What does the Joker mean by “try-outs?
The Joker explains that he will let one of the three remaining thugs from Gambol’s gang join his gang. “So,” he explains, “we’re going to have … try-outs.” He breaks the pool cue in half, looks at the now sharp end of one half, and drops it between the three men. “Make it fast,” he says, as he leaves the room. Gambol’s men are shoved to the ground, and as they recover, they all look at the broken cue, then at each other. One interpretation: Immediately as the Joker leaves the room, his thugs push the men to the ground, leaving them to fight. Whoever is the first to grab the pool cue and kill the other two gets to work for the Joker. Another interpretation: The Joker’s game is a macabre twist on Russian Roulette and Spin the Bottle. Whichever person the pool cue lands on is the one who doesn’t get a .45 round put in his head; he’s the one who gets to work for the Joker. While later scenes give no additional insight into what happens off-screen, it’s generally accepted that the term “t
