The Trickster (Arrowverse)

James Jesse, calling himself The Trickster, is a criminal hellbent on causing chaos and destruction. He is an antagonist in the first season of The Flash, where he attacks Central City with his son Axel Walker. He is the series' adaptation of the DC supervillain Trickster.

He is portrayed by Mark Hamill, who voices the Joker in the DC Animated Universe and in the Arkham Games. His performance as the Trickster seems to be based on his peformance as the Joker.

Past
In 1990, James had a son named Axel, though had no initial contact with him.

Around five years later, James Jesse took on the guise of The Trickster, wearing a unitard as a costume. He performed a series of terrorist attacks, killing at least 10 civilians and 2 police officers. Eventually, he was caught by police and incarcerated in Iron Heights Prison.

Sometime before 2005, Jesse began talking to his son, Axel, through letters, grooming him to be an ideal sidekick to him as The Trickster. For the next 10 years, they continued to talk and became close. In 2010, a criminal psychologist began talking to Jesse. Before long, Jesse was able to talk her in to committing suicide. As a result, Warden Wolfe had a cell specially-built for Jesse. At some point in his incarceration, Jesse was given cable so he'd stop killing the guards, allowing him to reference the show Breaking Bad and the movie Speed in the future.

Fake Trickster
"Tricked ya! Look who's back. My tricks. My treat. But I'll give you something good to eat. Today's special: a city, in ashes. The Trickster proudly welcomes you all to the new... disorder"

- The new Trickster's message to Central City

To fulfil his father's plan, Axel appears in Central City as the new Trickster. He appears on the roof of a skyscraper and releases bombs hidden inside parcels. The parcels parachute to the ground near a playground, exploding upon impact. The shocked parents quickly flee from the playground with their children but one child remains behind. The Flash arrives and saves the boy before he is blown up. The Trickster then sends a video to the media in which he claims that he has returned to destroy the city with his disorder.

Barry is told by Joe West that 20 years ago, James Jesse who called himself "The Trickster" caused havoc in Central City and is now serving multiple life sentences in Iron Heights. Barry and Joe go to Iron Heights to visit Jesse.

Visited in Prison
Arriving at the prison, Joe and Barry are brought to the special cell Jesse is imprisoned in. When told about the parachute bomb attack, Jesse says it's a funny idea and asks how many died. When told that there have been no casualties Jesse tells them that when he was at his height a day without casualties was a day wasted but luckily for him that never happened. When told that the new Trickster used the same formula that Jesse used 20 years ago, Jesse is surprised as he never taught anyone that formula. He is also acts furious that sameone dared to claim his identity and tells Joe that he would tell them if he knew who the new Trickster was, if only to see him dead. He also calls the work of the new Trickster amateur work. Trying to trick Jesse into helping them Joe tells Jesse to prove them that there can only be one Trickster but Jesse sees through it. He tells Joe that the new Trickster must have found his old lair and, before Joe and Barry leave, tells them to make sure that their safety is off when they face the new Trickster.

Seing the new Trickster
"No, No, No, No! Take off my mask, you fraud! Pretender! Sham! Take off my mask, take off my mask, take off my mask!"

- Jesse when he sees the new Trickster's video message

Barry and Joe head to Jesse's old lair but find it empty. After evading a booby-trap, the two return to Iron Heights where they tell Jesse. Jesse is once again furious that someone dares to steal his legacy and tells Barry and Joe that he had hidden a bomb powerful enough to destroy Central City in that lair. Barry is then called and told that the new Trickster is adressing Cental City. Barry opens the video on his cellphone and shows it to Jesse, who, at first furious, breaks down crying upon seing that the new Trickster is wearing his mask.

Escape
"You have to admit, that was one hell of a trick!"

- Jesse after having been freed

While the police and the Flash are looking for the bomb, Walker breaks into Iron Heights. When Barry and his team find out, they realise that there never was a bomb and that Jesse is in league with the "New Trickster" and only acted like he wanted to get him caught. Walker frees Jesse from his cell and they escape from Iron Heights with Barry's father Henry as a hostage. They then return to a hideout, where Jesse starts building new devices to terrorize the city. When Walker claims that he is glad that they are finally in the same room as he is Jesse's biggest fan, Henry claims that Jesse is only using Walker. Walker asks Jesse why they have to bring Henry along and Jesse tells him that having a cop's father as a hostage makes for an excellent bargaining chip. When asked by Walker what his new plans are, Jesse says that he had twenty years to come up with the perfect trick and that it will be his masterpiece.

Walker then claims that he always wanted to know why Jesse chose him to help him. Jesse reveals that he is Axel's father and that he wants Axel to continue his legacy.

The Trickster's masterpiece
Jesse and Walker then invade a fundraiser of Central City's mayor, disguised as waiters. After everyone inside has received a glass of poisoned champagne from them, Jesse walks onto the stage and adresses the crowd. He tells them that he has poisoned their drinks and that they will start to feel the effects in about one hour. At that moment, a guest falls to the ground and dies. Jesse claims that he remembers the man, he arrived an hour earlier and was the first one to receive a glass of champagne. Jesse then tells the crowd to call their bankers and transfer all their money to the bank account number which is written on the bottom of their glasses. He claims that if all the money is transfered, he will give them the antidote. One of the guests, Iris West, secretly calls her father Joe and so, Barry finds out where Jesse is. Arriving there, he grabs Jesse and smashes him against a wall but Axel approaches him from behind and places a bomb on his arm. Jesse then claims that, like in the movie Speed, the bomb will go off if Barry runs slower than 600 mph. He then activates the bomb, forcing Barry to run off.

However, Barry manages to get rid off the bomb and returns to the fundraiser, injecting every civilian there with the antidote. He then demands to know the location of Henry Allen, and Jesse tells him. Barry arrives in time to save Henry from the trap.