Bob the Goon

"Bob, remember, you are my number one guy."

- The Joker, imitating Carl Grissom.

Bob was the Joker's close trusted friend and first lieutenant among his Goons, until he was shot by the Joker himself.

History
During Jack Napier's career in the mob, his most loyal enforcer and friend was Bob, who defended and protected Jack wherever he went, according to Jack. Bob was always busy trying to accommodate Napier, even in little things such as straightening the mirror or polishing the door handle of Jack's car. In one incident Lt. Max Eckhardt pulled his gun on Jack, and Bob immediately went to his friend's aid, standing close to him while aiming his own gun at Eckhardt. Bob managed to threaten Batman off of Jack in the Axis Chemical Co. plant with Comm. James Gordon at gunpoint, then escaped, calling for Jack to follow.

Even after the incident that disfigured Napier and shattered his sanity, Bob still remained a steadfast Aide-de-Camp to the newly-dubbed 'Joker'. Bob was always dutifully present at the Joker's side, no matter what the circumstances.

He led the Joker's personal army of goons, and was appointed to investigate Alexander Knox to find out everything the reporter was trying to dig up on Batman, Joker telling him he should start learning to use people. When Bob responded with a 'yes sir', the Joker smiled, thinking Bob always knew the right thing to say.

Bob performed many chores for his friend, for being sent on errands of a more personal nature, such as spying on photojournalist Vicki Vale, who was a romantic interest of the Joker. When Bob bought back his report on Knox, he first told Joker of Vicki Vale.

When Joker arranged to meet Vicki at The Gotham Art museum, Bob enjoyed himself vandalizing the priceless paintings with a dagger, although The Joker stopped him from carving up&#160;the Edward Munch picture. Bob later brings Alicia Hunt to Vicki Vale.

After cornering Batman in an alley, Bob fired two shots from his pistol into Batman's chest, causing Batman to jerk, but Bob later realized there was no blood. After observing that Batman appeared to be wearing body armor, Bob, the courage returning in his voice, ordered Batman unmasked. Bob's goons, however, were quickly taken down, and though Bob still had his gun out, he was shaking too much to aim. Bob ran off and vanished as Batman shot him a slight grin.

Then at Vicki's apartment, after the Joker shot Bruce, Bob silenced Vicki's screams with his hand over her mouth.

Bob met his end after Batman ruined the Joker's scheme to poison the public with Smylex. The Joker, looking for somebody to take his anger on, asked Bob for his gun. Bob immediately obeyed, only to be shot and killed by his longtime friend, his body pitching from one of Joker's parade floats and onto the money-littered street. "I'm gonna need a minute alone", said the Joker in a moment of reflection.

The Joker then yelled to his men, ordering them to wage war. The goons, however, fled at the sight of the arriving Batman. A furious Joker wondered why they could run after he'd made such a good example of Bob, proceeding to remark about how much he hated to waste good examples.

Behind the scenes

 * In Batman's script, Bob is identified as Robert Hawkins. The novelization of the movie confirms this as Bob's actual name.


 * Bob is theorized by some viewers to be Jack Napier's partner, who mugged Thomas and Martha Wayne moments before Napier shot them dead in cold blood, leaving young Bruce Wayne an orphan and sowing the seeds for his future war on crime as Batman.