With many so-so sequels and prequels hitting theaters this summer, its a good time to remember the

mother of all superhero/action sequels The Dark Knight. Heath Ledgers performance as The Joker will live on forever as one of the greatest characters in cinema history. Below is a collection of the 13 best quotes (or in some cases memorable dialogue) by The Joker in The Dark Knight. I doubt we are missing much, but feel free to offer your two cents on the ranking.

13. I believe whatever doesnt kill you, simply makes youstranger.

12. All right. So, listen. Why dont you give me a call when you want to start taking things a little more seriously? Heres my card.

11. Joker: Oh, you. You just couldnt let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, arent you? Huh? You wont kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I wont kill you because youre just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.

10 . Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You cant savor all the little emotions. In you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards?

9. Batman: Then why do you want to kill me? Joker: I dont want to kill you! What would I do without you? Go back to ripping off mob dealers? No, no, NO! No. You you complete me. Batman: Youre garbage who kills for money. Joker: Dont talk like one of them. Youre not! Even if youd like to be. To them, youre just a freak, like me! They need you right now, but when they dont, theyll cast you out, like a leper! You see, their morals, their code, its a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. Theyre only as good as the world allows them to be. Ill show you. When the chips are down, these these civilized people, theyll eat each other. See, Im not a monster. Im just ahead of the curve.

8. This city deserves a better class of criminal. And Im gonna give it to them.

7. Joker: If youre good at something, never do it for free.

6. Batman: Let her go! Joker: [holding Rachel out of a window] Very poor choice of words

5. Joker: [to Gambol's thugs, being held helpless by his own] Now, our operation is small, but theres a lot of potential for aggressive expansion. So, which one of you fine gentlemen would like to join our team? Oh, theres only one spot open right now, so were gonna haveTryouts. Make it fast.

4. How about a magic trick? Im gonna make this pencil disappear. Ta-daa! Its its gone.

3. Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? Im a dog chasing cars. I wouldnt know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just do things. The mob has plans, the cops have plans, Gordons got plans. You know, theyre schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. Im not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So, when I say Ah, come here. When I say that you and your girlfriend was nothing personal, you know that Im telling the truth. Its the schemers that put you where you are. You were a schemer, you had plans, and look where that got you. I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and I turned it on itself. Look what I did to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. Hmmm? You know You know what Ive noticed? Nobody panics when things go according to plan. Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because its all part of the plan. But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds! Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. Im an agent of chaos. Oh, and you know the thing about

chaos? Its fair!

2. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are tonights entertainment! Well, you look nervous. Is it the scars? You want to know how I got em? Come here. Hey! Look at me. So I had a wife, beautiful, like you, who tells me I worry too much. Who tells me I ought to smile more. Who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks Look at me! One day, they carve her face. And we have no money for surgeries. She cant take it. I just want to see her smile again, hm? I just want her to know that I dont care about the scars. So I stick a razor in my mouth and do thisto myself. And you know what? She cant stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now I see the funny side. Now Im always smiling! A little fight in you. I like that. Batman: Then youre going to love me.

1. [holding a knife inside Gambol's mouth] Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesnt like that. Not-one-bit. So me watching he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it! Turns to me, and he says, why so serious, son? Comes at me with the knife Why so serious? He sticks the blade in my mouth Lets put a smile on that face! AndWhy so serious?