the best Batman cartoons, but it didn’t always make perfect logical sense.
Many Batman: The Animated Series episodes were aired out of their intended order. This list reflects the order as aired, as is reflected in the DVD release.
10"Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin Laid An Egg. The Batmobile Lost A Wheel And The Joker Got Away!"
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 2 “Christmas With The Joker”
In one of the most memorable earlygreat episodes ofBatman: The Animated Series, the Joker escapes Arkham Asylum in a particularlyfestive and bombastic manner. Riding a rocket-powered Christmas tree, he belts out the now-iconic holiday parody song:“Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin Laid An Egg. The Batmobile Lost A Wheel And The Joker Got Away!”
This silly, chaotic moment serves as the perfect introduction to the Joker’s playful and deadly brand of madness inBatman: TAS. This irreverent twist on the classic Christmas carol has since entered popular culture and is often recited by children in favor of the original. As such, this quotation hastranscended the bounds of the show, further cementing Hamill’s Joker as a pop culture icon. The sheer absurdity of the Joker launching into song while executing an escape plan sets the tone for his unpredictable nature throughout the series.
9"Batman! You Wouldn’t Let Me Fry, Would You?"
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 4 “The Last Laugh”
InBatman: The Animated Series“The Last Laugh,” the Joker’s plan leads him to a confrontation with Batman inside a waste processing plant. As their battle escalates, Joker trips and falls off a walkway, leaving himdangling perilously above a vat of molten metal. With his life hanging by a thread, he calls out,“Batman! You wouldn’t let me fry, would you?”
This quote speaks to Joker’s deep understanding of Batman’s moral code. He knows that no matter how monstrous his actions are, Batman will always save him. Thistwisted relationship of co-dependencyruns throughout their dynamic inBatman: The Animated Seriesand beyond. Joker feels comfortable operating with impunity, trusting that Batman will rescue him, adding to the complexity of their endless conflict. Indeed, Batman does, of course, rescue him, though gives Joker a taste of his own medicine by jokingly pretending to leave him dangling.
8"Oh, That’s A Joke Right? Batman Finally Told A Joke!"
In the sametimelessBatman: The Animated Seriesepisode, just moments before Joker trips over the handrail in the waste processing plant, Batman confronts him with a rare quip. Confronting Joker, Batmansays “Clean up your act, Joker!”Joker,delighted by Batman’s rare sense of humor, laughs and retorts,“Oh, that’s a joke, right? Batman finally told a joke!”
ThisBatman: The Animated Seriesline works on multiple levels. First, it’s a hilarious reversal of roles, with Batman delivering the joke and Joker appreciating it. The line also highlights Joker’s obsession with humor andhow it defines his worldview. Batman’s seriousness and refusal to engage in Joker’s game of lunacy has always been a point of contention for the Clown Prince. Here, even the Joker can’t help but appreciate Batman playing along, however briefly.
7"I Hate It When You Make Sense!"
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 41 “Joker’s Wild”
InBatman: The Animated Series“Joker’s Wild,” Joker finds himself in the middle ofa scheme to destroy a casino. However, before he enacts his plan, he captures Batman and threatens him with a giant and lethal roulette machine. Batman promptly reveals to Joker that he is being manipulated into doing someone else’s dirty work. Joker, upon realizing that Batman is right, exclaims,“I hate it when you make sense!”
ThisBatman: TASmoment reflects Joker’s begrudging respect for Batman’s intelligence. It also demonstrates the strange dynamic between the two adversaries, where Joker is simultaneouslyrepelled by and drawn to Batman’s rationalityand sense of justice. Batman’s ability to outwit him often leaves Joker infuriated, not because he loses, but because it forces him to face the logic he so often rejects in favor of chaos.
6"Sunshine. Clean Air. Coughs I Hate It."
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 37 “The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne”
After being freed from Arkham Asylum by Hugo Strange inBatman: The Animated Series“The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne,” Joker takes a moment torevel in his temporary freedom. He steps outside with his fellow Gotham villains, stretches his arms, breathes in the fresh air, and remarks,“Sunshine. Clean Air.”He then coughs violently before concluding,“I Hate It.”
This line is a perfect encapsulation of Joker’s character inBatman: The Animated Series. Where most people cherish freedom and fresh air, Joker finds the ordinary pleasures of life distasteful. He thrives in chaos and corruption, and this quote is a humorous way of expressing hisrejection of normal societal values. The absurdity of him disliking something so universally appreciated conveys how different he is from everyone else in a way that can be easily interpreted by younger viewers.
10 Best Kevin Conroy Batman Quotes In Batman: The Animated Series
Kevin Conroy’s performance in Batman: TAS is often considered the quintessential Batman, perfectly delivering a swathe of celebrated quotations.
5"Compare Me To Batman?! I’ve Got More Style. More Brain. I’m Certainly A Better Dresser."
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 11 “Be A Clown”
InBatman: The Animated Series“Be A Clown,” the Mayor of Gotham makes a public statement where he compares Batman and the Joker, suggesting that they are“cut from the same cloth.”Joker, watching the speech on television, isvisibly offended and exclaims,“Compare me to Batman?! I’ve got more style. More brain.”Moving to admire himself in a mirror, Joker finally concludes,“I’m certainly a better dresser.”
ThisBatman: TASline is both hilarious and telling. Joker’s inflated sense of superiority is on full display, as he genuinely believes that he surpasses Batman in every possible way, even in fashion. It’s a witty commentary onJoker’s arrogance and delusions of grandeur. He sees himself not as a villain, but as Gotham’s true star, misunderstood and underappreciated. It also subverts the expectation that Batman would be offended by being compared to the villain. Instead, Joker is repulsed to be compared to the hero.
4"There’s A Certain Rhythm To These Things. I Cause Trouble, He Shows Up, We Have Some Laughs, And The Game Starts All Over Again."
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 50 “The Man Who Killed Batman”
In theBatman: The Animated Seriesepisode “The Man Who Killed Batman,” Joker hears rumors that his arch-nemesis has been killed. In disbelief, he enacts a bank robbery,fully expecting Batman to stop him. When Batman doesn’t show, Joker laments,“There’s a certain rhythm to these things. I cause trouble, he shows up, we have some laughs, and the game starts all over again.”
This quote speaks to the cyclical nature of Joker’s relationship with Batman throughoutBatman: The Animated Seriesand, indeed, the comics. Joker understands their dynamic as a perpetual game, witheach side needing the other to exist. Without Batman, Joker feels lost, lacking the thrill and purpose that their battles provide. It shows that, in many ways, Joker needs Batman just as much as Batman needs him, creating a balance between the dark and the light in Gotham City.
10 Things Batman The Animated Series Did Better Than Any Batman Movie
Batman: The Animated Series remains one of the most beloved adaptations of the Caped Crusader’s story, surpassing the hero’s movies in many ways.
3"You Never Could Take A Joke"
Batman: TAS Season 1, Episode 34 “The Laughing Fish”
InBatman: The Animated Series“The Laughing Fish,” Joker’s plan involves using mutated fish that bear his likeness to take over the fish industry in Gotham. When Batman inevitably tries to thwart his scheme, Joker captures him and prepares to throw him into a tank full of sharks. As Batmanrefuses to react to Joker’s twisted humor, Joker, disappointed, mutters,“You never could take a joke,”and promptly kicks Batman into the tank.
ThisBatman: TASline encapsulates Joker’s frustration with Batman’s stoic nature. From Joker’s perspective, everything, including murder, is part of one big joke, and Batman’s refusal to see the humor in it only intensifies Joker’s obsession with him. It’s a playful pun that also speaks to Joker’s deeper pathology - hisinability to understand why Batman won’t play alongwith his antics.
2"Remember, It’s Not The Fall. It’s The Sudden Stop."
In “The Strange Secret of Bruce Wayne,” the Joker, along with otherBatman:The Animated Seriesvillains, is preparing to throw Hugo Strange out of an airplane. Scoffing at Strange’s assertion that Bruce Wayne is Batman, the villains bundle Strange towards the airplane door. As Joker prepares to shove Strange from the plane, he deliversthe chillingly poetic line,“Remember, it’s not the fall. It’s the sudden stop.”
ThisBatman: The Animated Seriesquote is both darkly humorous and terrifyingly cold, demonstrating Joker’s morbid sense of humor. It also hints at Joker’s deeper understanding of fear and death, and howhe finds amusement in the darkest moments. It captures how Joker’s warped insight into humanity is often more enlightened than it first appeared. The quote also has a macabre charm to it, reminiscent of other Joker philosophies from other media, includingThe Dark Knight.
1"Without Batman, Crime Has No Punchline."
When Joker finally accepts that Batman may actually be dead in “The Man Who Killed Batman,” he delivers what is arguablythe most poignant line inBatman: The Animated Series. Accepting that the Caped Crusader isn’t about to foil his bank heist, Joker laments:“Without Batman, crime has no punchline.”This quote not only sums up Joker’s feelings about Batman but also serves as a beautiful encapsulation of their relationship.
For Joker, crime isn’t just about power or money; it’s about the thrill of the game, the laughs, and the dance with Batman. Without his opposite number,Joker’s world loses all meaning. This line is such a perfect reflection of the pair’s relationship that it was also used by Mark Hamill to announce his retirement from the role after the passing of Kevin Conroy. This makes it an even more poignant and emotional reflection on Mark Hammil’s iconic performance as the Joker inBatman: The Animated Series.
Batman: The Animated Series
Cast
Batman: The Animated Series follows Bruce Wayne as he assumes the role of the masked vigilante Batman to combat crime in Gotham City. This acclaimed 1992 series explores his dual identity and features an array of iconic villains, while Bruce vows to avenge the murder of his parents.
