Summary

• Deadpool's jokes serve a tragic purpose, masking his pain from physical and emotional trauma.
• The Merc with a Mouth uses humor to distract himself from contemplating his immortality and life choices.
• Despite the deeper purpose behind his jokes, Deadpool's humor remains an integral part of his character.

Warning! Spoilers for Deadpool #1 ahead!following She-Hulk's example and expanding past the confines of a comic book with crass humor. This has made him a fan-favorite character for decades now, as he has become one of the most recognizable heroes in the Marvel Universe. However, a recent revelation shows that he has a reason to joke around.

In Deadpool #1 by Cody Ziglar and Rogê Antônio, Deadpool and including Chainsaw Man, every now and then for good measure. However, when he's hit by an RPG missile, he makes an interesting aside.

In order to distract himself from the pain of the blast, he states that he tries to mask it "with a joke." Even though he mentions that the one he lands on isn't very good, this brief moment shows that a whole side to his character was actually his way of dealing with pain.

Deadpool Makes Jokes to Hide the Pain He Feels

Deadpool's humor has become one of his most defining attributes over the past couple of decades. This makes this subversion of one of his best traits all the more surprising because it completely reshapes everything fans knew about the character. Every joke, fourth-wall break and pop-culture reference has secretly been a way for Deadpool to distract himself from the pain he feels every day.

Plus, this isn't just limited to physical pain. Before Deadpool and Princess leap into battle, he mentions that his work is the only thing that can distract himself from the psychological trauma he's endured after breaking up with Valentine. After forming a connection with Valentine that was reminiscent of his film relationship with Vanessa, the two have split. His humor is key to his work because he's always making jokes whenever he's fighting enemies. Therefore, it makes sense that he would want to carry out more contracts so that he can continue to joke about things to mask how he feels on the inside.

Without Humor, Deadpool's Tragic Reality Comes to Light

What's interesting about Ziglar and Antônio's Deadpool reveal is that they show what happens if the anti-hero doesn't use humor. In a quieter moment near the end of the first issue, Deadpool is shown sitting on a staircase. He mentions that he hates times like this because it "allows too much room for me to start thinking about my life choices." He actually begins contemplating his immortality and the people he's hurt along the way, including his other daughter Ellie. This shows that Deadpool's jokes are crucial for balancing his mental state. Without them, the real world comes crumbling down on him as he's left to deal with who he is and how he affects those he loves.

Despite the reality behind the Merc with a Mouth's humor, his jokes will never go away. They've become ingrained into his personality, and this development has given them a deeper purpose than fans thought. Deadpool's jokes will always be a part of who he is, but after this stunning revelation, it's remarkable to see how each punchline comes from a tragic place in the hero's mind.

Deadpool #1 is available now from Marvel Comics!