welcome back to new rockstars I'm Erik Bosse and Joker is a film designed to be up for interpretation by its audience and not the interpretation some critics would to have you believe that people don't kill people that Joker movie kills people boiler warning if you have not seen Joker yet okay the interpretation debate focuses on the film's ending which poses that much of the film's narrative could have been a false account of an incarcerated mentally disturbed man director Todd Phillips confirmed to the LA Times that he was inspired by the Joker graphic novel The Killing Joke which depicted the Joker's origin as they failed comedian and included the mysterious line and I'm going to have a past I prefer it to be multiple choice and Phillips leaned into that concept with his film saying that the movie is quote less you being kind of presented with the facts then you being presented with these possibilities but within this broader mystery over what exactly is and is not real in this narrative there's a narrower mystery within that narrative the question of Arthur flex parentage the film poses a subplot that first suggests that Arthur is the illegitimate son of Thomas Wayne father of Bruce Wayne which would make Joker Batman then that claim appears to be dismissed shortly after with Arthur learning from medical records that he was adopted and that his mother was mentally ill as well but then there's a very subtle moment right before the film's final act that if you caught it actually changes the entire paternity narrative and suggests that within Arthur flex maybe fictional narrative Thomas Wayne a lyin liar who lies orchestrated and insane cover-up to hide Batman's brother from the world let us investigate this deception in this episode of and before I dive into this conspiracy if you plan to attend la Comic Con the host of new rock stars will be hosting a panel there Saturday October 12 at 3 p. m. come meet us there and ask us all your deeper questions and see how deep this conspiracy rabbit hole can go okay early in the Joker film Arthur's mother penny Fleck a former employee of Thomas Wayne mentions having written letters to Thomas that he will not answer later Arthur reads one of those letters and sees that she wrote to Thomas saying Arthur was his son and that she and Thomas had an affair and that Arthur was a product of that but when Arthur visits the way in the state and gives young Batman a taste for clown fingers younger Alfred Pennyworth comes out of the gate and denies that there was ever any affair but if you'll notice when Alfred approaches Arthur he says in so many words Oh y'all has son it suggests that he's at least vaguely familiar with penny Fleck and likely that he has read to some of those letters and then maybe even he could be involved somehow Arthur then confronts Thomas Wayne in the bathroom at a charity event where Thomas also denies that they're related then Arthur says look at us I think we are an interesting response because obviously Joaquin Phoenix and Brett Cullen look nothing alike but you know with movies we always suspend our disbelief that actors who look nothing alike are just cast as parent and child but Arthur to call it out like this seems odd we're going to say it kind of suggests that we're either meant to doubt him in the authenticity of this entire narrative that Arthur Fleck just sees the world through his different eyes that are at odds with our objective reality or that from Arthur's perspective the perspective that we're seeing this entire story from these two men actually do look alike and we're just supposed to go along with that Thomas tells our third that he never had an affair with penny that she claimed Arthur was his son but that she actually adopted Arthur Thomas said that she was mentally ill and spent some time at Arkham state hospital and Thomas's claims seems to be confirmed when Arthur checks Penny's medical history at Arkham state hospital and finds a net file paperwork confirming that she did adopt Arthur and that she even allowed a past boyfriend to abuse Arthur as a kid but all of this paperwork was signed off by a man named dr.
Benjamin stoner which actually should raise some red flags and not just because Thea name itself Benjamin I'm going to explain why this name is so important but before I get to view huge thanks to Cove audio for sponsoring this episode so I've been using coves commuter Bluetooth speaker and I freaking love it just listen to how loud it can get it's a bit loud I know yes all you do is you just connect your Bluetooth and you let it blast while I'm cooking or tabletop gaming with friends or assembly new furniture after I lose the tabletop game and smash my furniture with friends and then angrily trying to assemble new furniture because I don't speak Swedish really anytime I want to break from headphones and I want a super loud speaker to cover my frustrated roars I can usually run it on a single charge which gets you up to eight it's water-resistant and it has indoor and outdoor equalizer modes so you'll have the best sound no matter where you are in your kitchen or like blowing off steam outside it has this touch slider and tactile volume function to give you complete control over your swipe and in addition to this quality Cove is one of the most affordable speakers out there because we are giving you guys a special discount of 65% off just click on our link below Cove audio comm slash rock 65 okay dr. Benjamin stoner is an actual character from the DC Comics the former head psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum later becomes the villain anti theta battling the DC hero dr.