Jerome Wasn't 'Gotham's Only Possible Joker

Though most TV series and movies leave you actively rooting against the villain, I am beyond saddened that Jerome is dead on Gotham . Although Jerome's physical time on the series might be over thanks to being stabbed in the neck by supposed friend Theo Galavan, it's safe to say that his legacy of "death and madness" (as predicted by his own father) will live on in the city. And that seems to be how Gotham creator Bruno Heller and executive producer Danny Cannon aim to slowly but surely bring out the true origins of the Joker on the series. But will Gotham add another main Joker suspect to Season 2?

Heller told Deadline that the creation of the Joker is a "larger and more epic story than people realize." He also explained that Gotham is much more a story about the secret history of the city, so bringing in Jerome and setting him up as the big bad villain was never part of the plan, because it would not have worked properly.

So, as the show rolls on, people will see how a mythology is born, how a kind of cultural mien is created that will lead us to the Joker himself. When the Joker appears, he is an inevitable part of the history of Gotham. He’s not someone who created himself out of nothing. He’s part of a whole cultural history, a whole tradition. I know that sounds kind of highfalutin, but that’s what the twist is about.

Heller went on to explain that while he knows this Joker origin story wouldn't follow the comic book canon, there was a reason for that as well. "To me, Jerome is genuinely the mother and father of the Joker," he said. "He is the seed of the Joker."

This actually makes perfect sense, especially considering how Gotham set up Jerome's legacy. The last few shots we see of "Rise of the Villains: The Last Laugh" were that of Jerome's dead body, somehow still plastered with a smile, and several people on the streets of Gotham adopting the creepy laughter that we've come to love from Jerome and expect from the Joker. So does that mean a suspect for the Joker in Season 2 has already been cast? Heller told Deadline that even into the season's final days of production, they have yet to cast a new Joker suspect, because the villain's origin would be a longer one.

You’ll see how Gotham itself coalesces around the legend of Jerome. I don’t want to give away too much, but the audience will see an organic progression towards the real history of the Joker, rather than a kind of legendary supervillain who creates himself out of nothing.

Executive producer Danny Cannon, on the other hand, told Entertainment Weekly that he believes the Joker is more of an "ideology" than one specific person, another trait that seemed to be tied to the ending of "The Last Laugh." I think we'll continue to see versions and hints of the Joker in all kinds of new characters introduced throughout the series.

Jerome's legacy will clearly play a huge part in the creation of whoever does become the Joker, but there's so much more to the character than just a villain Batman eventually has to fight. He brings forth a darkness and chaos from the entire city and that's why I'm so excited to see how many people exhibit Jerome's madness on Gotham this season. The Joker lives in every citizen of Gotham, some people just let it come out more than others.

Images: Nicole Rivelli/FOX; Giphy