Is Arthur's ending also a fantasy?

In the light curtain video, Arthur stood on the police car hood, facing a group of thugs below wearing Joker masks. He elegantly danced, then used the blood on his face as fuel, pulling his mouth into a big smile.

Watching this scene, some viewers and players couldn't help but feel a chill, as if seeing a monster that devours everything, despite sharing the same physical structure as humans. His chaotic thoughts seemed like a bloodthirsty mouth full of sharp teeth, ready to devour everyone and the entire world!

As shown in the future video, the virus of Arthur's chaotic thoughts, once released, would uncontrollably spread around, consuming all order and light in its path, just like the chaotic, fiery, and riotous Gotham City.

In the Eternal Space, even though the video on the light curtain has ended, Peter still feels a tingling sensation on his scalp. He looked at Arthur beside him with a complex expression, mouth moving but not knowing what to say.

If there were no such future video, and one only saw Joker, aka Arthur, causing chaos and destruction in Gotham, Peter could easily consider him an enemy, a villain, just like those scumbags he dealt with in New York.

But now, knowing Arthur's life experiences, Peter Parker, while not fully understanding Arthur's descent into madness, felt a certain sympathy.

After hesitating for a while, Peter sighed, "Gotham is truly... a terrible city. Of course, New York isn't much better. Mr Arthur, you don't look too good."

Arthur laughed, genuinely happy, shrugging, "I'm fine. Look, I'm not sick right now. I genuinely feel happy."

Before this, he was in confusion, having a goal but finding it distant and unattainable under various pressures. However, this future video provided him with direction - if life is a comedy, then happiness is the answer!

As for whether his happiness is built on others' suffering? Well, what does it matter to him, he is the Joker It might even make him laugh more. In this world, Arthur had enough of pretending not to be sick when he clearly was.

Commissioner Gordon frowned, observing him, "Undeniably, Gotham has various problems, but you truly are a madman, making this already chaotic city even darker!"

Arthur grinned, "What's wrong with that? Haven't you seen it? People are happy. Commissioner Gordon, don't delude yourself. You know, those thugs... they've had enough too. If this world can't make us happy, then we'll find happiness on our own!"

Commissioner Gordon shook his head, thinking it unnecessary to argue with this mentally disturbed person. He really didn't want to admit that this madman had a point.

In the recent future video, Arthur's actions were undoubtedly illegal, but compared to the Joker wreaking havoc in another parallel timeline in Gotham, Arthur was at most just a killer.

Or you could say that this timeline's Joker aka Arthur, hadn't had the chance to commit more heinous crimes yet. This was regrettable for Commissioner Gordon, Peter, and others. They believed Arthur had a chance to change his tragic fate.

But no matter what, this future video seemed to have the suspicion of whitewashing Joker. Even a villain has complexity, just like Thanos, a maniac bent on destroying the universe, yet on the other side, an incapable father who couldn't express love, ultimately abandoning his beloved daughter.

Arthur, becoming Joker, was partly due to severe mental illness and partly because of the overall terrible environment in Gotham.

As the question states - it's Gotham that turned Arthur into Joker!

Arthur, like his future self in the video, spread his arms, smiling at Peter, Gordon, and Bruce Wayne, "You all saw it, right? In the end, those people supported me!"

As the person involved, in watching this future video, Arthur's emotions were incredibly complex. Sometimes he felt embarrassed, angry, and hated that this strange game exposed his privacy.

But this future video also pointed him in a direction, making Arthur grateful for the opportunity to participate in this Quiz game.

Especially seeing himself praised and supported by so many people in the end, Arthur felt like he had been injected with adrenaline, shaking with excitement.

Peter and Gordon exchanged glances without saying anything. Bruce Wayne shook his head, "Gotham's problems belong to Gotham. Arthur, your issues belong to you."

"What do you mean?" Arthur, restraining his smile, looked at him mockingly, "Do you want to scold me like Thomas Wayne and Murray did?"

In the future video, both Thomas Wayne and Murray faced consequences, implying Bruce Wayne might not have a good fate either.

Now, Arthur understood why he felt an indescribable sense of disgust when he saw Bruce Wayne. So, this is what it feels like to face an archenemy.

Bruce Wayne didn't care about Arthur's verbal attacks, his expression unchanged. He stared at him and said, "Arthur, you should know by now that you suffer from severe delusions, right? Have you ever thought that the scene where the thugs supported you at the end of that video didn't actually happen? Just like your girlfriend Sophie before, it's all your imagination."

Upon hearing this, Arthur's face immediately darkened, staring at Bruce Wayne with intense eyes, similar to how he stared at Murray in the future video. He murmured, "Impossible, it's all real."

"Think about it. When you openly admitted to being a murderer on Murray's show, were the audience supporting you? Why, when you were outside the studio, did those thugs see you as a mental symbol and idol?" Bruce Wayne pointed out the inconsistencies he noticed.

Peter nodded in admiration, "Mr. Wayne, your observation skills are truly sharp. I didn't think of that."

Commissioner Gordon rubbed his chin, pondering, "Honestly, I feel there are many unreasonable aspects in this future video, not just the last part. Could other parts also be Arthur's delusions?"