Joker Tattoo Meaning: Symbolism, Movie Explanations, & More

Things You Should Know

• People often get tattoos of the Joker simply because they love the character, or admire his many incarnations throughout the years.
• A Joker tattoo might also symbolize the qualities the character stands for, lượt thích nonconformity, rebellion, or total chaos.
• A Joker or jester tattoo might also represent mischief or humor, and the desire to lớn bring some levity into everyday life.

1. The Joker’s been around for over 80 years, and has had many incarnations.^[1] He’s been played by everyone from Mark Hamill to lớn Heath Ledger to lớn Jared Leto, and has appeared in comics, cartoons, and live action films. There’s a lot of material, and a lot of Joker to lớn love. Someone with a Joker tattoo might simply be showing their appreciation for the character.

   • People tend to lớn be drawn to lớn the Joker’s fun but dangerous personality, his colorful designs, and the mayhem that follows him. He’s something of a pop culture icon that way.
   • The Joker’s also been referenced by other pop culture icons, from musicians lượt thích Eminem or Lady Gaga to lớn đoạn phim games lượt thích Mortal Kombat or popular Batman games.

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   Revolution or rebellion The 2019 movie Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role, is a tale of a “little guy” inspiring uprisings that threaten to lớn turn social order on its head. This revolutionary tale has resonated with many, and some people with a Joker tattoo may be signaling their appreciation for the character as a rebellious leader.^[2]

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   Anarchy or chaos The Joker might be best known for his love of a little mayhem. Most of his schemes revolve around sowing discord just for the sake of discord. That wild spirit speaks to lớn a lot of fans, who may get a Joker tattoo as a way to lớn channel some of that unbridled chaos.

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   Nonconformity The Joker’s always been an outcast, and that’s especially true of his 2019 film appearance, where he’s portrayed as a troubled man who’s cut off from his tư vấn systems.^[3] His status as an overlooked or outcasted thành viên of society strike a chord in many, who sympathize with the idea of an antihero sticking to lớn his own agenda.

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   Good and evil The Joker often straddles a line between Black and white. Sure, he causes plenty of trouble, but he doesn’t usually vì thế it for the sake of evil—rather, he does it to lớn have fun. Sometimes he even teams up with Batman to lớn save the day.^[4] This refusal to lớn stick to lớn one side is endlessly compelling, and has won the character plenty of admirers.

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   Mischief At the kết thúc of the day, the Joker’s M.O. is hijinks at any cost. He’s something of a prankster who takes all his gags to lớn the extreme. Someone with a Joker tattoo might just want to lớn bring a little wild whimsy to lớn their everyday life, or remind themselves to lớn have a little fun, even if it means getting into trouble now and then.

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1. This is maybe Leto’s most noticeable tattoo in the movie, as it sits right on his forehead. It’s a stark reminder that the Joker isn’t exactly an upstanding citizen, but its placement on his noggin might suggest that his mind’s not quite intact, either.

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   “HAHAHAHA” The Joker’s laugh is about as iconic as his demented smile. Here, though, the “HAHAHA” tattoos may be a nod to lớn Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke series, as they seem to lớn resemble a particular panel.^[5] The Killing Joke is a much darker take on the Joker, so sánh Leto might be borrowing some of his forerunner’s edge here.

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   “J” Some fans speculated that the “J” tattoo on Leto’s Joker’s face was a hint that he’s actually Jason Todd, aka Robin—a callback to lớn the Arkham Knight game, where he has a scarred “J” on his cheek.^[6] The movie dispelled this theory, and it probably just stands for “Joker,” but it’s fun to lớn think about.

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   Smiles What’s the Joker without his signature red smile? Leto’s Joker sports a few different smiley tattoos—a mouth across his abdomen, an open-mouth smile on his hand. These may be variations on his iconic facial feature, or even nods to lớn the much darker series The Killing Joke—the smile on his hand seems to lớn resemble that iteration of his character.^[7]

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   Jester skull At his heart, the Joker is an off-the-rails jester, playing tricks on the populace of Gotham for his own amusement. The skull jester on his chest is a perfect encapsulation of that, imbuing the classic jester image with some macabre edge and danger.

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   Dead Robin và Bat Leto’s arms feature a robin pierced by an arrow, and a dagger through a bat. These are clear reminders of Mister J’s unending mission to lớn “kill the Batman,” as well as Batman’s iconic sidekick, Robin.^[8] A bit sadistic to lớn get that sort of thing tattooed, if you ask us.

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   “All-In” cards A hand of cards might point to lớn the Joker’s high-stakes attitude and his tendency to lớn gamble with his—and other people’s—lives. The ace is a common symbol of luck, and the “All-In” on the banner in front suggests the Joker’s all-or-nothing approach to lớn his wild schemes.^[9]

   • The gambling motif extends to lớn the thẻ suit symbols on his knuckles.

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   “God’s Only Child” This tattoo rests on Leto’s back, and is an audacious statement of the Joker’s self-importance or inflated ego. It could also be an irreverent jab at organized religion. If there’s one thing the Joker hates, it’s “organized” anything.

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1. A jester’s primary job is to lớn entertain and get a laugh from his audience, whether that’s a crowd of commoners or the king himself.^[10] A jester tattoo may be a constant reminder to lớn have a little humor as someone goes about their daily life, and to lớn not take things too seriously, or to lớn crack a joke every now and then to lớn keep things light.

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   Mischief or mystery Jesters don’t just rely on jokes. They might also get up to lớn hijinks and pranks in order to lớn liven the mood, and wear masks to lớn become different characters to lớn add to lớn their performance. A jester tattoo might represent getting up to lớn a little trouble, or add an air of masked mystery about its owner.

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   Masked emotions A jester’s mask doesn’t just lend him a funny face. It also helps to lớn enhance the emotions he portrays in his performance, and hides his actual face underneath. A masked jester tattoo might symbolize its wearer’s concealed emotions or private life, suggesting they show a different face to lớn the world than thở their actual one.

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   Intelligence Being a jester isn’t exactly easy. Jesters must crack jokes and mock their audience, namely royals, without actually causing real offense, lest they find their heads on the chopping block.^[11] It takes plenty of smarts to lớn dance that line, and so sánh a jester tattoo may signal that its owner admires that wit and sharpness.

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   Balance As with any humor, there’s a touch of darkness to lớn a jester’s position. They’re often made up as fools, or seen as lesser, even as they rub elbows with higher-ups. That dichotomy lends jesters a certain balance of light and dark, levity and seriousness, comedy and tragedy, and make jesters a reminder that there are 2 sides to lớn every coin.

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1. The Joker’s been causing problems for 80+ years, and there are so sánh many versions of him to lớn love. Choose your favorite version to lớn get tattooed, whether that’s his original comic appearance, an animated incarnation, or a live-action portrayal lượt thích Heath Ledger’s. Think about which one speaks to lớn you, then go for it!

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   Choose an iconic element of the joker to lớn get tattooed. You don’t have to lớn get a full portrait. Consider picking just one part of the Joker’s getup, lượt thích his Cheshire smile, green hair, or his instantly recognizable purple suit. This gives your tattoo a slightly subtler touch, and might be easier on your wallet, to lớn boot.

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   Get an iconic Joker quote tattooed. For a different approach, skip the character and go right to lớn one of his iconic lines. Get “Why so sánh serious?” in a scratchy phông, or, "A joke a day keeps the gloom away!" Or, go a little more philosophic and get lettering that says, "I used to lớn think my life was a tragedy, but now I realize it's a comedy,” or, "What doesn't kill you simply makes you stranger!"

4. When choosing a tattoo design, the style can alter its appearance and vibe dramatically. For example, an American Traditional Joker, with the style’s bold lines and vivid colors, can add some classic flair to lớn the classic villain.^[12] On the other hand, a realistic Joker might be best if you want to lớn capture the likeness of a live-action actor.

   • An all-black, or blackwork tattoo, offers a clean and sometimes edgier look.
   • Emulate the comic or cartoon styles to lớn capture an iconic scene.

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