'Gotham' May Have Already Introduced the Joker

Gotham producers have been throwing in jokes and hints about the eventual reveal of The Joker since the series premiered. Executive producer Bruno Heller even told Entertainment Weekly that Gotham has a plan set up for the Joker. But the Joker is one of the best (if not the best) characters in the Bat-canon, so could the writers have been so excited about writing him that they've already introduced the Joker in Season 1? The temptation makes sense. And FOX absolutely would want to know exactly what the plan is for Joker going forward.

We've seen a lot of characters come and go through the season so far, but let's examine the characters we've already met who have the best chance of putting on a purple suit and big smile. The past few episodes have started putting certain pieces into place for the Joker's origins, like the opening of Arkham Asylum and the Indian Hill chemical treatment plant, which could be the place where Joker gets his twisted deformities. So with all of these hints already out there, let's weigh the odds and see if any characters we've already met have a chance of becoming the iconic villain before the series ends.

The Comedian in the Premiere

Fish Mooney auditioned a new standup act for her club in the premiere episode of Gotham. While the Joker wears garish clown makeup, in most of his iterations he's got a hammy, broad sense of humor reminiscent of an old-school standup comic. His origins would work as a failed comic. But if you have a show about a young Batman and introduce a nameless character known only as "The Comedian," you know that people are going to be speculating. Conversely, they could have thrown out that clue super early because they know people will assume that he's the last person who could be the Joker.

Comedian: 80/1

Edward Nygma

Edward Nygma is the comics' alias for the future Riddler. And his love of riddles seems to back that up. But if fans can claim that Penguin might turn out to be Joker, why not the quip-loving, gore-studying Nygma?

Nygma: 20/1

Fish Mooney or Her Sidekick, Butch

Fish has some pretty sick red tips, not so different from the green that the Joker often sports, while Butch is a man who knows the power of a purple shirt and has mob ties. Maybe Fish's demise could inspire Butch to take on his boss' fashion sense and drive him crazy enough to become a murderous madman. And yet Fish herself being thrown into a vat of bubbling chemicals and emerging as a female Joker is a completely insane, double middle finger to the comics.

Butch: 10/1

Fish: 100/1 (but it would be awesome)

Harvey Bullock

Look, he's the funniest guy in the cast bar none. Plus it would make for an amazing twist when Gordon figured it out.

Harvey: 45/1

And Don't Forget About Ivy

One of my favorite Batman villains is Harley Quinn, Joker's sidekick and former therapist. While it's hard to strike the right balance for her character, when done right she's manic and darkly hilarious. Poison Ivy's alias is usually Pamela Isley, not Ivy Pepper. Heller mentioned Ivy in his interview about Joker, and even though he seems pretty confident that she'll end up as Poison Ivy, could that be a Freudian slip?

Ivy (as Harley Quinn, not Joker): 50/1

Images: Jessica Miglio/FOX, FOX (2); GothamGifs/Tumblr; Giphy