Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Joker.
Todd Phillips’ Joker appears to give a nod to the Joker’s original sidekick from the comics, Gaggy, in the form of Arthur Fleck’s fellow clown, Gary. Played by Leigh Gill, Gary is one of a number of clowns-for-hire who work alongside Arthur at the agency, and his dwarfism makes him the target of cruel jokes from the other clowns. Like Arthur, Gary is something of an underdog - which is why it makes sense that he could represent Joker’s first sidekick.
In the DC comics, Harley Quinn is known as the Joker’s girlfriend and his partner-in-crime through many of his criminal enterprises, but fans of the early comics may remember that the Joker had a right-hand man before he even met the Arkham Asylum psychiatrist. When creating his original band of criminals, the Joker appointed Gaggy A. Gagsworth as his official sidekick. He, along with rest of the clown gang, helped the Joker pull off different heists around Gotham City.
Likewise from the comics, we learn that Gaggy worked at a circus as a tightrope walker before he was deposed by a new act, and sent to work at the freak show due to his dwarfism - something he deeply resented. Gaggy earned the Joker’s interest when he lashed out at one of his fellow clowns during a show, and it was kismet between the two from then on. Gaggy was the answer to Batman’s Robin and, as seen in the comic cover above, proved to be a useful partner in Joker’s battles with Batman. Gill has since responded to fans pointing out the similarities between Gary and Gaggy on social media, indicating he’d definitely be up for becoming the Joker’s sidekick.
In an extremely tense scene towards the end of Joker, Arthur brutally murders one of his other fellow clowns, Randall, but notes that Gary was the only one of his coworkers who was nice to him, and he ultimately lets Gary leave his apartment unharmed. Like Arthur, Gary is something of an underdog within the clown agency, and between this and Arthur deciding to let him live, he could end up forming a bond with the killer clown.
Whether adding Gary’s character in the movie was a deliberate nod to the original comic book character or just a coincidental similarity is still unclear. The final scene in Joker was left open-ended, so there is a lot of room to continue the story from where it left off. If a sequel to Joker does happen, with Phoenix’s Joker using Gotham City’s newfound clown fanaticism to recruit followers, it would make sense for Gary to return and evolve into Gaggy.
Next: Casting Batman To Battle Joaquin Phoenix In Joker 2
