The 13 Best Quotes by the Joker in The Dark Night – Heath Ledger Lives On
June 30, 2009 – 2:48 pm by Corey
With many so-so sequels and prequels hitting theaters this summer, its a good time to remember the mother of all superhero/action sequels The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker will live on forever as one of the greatest characters in cinema history. Below is a collection of the 13 best quotes (or in some cases memorable dialogue) by The Joker in The Dark Knight. I doubt we are missing much, but feel free to offer your two cents on the ranking.
13. I believe whatever doesn’t kill you, simply makes you…stranger.
12. All right. So, listen. Why don’t you give me a call when you want to start taking things a little more seriously? Here’s my card.
11. Joker: Oh, you. You just couldn’t let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, aren’t you? Huh? You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.
10 . Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can’t savor all the… little emotions. In… you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards?
9. Batman: Then why do you want to kill me?
Joker: I don’t want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, NO! No. You… you… complete me.
Batman: You’re garbage who kills for money.
Joker: Don’t talk like one of them. You’re not! Even if you’d like to be. To them, you’re just a freak, like me! They need you right now, but when they don’t, they’ll cast you out, like a leper! You see, their morals, their code, it’s a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They’re only as good as the world allows them to be. I’ll show you. When the chips are down, these… these civilized people, they’ll eat each other. See, I’m not a monster. I’m just ahead of the curve.
8. This city deserves a better class of criminal. And I’m gonna give it to them.
7. Joker: If you’re good at something, never do it for free.
6. Batman: Let her go!
Joker: [holding Rachel out of a window] Very poor choice of words…
5. Joker: [to Gambol's thugs, being held helpless by his own] Now, our operation is small, but there’s a lot of potential for “aggressive” expansion. So, which one of you fine gentlemen would like to join our team? Oh, there’s only one spot open right now, so we’re gonna have…Tryouts. Make it fast.
4. How about a magic trick? I’m gonna make this pencil disappear. Ta-daa! It’s… it’s gone.
3. Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t 
know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just… do things. The mob has plans, the cops have plans, Gordon’s got plans. You know, they’re schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I’m not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So, when I say… Ah, come here.
When I say that you and your girlfriend was nothing personal, you know that I’m telling the truth. It’s the schemers that put you where you are. You were a schemer, you had plans, and look where that got you. I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I turned it on itself. Look what I did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. Hmmm? You know… You know what I’ve noticed? Nobody panics when things go “according to plan.” Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it’s all “part of the plan.” But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!
Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I’m an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about chaos? It’s fair!
2. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are tonight’s entertainment! Well, you look nervous. Is it
the scars? You want to know how I got ‘em? Come here. Hey! Look at me. So I had a wife, beautiful, like you, who tells me I worry too much. Who tells me I ought to smile more. Who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks… Look at me! One day, they carve her face. And we have no money for surgeries. She can’t take it. I just want to see her smile again, hm? I just want her to know that I don’t care about the scars. So… I stick a razor in my mouth and do this…to myself. And you know what? She can’t stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now I see the funny side. Now I’m always smiling! A little fight in you. I like that. Batman: Then you’re going to love me.
1. [holding a knife inside Gambol's mouth] Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was… a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn’t like that. Not-one-bit. So – me watching – he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it! Turns to me, and he says, “why so serious, son?” Comes at me with the knife… “Why so serious?” He sticks the blade in my mouth… “Let’s put a smile on that face!” And…Why so serious?
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26 Responses to “The 13 Best Quotes by the Joker in The Dark Night – Heath Ledger Lives On”
Heath Ledger was a legend. god bless his soul. i never thought that someone can act so well.
why so serious
Amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing
kill the batman
I love the joker, it’d be tight to talk to him
Oh My Gosh Heath Ledger was an amazing Actor who brought the joker to A whole new level Heath Definitely went out with a bang R.I.P Heath Andrew Ledger God Bless his soul
I LOVE Heath Ledger. It was a dark day to see him pass on. But one thing is clear: HE DID NOT COMMIT SUICIDE!!! I’m sick of peeps saying him had an overdose. Yeah, but not on purpose. He had to many doctors and to many perscriptions. I’m watching the Dark Knight as I type this and I’m going to be the Joker for Halloween. I love Heath and God bless his daughter Matilda. She is so much like him. TEAM LEDGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
looking back heath ledger was kinda retarded. he died taking to many anti-depressants. he was depresed because he played an evil character. that makes no sense. he was depresed for no reason. lets see how many people get buthurt…
He did define itself very well in the Hospital scene:
“introduce a little anarchy, upset the established order, and everything becomes Chaos.
I’m an agent of Chaos.
You know the thing about Chaos? : is FAIR”
I was a so-so Batman fan my whole life, but Heath Ledger’s role changed all that. Recently, I got a tattoo on my inner arm of his face when he is in the interrogation room. His performance was life altering, and will go down in history as one of the most astounding character portrayals ever.
the first time i watched this movie i was busy doing some homework. after a while i couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen! i just threw my books on the floor and forgot all about them. i absolutely love this movie. all the performances were great; christian, maggie, michael, gary and, of course, heath. wow. . . rip heath. you totally deserved that oscar :]
I thought this movie was kickass and easily one of the best movies of the year! I just wonder what will be done in the next instalment.
upset the established order and everything becomes chaos
Superb. Simply loved this guy. Heath Ledger, superb act as joker.
I think this quote should have made it to the top 13 “You see, madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little push”
Heath Ledger was the best actor…
God bless you, Heath..!
Rest in piece, we love you!
this is my favorite one…
“if you are good at something… never do it for free”
excellent actor…
Yeah, Heath really -felt- Joker. I don’t think I’ve seen acting that good since… ever. Better than Gone with the Wind classics, better than Depp, Heath was and is the man. He totally made my fav. character come to life. And I would totally do Joker. Just a note.
P.S.
Wanna see a magic trick?
I remember my mum and my brother watching this, and it looked like such a crap film to me. A few months later, and i finally decided to give it a go, and boy, i fell in LOVE with this film. Heath did an absolutely terrific job as the Joker, and he still managed to be sexy! I’m sure he didnt mean to be sexy though, but hey, i found him insanely attractive. Heath was taken too soon, but thank god he got to do this film, he will go down in history & his performance in this has thrown this film up into my top 5 favorite movies. RIP Heath LEDGEND. xx
This was beautiful…
I miss heath.. i think joker runs real deep…
THIS NEXT QUOTE SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY MADE IT TO THE TOP 5!
And heeere weeee go!
You remind me of my father….I hated my father
–he xplains himself so fucking thouroughly in the movie,in a very unimbarassing way.(most villains look like they`re reading right there from the script)
I would just like too add; this fool embarassing themselves here at the top: Aatusha (mis-spelled) is completly wrong and ignorant. first off, the reason Heath Ledger was having severe depression is simply because of (what most actors have too worry about constantly) the PRESS!! He was slandered for playing the role of a gay cowboy in Brokeback, He could no longer with-stand the constant attacking of the moron paperonis with they’re cameras and questions and sexually confused people humiliating him for somethin they probably found attractive themselves somewhere deep down like most homophobes, just because he made lots of money to kiss Jake G. a couple times on camera FOR THE MONEY!! that would get horribly old, And playing the joker role pushed him of his mental edge (LIKE IT DID TOO JACK N. IN “89!!), Jack warned him not too and because Nolan made him fall in love with the charecter so much, he ignored this warning. So even though you’ll never see this cause you wrote this whimsical crap in “09, for the good of my health id like too say:”SHUT YOUR STUPID FACE OR STICK AN EXPLOSIVE IN IT!!! FOOL!, you are retarded. Heath Ledger was one of the greatest in his craft without denial so cram it!!!! Shithead. God i cant stand ignorant pricks like that!!! Read before you write about you FATHEAD. wuheehehahahhaahahahahahaa
to the guy above me:
aatusha:1
you: A big fuckin 0