DC Just Gave Batman & Joker Their Most Awkward Connection Yet

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for Gotham Knights season 1, episode 10, “Poison Pill.”One young romance in the Gotham Knights show would likely prompt a war between Joker and Batman. Luckily for Gotham City, both the Dark Knight and the Clown Price of Crime are already dearly departed in the series set outside the Earth-Prime Arrowverse. However, the possibility of them spinning in their graves in response to recent events seems likely.

The potentially explosive romance came about in the closing moments of Gotham Knights episode 10, “Poison Pill.” The episode found Batman’s adopted son, Turner Hayes, dying of radiation poisoning. This was determined to be a side effect of his exposure to the mystic element Electrum, which the Court of Owls used to create their immortal Talon super soldiers. This left the rest of the Knights scrambling for a cure, ultimately seeking the help of Carrie Kelley’s mother, who is a noted doctor. While the entire team was disturbed by the possibility of Turner’s death, it was Duela Doe, the Joker’s Daughter, who seemed the most distraught.

Batman’s Son and Joker’s Daughter Get Romantic In Gotham Knights

The penultimate scene of the episode found Duela giving Turner a quick kiss in response to his declaration that she was the most honest person he knew, praising her for always being herself, even when it scared or annoyed people. Turner kissed her back a bit more forcefully, and the scene ended with the two making out on the floor of the library in their hideout. This seemed to establish the pair as a serious romantic couple, with the two reluctant heroes bonding over the course of the season and trading barbed remarks along with honest appraisals of their mutual strengths.

Why Turner and Duela Work As A Couple

They say that opposites attract, but good romantic relationships require common ground. While the stoic Turner and more frenzied Duela might seem to be polar opposites in terms of their demeanor and upbringing, they have more similarities than differences. Both of them have issues with their famous fathers, with Turner wondering why Bruce Wayne didn’t let him in on his double life as Batman and Duela hating the Joker for abandoning her and her mother, even as she exploits his reputation to her benefit.

In the end, Turner Hayes and Duela Doe complement each other. When Turner discovered that everyone in his life was lying to him and the Court of Owls was gaslighting him, the ironically unstable but always honest Duela became the rock he needed to stabilize himself. At the same time, Duela came to respect Turner as the one person among the Gotham Knights who honestly seemed to like her and see her as something besides a criminal. While their fathers would likely lose their minds at the thought of their children dating in Gotham Knights, Duela and Turner’s romance makes perfect sense.

Gotham Knights season 1 continues on Tuesdays on The CW.