Why Arthur Fleck Doesn’t Kill Sophie

One of the biggest questions Todd Phillips’ Joker left viewers with was whether or not Arthur killed his neighbor, Sophie. Of course, in Joker: Folie à Deux it is revealed that Sophie is alive, which opens up the question of why didn’t he? 2019’s Joker offered a freshly crafted version of DC‘s most famous Batman villain. It’s no surprise the movie had a much darker tone than many other comic book character-based films. Part of the movie’s intrigue is in how it leaves answers up to the imagination, which includes a number of questions left in Joker: Folie à Deux.

Prior to Joker: Folie à Deux, one of the biggest questions is the fate of Sophie (Zazie Beetz), Arthur’s neighbor who’s believed by both his character and viewers to be in a relationship with him for a good chunk of the film. With Arthur suffering from mental illness, one of the biggest twists in the story was the reveal that some of what’s been on-screen is only in Arthur’s head, including his romance with Sophie. When the illusion is broken, Sophie’s reaction is one of fear. Arthur leaves, and Sophie doesn’t appear again.

A Joker Deleted Scene Reveals Arthur Fleck Didn’t Kill Sophie

After Todd Phillips spoke out on the matter himself and the film’s official script was released online in 2019, it was eventually confirmed that Arthur didn’t kill Sophie in Joker. Luckily, her character was initially supposed to show up again in a deleted scene where she’d watch Arthur’s murderous appearance on Live With Murray Franklin. She and her daughter were written to react to the episode’s events and their aftermath with horror as they watched them unfold on TV.

Joaquin-Phoenix-Joker-and-Arthur-Fleck-from-The-Joker-Franchise

What Happened Between Joker 1 & 2

The timeline between Joker and Joker: Folie à Deux means there was a lot of changes and inciting incidents that happen in the time between the movies.

While there’s no way for audiences to know she survived just by watching the movie, Joker: Folie à Deux reveals that she is still alive. Beetz reprised her role as Sophie in the cast of Joker: Folie à Deux, and was one of the witnesses called to testify at Arthur Fleck’s trial for the multiple murders he committed in the first film. She reveals what happened the night Arthur went into her apartment.

Why Arthur Fleck Doesn’t Kill Sophie In Joker

Though he and his behavior are severely disturbed throughout Joker, Arthur Fleck’s many killings aren’t as random as they might seem. In the violence he wields (though it is in no way justifiable), they are a beaten-down man’s attempts to give up on a conventional life within society and even the score in a sick sort of way. To this point, his first three victims are the drunken Wayne Enterprises workers who harassed and beat the protagonist on the subway.

Later, after learning the truth about his mother and their horrifying past together, he kills her at the hospital. And while preparing for Murray’s show, he kills his former co-worker, Randall. Arthur spares his other former colleague, Gary, who was with Randall when he was murdered and later shows up to testify at Arthur’s trial in Joker: Folie à Deux. Though heinous, these examples do make “logical” sense from the perspective of Joker’s unwell main character.

Unlike many other people in his life, Sophie’s behavior toward Arthur is never mean or wrong.

Additionally, the way Arthur spares Gary, even verbally acknowledging that he’s doing so because he always treated him well, is the other half of the equation for why he lets Sophie live. She was nice to him in the elevator, and she even treated him with respect and offered to help him when he scarily showed up in her apartment. Unlike many other people in his life, Sophie’s behavior toward Arthur is never mean or wrong. For this simple reason, just like Gary, Arthur lets his neighbor live.

Why Todd Phillips Cut Sophie’s Scene In Joker

Arthur Fleck in Joker makeup looking at himself in a mirror

It’s an interesting creative choice to omit the Joker scene that confirms Sophie’s survival after her illusion-shattering interaction with Arthur in her living room. According to a 2019 article from IGN, “Phillips noted that he cut Sophie’s reaction moment specifically because it broke with the film’s motif of always keeping things from Arthur’s perspective. This would have been a moment away from Arthur and away from people he was directly dealing with.”

Joker: Folie à Deux
shines more light on what was actually real during the events of the first film.

This is very true: Joker’s story is that of Arthur Fleck and his own subjective experiences, no matter how unreliable and/or dreamed-up they may be. Since its release, there’s been debate about what did actually happen in the film. After all, if Arthur’s entire relationship with Sophie is a fantasy, how much of Joker can be seen as objectively real or true? Of course, the pursuit of that answer is not the point of the piece — which is why it makes sense that Todd Phillips ultimately decided to cut the scene that proves Arthur didn’t kill Sophie.

Sophie’s Return In Joker: Folie A Deux Explained

Joker: Folie à Deux reveals that Sophie survives the events of the first film when she is called to testify at Arthur’s trial. Despite being a significant part of the first film, Sophie is only in the sequel for this one scene. It is also incredibly important, though, as Sophie’s testimony takes a deeper look at Arthur and his relationship with his mother, through the conversations she had with Penny Fleck.

Joker 2019 Joaquin Phoenix Gotham Riot and Arkham Custom Image

Arthur’s Big Confession In Joker 2’s Ending Explained In Detail By Folie A Deux Director

Todd Phillips opens up about Joker: Folie a Deux’s surprising courtroom twist and explains how Arthur’s decision ties into themes of the first film.

Sophie explains how Penny Fleck really felt about her son. She was horrified that Arthur wanted to be a comedian, thinking he wasn’t actually funny and the thing she told to Arthur about being born to make people happy was just a lie that she fabricated. Her testimony reveals what she actually thought of Arthur throughout the events of Joker, and confirms the deleted scene when she watched him on the Murray Franklin show. Sophie’s role in the film is one of the turning points to Arthur confessing to his crimes.