Smile

**Smile** is the first roleplay in TDCC and the origin of the Joker. It is a narration of Joker's slow descent into madness and his inherent disability to understand the emotions of people from a normal perspective. Distraught, Joker begins to fall into a path of self-destructive behavior from the horrors of society and is soon wanted by the Gotham Police Department at the end of the roleplay.

## Background

### Mental Illness

At a young age, Jack Napier was bullied for having a mental illness and such only furthered his illness and depression. Tired of the abuse, Jack Napier often used comedy and various other forms of comedy to ease his pain and suffering. His mental illnesses continued to develop as he was described to be "off in his own world" by school counselors and friends, found playing on his own at the playground in elementary school.

### Losing his Father

Due to his illness his father left him because he wasn't like the other kids and he wasn't normal. Such an experience got on his nerves and it caused him to mentally collapse and perform poorly on his schoolwork. Jack Napier's future opportunities began to decline as a result and his mother resented him for his differences and strange nature in contrast to the "normal" behavior that his friends had at school.

## Descent into Madness

### Keep a Happy Face

In modern day, 1991, Jack Napier enjoyed his birthday at his apartment with his mother Abby Napier. He lived with her because she knew how to deal with Jack and his illness. His mother, Abby Napier, suggested to the young and adolescent Jack Napier that he should go out more and enjoy his long life by establishing other relationships with others. Jack Napier denied such a suggestion, saying that he'd have panic attacks and signs of anxiety if he were to ever expose himself to the outside world. Abby Napier comforted Jack and told him to "keep a happy face", insisting that if he lost his smile, his world would go into flames.

### Tales from a Sad Comedian

Jack would often spend nights at his apartment with his mother or a local comedy club group which was privately owned by a guy calling himself the Ringleader. The Ringleader would usually pick on Jack anytime he tried his acts or routines by calling him names and throwing tomatoes at him.

Tonight was different, rather then dead silence, some laughs were heard from the crowd, a lady named Sarah, after being booed off the stage by Ringleader. Jack and Sarah hit off their relationship as the two parties seemed to have a mutual connection. Jack, with his taste for comedy and looking at things from a positive angle, got with Sarah and decided to hang out with her.

After hanging out with Sarah he went to leave, he was given a mask to show a sign of promotion and significance to the comedy club. Jack wore the mask and treasured it. He decided to keep it with him in the event that he wanted to make another comedy sharing at the club.

### Clown Show

The next day he attended again but wearing such clown mask, it allowed him to act better on-stage but he still felt nervous due to the Ringleader's tormenting. He held onto the mask and Sarah took him out to eat and calmed him down because he started getting a panic attack and hyper ventilating when all eyes were on him.

### Late Gift

His mother had bought him something but it had taken a few days to finish, when he returned home he got a note saying she was with her caretaker and his present was in another room, his present was a clown costume for the comedy-club, it was a red and orange suit.

#### Returning to the Club

Jack really enjoyed the gift and he put it on and went back to the club, feeling more safe his act came off better and he got some laughs and he felt safe because the make up was a mask for him to escape his sad life.

However, somebody pointed out that it, the Clown Mask from the other day which he wore with his costume, was the same mask they were giving out and he was outed getting boo'd off stage and getting tomatoes thrown at him

#### Riding the Train

After cleaning himself up he called his mother's house and his mother's caretaker answered explaining she has a week left to live, he then walked to the nearby subway and took the long way home and cried on the train, but he remembered what his mother said and began to laugh smiling while he cried

Such actions got him noticed by some goons on the train and he was beaten, he continued to laugh during such and his tears began to fade, but by the end when they left in fear he began to cry again, this time without laughing.

### Going Mad

When he returned home his place had been ransacked and destroyed, his journal was also destroyed and he went absolutely mad, but he ends it by laughing.

### Losing Everyone

A week later he is recovering from the loss of his mother while on a date with Sarah, he begins to break down and he shakes hyperventilating. People start to stare at him and whisper so Jack goes ape shit on them saying he's not like the sad people who live in Gotham, he scares everyone there including Sarah

Sarah, the only person other than his mother that understood him, was so scared of Jack and she leaves him. He then returns home and begins to apply clown-makeup forcing a smile, he then dyes his hair green.

### Clown Club Massacre

The next day he goes back to the comedy club and kills everyone there leaving the Ringleader alive, he was wearing the mask while doing this and when he has the Ringleader tied up he reveals who he is, the Ringleader recognizes him and pleads for his forgiveness, he begs Jack.

Jack then says that he doesn't like that name, and he prefers to be called Joker. He then guts Ringleader and puts his mask back on leaving as the cops raid the building, he spends a moment in the alleyway taking off his mask and throwing it in the trash, and just like that, the Joker is born.