Update: What is the third origin story about The Joker’s scars in The Dark Knight?
By: Scott Myers
Tags: Fiction, Creative Writing, Screenwriting, Writing Challenge, Writing

Announcing two winners in my recent contest.

Last week, I posted this article reflecting on the two times The Joker in The Dark Knight tells a story about how he got his scars. Here is Version 1:

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?

Here is Version 2:

Oh, you look nervous. Is it the scars? Wanna know how I got ‘em? C’mere, look at me. So, I had a wife, who was beautiful…like you, who tells me I worry too much, who tells me I oughta smile more, who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks… Hey. One day they carve her face. And we got no money for surgeries. She can’t take it. I just want to see her smile again. Hmm? I just wanted to let her 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!

There is a third time The Joker starts to tell a story about his scars, but he gets interrupted by Batman. So I decided to run a contest:

What was Joker’s third story? What would he have told Batman had he had the chance? It might be fun for folks to take a whack at Joker’s third — unspoken — story. To spice up things, how about a prize! I’ll do a 30 minute Zoom call with the writer of the winning entry. If you have a story idea — logline or short treatment (no more than 2 pages) — we can discuss that. Or if you just want to talk about writing, we can do that, too. For inspiration, you might start off with this interesting analysis on Reddit about the first two stories. What is that mysterious third story Joker started to tell? Put your creativity to work and concoct a story Joker might tell. Let’s put a deadline on this: You have through midnight Pacific Daylight Time this Friday. Speaking of which, you know how I got these scars… There’s your prompt. Finish Joker’s third story.

We got several entries, two of which received the highest number of claps and I concurred with that assessment. Here they are. The first is from Sandra Ray:

Speaking of which, you know how I got these scars… I was looking in the mirror one day and I thought “What would it feel like to smile?” I tried and tried, but could not find anything to smile about. Upset, I punched the man in the mirror. He did not smile, instead he mocked me! “I’ll show him how to smile,” I said. The shattered pieces were oh so shiny! I took a piece and watched as the jagged smile appeared on the face of the man in the mirror. Then, I had something to smile about.

The second is from Kevin Long:

Speaking of which, you know how I got these scars…? They sent me to see this doctor. Someone who could fix me. Help me blend in. You would have liked him — he had all sorts of … gadgets. And one day, right before he blasts the current through my brain, I ask him, “When will it stop?” Once my mood improves, he says. So, I show up to our next meeting [pointing to scars] and tell him, “I’m cured.” He doesn’t have to worry about me anymore. But I can tell — he’s worried. Not for me, of course. They don’t care about people like us. Only what we might mean to their perfect little lives.

I am happy to announce, both are winners!

Sandra and Kevin, email me and we’ll set a time for individual one-on-one 30 minutes Zoom teleconferences.

Email: GITSblog@gmail.com.

Congratulations! And thanks to everyone who entered the contest!