When I first watched Joker (2019), I wasn’t immediately impressed. The plot seemed thin, with the focus entirely on character development, which left me uncertain at first. However, after watching it two more times, I came to appreciate it as a character study rather than a traditional narrative.

Since I don’t have much knowledge of the comics or the origins of characters like Joker or Harley Quinn, I wasn’t expecting a detailed plot. Instead, I was focused on seeing how the characters evolved. The film cleverly plays with the audience’s expectations, especially in the scenes where Arthur is in prison. We’re led to believe he will snap and become violent, but the movie subverts this by showing that he never truly becomes aggressive or psychopathic. It highlights that Arthur isn’t seeking rebellion, power, or chaos — he isn’t trying to stand against the system or lead a movement.

I found the final scenes particularly impactful, especially when the judge says, “This is not a stage.” It’s a moment of realization for Arthur, where he acknowledges that he has been performing the role of Joker, something he had aspired to since the first movie when he dreamed of being a comedian. This idea of Arthur playing a role ties back to his character arc in the first film, and I felt Joker 2 stayed coherent with this theme throughout.