When the Lego-verse presents one of the greatest villain/hero dynamics in all of comic and movie fiction, they had to get it right. Well, they did more than just that. The Lego Batman movie stands out among the best Batman movies of them all somehow, putting a fresh, family-friendly twist on the old sparring partners. To do that, Lego Joker had to be different from all the Jokers that have come before. From the playful but murderous ‘89 version to the Oscar-winning, unhinged psychopathy of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The Lego Joker borrows a bit from all of them and becomes something wholly fresh and fun and funny. Without further adieu, here are the ways in which The Lego Joker stands out from all the other Jokers.
Lego Joker Has ‘Vulnerabilities’
Phyllis the Gatekeeper of the Phantom Zone says so herself! Lego Joker is filled with insecurities, unfulfilled desires and emotional needs, and that all comes out in his crimes it seems. Everything he’s doing is in search of Lego Batman’s validation. It drives all his actions and almost makes him seem even more insane to go to such lengths over interpersonal issues. All in all, he’s far and away the most relatable version of Batman’s main villain precisely because he wants to be known as that and Lego Batman isn’t interested.
Lego Joker Is Apparently Tubby
You can’t tell because he’s a regular-sized Lego figure, but Lego Joker thinks he himself could lose a few pounds. Most depictions of The Joker have him lean and mean to the point of gaunt. Lego Joker says to Lego Batman in a critical moment he has ’too much flab, not enough ab’. This could be a nod to his voice actor, Zack Galifianakis, who could be described similarly. It doesn’t stop him performing agile feats throughout the movie though, so it ends up being more self-deprecating and endearing than anything else.
Lego Joker Cares About His Hench-Villains
At least while they’re working together. We see him multiple times exclaim in terror and anger when they’re taken out. The most notable being when Sauron is blasted by a The Kraken. Lego Joker is positively distraught over that, and The Kraken knows better than to hang around, slinking away after that massive ‘own goal’. Meanwhile, any other form of the Joker might cackle with glee at the wanton destruction, even if it hinders his plans to some degree. At most he’d be annoyed at the disruption but not actively worried about the loss of a Hench-person. Job security isn’t high with non-Lego Jokers.
Lego Joker Has A Violence Threshold
Unlike The Joker who will cause almost any form of chaos to get his point across, Lego Joker nopes out of a few things. Notably, when Sauron asks if he wants Gotham to ‘run red with blood’, Lego Joker decisively closes the door on that option in favor of lava instead. It’s a fine line, but at least it’s there. And if you’re thinking that Lava is actually more destructive or horrifying than Lego citizen’s blood, it’s the kind of lava that only chars kittens to a smokey gray and then the kittens distinctly declare ‘I’m ok’. So that’s conclusive Lego science that it’s way less bad. Or something.
Lego Joker Is Well Versed In Rom-Coms
From wanting to watch Serendipity to ‘You had me at shut-up’, Lego Joker is clearly a movie buff of the romantic comedy variety. It’s another thread tying Lego Joker and Lego Batman together. Lego Batman, of course, isn’t up to acknowledge it for the majority of their movie, but Lego Joker is. Other Jokers would be more likely to watch horror movies and see them as comedies, or dramas as ‘feel-good flicks’. Not Lego Joker, who could almost belong sitting on a couch between crimes enjoying ‘50 First Dates’ or ‘Hitch’
Lego Joker Is Great At Networking
You don’t assemble what is the most comprehensive ‘Rogue’s Gallery’ in all of comics without forming connections. Whereas The Joker would never overly rely on so many to pull off one of his schemes, Lego Joker has no such qualms. Z-Grade villains some of them may be, but they’re all ‘worth a Google’ at least. When he’s sent to the Phantom Zone he goes a step further, having a speech and a PowerPoint Presentation ready to go for the greatest villains ever known and he doesn’t even need them! His message is too good and they’re too bad to listen. Truly this might be his superpower hiding in plain sight. I mean, if other villains like Killer Croc had half the recruiting power of Lego Joker, it’d be game over man.
Lego Joker Is Really Conscious Of His Own Feelings
He may be a dastardly villain, a sociopath, and a psychopath on the warpath, but Lego Joker knows what he’s feeling. You gotta give him that. Where every other villain and seemingly hero probably need years and years of therapy, Lego Joker knows what’s missing for him. He wants respect, acknowledgment, and mutual appreciation from someone he feels he’s given his best year after year. It’s a far cry from the other Jokers who are so clearly shut off from any introspection or self-assessment. When a nut-bar like Lego Joker is better adjusted than you, maybe it’s time to see somebody?
Lego Joker Would Prefer To Go By ‘The Jokes’
The Joker isn’t fond of monikers beyond Clown Prince Of Crime, but Lego Joker is trying to make ‘The Jokes’ happen. Commissioner Gordon doesn’t want to play ball but Lego Joker is feeling ‘The Jokes’ is a pretty sweet and relatable variation to go by. He also doesn’t mind when Harley Quinn calls him things like ‘Boo-Boo’. The Joker has been known to end people for less, but Lego Joker just rolls with it and even plays back, calling her ‘Monkey-face’. Obviously, he’s down with nicknames much more than The Joker is.
Lego Joker Is Very Sensitive About His Bat-lationship
It’s almost the defining trait of Lego Joker that he desperately cares about what Lego Batman thinks of him and his schemes. He’s looking to be his number #1, closest, most reliable adversary. He wants their thing to be ‘special’. The other Jokers aren’t half as concerned with what Batman thinks as what Batman does. Moreover, other Jokers wouldn’t be caught dead admitting they ’need’ or ‘want’ Batman’s approval. Lego Joker isn’t like the others though and freely admits and even uses that emotional drive for his schemes. In a weird way, it makes him way more formidable.
Lego Joker Is Kinda Adorable
He can’t seem to help it when he feels neglected. Lego Joker gets those big puppy-dog eyes you just can’t resist. Big, round, gleaming portals into his little Lego soul. He’s nearly the brightest, and most chipper of all the Jokers. He genuinely makes you feel sorry for him at times. He’s even relatable somewhat, which is a key difference to The Joker. The Joker is unknowable, inscrutable, diabolical. Lego Joker has some empathy, sympathy, and clearly more need to be loved/hated than any other Joker.
