Who is Joker in Fire Force? Everything you need to know

With the release of the ongoing Fire Force season 3, several fans who were waiting in anticipation of the series finally got to see what happened after the end of the previous season at a peak point. With a dive into Joker's character done recently and in mid-second season, several fans have grown more intrigued to know more about him.

With all of his appearances and sequences throughout the anime at the time of this article's writing, the fandom has been left gathering and inquiring more about Joker's character, his powers, his role in the series, and his origins. With all these questions in mind, this article will try to gather facts and answer the frequently asked question, "Who is Joker in Fire Force?"

Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers from the Fire Force anime/manga.

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Joker's plot in the Fire Force anime, explored

Joker was first featured during Fire Force's Introduction arc, when Shinra and the other Company rookies were competing in the Rookie Fire Soldier Games. As Joker attacked two bystander members placed to test the rookies, he was spotted by Shinra, who immediately attacked him.

Upon his first interaction with Shinra, Joker overwhelmed the former with his powers while constantly taunting Shinra about his past and revelations. While Tamaki and Arthur later joined the fight, they were also unsuccessful in defeating Joker.

Using an explosion as a diversion, Joker then escapes, while asking Shinra to join his cause instead of the Fire Force. Before leaving, Joker tells Shinra that Sho, his younger brother, is still alive, which further motivates Shinra to investigate and find out the whereabouts of his brother.

Joker later appears in front of Shinra in the Preacher Pursuit arc, after finding him alone in the middle of an alley. It is around the same time that Joker revealed Sho's affiliation with the Evangelist, wanting to push Shinra in the right direction. Before Shinra could counter him with further questions, Joker fled the scene.

Shinra and Joker as seen in the Fire Force anime (Image via David Production)

During the Evangelist's attack on Vulcan's workshop, when Vulcan, Hinbana, Viktor, and Yu were escaping in a car with Sho following them, Joker intercepted him to allow for the successful getaway. As soon as the car was out of sight, Joker also fled the scene, only to meet Licht later and exclaim that Shinra needs to grow stronger to face Sho, who he claimed was a "monster."

During the VS. Holy Sol Temple arc, Joker was seen accompanied by Benimaru Shinmon as they infiltrated the Holy Sol Temple in a quest to uncover secrets about the Evangelist. Upon their infiltration, Joker found a staircase leading down into the Nether, which he had known because of his "behind the scenes" work for the Church. This is also around the time when his backstory was revealed.

Later on, as Akitaru Obi was imprisoned by the White Clad, Joker joined forces with Shinra and the rest of Company 8 to rescue Obi. He also exclaimed that, just as each pillar has a protector, Joker will become Shinra's protector and aid him in his battles, upon witnessing Shinra's conviction.

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Joker's powers and abilities, explained

While the Fire Force series didn't explicitly mention his generation, Joker has exhibited abilities belonging to both the second and third generations of pyrokinetics. His ability to manipulate the ashes of Infernals demonstrates his second-generation abilities, while his ability to light his cigarette with his finger demonstrates his third-generation abilities.

While his pyrokinetic abilities were greatly showcased during his Church fight, Joker has also exhibited his physical abilities throughout the anime, specifically his strength, speed, and reflexes. His ability to keep up with Shinra in hand-to-hand combat shows off his strength, while his speed and reflexes are showcased when he squares off against Sho, dodging his swift attacks efficiently.

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Final thoughts

While Joker's ability as a pyrokinetic user and being one of the strongest characters of the Fire Force series adds to his popularity, his backstory also adds layers of depth to his personality. His several appearances bringing a key element to the series make him such an intriguing character.

With this article answering who is Joker in Fire Force, as the latest episode at the time this article is being written is set to come out, his fight with Leonard Burns, alongside Shinra, is yet to be seen. Characters like Joker are what have led to the rise in popularity of the series.

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