Warning! This article contains spoilers for Batman: Beyond The White Knight #2
The Batman Beyond has turned the Joker into Bruce Wayne’s greatest ally.
The White Knight series of Batman titles has changed the Joker more than almost any other alternate universe. The series depicts a Joker who has been cured of his madness and becomes a force for good named Jack Napier. Unfortunately, though Jack and Harley Quinn get married, the Jack persona wasn't destined to last forever, and he eventually reverted back into his Joker persona. Though he had died, the Joker isn't exactly a villain that lets heroes forget about him.
In Batman: Beyond The White Knight #2 by Sean Murphy with Dave Stewart, Bruce Wayne learns that, a few years ago during a fight with the Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime shot a microchip into Batman’s brain, one that contained a copy of his consciousness. Before the events of this series, the Joker was killed by Harley Quinn so Batman believed that he was long dead, making his reintroduction that much more shocking. Even after his death, the Joker will now always be with Batman as he is literally lodged inside of Bruce’s mind. Instead of tormenting Batman, the Joker decided to help him any way he can, and while initially shocking, he ends up being a major asset.
The Joker now exists as an algorithm within a high-tech microchip in Bruce Wayne’s head that is wirelessly connected to the Gotham Terrorist Oppression Unit’s mainframe, the private military operation that has essentially put Gotham City under martial law. Because of his new form of existence, the Joker can access the city’s servers and tell Batman every bit of information recorded by the GTO’s surveillance of Gotham. Though shattered Bruce Wayne's legacy, he still wants to fight for it. In the last issue of this series, Bruce Wayne escaped prison and is on his way to becoming a vigilante once again, and it seems like the Joker will be the key to his success.
In past Batman storylines, the Joker served a vital role in Batman’s life by being the antithesis of the Caped Crusader, someone who constantly made Batman a better hero through his continued villainy. Plus, the Joker has been a fan-favorite villain since his debut, so his prominence in Batman comics is a given. However, as good as being Batman’s arch-enemy was for his DC Comics career, it seems like his new role will prove to be much more beneficial for everyone involved as Batman Beyond has turned the Joker into Bruce Wayne’s greatest ally.
