Batman: Caped Crusader appears to have sidelined the biggest and best DC villain of all time – and doing so may help it avoid two complicated problems. Drawing directly from the likes of Batman: The Animated Series, Caped Crusader is one of the most promising animated Batman releases in recent history, which itself has held some strong adaptations of the beloved DC hero.

However, while the Batman: Caped Crusader trailer provides glimpses at a wide range of Gotham’s villains, including the likes of Catwoman, Two-Face, Harley Quinn and Firefly, the Dark Knight’s most iconic villain has thus far been missing. This suggests one very noteworthy figure could well be entirely absent from the upcoming DC release, which may come as a major surprise given their prominence in the overall Batman mythos. That said, it is also a move that would arguably benefit the show, and work in line with how Batman: Caped Crusader‘s story appears to be trying to keep things fresh.

Batman: Caped Crusader’s Missing Joker Avoids Focusing Another DC Release On The Villain

Joker May Not Appear In The Upcoming DC Series

Given most of Batman’s biggest villains have been revealed to be part of Batman: Caped Crusader‘s cast of characters in the build up to the show’s release, it’s interesting that the Joker – the biggest Batman villain if not DC’s biggest comic villain entirely – is entirely absent from the preview material. However, keeping the Clown Prince Of Crime out of Batman: Caped Crusader would make a lot of sense for the show, given DC’s history with the character.

Although an iconic figure, Joker is an antagonist who has suffered from overuse in the franchise’s history, especially when it comes to the world of movies and TV. Since Batman has such a rich and expansive rogues gallery, leaning away from the character can ensure the series feels fresh and avoids the oversaturation of Joker appearances that have risked making such a cornerstone of DC less exciting than he deserves to be. This also ensures that the rest of the villain roster can instead get the spotlight that often goes to the clown, letting other figures get their day in the villainous sun.

Caped Crusader’s Joker Cut Makes Sure Harley Quinn Can Get Her Own Separate Story

Harley Quinn’s Batman: Caped Crusader Story Would Benefit From A Potential Joker Absence

The Joker seemingly not being a part of Batman: Caped Crusader makes Harley Quinn’s notable presence in the upcoming DC show all the more interesting, especially since the official description for her character also avoids any mention of him, stating: “Despite a personable and bubbly demeanor, Dr. Harleen Quinzel is a brilliant psychiatrist who treats some of Gotham’s elite. However, as Harley Quinn, she is a different person, entirely. A creepy, quiet, calculating menace who secretly dispenses her twisted justice to the truly despicable among her elite clientele.”

Add to this the fact that her civilian day job will see her serve as the psychiatrist for Bruce Wayne, and it seems this iteration of Harley Quinn is one who may get to operate entirely outside of her conventional connections to the Joker. Not only does this feel in line with the general redesigns and alterations Batman: Caped Crusader has already put in motion for Harley Quinn, it also allows audiences to see different sides of Harley that can often be ignored in lieu of explaining what state her relationship with the Clown Prince Of Crime is in.

All in all, this seems set to introduce a version of Harley Quinn that focuses more on her own morals and motivations as an individual, instead of in conjunction with someone else. Given recent iterations of the DC character have themselves sought to explore more about her outside of her romantic connections, this is a move that’s very much in line with that trajectory, and may also help draw parallels between what sounds like Quinn’s own vigilante justice and Batman’s efforts to thwart Gotham’s criminals.

Batman: Caped Crusader Could Still Introduce Joker Down The Line

The Joker May Be Easier To Integrate With The Show By Debuting Him Later On

Though it may be in Batman: Caped Crusader‘s best interests to avoid immediately introducing the Joker, this doesn’t mean the show strictly needs an all-out ban on him. The Batman showed that building a world without the Dark Knight’s main antagonist and then revealing he is part of the universe can be an effective way to unveil the villain without making him the sole focus of the series. This would seemingly be an entirely viable approach for the animated DC show, given there already appear to be similarities between how the two use Batman’s source material.

As such, while it seems the Joker isn’t in the foreseeable future of Batman: Caped Crusader, it’s still certainly possible that even if this proves the case, the show could provide a sneak appearance of the villain towards the end of the initial season, or have him appear later down the road, since Prime Video approved the series for an initial two-season order. Indeed, holding fire on the debut of such a notorious and notable figure would only mean he’d ultimately have more of an impact on audiences if and when he actually arrives in the story itself.