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           JokerCoringaPalhaco

This Villain was Headlined on June, 2016.

           KeyLocker

This Villain was proposed and approved by Villains Wiki's Pure Evil Proposals Thread. Any act of removing this villain from the category without a Removal Proposal shall be considered vandalism (or a futile "heroic" attempt of redemption) and the user will have high chances of being terminated blocked. You cannot make said Removal Proposal without permission from an admin first.
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Villain Overview

You're all prisoners. What you call sanity, it's just a prison in your minds that stops you from seeing that you're just tiny little cogs, in a giant absurd machine. WAKE UP! Why be a cog? Be free, like us. Just remember - smile. Oh! Time to go, but don't worry, we'll be back very soon. Hang onto your hats, folks, 'cause you ain't seen nothing yet! HA HA HA HA HA HA!
~ Jerome sending a message to Gotham after orchestrating an attack on GCPD police headquarters - his most famous quote.
The point is that all these people out here looting, robbing, killing, they're the people who wash your car, who pour your coffee, who take out your trash. And what happened the moment the lights went out? They showed their true faces. They showed how quickly they wanna open up your rich boy veins and bathe in your blue blood. That is the point.
~ Jerome explains his reasoning for unleashing his anarchistic cult upon Gotham - his second most famous quote.
Oh, I'm sure. Cause I'm more than a man. I'm an idea: a philosophy. And I will live on in the shadows, within Gotham's discontent. You'll be seeing me soon. Au revoir! (lets go and manically laughs)
~ Jerome's last words to Jim Gordon before he dramatically falls to his second and final death.

Jerome Cicero Valeska is a major antagonist in the TV series Gotham. He is the twin brother of Jeremiah Valeska, the former leader of The Maniax, and the founder and leader of both the Cult of Jerome and the Legion of Horribles. He is a psychopathic anarchist responsible for causing chaos throughout Gotham, who serves as a "Proto-Joker".

He was portrayed by Cameron Monaghan, who also played Jeremiah in the same series and Jeffrey Charles in Criminal Minds.

Personality[]

I'm an artist. I just wanna paint the town crazy.
~ Jerome to Oswald Cobblepot.

Jerome is a raging sociopath who takes sadistic pleasure in wanton and needless acts of violence and chaos. Jerome introduces Gotham to an altogether different kind of criminal: one who commits violent crime for the fun of it, caring nothing for money or power and whose sole objective is anarchy. His presence (even after his death) tipped the scales of the kind of maniac Gotham could produce.

Jerome was also shown to be a persuasive showman, as he had a theatricality to his insanity that Theo Galavan described as being "boyishly charming." He enjoyed his time in the spotlight to the point where the rest of Gotham's criminals would operate within the shadows, he would televise his crimes for everyone to see. Whatever atrocities he would commit, one would always guarantee that there would be cameras nearby and he would do such act with a smile on his face. Cruel yet charismatic, Jerome desired to create a name for himself and a legacy that would never be forgotten, he brandished a smile when Paul Cicero claimed he would become a "curse upon Gotham." Despite his extravagance in crime, Jerome has a calculating mind, just like his brother, Jerome demonstrates great cunning and creativity to take advantage of his resources and create simple and effective plans, but thanks to Jerome's own nature, they look much more shocking and eye-catching, he find plessure is making the pieces fix as he want and will get angry if his scheems ruin, but if he finds something to be "more fun", then he will quickly forget his rage and back to his optmistic persona. In the mind of Jerome, sanity was only a prison that prevented everyone from seeing what they were: pointless cogs within a monogamous machine stuck between a never-ending loop. Jerome and the Maniax believed that they were free from this prison due to their different ways of thinking and acting in comparison to everyone else and encouraged others to behave like they did, although they only thought this way because they were all mentally troubled, psychotic and borderline insane.

One of his most noticeable traits was his disturbed sense of humor which was accompanied with a never-ending, manic giggling and outright laughter towards everything which fit right within Jerome's own beliefs on what was funny. He was sadomasochistic, merciless and destructive, so he found immense joy in the idea of pain and death towards others, he smiled broadly when Richard Sionis was strangled to death and shot an injured police officer who interrupted his broadcast from the GCPD, claiming he had "no manners." Jerome demonstrated a fondness for sarcasm, using it in a sick sense such as telling his father, who was blind "long time, no see" after breaking into his house. He enjoyed his own pain as well, making him suicidal as demonstrated while playing Russian Roulette, shot himself three times in a calm manner and how he found Commissioner Essen spitting at him and headbutting him as "strangely pleasant" and laughing crazily, respectively. Even while being stabbed and killed he died with a bloody smile on his face. He also shows this during his second death, retaining his signature grin after letting go of the roof.

Jerome also had a definable relationship with most members of the Maniax. He seemed to respect Galavan for believing in him and promising to make him a star, he also nicknamed him "Sensei" but was very shocked when the latter stabbed him in the neck. He also planned on getting revenge on Theo after being brought back to the dead and was disappointed when he found out he was dead. He was extremely sociable, gregarious and communicative towards Richard Sionis and Barbara Kean within Arkham Asylum, as he appeared to be friends with him and speaking for him when trying to ask Barbara for a date, although he found him being brutally murdered funny enough to grin at. He and Barbara worked together at Gotham Charity Ball and he was the one who granted her a phone call to threaten her ex-boyfriend. Despite this, she didn't seem to care when Theo stabbed him and likely grew to hate him after she mellowed out. The most frictional relationship would be with Robert Greenwood who mocked him for his young age and prepared to fight him to lead the Maniax. Though they worked together to kill the officers with GCPD and were a part of the same team, Jerome shot him dead for stealing his line and mocked his corpse later on.

Regarding his parentage, Jerome absolutely hated his mother and father. Though he finally discovered that Paul Cicero was his birth father, Jerome initially seemed to have a low opinion of him, claiming he was "pathetic" and a "creep." Even after learning that Cicero was his birth father, Jerome merely stated "I'll be damned" in an easygoing and nonchalant manner, only shortly afterwards realizing the humor in the revelation. Cicero was also somewhat unsympathetic and insensitive towards his son and admits he was a bad father but loved him nevertheless and constantly gave him shelter and a home, even helping Jerome cover up his matricide for that reason alone. Whilst meeting with him after breaking into his house, Jerome mockingly called him "pops", "daddy" and "dad" all before killing him. His mother was his first ever victim. She was stated to be cold, abusive, defamatory and vituperative to her son and highly promiscuous and alcoholic, but Jerome claims that the only reason he killed her was because she asked him to do the dishes while having sex with a clown, which pushed him over the edge once too far.

As the sociopath he is, Jerome is exhibiting all classic traits: a complete lack of conscience, remorse and fear. He has no empathy for his victims and is easily angered, for example, shooting Greenwood just for stealing his line. He also has a very dark and sadistic sense of humor. Post-revival, he has proven himself to be an even more certifiable and overall darker character who wants to see himself on a much larger stage and bring out the insanity he knows so well that exists in his fellow Gotham citizens.

He is also all too delighted to forge alliances to his benefit, especially if he is able to manipulate those joining him, as he appears to do with Oswald Cobblepot after he landed in prison. That said, because he knew that Oswald would likely turn on him because of his methods, he had some of his men keep an eye on him. This shows that Jerome is cunning enough to have a back-up plan even against those he barely knows.

Despite his hatred of his family, Jerome did show some brief moments of being upset with his brother Jeremiah for turning them against him. He even stated that "he turned everyone he loved against him." However, while this would normally make Jerome a tragic person, his ruthless methods of killing those he used to love and other crimes make him a complete monster devoid of any humane traits. Even in death, he haunts Gotham with the amount of chaos he spread with the liberation of the real Jeremiah haunting Gotham for years to come.

Powers and Abilities[]

  • Explosives knowledge: Jerome managed to create a bomb powerful enough to destroy the Gotham power plant.
  • High pain tolerance/Masochistic love of pain: Having been abused as a child, Jerome has learned to not only withstand physical pain but also enjoy it. Even when he staples his face back and Bruce kept punching him in his face, he smiled and stayed conscious. Furthermore, he barely even reacted when Gordon punched him hard enough to knock his face off.
  • Leadership: Jerome was able to lead hundreds of Gotham citizens into causing havoc and chaos in the city. He also led many of Gotham's finest during his stint as leader of the Legion of Horribles.
  • Master of deception: Prior to revealing his true nature, he was able to trick others into thinking he was innocent of his mother's murder.
  • Skilled knife-thrower: Jerome is skilled at throwing knives, such as when he threw a knife into the Deputy Mayor's chest.
  • Skilled marksman: Jerome is skilled at using firearms. He managed to give Jim Gordon, a detective and former Marine trouble.
  • Ruthless cunning: Jerome shows no mercy from his victims, such as killing his own parents. This also let him perform most of his schemes off with little trouble as most of them would have failed much earlier if not for him taking advantage of his targets. He even managed to provoke Bruce into nearly beating him to death at one point by tricking him into thinking he killed Alfred.

Equipment[]

"Well, not to toot my own horn, but I'm a very resourceful fellow. So, toot. Toot, toot."
—Jerome Valeska to Oswald Cobblepot[src]

Jerome weilded a variety of firearms.

  • Smith & Wesson Model 64: Theo Galavan offered this revolver to Jerome and Robert Greenwood to play Russian Roulette in order to decide who would lead The Maniax.
  • Sawed-Off Shotgun: Jerome brought along this shotgun to hijack a Gotham High School bus. He sat with it in the oil tanker during the ride to intercept the bus, but never used it. He used a pump-action variant when looking for his brother and killing his boss.
  • Smith & Wesson Model 10: Jerome used this revolver to threaten a bus of cheerleaders when he and The Maniax hijacked a Gotham High School bus.
  • SIG-Sauer P226: Jerome brandished this pistol when he and The Maniax invaded Gotham Police headquarters, disguised as an officer. Following his resurrection, Jerome took one of these pistols from an officer in the headquarters' morgue and used it to threaten Lee Thompkins.
  • Smith & Wesson Model 28: Jerome used this revolver as part of his magic act alongside Barbara Kean.
  • Smith & Wesson Model 29: Jerome used this revolver when he orchestrated the kidnapping of Bruce Wayne.
  • Smith & Wesson Model 37 Airweight: Jerome used this revolver after he broke out of Arkham Asylum. He used it to threaten and kill his uncle, Zachary Trumble.
  • Knives: Jerome carried kitchen knives, trench knives, throwing knives, and spring-assisted knives.
  • Laughing Gas: A gas created by Jonathan Crane, it drives people insane before killing them.

Killed Victims[]

Personally[]

Kill count: 24

  1. Lila Valeska - Bludgeoned with a hatchet.
  2. Unnamed police officers - 5 shot, 1 stabbed.
  3. Robert Greenwood - Shot in the stomach.
  4. Sarah Essen - Shot or stabbed.
  5. Paul Cicero - Stabbed in the eye.
  6. Mayor Kane - Knife thrown in his heart.
  7. Unnamed men - 2 run over, 1 dropped into a piranha tank.
  8. Dwight Pollard - Blown up.
  9. Unnamed makeup artist - Stabbed.
  10. Unnamed follower - Shot in the back,
  11. Zach Trumble - Shot.
  12. Unnamed board members - 2 eviscerated with a shotgun.
  13. Carl - Shot.
  14. Unnamed singer - Head bashed in with microphone stand.
  15. Commissioner Reynolds - Head blown off.
  16. Archbishop McGregor - Head blown off.

By Proxy[]

  1. Unnamed Yellen shipyard employees - 7 thrown off a roof by the Maniax.
  2. Unnamed police officers - 5 shot by the Maniax.

Quotes[]

Season 1[]

Gordon: GCPD, may we speak with Lila?
Jerome: She's not here, why? What's happened?
Gordon: Where is she?
Jerome: Uhh.. I don't know. She was supposed to be home ages ago.
Gordon: You a relative?
Jerome: I'm her son, Jerome.
Gordon: Jerome, when did you last see her?
Jerome: This morning, she was here when I left for the library.
Ringmaster: Relax, Jerome, this gentleman is just here because Owen and Alphonse had a disagreement. Your mother's fine, gone on a spree no doubt, you know how she is?
Jerome: A spree? Without her hat and coat and purse? Look at Shiba, she's distraught, she knows something’s wrong.
Gordon: The snake does seem to be agitated.
~ Jerome's first encounter with Jim Gordon.
Gordon: How fast does an animal like that move?
Jerome: Uh, fast walking pace. They rely on surprise, mainly.
Gordon: Let her out.
Jerome: I'm sorry?
Gordon: Let her out.
~ Gordon asks Jerome to let Shiba the Snake out, hoping it will lead to Lila.
Gordon: Tell me about your mother, Jerome.
Jerome: She's my mother, what can I say? I love her. She's perfect, not a very good cook. Except for that.
Gordon: Did she have any enemies? Someone with a grudge?
Jerome: No.
Gordon: Boyfriends?
Jerome: No.
Gordon: No?
Jerome: She had lovers, they were sex partners, really, not boyfriends. She didn't want the commitment.
Gordon: Alphonse Grayson?
Jerome: Yes, he was one of them.
Gordon: Owen Lloyd?
Jerome: Yes.
Gordon: Any others?
Jerome: Not that I could put a name to.
Gordon: How did you feel about your mother's love life?
Jerome: I feel fine about it. If not for my mother's love life, I wouldn't be here, would I? Sex is a healthy human activity.
Gordon: Yes it is...and do you have any other family?
Jerome: The circus is my family.
~ Jerome talks about his mother to Jim Gordon.
Gordon: Hi, Jerome! Please, take a seat. You know Mr. Cicero from the show?
Jerome: Yes sir. Hello, Mr. Cicero.
Cicero: Good evening, Jerome.
Gordon: Do you know why you're here?
Jerome: Did you find out who killed my mother?
Gordon: You killed your mother, Jerome.
Jerome: [stunned] Me?
Gordon: You killed her up on that hill and Mr. Cicero let you clean up in his trailer. He told you to scratch the Satanist stuff on the hatchet and throw it off the bridge.
Jerome: Sir, that's absurd and offensive.
Gordon: But it's the truth. [looking at Cicero] What I don't know is why this man risked so much to help you. I think he's your father.
Jerome: You don't know what you're talking about. My father was a sea captain.
Gordon: Am I wrong, Mr. Cicero?
Cicero: Yes.
Jerome: He was a sea captain. His name was Sven Carlson and he died at sea.
Gordon: What was the name of his ship?
Jerome: He worked on a lot of different ships.
Gordon: The one he went down in.
Jerome: [pause] She never said.
Gordon: We can do a blood test to prove I'm right. It takes only half an hour to get a foolproof result. Isn't that right, Dr. Thompkins?
Lee: That's right.
Gordon: Save yourself a needle.
Cicero: I do hate needles. I'm sorry, Jerome.
Jerome: What are you talking about?
Cicero: He's right. I am your father.
Jerome: No you're not! Why would you say that?
Cicero: You must have suspected the truth.
Jerome: You're not my father. My mother would never have...
Cicero: Your mother was a cruel woman. She was often unkind to me. But she did once love me, in her way. And she loved you very much. That's why she gave you a better father.
[Jerome's sudden crying turns to laughter as he looks at Cicero with a sadistic smile on his face]
Jerome: My mother was a cold-hearted whore who never loved anyone and she'd never touch a pathetic old creep like you.
Cicero: All these years, do you think I was kind to you because I'm such a good man? If I wasn't your father, would I've helped you as I have after what you did?
Jerome: [pause] My father. Hmmm, I’ll be damned. That’s very funny. [laughs and makes a rimshot noise] Looks like the bitch got me with the zinger in the end.
Gordon: Why did you kill your mother, Jerome?
Jerome: Oh, you know how mothers are. She just...kept...pushing. And I’m like, "Fine, mom, be a whore. Be a drunken whore, even. But don't be a nagging. drunken. whore"...you know? "Don't come yell at me to do the dishes, if you've been banging a clown in the next room!" You know? [laughs maniacally]
~ Jerome Valeska being interrogated and revealing his true nature.

Season 2[]

Hey, Greenwood, what's the secret to good comedy? Timing. And what's courage? Grace under pressure. And... who's the boss? I'm the boss.
~ Jerome during Russian Roulette with Greenwood.
(Robert Greenwood: There's nothing more contagious than laughter.) (Jerome shoots Greenwood in the chest.) My line. There's nothing more contagious than laughter. HA! HA! HA!
~ Jerome Valeska.
Well, I think it's time for tonight's first official victim, you all know and love, poor rich boy, parents murdered in an alley and my favorite volunteer. Where is Bruce Wayne?! You know, I'm an orphan, too, Bruce. I killed my parents though! Where are you hiding? Bruce!
~ Jerome Valeska to Bruce Wayne.

Season 3[]

Jerome: Oh; and....

Dwight: Dwight.
Jerome: Yeah. I don't forgive you for stealing my face.

~ Jerome moments before leaving Dwight to die.
Head's still a little fuzzy. You know, I was just reborn. Last year was nothing but darkness... as far as the eye can see.
~ Jerome Valeska.
I guess I'm just missing one thing then... where's my face?
~ Jerome Valeska.
Buddy, you brought me back from the dead. What's a cut-off face between friends?
~ Jerome to Dwight Pollard.
Some of you may know, I died. Uh-oh. Take it from me, death is... dull. But coming back, that is something! Leave it to death to give you a whole new perspective on life. And I would like to share that with you. Tonight, Gotham, in the darkness, there are no rules. So Gotham, tonight, do what you want. Kill who you want. And when morning comes, you too shall be reborn.
~ Jerome Valeska's speech to Gotham City after being resurrected.
Sorry. The old noodle's still a little al dente post thaw. The reason I'm here is that I'm gonna kill you!
~ Jerome Valeska to Bruce Wayne.
(in a poor British accent) Ah, not you, old chap. The Prince of Gotham deserves a public death. His butler, not so much - kill him.
~ Jerome to Alfred before leaving him to die at the hands of his henchmen.
Jerome: I have to tell you, this is way more fun than I was expecting. We make a good team, you and me.

Bruce: You killed Alfred.
Jerome: Is that what this is about? Yeesh. Are all rich kids this close with their butlers?
Bruce: This is about doing what's right.
Jerome: You want to be a hero?! Tell you what, buddy. I'll give you a fighting chance. Let's do this mano y mano, my little conquistador. Come on... [...] Ah! What kind of hero tackles someone from behind?

~ Jerome Valeska and Bruce Wayne, during their fight in the maze of mirrors.

Season 4[]

What do you say pal, I'll be your best friend...
~ Jerome Valeska to Oswald Cobblepot.
You always could cook up a storm, Unc. I remember back in the circus, we used to dare each other to sneak into the chuck wagon, steal one of your cookies or two. That reminds me of my favorite meal you ever cooked. You remember that time you caught me trying to snag a snickerdoodle? Oh, that soup you made that day. Mmm, mamma mia! What was the special ingredient again? Ah, right. It was my hand. The one you dipped in a boiling pot of chicken stock! That smell, it was mouthwatering!
~ Jerome referencing his abusive childhood to his uncle Zach.
Jerome: Selina, huh? Well, isn't that a nice name.

Bruce: Selina...
Jerome: No, no, no, no, no. She's not that kind of girl!
Selina: Wrong answer, freak!
Jerome: Uh, that's funny, 'cause-- [gunshot] Whoa, that was a close one! Oh, all right. See you crazy kids later. Ciao!

~ Jerome, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle's final encounter at Zach's diner.
Now, I know what you're all thinking. Why have I gathered this Legion of Horribles? That has a nice ring to it.
~ Jerome Valeska.
You turned everyone I ever loved against me - MY OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!
~ Jerome Valeska to Jeremiah.
We all could go insane with just one bad day!
~ Jerome to his twin brother Jeremiah.

Appearances[]

List of Appearances

Season 1[]

  • Blind Fortune Teller

Season 2[]

  • Rise of the Villains: Damned If You Do...
  • Rise of the Villains: Knock, Knock
  • Rise of the Villains: The Last Laugh

Season 3[]

  • Mad City: Ghosts (corpse)
  • Mad City: Smile Like You Mean It
  • Mad City: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

Season 4[]

  • A Dark Knight: Queen Takes Knight
  • A Dark Knight: A Beautiful Darkness
  • A Dark Knight: One of My Three Soups
  • A Dark Knight: Mandatory Brunch Meeting
  • A Dark Knight: That's Entertainment
  • A Dark Knight: That Old Corpse (corpse)

Trivia[]

  • Before the revelation that Jeremiah Valeska would become the Joker, it was speculated that Jerome Valeska would become the Joker instead, with his role in the series being used to delve into the mythology of the character. As such, there are many references and allusions to many incarnations of the Joker across the wider DC Universe.
    • His implied future as the Joker was also advertised in promotional materials for his debut episode. For example, the trailer mentioned that the next villain in Gotham "is no joke" before cutting to Jerome Valeska cackling and a Twitter post for viral marketing has a looped GIF of Jerome's laughter from the trailer with the tagline "Gotham's next villain is no laughing matter."
    • In a post on Cameron Monaghan's Twitter account in which he made reference to the fact anyone in the show could be the Joker (in reply to fans who were not happy that Jeremiah Valeska was possibly not the Joker), he acknowledged the Jerome look-alike from the end of Season 2 and referred to him as a "hinted clone" and that he could be destined to become the Joker. https://twitter.com/hc20171998/status/995795872041652225
    • In Season 3, a Joker card can be seen when the Cult of Jerome tries to get Jerome's corpse.
    • In Season 4, while in Arkham Asylum, he throws a Joker playing card at Oswald Cobblepot.
    • He also dresses up as a law enforcement officer similar to Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight. Like that incarnation of the Joker, Jerome himself creates torture videos in order to spread his message to the city of Gotham.
      • His message to Gotham City about how they are all "prisoners" due to their sanity also mirrors a soliloquy made by the Joker about how insanity is the "emergency exit" in Batman: The Killing Joke.
      • During his return in Season 3, Jerome's disfigured face took influence from the acclaimed comics arc Batman: Death of the Family, in which the Joker returned with his hacked-off face crudely strapped back onto his skull following its removal by the Dollmaker. The main difference is that in that arc, the Joker willingly allowed for Dollmaker to do so and even engineered it, while Jerome Valeska clearly did not want his face removed. His accompanying grin also brings to mind that of Jack Nicholson's Joker from the 1989 "Batman" film.
    • Inspiration appears to be taken from Mark Hamill's Joker from the Batman: Animated Series, especially when broadcasting a live show which was seen in "Christmas with the Joker". Also his "last" episode in Season 2 is titled "The Last Laugh", which is named after a Batman: Animated Series episode.
    • Jerome's surname, Valeska, sounds similar to "Valestra", the crime family that Joker originally worked for as a hitman before his fated encounter with Batman and transformation into the Clown Prince of Crime in The Animated Series and more specifically the movie Mask of the Phantasm.
    • Like Ledger's story he gives a story about possibly being abused in the past, in a similar manner. It is implied however Jerome may actually be telling the truth.
      • In addition, shortly after Jerome exposes himself as a psychotic person and Cicero makes it clear that the only reason he helped Jerome in hiding the evidence to his matricide was because he was his son, Jerome says "My father..." in a similar tone to Heath Ledger's Joker's tone when he was about to say "My father was a drunkard and a fiend" when about to relay the first of his infamous "scar stories."
    • Just like Jack Nicholson's Joker, Jerome’s first death has him with a smile on his face. This is also familiar to the Arkham video game series Joker, who before dying in Batman: Arkham City put a smile on his face.
    • Before Commissioner Essen dies, she remarks about how everyone will forget about him when he dies and no-one will remember him, this could be a reference to the Arkham video game series Joker since he's been forgotten even with all the chaos he's spread across Gotham.
    • Jerome's corpse shows with blood around his lips and a grin. Coupled with his paled skin, this gives him an uncanny resemblance to the Joker.
      • In addition, in the morgue when it zooms up upon Jerome's face just before it cuts to the closing titles, a distinctly Joker-esque laugh can be heard in the background.
    • After Jerome doused a school bus with gasoline to set it on fire, Jerome grabbed onto the side of a tanker truck and joyfully laughed. Heath Ledger's Joker did something similar while joyfully showing his face out of the window of a police vehicle.
      • The actions were also similar to when the Joker escaped Batman after robbing the Gotham Merchants Bank in his debut scene in Batman: Arkham Origins.
      • Jerome and the Maniax's dousing a vehicle with people inside with gasoline and attempting to torch it before being stopped also mirrored the actions of the Joker from Batman: Under the Red Hood. Ironically, both instances also had them wasting time actually setting the passengers on fire before ultimately being foiled as a result of a temperamental lighter.
    • Like Jerome, Joker was responsible for murdering Sarah Essen in the comics (although in the comics she was Jim Gordon's second wife and was killed after Bruce Wayne became Batman. Also, Jerome is clearly shown to enjoy murdering Sarah Essen, while in the comics, it is heavily implied that even the Joker was disgusted with his killing Sarah Essen as he found nothing amusing regarding his murder of her.).
    • The Cult of Jerome may be a nod towards the Jokerz, a gang in Batman Beyond who imitate the deceased Joker and try to continue his legacy and madness.
    • The scene where Jerome is physically accosted by Gordon shortly after the massacre at the GCPD ("I'm sensing... Anger.") had Gordon and Jerome in a very similar pose to the climax of the fight in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns ("Not... quite how I envisioned it, but... we can still end on a high note!"), with Gordon and Jerome in the poses of Batman and the Joker, respectively.
      • In addition, Jerome and Bruce's standoff inside the hall of mirrors attraction mirrored a similar scene in The Dark Knight Returns, where the Joker also tried to shoot what seemed to be Batman, only to be shooting at his reflection and both Bruce and Batman even managed to ambush Jerome and the Joker, respectively.
    • Just before Jerome kills Deputy Mayor Kane via a throwing knife, he tells the audience "No one here is getting out alive", similar to how the Joker told his henchmen when they were ambushed at Gotham Merchants Bank by Batman in Arkham Origins, "As your commander in chief, I have these orders for you: No one's getting out alive!"
  • The writers of Gotham as well as Monaghan and David Mazouz (Bruce Wayne) have stated that Jerome is not the Joker, however, at the very least he will have an influence on whoever becomes the future Clown Prince of Crime, even if it may not be himself. This statement should not be taken at face value, however, as the show writers have given previous statements that turn out to be false.
    • Monaghan also left an intentionally ambiguous Twitter message about his statement: "I will leave you with this: A person can be not something, but also not NOT something." The implication is that nothing is stopping the possibility of Jerome becoming the Clown Prince of Crime in the future if not in the present.
  • Jerome Valeska worked at the same carnival as Batman's first sidekick Dick Grayson, the first Robin, before he was born.
  • During the Comic Con for 2015, Cameron Monaghan gatecrashed it in-character as Jerome making threats towards "Jim Gordon" (Ben McKenzie) asking about his pain tolerance. McKenzie in return got into character as Jim Gordon and told Jerome he will hunt him down.
  • Jerome was stated to be 18 years old after his Arkham escape in the 2nd season, and died an episode later. Given that Bruce Wayne is 13 at that time and turns 18 at the end of season 4, this makes Jerome chronologically around 22-23 years old when dying a second time, although it's important to note that he spent at least a year being dead, meaning he is actually younger than that.
  • If the letters in his first and last name are switched around, Jerome Valeska can spell out Joker.
  • Oddly enough, his parents and Jerome himself were all killed by some form of weapon outfitted with a blade.
  • Despite the idea of bringing in "Joker" one season in was initially scorned, Monaghan's portrayal of Jerome was acclaimed by fans and many people were hoping for his return after being killed, which later proved true. Before it was confirmed that Cameron Monaghan would also be playing Jeremiah Valeska (the true identity of the Joker), fans were also disappointed at the prospect of Cameron Monaghan not playing the character, after producers stated Jerome would not become the Joker.
  • Mark Hamill himself, who is well known for voice acting the Joker in various media such as the Animated Series and the Arkham games, complimented Monaghan on his performance.
  • Jerome also bore a resemblance to the Spider-Man villain Carnage's human host Cletus Kasady, who coincidentally also in turn had been based in personality and to some extent physical appearance on the Joker.
  • Jerome is the only major antagonist from the third season not to use the Tetch virus as part of his schemes.
  • Jerome's second and final death is a nod to Jack Nicholson's Joker, as they both plummet dramatically to their demise. His corpse is also in the same pose, with a grin on his face.

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           Gotham-5428254c4abd4 Villains

Gotham City Police Department
Gillian Loeb | Nathaniel Barnes | Arnold Flass | Tom Dougherty | Edward Nygma

Falcone Crime Family
Carmine Falcone | Mario Calvi | Sofia Falcone | Fish Mooney | Butch Gilzean | Aubrey James | Oswald Cobblepot | Victor Zsasz | Arthur Penn

Trident Intercontinental Shipping
The Dollmaker | Patti and Doug | Thomas Schmidt | The Catcher

Maroni Crime Family
Salvatore Maroni | Frankie Carbone | Gabe | Oswald Cobblepot

Court of Owls
Ra's al Ghul | Shaman | Kathryn Monroe | Hugo Strange | Ethel Peabody | Talons

Penguin's Gang
Oswald Cobblepot | Edward Nygma | Butch Gilzean | Gabe | Arthur Penn | Victor Zsasz | Headhunter | Ivy Pepper | Victor Fries | Bridgit Pike | The Penguins

Wayne Enterprises
Sid Bunderslaw | Reginald Payne

Red Hood Gang
Butch Gilzean | Gus Floyd | Clyde Destro | Trope | Regan | Haskins

Order of St. Dumas
Father Creel | Theo Galavan | Tabitha Galavan

The Maniax
Theo Galavan | Barbara Kean | Jerome Valeska | Robert Greenwood | Aaron Helzinger | Arnold Dobkins

The Lady's Organization
The Lady | Matches Malone | Eduardo Flamingo | Billy Boy

Monsters
Theo Galavan/Azrael | Bridgit Pike | Victor Fries | Fish Mooney | Nancy | Sid | Subject 514A | Ridgeback Monster | Basil Karlo | Marv | Tweaker

The Mutants
Mutant Leader

Cult of Jerome
Jerome Valeska | Dwight Pollard

League of Shadows
Ra's al Ghul | Nyssa al Ghul | Shaman | Anubis & The Hunter | Eduardo Dorrance | Barbara Kean

Church of Jeremiah
Jeremiah Valeska | Ecco | Sykes

Legion of Horribles
Jerome Valeska | Oswald Cobblepot | Butch Gilzean | Jervis Tetch | Jonathan Crane | Victor Fries | Bridgit Pike

Raven Society
James Harwood | Bet Sykes | Peggy Sykes | Frances Gaunt | John Salt | Nelson Thursday | Arthur Pennyworth

Others
Mario Pepper | Davis Lamond | Richard Gladwell | Stan Potolsky | Electrocutioner | Aaron Danzig | Dorothy Duncan | Leslie Thompkins | Dr. Marks | Gerald Crane | The Ogre | Dick Lovecraft | Larissa Diaz | Grace van Dahl | Carlson Grey | Professor Pyg | Richard Sionis | Deever and Dumfree Tweed | Zaardon | Merton | Warden Reed | Jane Cartwright | Magpie

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2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
February
Dominic Greene
September
Chase Young
December
Benjamin Willis
2014
2015
2016
January
Randall Flagg
February
Alex DeLarge
March
Yog-Sothoth
April
Esdeath
May
Count Dracula (book)
June
Jerome Valeska
July
Lord Shen
August
Bill Cipher
September
Tate Langdon
October
Oogie Boogie
November
Dr. Venom
December
Krampus (Krampus)
2017
2018
The2019
2020
January
Evolt
February
Santánico Pandemónium
March
Daleks
April
Judge Doom
May
Scorpion (MK)
June
Gendo Ikari
July
Victor Krane
August
Napoleon (AF)
September
Tony Montana
October
Candyman (CM)
November
Skeletor (MotU)
December
Immortan Joe
2021K
2022Year
2023
2024
January
Judge Holden (BM)
February
Catwoman (DC)
March
AM (IHNM)
April
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