Would you kill the Joker?

[Leemaster777]

An interesting moral dilemma for you all: If given the opportunity, would you kill the Joker?

Here's the scene: You and the Joker are in an abandoned building together. Batman, the rest of the Bat-family, and the Gotham police force are all on the other side of town dealing with one of the Joker's schemes. You're 100% certain of this fact. No one is aware of where you two are, and no one is coming any time soon.

The Joker has no goons, no Harley, no weapons, no traps, and is unconscious on the ground. You have a gun. A 100% real, non-trick, kill-you gun.

The Joker hasn't actually DONE anything to you. He hasn't killed anyone you know or care about. But, his reputation remains. He's killed thousands, he's going to continue killing in the future, and his current scheme is probably killing people as you're standing there.

You could put a bullet in his head, and no-one would ever know... or probably care. And even in the HIGHLY unlikely event that someone figures out it was you (again, almost impossible to do), you could simply claim self-defense, and that'd be enough for basically everyone. Do you take this one, single opportunity to stop him here and now, and possibly save thousands of lives?

Remember, this is the Gotham justice system we're talking about here. Even if you simply turned him in, he'd just get thrown in Arkham again, and escape again, and nothing would change.

Despite all this... I don't think I could do it. I just don't think I have it in me for cold-blooded murder like that.

 

[Norithics]

I don't think I would. Because to me, the Joker has always represented the failure of Gotham, not the failure of Batman. He's clearly insane, and clearly dangerous, but he's just a guy. He doesn't shoot lasers from his biceps or fart the Power Cosmic, he's a skinny dude in facepaint.

So, in a way to me, he's a test. If Gotham can deal with the Joker, then they deserve the safety that comes from it. If they can't, then it's pretty clear that he's just emblematic of a larger problem that Gotham can't deal with and needs to.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Not sure, never having been in that situation.

Having said that, he's likely to try and kill me anyway, though that's gaming the scenario.

(On a related ish note, why do the police never kill the Joker? Not execute, but shoot him during a crime to save people in immediate danger, the way police carry firearms for? Of course, in reality it's because of DCs "killing is always wrong" thing, which is absurd)

 

[Norithics]

(Of course, in reality it's because of DCs "killing is always wrong" thing, which is absurd)

Always wrong unless it's a hero, and you have a press conference teasing it, and it makes loads o' monaaay!

 

[PsychicTaco115]

I wouldn't even hesitate

The only hard thing about that choice is keeping it a secret from everyone that I did what the Bat couldn't

 

[Silvanus]

(On a related ish note, why do the police never kill the Joker? Not execute, but shoot him during a crime to save people in immediate danger, the way police carry firearms for? Of course, in reality it's because of DCs "killing is always wrong" thing, which is absurd)

I don't even think this is it, really. After all, Batman shot (and killed) Darkseid in Final Crisis.

I think it's simply because he's such an immensely popular character; I don't think it's a moral stance they're taking.

 

[Thaluikhain]

(On a related ish note, why do the police never kill the Joker? Not execute, but shoot him during a crime to save people in immediate danger, the way police carry firearms for? Of course, in reality it's because of DCs "killing is always wrong" thing, which is absurd)

I don't even think this is it, really. After all, Batman shot (and killed) Darkseid in Final Crisis.

I think it's simply because he's such an immensely popular character; I don't think it's a moral stance they're taking.

I dunno, it's very much against Batman's code to use lethal force under any circumstance, he hates guns. Likewise, the rest of the bat family.

Even minor villains aren't killed by normal heroes normally.

 

[Little Woodsman]

Nope.
However I would probably tie him up, throw him in the trunk of a car and drive to Texas, where I'd turn him over
to the first law enforcement officer I saw. And let *them* kill him.

 

[Glongpre]

Yes I would, it is totally necessary. It isn't like Batman killing him will turn him into Hitler or something.

 

[FalloutJack]

Of course.

It would be stupid not to.

Unless of course, you were EVIL! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HAAA!!!

*Leaves the gun, takes the cannolis*

 

[80sboy]

Of course! I'm not a stupid comic book character made for kids, that likes to wear his underwear over his tights.

Like Batman from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns said:

"And to think, I'll the people I murdered keeping you alive!"

 

[Da Orky Man]

I think so. Regardless of whether or not his action have personally affected me, I think I'd have the duty to kill him, in cold-blood or not. Just because those close to me aren't among the thousands he has killed shouldn't factor into the equation. Of course, me being human (mostly) means that it will, because emotions and all that, but in an ideal world, I'd shoot him dead on the spot.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Honestly I would say yes, it wouldn't be cold blooded to kill someone like the Joker. He won't stop his killing until he's dead. Sure his goons and allies would probably still keep at the criminal lifestyle, however the Joker seems to be the brains and motivation for the goons, so I think it would be for the greater good. I still would hate to do it of course.

 

[Reaper195]

Wel...considering all the people that have died because Batman has always been to big a pussy/moral cock sucker to do it...yes. Without hesitation. This is one of the many reasons why I've always hated Batman's character.

 

[bigfatcarp93]

Let me clear that I'm not one of those people who thinks Batman should kill him; I know better then that.

That said, yes, I think I would do it. I mean, I'd want to. Would I have the guts to? I don't know. But I would definitely want to.

 

[Right Hook]

I'd do it, I'm nearly certain, I don't even think I'd hesitate. It is rare but the Joker truly deserves his death and I would feel completely responsible for everyone he killed after that. I wouldn't consider the action heroic, just utterly necessary.

 

[Jadak]

I don't see why not, the arguments along the lines of 'killing is always wrong' have always seemed like nonsense to me, and while I can respect the viewpoint of 'one crime does not justify another', I doubt it would make much difference when faced with such a person.

 

[Nurb]

There has never been an escape from a super-max prison.

There seems to be a lot of Texans on the board.

 

[ultrachicken]

Considering how many times everyone in the Bat-verse has come back from the dead (lazarus pits and all), I'm not sure I would bother. Call the cops, maybe tie him up, and leg it as quickly as possible. However, if I didn't know about the lazarus pits, I would probably shoot him. I am firmly against killing in most circumstances, but in this case I would have completely lost faith in Gotham's ability to keep the Joker restrained, and considering how poorly he's responded to therapy coupled with the fact that he couldn't possibly be in Arkham long enough for it to work, killing him is justified. Even if that meant risking Batman discovering my crime and throwing me in jail, I don't think I could let myself be responsible for his inevitable murders, and frankly it would probably only be a matter of time before the Joker killed me or someone I loved.