Batwoman Introduces a New Joker in Season 3 Midseason Finale

The midseason finale of Batwoman‘s third season debuted tonight, completely shaking up the status quo within the show’s version of Gotham City. The episode was already expected to debut the show’s buzzed-about new version of Poison Ivy, with Mary Hamilton (Nicole Kang) embodying the iconic DC villain. That apparently wasn’t enough or the hit The CW series, as the show teed up a new iteration of none other than the Clown Prince of Crime. Spoilers for Season 3, Episode 9 of Batwoman, “Pick Your Poison”, below! Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Part of the episode revolved around the drama of Ryan Wilder / Batwoman (Javicia Leslie) and her newfound birth family, which was complicated by the reveal of the dark side of her half-brother, Marquis Jet (Nick Creegan). As it turns out, Marquis was traumatized after crossing paths with The Joker as a child, which led to him having violent tendencies — so violent that his and Ryan’s mother, Jada Jet (Robin Givens), wanted to put him in cryo sleep. Marquis got the upper hand from that plan, blackmailed Ryan into signing over her ownership in Wayne Enterprises, and proceeded to publicly announce his ownership in the company on live television. To top it all off, Marquis dyed his hair purple, making fans wonder if he would be the show’s version of The Joker.

A recent interview with TVLine confirmed as much, with Creegan shedding light on his take on The Joker, and how it will factor into the remaining episodes of Batwoman’s third season.

“I thought it was just [auditioning for] Marquis Jet, this sexy playboy who was arrogant and he gets everything he needs from his mother,” Creegan said of his audition process. “Funny enough, I wore a purple shirt in my audition. Two weeks before I flew out to Vancouver [where Batwoman films], I had a FaceTime meeting with [showrunner] Caroline Dries, and she was like, ‘Hey, Nick… There’s really no other way to say this, but you become the new Joker.’ My face was frozen, and my jaw literally dropped. I was immediately shocked, excited, scared, intimidated. I had all of the feelings all at once. So I knew right before I flew out to Vancouver to start shooting.”

“Marquis has a way with his words,” Creegan added. “He’s very charismatic and charming. I think he draws people in with the way he’s able to speak to an audience. In Episode 7, you see that when he makes that speech at the end and poses certain questions that make you wonder, ‘Is he crazy? Or could I understand why somebody might feel the way he feels?’ In later episodes, people will definitely be able to relate to some of the things he’s saying. I don’t condone any harm on other human beings, but in terms of his philosophy on treating people with mental illness fairly and not just treating them like a pariah, I think people will be able to agree with that part. Marquis is one of the most complicated characters in the series. I feel like my rendition of him is pointed towards making people think more deeply about mental health and awareness, and how we treat people with mental health issues.”

In terms of Marquis’ Joker heel turn in Season 3, Creegan hinted it will involve some new takes on “classic” Joker mythos.

“Fans have a lot to look forward to in terms of classic Joker memories,” Creegan revealed. “There are going to be certain situations, items, stories brought into the mix that the original Joker from the comic books has always had his hand on. Marquis will be tapping into certain things that will remind people of the original Joker. You can also look forward to him really giving the Bat Team a run for their money. The first episode after the midseason finale is going to be very intense and insane, and they’re going to get a full dose of what Marquis has to offer. By the time we get to the end of the season, I think certain people’s hair will go gray. It’s going to be a stressful season for people who love the good guys.”

Batwoman will return with new episodes on Wednesday, January 12th at 9/8c.