Last night’s episode of Gotham threw us all for a loop when Jerome – a character strikingly similar to The Joker who fans of the series were convinced was the future Clown Prince of Crime – was killed off.
Many viewers objected to the series even addressing The Joker’s origin story, especially as his true name has always been a mystery in the comics. Well, we now know he’s not Gotham‘s Joker, and showrunner Bruno Heller offered the following explanation for why they decided not to have Jerome fill that role:
“It’s a twist that leads to more twists. The creation of the Joker is a larger and more epic story than people realize, and this show is very much about kind of the deep, secret history. So, as the show rolls on, people will see how a mythology is born, how a kind of cultural mien is created that will lead us to the Joker himself.”
That makes sense, but what of The Joker himself? Well, Jerome is still going to play a role in the creation of that villain, but Heller was vague as to how it will happen:
“Jerome is genuinely the mother and father of the Joker. He is the seed of the Joker. You’ll see how Gotham itself coalesces around the legend of Jerome. I don’t want to give away too much, but the audience will see an organic progression towards the real history of the Joker, rather than a kind of legendary supervillain who creates himself out of nothing.”
In some ways, it really doesn’t sound like they’re entirely sure about how to handle The Joker in Gotham, but seem to believe mentioning him all the time will keep viewers coming back. At this stage, it seems far more sensible to wait a few seasons and bring him in as the Red Hood, but it’s still going to be interesting to see how season two teases his arrival.
Tell us, what did you think of the show’s massive twist last night? Did it catch you off guard? Sound off below and let us know.
