The Killing Joke

and the wings of angels
will not carry you to the heavens;
nor will the jackdaws
caw for your remains
for death
is transitory

Just like the lull of the storm breaks with the first thunderclaps on the horizon, so does The Dark Knight begin its media run with the dismally poetic, morbidly chilling death of one of its main actors.

It's funny that the man should go just after the completion of the movie where he plays one of the most blood-curdling characters in contemporary fantasy - the Joker. It's curious that the circumstances of his death revolve around suicide via drug abuse, since it has been said that in preparation for his role as The Joker, the actor technically chose to destroy his otherwise systematic lifestyle. In true Supersize Me fashion, the man's health deteriorated, his temperament worsened, and I think anybody can only take so much of The Killing Joke, one of the most introspective, and arguably the darkest, Batman story arc ever published, before one's faith in humanity runs out. It's also rather funny, in a grim, shocking sort of way, that his death follows a falling-out with his better half - who just recently gave birth to his child.

In other words, it was probably an accident waiting to happen. A time bomb, if you will.

Godspeed, Mr. Ledger. You were an awesome soldier, and a fantastic knight-errant. Millions of fans will remember The Dark Knight as a fitting - and rather premonitory - encore before your final exit from the silver screen.

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This will not change the sombre mood of this post. In my last entry, I forgot to mention one of the more chilling pieces of media that I happened to encounter recently. This is a 1990 Canadian short film entitled To Be, and deals with teleportation, among other things. Do not let the childish animation fool you: this video is rather grim, for its childish treatment.