The Clown Prince of Crime, commonly referred to as The Joker  is Batman's arch-nemesis. Jack Napier, the man who became The Joker (Tim Burton's Batman onwards) has never missed an opportunity to spar with Batman. It is only because of the magnanimous presence of Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight, that a strong DC cinematic foothold was established.

However, the eccentric clown has crossed the line, quite a few times. This is partly because he is the most recurring Batman villain, but also because he doesn't know where to draw the line. Far from intimidation, The Joker has managed to kill Batman, in body and in spirit. With that being said, Batman wouldn't be Batman, if it wasn't for The Joker.

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10 GOING SANE: THE DARK KNIGHT ISSUE 65 TO 85

This comic arc details the horrific account of how The Joker kills Batman by blowing up dynamite in his face. He then dumps the dead body in the river. But what's The Joker without Batman?

As the clown Prince of Crime returns to sanity slowly, Batman appears dead at the scene. This story is more about The Joker's character development, in that it reverses his insanity instead of amplifying it. Rare, isn't it?

9 BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD

This futuristic tale is one of vengeance by Joker's son. It so happens that ten years before, Joker dies in a battle with Batman causing the latter to retire. The Cape Crusader calls it quits after killing The Joker and marries Selina Kyle who births their son, Damian.

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Fast forward to ten years later, the son of The Joker attacks Selina, Bruce, and Damian at the Batman museum. While Damian survives, Selina and Bruce Wayne die. Turns out, The Joker's son went for the kill at his father's behest.

8 WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPE CRUSADER?

Caped Crusader, Batman DC Comics

The title almost gives away the fact that Batman is dead. This is a pretty twisted tale in which Batman's comrades and enemies meet up in a bar to tell tales of how they killed Batman. The likes of Catwoman, Alfred, Robin, and The Joker each boast of killing Batman.

Out of all the stories, the Joker says he injects Batman with Joker Toxin to get him to smile. But Batman being Batman, will not budge. So Joker keeps injecting him until the superhero ODs and dies. This turn of events saddens The Joker since he has no one to play with anymore.

7 ENDGAME

Yep, The Joker has his own Endgame, described as a healing arc in the story. In this volume, The Clown Prince has somehow acquired healing powers that eventually lead to his immortality. Starting with a healing touch, The Joker goes on to become immortal.

Should it be a surprise that the never-dying Joker goes to kill Batman? Nope. Batman's arch-nemesis is involved in a bloody confrontation with him. Joker's healing power is attributable to the rarest of rare chemicals called Dionysian found in caves under Gotham city. In a bloody face-off that ensues in these caves, the two end up getting buried under the cave debris.

6 WHO KILLED BATMAN?

An ancient comic arc, the superhero is dead without the world having an iota of knowledge on who killed him. The mad villains of Gotham are taken suspects and put on trial, each of them confessing to the crime.

One of the least interesting accounts is of The Joker who in an attempt to get cheap credit admits to pouring acid on Batman's face and poisoning him with a fatal toxin, straight from his ring. Later it is told that the whole thing is a ruse set up by Batman to identify the killer who killed someone dressed like him.

5 EMPEROR JOKER

This is a comic tale based on the Superman issue 770 wherein The Joker is the unbeatable master of the universe, ruling it as god. The eccentric mobster then aims to kill all the Robins and Batman too.

His aim is to capture Batman, torture him to death then revive him to repeat the whole cycle, in which he partly succeeds. The Joker is eventually defeated but Batman is still haunted by memories of each time he was killed at The Joker's hands.

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4 THE DARK KNIGHT

The Dark Knight interrogation scene played off between The Joker and Batman remains one of the most iconic Joker performances till the date. Heath Ledger didn't pick up a Posthumous Academy Award for nothing.

Although this isn't a physical kill but more of rendering Batman without the ability to influence, kill, intimidate and there is nothing worse than that. In the interrogation room, it is quite evident that Batman has absolutely no control over The Joker. The thrives as Batman resorts to more violence, killing him in spirit.

3 THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS "THE END"

Again a lethal blow at Batman's legacy, when the Cape Crusader returns to Gotham after being MIA. The Joker awakens from a coma and takes the first opportunity to challenge Batman in combat. In this particular rendition by Frank Miller, Klaus Hanson, and Lynn Varley, The Joker finally wins over Batman.

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As Batman refuses to kill The Joker, the latter breaks his own neck thereby misleading the world. Batman's image is left in shambles and his fans turn their backs on him. Superman, the public and the government refuse to believe him.  Violence and Joker Toxin isn't Joker's only tool of oppression.

2 A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

DC actually had bloodthirsty fans calling in to decide whether Jason Todd should live or not. Though many voted for him to remain alive, the majority decided it was time for Jason Todd's Robin to leave.

This was as successful as it gets, The Joker hit Jason with a crowbar in the face before exiting out of an exploding building. Batman arrived late on the scene, literally emerging like a Phoenix from the debris with Todd in his arms. It was heart-breaking for Batman as he continued to blame himself for years due to failing his Robin.

1 THE KILLING JOKE

You may or may not vote for it, but this arguably makes it to the top of the list. It earns its position solely due to the fact that over decades fans still cannot make up their mind as there are no two coherent thoughts on it. The Alan Moore novel combined with Brian Holland's artwork is nothing short of fictional bliss.

When Batman and The Joker laugh together in the rain, one of them murders the other as the lights go dim. Although in the graphic artwork, Batman reaches out towards The Joker, the latter hand is reaching forward too. No one knows what happens next, except the laughter cuts to two panels and the lights go off.

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