History NightmareFuel / TheDarkKnight

* Christopher Nolan originally thought of bringing us a more terrifying, twisted and psychopathic Joker. [[https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/new-concept-art-dark-knight-envisions-alternate-jokers/amp/&ved=2ahUKEwiQ5-CqmdnoAhWNI7kGHZLjC3oQFjAMegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw3yQ3qPb_sX1gBOk2CQqUdP&ampcf=1 Here]] you can find the original designs for this Joker. However, Christopher Nolan felt that this Joker did not fit his "Universe" so he decided change something to the Joker.

'''Scarecrow:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Buyer beware]]. I told you my compound would take you places. ''[[ExactWords I never said they'd be places you wanted to go.]]''

''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is heavily known as [[DarkerAndEdgier the darkest movie in the Dark Knight Trilogy]] (which is already saying something), as well as any other Batman film, due to its handful of dark moments, the conflicting battle between order and chaos and its '''''nightmarish villain''''', who represents everything in chaos. So buckle up and get ready to witness a lot of nightmare fuel that you're about to see in this film.

-->'''The Joker:''' How about a magic trick? (''slams a pencil into the table, point first'') I'm gonna make this pencil disappear... (''Gambol's crony stands up and goes to attack him. In one swift motion, the Joker then slams the man's head onto the pencil, forcing the entire pencil -- eraser first -- through his eye socket; the crony collapses to the floor, dead, taking the pencil with him'')\\
'''The Joker:''' [[FauxAffablyEvil TA-DA! It's, ah, it's gone]].

* A really horrifying scene is where the Joker tells Rachel the second scar story. Something about the whole scene reeks of sexual predation, and to make it even more horrible, there's the fact [[GroinAttack she knees him in the nuts, ]] and [[TooKinkyToTorture he actually LIKES it!]]
* One of the most NightmareFuel-filled moments was surprisingly one of the most low-key; when the Joker is videotaping/shooting his nightmare-porn of Brian the Batman Impersonator and orders Brian to "Look at me. '''[[SuddenlyShouting LOOK!]] [[PunctuatedForEmphasis AT!]] [[EvilSoundsDeep ME!]]'''". That scene gets worse when Brian is done delivering the Joker's message [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness and is of no more use to him]]. The camera cuts out just as Joker descends on the panicked hostage. The distorted sounds that are heard just before the tape ends, especially since we can't make out ''[[NothingIsScarier anything]]'' [[NothingIsScarier happening in the last bit of footage... ]] When the newscaster says, "Sensitive viewers, be aware. The image is disturbing," he's not kidding.

* Two-Face. [[SarcasmMode Don't worry if you really wanted to see it.]] Yes, it's seriously scary that it is shown to represent the NightmareFuel section of a movie ''full'' of nightmare fuel. Let that sink in.

** In the scene where Harvey reveals himself, his face is obscured by the pillow but you can see the black charring and the blood on the cloth. All you can think is [[NothingIsScarier "Oh God, I'm not ready for what he looks like under there"]]. And yeah...[[FaceRevealingTurn you're not]].
-->'''Two-Face:''' [[NightmareFace Why should I hide... who I am?]]

--> ''"Do you wanna know how I got these scars?''

[[caption-width-right:350:[[WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged DEAR GOD WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?]]]]

-->'''Two-Face:''' [[NightmareFace Why should I hide... who I am?]]]

''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is heavily known as [[DarkerAndEdgier the darkest movie in the Dark Knight Trilogy]], as well as any other Batman film, due to its handful of dark moments, the conflicting battle between order and chaos and its '''''nightmarish villain''''', who represents everything in chaos. So buckle up and get ready to witness a lot of nightmare fuel that you're about to see in this film.

* The Joker repeatedly claims through the film that he was not born a psycho, and states it only takes a day bad enough to turn a good man into something like him. It is never clarified if he is saying the truth or if he is just messing with people, as he makes fun of the whole concept of the FreudianExcuse. This leads to the inevitable question: ''[[NothingIsScarier Did something]]'' happen to the man who would become the Joker? [[MysteriousPast And in that case, ''what'' was it?]]

''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is heavily known as [[DarkerAndEdgier the darkest movie in the Dark Knight Trilogy]], as well as any other Batman film, due to its handful of dark moments, the conflicting battle between order and chaos and its '''''nightmarish villain''''', who represents everything in chaos. So buckle up and get ready to witness a lot of nightmare fuel that you're about to witness in this film.

* When Alfred later finishes the story with how they caught the bandit, he flatly states, "We burned the forest down." In order to get the bandit, Alfred was forced to give the bandit literally what he wanted, and in the process, became a man as cold and unrelenting as the bandit himself; a man who would burn everything around him just to get at his goal.

* Harvey Dent screaming in silent agony in the hospital after realizing that Rachel died. From there his SanitySlippage is evident, especially following ComicBook/TheJoker's disturbing HannibalLecture on him.

-->'''Joker:''' Do you wanna know how I got these scars?

''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is heavily known as the darkest movie in the Dark Knight Trilogy, as well as any other Batman film, due to its handful of dark moments, the conflicting battle between order and chaos and its '''''nightmarish villain''''', who represents everything in chaos. With all of these combined together, you may have what may be [[DarkerAndEdgier one of the darkest Batman films yet.]]

* Two-Face. [[SarcasmMode Don't worry if you really wanted to see it.]] Yes, it's seriously scary that it is shown to represent the NightmareFuel section of a movie ''full'' of nightmare fuel. Let that sink in.
-->'''Wuertz:''' Dent? Jesus... I thought you were dead.\\
'''Harvey:''' ''Half.''
** In the scene where Harvey reveals himself, his face is obscured by the pillow but you can see the black charring and the blood on the cloth. All you can think is [[NothingIsScarier "Oh God, I'm not ready for what he looks like under there"]]. And yeah...[[FaceRevealingTurn you're not]].

* The worst part about Two-Face was when he kidnapped Gordon's family, and Commissioner Gordon, whom many tropers strongly identify as a father figure, cried and begged helplessly for their lives. The thought of a father (whose job is being ''a policeman,'' no less) being unable to protect his children is just pure NightmareFuel. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NdV7-rOt2Y The music]] in that scene, appropriately titled "Watch the World Burn", just makes the whole thing so much more intense. It starts off quiet, but gradually becomes louder to the point where it's ''unbearably'' intense. There's just something in there that truly and absolutely defines Harvey's SanitySlippage.
-->'''Two-Face:''' Tell your boy it's going to be alright, Gordon. ''Lie,'' like I lied.
* Alfred's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHCdKb5UWc speech]] on being in Burma, just because of how true it felt.
-->'''Alfred:''' A long time ago, I was in Burma, my friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders by bribing them with precious stones. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. So we went looking for the stones. But in six months, we never found anyone who traded with him. One day I saw a child playing with a ruby the size of a tangerine. The bandit had been throwing them away.\\
'''Bruce:''' Then why steal them?\\
'''Alfred:''' Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. [[ForTheEvulz Some men just want to watch the world burn.]]
* When Alfred later finishes the story with how they caught the bandit, he flatly states, "We burned the forest down." In order to get the bandit, Alfred was forced to give the bandit literally what he wanted, and in the process, became a man as cold and unrelenting as the bandit himself; a man who would burn everything around him just to get at his goal.
* A fat lunatic complains of stomach pains and rants that the Joker told him that a light would come from his stomach [[PsychopathicManchild in this high, childish tone]]. It comes out of his stomach all right... [[SomebodySetUpUsTheBomb in the form of a bomb]] the Joker ''[[WhyAmITicking implanted inside of him]]''.
* Three simple words: "Why so serious?"
* Harvey Dent screaming in silent agony in the hospital after realizing that Rachel died. From there his SanitySlippage is evident, especially following ComicBook/TheJoker's disturbing HannibalLecture on him.
* The Joker aims to destroy Gotham City from the inside out, and part of his "plan" involves corrupting the city's heroes -- Batman and Harvey Dent -- by making their lives hell until they snap. Thankfully, he doesn't succeed with Batman. Harvey Dent, however...
%%* The song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvjhVemg1vA A Little Push]] which plays when Harvey interrogates Thomas Schiff. It sounds like something right out of ''Film/BatmanBegins''.

* As scary as Ledger's Joker and Two Face are in the film, [[https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dOgziNj4qyo/VPTLshEdN_I/AAAAAAAAyow/lJhr3z3mydI/s1600/Rob_Bliss_The_Dark_Knight_Two-Face-Concept_26.jpg the early concept art]] is [[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kYP1VEUqiso/VPTLmMP03nI/AAAAAAAAyoc/iEC-27rfq6M/s1600/twoface-01.jpg really something else...]] The first iterations of Two-face were more realistic, with less extensive damage; test audiences actually found the more subdued, realistic damage to be so unsettling, to the point of unintentional NauseaFuel, that the Two-Face we currently see was used instead. The Joker pales in comparison to Two-Face's scar-ified half of his face. ''[[{{Squick}} What]]'' [[{{Squick}} is keeping his]] '''[[{{Squick}} EYEBALL]]''' [[{{Squick}} in the]] '''[[{{Squick}} SOCKET!?]]'''
** It's mentioned when Gordon visits Dent in the hospital that he's been refusing pain meds or skin grafts. When he confronts Wuertz later, he takes a shot of whiskey and some of the burning liquid pours through the holes in his face down the exposed muscle. He doesn't even flinch.
* Though Scarecrow only shows up in one scene, he's still making his horrifying fear toxin and now evidently contaminating recreational drugs with it. When the Chechen brings a victim of the toxin to Scarecrow to show him, the poor victim can be heard screaming, ''"Please! They're crawling in my mouth! Get them off!"''
-->'''The Chechen:''' Look what your drugs did to my customers!\\
'''Scarecrow:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Buyer beware]]. I told you my compound would take you places. ''[[ExactWords I never said they'd be places you wanted to go.]]''
* Harvey Dent interrogating Thomas Schiff. Not only is Schiff's unhinged giggling and bug-eyed stare off-putting, but Harvey brings some serious lashings of nightmare fuel on his own. He conducts the interrogation in a back alley rather than at the police station, demonstrates that the gun he brought is ''not'' a toy before pointing it at the man's head, then states that he'll decide Schiff's fate by the toss of a coin. This is the most respected man in Gotham.
** This one zig-zags a little; when Dent flips the coin, he tells Schiff that he'll shoot him if the coin comes up tails. It's revealed later on that it's a double-sided coin, both heads. Meaning Dent had no intention of shooting Schiff. However, the fact that he would use such intimidation tactics on a mentally ill person doesn't really paint Dent in the most morally upstanding light, and this is ''before'' he becomes Two-Face. Even Batman calls him out on it.
--->'''Batman:''' You'd leave a man's life to chance?
** It gets worse. As Batman walks away and declares his intention to turn himself in, Harvey tells him he can't give up now. When Batman does not answer, Harvey [[SuddenlyShouting repeats himself abruptly and rather loudly.]] And as he does, half his face is hidden in darkness...
--->'''Harvey:''' You can't. You can't give in. ''YOU CAN'T GIVE IN!''

* The Joker himself is a potent combination of NightmareFuel and premium ParanoiaFuel. If he's after you then he will get to you somehow, no matter how impossible it should be.
* In most incarnations, the Joker is somewhere on the scale between comedic violence (Nicholson) and violent comedy (Romero and Hamill). What made Creator/HeathLedger's Joker so scary is that Nolan removed the comedic aspect, but Ledger still played him as if he was doing everything because it amused him.

* The Joker repeatedly claims through the film that he was not born a psycho, and states it only takes a day bad enough to turn a good man into something like him. It is never clarified if he is saying the truth or if he is just messing with people, as he makes fun of the whole concept of the FreudianExcuse. This leads to the inevitable question: ''[[NothingIsScarier Did something]]'' happen to the man who would become the Joker? And in that case, ''what'' was it?