Do Arthur & Lee Have a Child in Joker 2?

Many are curious about Arthur and Lee’s child in Joker 2. Joker: Folie à Deux is the sequel to 2019’s critically and commercially successful feature Joker. The original movie established who Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is, his Joker persona, the mental health issues he deals with, and his emergence as a near-mythical figure to various sections of Gotham City’s population. The sequel gives Arthur a love interest in Lady Gaga’s Harleen “Lee” Quinzel (this universe’s Harley Quinn) as he faces trial for the several murders he committed. At one point during the movie, Lee claims that she is pregnant with Arthur’s child.

Here is everything you need to know about the child Lee claims she is having with Arthur.

What Happened to Arthur and Lee’s baby in Joker 2?

In Joker: Folie à Deux, Lee visits Arthur in solitary confinement, and they have an awkward sexual encounter. It has a dream-like quality to it, but it does happen. Later, Arthur learns about the lies that Lee told him about her family and where she grew up. When he confronts her, Lee makes the claim about her pregnancy. It understandably shocks Arthur, and the conversation shifts toward a future where they are together.

Toward the end of the movie, Arthur escapes from the courthouse after a car bomb explodes outside, and his path leads him back to the stairs featured in the first film. Lee is there, as he hoped she would be. But instead of running away with him, she says goodbye. When a confused and heartbroken Arthur tries to remind her about the child they are supposedly having, Lee sings the second and third verses of That’s Entertainment, a song featured in The Band Wagon (1953), a movie that the couple watched earlier together.

Lee doesn’t actually say anything about her pregnancy in this scene, but the implication is very clear: She is not pregnant. She said that to Arthur, likely to divert his attention when he asked about her lies.

Did Lee lie about being pregnant with Joker’s child?

Yes, Lee lied about her pregnancy. In most iterations of the character, Harley Quinn is depicted as the Joker’s victim. That’s not the case in Joker: Folie à Deux. She exploits Arthur with aspirations of grandeur, attaching herself to his Joker persona. After Arthur’s testimony, she realizes that Arthur is not what she thought he was and quickly discards him.