‘Joker 2’: Why does Lee change his attitude towards Arthur at the end of the movie?

Before the premiere of ‘Joker 2’ there was the idea that Lady Gaga Would Outdo Joaquin Phoenix’s Performance In ‘Joker’ and that the sequel would be a success, due to the popularity of the first film in 2019.

However, the opposite has happened with this second part. “Joker 2” was considered a box office failure in its opening weekend, earning only $37.8 million in the United States (less than half of what “Joker” did in the same period).

“Joker 2” was slammed by DC fans and critics alike. Suffice it to say, it has a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the memes about how disappointing the movie is haven’t stopped.

However, the plot of “Joker 2” leaves some questions open to its viewers. If you had doubts, we will solve them here.

‘Joker 2’: Why does Lee no longer want to be with Arthur when he no longer wants to be the Joker?

Throughout “Joker 2” Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) develops a romantic relationship with Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga). For much of the film, Lee supports Arthur in his legal trial and also dances alongside him in the hallucinations that are a product of the villain’s imagination.

However, there comes a point in the film where Arthur confesses how sorry he is for taking on the role of the Joker, and Lee leaves him after that.

Arthur hopes to be reunited with her, calls her to reconcile, sings to her and even enlists the help of his followers to reunite with his beloved.

However, Lee leaves alone, leaving Arthur to be captured and sent back to prison. She does this because she was never really in love with Arthur Fleck, but rather had a special fascination with everything the Joker represented.

When Arthur decides to leave the Joker behind, Lee becomes disillusioned with him, as she idealizes the Joker as a ruthless villain and never really cared for the shy and fragile Arthur.

What is Arthur’s disorder in ‘Joker 2’?

One of its main plot lines “Joker 2” It’s Arthur Fleck’s mental state, but at no point is it explicitly stated what disease or disorder he has.

However, there has been much speculation on the matter. There have even been specialized studies on this, such as the research “Analyzing the Joker: an attempt to establish a diagnosis for a film icon” by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, University of Cambridge.

He explains that Arthur likely has a neurological disorder known as pseudobulbar phenomenon, which is the result of a brain injury and causes fits of laughter, as seen in the character.

It should be noted that neurological disorders are different from mental illnesses. The former come from trauma to the brain and the latter from thoughts, emotions and environmental factors.

In “Joker 2” it is claimed that Arthur’s brain injury is the result of the physical abuse Arthur suffered from his mother when he was a child, which could strengthen this theory.

What does the Joker from ‘Joker 2’ really represent?

In the first Joker movie, Arthur Fleck is proud of his Joker alter ego. However, in ‘Joker 2’ he doesn’t seem too sure about that decision.

After hearing his friend Gary testify at his trial in ‘Joker 2’, Arthur wonders if he really wants to continue being the Joker, since he probably isn’t really the image of chaos that everyone thinks he is.

When he returns to the prison at the end of the film, an inmate stabs Arthur while he slaps a smile on his face very much in the style of Heath Ledger’s Joker in “Batman: The Dark Knight”.

This gesture reveals that the Joker is actually a symbol and not a specific person. It can have any face as long as it embodies everything that anarchy stands for.

That is, Arthur could die, but the Joker will be eternal, as long as there are frustrated people in Gotham willing to bring out his more chaotic side.