How to fix John's development in ep 4
John's development to the Joker in episode 4 was poorly done in my opinion. He seems to go full Joker out of no where. The ending where he helps Harley makes the most sense but its still poorly done, we just randomly find out "oh so he isnt becoming Joker he just killed people and said it was in self defense" and apparently built some Joker hang out place in some old carnival. The ending where Joker takes down Harley is terribly done though. Waller choose to shoot John while he's holding the virus, thus having the vile be shattered, thus setting the virus loose. What? It seemed like a really shitty excuse to make John go off the deep end, and reminded me of how badly done the "deal scene" in Walking Dead Michonne was if you had Randal alive.
A way better way to fix his transformation into the Joker instead of just "oh i guess he kills people now lol" would have easily been to just pull a simple plot twist. We know the agency wants Riddler's blood, we also know Riddler killed some of the agents. We could have been lead on to believe that the agency had taken the blood, but then at the bridge have it revealed that the agency had actually not taken the blood and dont have it, and then we find out John is the one who had it the whole time, and then he gets his hands on the virus, and then use it himself, and would then lead to him becoming truly insane.
Obviously some re-writes would need to be done, but nothing too major. Best way I can think of would be that the agency did come to take Riddler's blood and John saw it and wanted to get the blood for himself. This would be why he doesnt want Bruce to come with him, because he plans to get the blood from the Agency. This would also make him and the Agency fighting make a little more sense then "oh um agency found john and tried to kill him dude yeah haha" with it instead being John going after the agents who had the blood. Also we know Harley saw John and punched him, could have easily had it that Joker stole the virus from her and they got in a fight. So now Joker has the virus and just needs the blood. By the time we meet Joker in his funhouse, Joker could have easily mixed them together and had now reached max insanity. John's main goal for wanting the serum would be because he wants to be "cured" of his second voice he keeps hearing, but instead would just make him completely insane.
Just a thought, I really thought this was what they were building to but instead it seems like they took a lazy way of "oh hes just 100% bad now" and I would have really liked to see the build up feel more like we had been tricked this whole time by the Joker.
Comments
John's development was great for me. He killed them in self defense and he was just wanting someone to believe and stay with him. He literally is brain sick, what happened to him made totally sense. I think they did a great job, he was put in an extreme situation.
He becoming crazy because of the virus is pretty bad to me.
Well I'm content with the way he is now and don't think he needs "fixing". At least the vigilante ending, haven't seen the other one (why would you not trust John lol, doesn't he just scream "Trustworthy"?) so I think they did a good job with him.
Its hinted it wasnt self defense due to the Agent being shot in the back, which just makes more confusion as it would seem the agency was working with John in someway for them to give him the chance to have their backs turned.
It was so stupid that they made a big deal out of the whole "The virus ends up messing your brain", only to have Harley not believing you and John not using the virus on himself. It was the perfect chance to make him crazy, but nah, they had to went with the whole "Oh poor me I didn't choose to be born a psychopath they should let me kill people because I did not choose this".
I was confused they bothered pointing out "Oh itll make you stronger but youll become insane" I felt like that was huge set up for John to be the one who takes it. Tbh I dont be surprised if in ep 5 they somehow get Riddler's blood and make the serum still.
I don't know. John taking the virus would make sense in his transformation, but I wouldn't prefer that type of Joker for my game.
Telltale's mixed up a lot of Batman's world so far, and I think having a deluded John Doe is much more intriguing to me than the typical Insane Joker.
John being a vigilante following in Batman's footsteps, but dealing with his own demons and violent tendencies is an interesting mix for me. I'd keep it as it is. He doesn't seem to like "this other voice" he hears, because it wants to draw him away from his best bud Bruce, and it's also what's causing him to do these violent acts. I like this "Joker".