Looking straight into her eyes, he once again explains the story about his scars and asks, "You wanna know how I got 'em?"" Prepared for a rehash of the abusive father story, the audience is stunned when the Joker tells a different story, this time about the Joker's assumed ex-wife, who possesses similar scars and leaves him after he gives himself the scars as an act of love and empathy for her
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In the opening scene of "Othello," Iago tells Roderigo that he hates Othello because he chose to promote Michael Cassio as lieutenant instead of himself. The audience/reader believe him and feel sympathy for him, despite his wickedness. Two scenes later, in one of his many monologues directed to the audience, Iago states the following: "I hate the Moor, and it is thought abroad that "twixt my sheets He has done my office. I know not if't be true, but I, for mere suspicion of that kind, Will do as for surety"" (I.iii.368-372). Suddenly, Iago presents a different motive, that Othello slept with Iago's wife, Emilia, and it becomes very clear that Iago's reasons for ruining Othello lack affluence. The practical joker has no motive, which emphatically applies to the Joker in The Dark Knight. The only ordinary motive he seems to possess early on is a desire for money, when he demands half of the mob's money to kill Batman.
However, he later burns the money in front of the mob to show them that it means nothing by stating, "It's not about the money, it's about sending a message." After speaking with Harvey Dent, he addresses his lack of a motive: "Do I really look like a guy with a plan? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. I just do things." This falls right in line with Alfred's earlier assertion of the Joker. When asked by Bruce why the Joker would do the things he does, Alfred responds, "Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with.