Nyssa al Ghul (Arrowverse)/Synopsis

The story of Nyssa al Ghul from the Arrowverse series.

Origins
Born in May 10, 1985, Nyssa was raised in the League of Assassins by her father Ra's al Ghul. He'd always told her that her mother's name was Amina Raatko, when in reality, her name is Lourdes, one of Malcolm Merlyn's lovers. By 8 years old she became a skilled swordswoman. However, she loathed her father greatly and sought to kill him for the way he's treated her. Despite this, she was proud to be his daughter. She also had a half-sister named Talia al Ghul, but she left the League at some point to pursue her own path.

She brought in Malcolm Merlyn in 1993 to be trained in the League. She gave him the name "Al Sa-Her" (Arabic for "Magician") after he pulled a coin from her as a magic trick. Another League member she'd known of was a sorcerer named Damien Darhk, who'd also left the League. Many years later, she met a girl named Sara Lance after she was swept away from a ship called the Amazo, after trying to escape the island of Lian Yu. She took her to Nanda Parbat and nursed her back to health and eventually fell in love with her. However, Ra's didn't approve of their relationship, knowing that Sara wouldn't stay for long and viewing her as a potential threat to them. Even still, Sara was given a League title and was taught to fight, earning the nickname "Ta-er al-Usfar" (Arabic for "Yellow Bird", which is supposed to mean "The Canary")

In 2013, following Malcolm Merlyn's Undertaking scheme in Starling City, which saw the Glades district mostly-destroyed by an artificially-triggered earthquake, Ra's decided that Malcolm had broken the League's code, given that he'd done it simply for his own selfish desire. Sara left Nanda Parbat to check on her family but failed to return after several weeks and Nyssa eventually learned that she'd refused to return home. Following this, Nyssa set out to find Sara and use any means to find her beloved and bring her back.

Season 2
Sara eventually arrived in Starling City, where he After many Assassins failed to catch her, she had one of the Assassins who was in Starling City poison her sister Laurel Lance and eventually came to Starling City to find her. After reuniting with Sara, Nyssa tried to talk her into coming home but she refused. She then kidnapped Sara's mother and threatened to kill her if she didn't come with her. As Sara and Oliver Queen/The Arrow came to rescue her mother, Sara then poisoned herself. Nyssa then fought Oliver and was overpowered by him. Just as Oliver overpowered her, Sara begged him not to kill her. Nyssa then released Sara from the League on Ra's behalf.

Later, Sara visited the League and asked for their help as Slade Wilson and his Mirakuru-enhanced army was attacking the city. Nyssa agreed to help only if Sara returned to the League. However, even though Nyssa and her crew helped Oliver and his team take down Slade's army, Oliver didn't approve of her methods, especially since he wasn't a killer anymore, such as when she killed Slade's right-hand woman Isabel Rochev. Nonetheless, her help proved valuable against the attack and Oliver managed to defeat Slade and have him sent to an A.R.G.U.S. prison on Lian Yu.

War with Malcolm Merlyn and Oliver Queen
The League once again turned their attention to hunting down Malcolm Merlyn and had sent Sara to Starling City to find him. However, she was assassinated by an unknown person, and after not hearing from her, Nyssa once again came to Starling City to find her. Nyssa storms into the Arrowcave, aiming an arrow at Oliver. Oliver informed her of Sara's death. Shocked with grief, she revealed that Malcolm Merlyn was still alive and that Sara had come to Starling City to trace a rumor that he was here. She visited Sara's grave, where she meets Laurel. She swears a blood oath to avenge Sara's life using the Arabic words "أقصم بحياتي", which means "I swear on my life", the rest of the oath is indistinguishable. She went to Sara's safehouse where she and Oliver found pictures and notes Sara had made while investigating Malcolm. Team Arrow and Nyssa found out Merlyn was hiding in a Buddhist temple. Infiltrating the temple, she confronted the leader, who was meditating (unaware it was Merlyn, as the leader had passed away years ago).

Realizing it was Malcolm, she tried to kill him; however, he incapacitated her easily and fled the scene. Oliver managed to put a tracker on him. Nyssa was angry at Oliver that he did not attempt to kill him. After learning Oliver had talked to Malcolm and did not believe he killed Sara she became furious at him. Learning Thea was actually his daughter, she kidnapped Thea. Trying to lure Malcolm in, Oliver freed Thea and the two started a fight. Merlyn showed up and a wild melee started in which Malcolm managed to overpower Nyssa and told her he did not kill Sara and suspected her own father Ra's al Ghul to be the killer. After a discussion, Oliver refused to kill Malcolm, and told Nyssa he would not allow the League of Assassins to come near him. Angered by Oliver she shared her thoughts with Laurel and encouraged in her training to become stronger before leaving Starling City. She was later shown informing her father, who assured her Malcolm would face justice. She did appear to have doubts about Malcolm's guilt in Sara's death, especially when her father stated that Sara "was never truly one of us". Upon hearing of Oliver's decision to protect Malcolm, he declared war.

She returned to Starling City with a group of assassins and captured Oliver. She informed him that he had 48 hours to find Sara's killer or the League would start killing civilians. After this, she was present when the deadline had passed and her father talked with Oliver. Oliver said he had killed Sara, which made her react in disbelief. Oliver lied that he killed her because she begged him, as she did not want to return to the League. He then challenged her father for a trial by combat, which he accepted. She was present on the mountain where Oliver and her father would have the duel. She said she envied Oliver, as he would see Sara soon (in death). Her father engaged Oliver in combat. Being unarmed, Ra's easily dodged Oliver's sword strikes; he manages to stab Oliver through the chest and throw him off the mountain. Unbeknownst to them at first, he was found and nursed back to health by Tatsu Yamashiro.

Nyssa later confronted her father about how Oliver is still alive. Her father said he was aware and that Oliver did not kill Sara after all. Nyssa questions if he ever approved of her relationship with Sara; he said he knew their love would only end in heartbreak. Nyssa mentioned that even if Oliver did not kill Sara, he still deserves to die for defying him. Nyssa and a group of assassins went to Starling City as they looked for Malcolm Merlyn. They are later contacted by Thea, who offers them Malcolm Merlyn in return for safety. Nyssa agreed and Thea tells them where Malcolm is. Nyssa and her team find Malcolm as he is getting attacked by Laurel. He easily fended her off and took her baton, after which she pulled a gun on him. Her assassins quickly disarmed Laurel and surrounded Malcolm. Nyssa faced Malcolm in a duel while she used her scimitar and he used the baton of Laurel. After a short fight, she managed to overpower him and knocked him out. Preparing to leave by helicopter, Nyssa told Malcolm he would suffer for what he did. Malcolm replied that her father only wanted to punish him for the undertaking and he never cared for Sara. Malcolm said her love for Sara made her unable to take the place of her father. Oliver Queen came to his rescue. Nyssa ordered her men to leave with Malcolm while she prepared to hold Oliver off. She fought Oliver; however, he managed to tie her up with a trick arrow and capture her. As the helicopter flew Malcolm away, she mentioned to Oliver that he'll never be seen again. Nyssa is then locked up in a cage in the Arrowcave. She spends her time meditating as Oliver and his team discussed what to do about her.

Oliver send the rest away as he asked her where Nanda Parbat is. Nyssa explained that every action of him had frustrated the vengeance for the death of Sara, and she tells him the location as she is certain he will die there. Laurel later brought her water and Nyssa said Malcolm will get tortured by her father, but Laurel does not seem please now the killer will be punished. Laurel said she hated Merlyn and that he was like a piece of Sara that still existed. However, now he is gone, she can not even remember the sound of Sara's laugh. Nyssa told her that the first time Sara was brought to her father, she was the witness of a demonstration of his power; however, she simply laughed, as she was completely innocent. It was that moment that Nyssa fell in love with her. A touched Laurel thanks her for sharing this. Thea later visited her at her cage as she explains she can not live with the guilt of what she did. Thea explained to Nyssa that she lied to her and that she was the one who killed Sara. Thea then opens the cage door and hands Nyssa her scimitar as she says she can have her revenge.

Nyssa took the scimitar but refused to kill Thea. A frustrated Thea explained how she killed Sara while being drugged. Nyssa said that the murder will be revenged with the death of Malcolm. Laurel and Roy came in and attacked Nyssa as they believed she had escaped. Nyssa knocked them both down but was shot with an anesthetic and passed out. Locked up in the cage she was surprised when Oliver returned and set her free. She demanded an explanation as she refused to believe her father had let Malcolm go. Oliver told her to just go home.

When she arrived at Nanda Parbat, her father said coldly he was happy to see her again. She demanded to know why he had let Malcolm go. Her father explained it was a favor to Oliver as he would become his heir. Nyssa said it was because he did not approve of her relationship with Sara. Her father explained how she was unfit to be his heir as she had allowed weakness to come into her life which had made her emotional in her judgement. Nyssa attempted to kill him with a sword strike which he easily blocked. Nyssa said she would not watch her legacy being given to an outsider and left.

Leaving the League
Nyssa later came back to Starling City and saved Laurel as the police station was under attack by Murmur. Killing multiple gunmen she then left the scene. Nyssa later talked to Laurel and told her Laurel reminded her of Sara. Nyssa asked Laurel if she would like to talk about her father as they both had some issues with their fathers. Laurel agreed and they went to dinner while Nyssa complimented her fighting skills and offered to train her as she would stay in Starling City for a while.

She met with Oliver in an alley as he asked for her help. She refused to betray her father which resulted in him bringing up Sara. She then gave Team Arrow the location of a building that the league has been using as a staging ground. Nyssa then showed up and helped Laurel when she was cornered by her father.

Nyssa continued training Laurel. She made Laurel track a criminal. When Laurel and the criminal fought and he started to overpower her Nyssa swiftly intervened and took him out. Nyssa showed Laurel that the criminal was carrying two knives and the two then went to get a milkshake. While drinking their milkshake, Nyssa was surprised with the fries and they talked about how they enjoyed spending their time together. Nyssa mentioned she enjoyed the last few weeks and thanked Laurel for being kind to her after being subjected by her father. Laurel mentioned she had to tell Nyssa of how Oliver was now with the League. Nyssa mentioned that Laurel should not have hidden that from her and angrily left the restaurant.

Laurel met Nyssa at her hideout and told her she was sorry for not telling her however she did not want to upset her while she seemed so happy these last two weeks. Nyssa told Laurel she should not keep secrets especially after her relationship with her father suffered because of her secrets. Nyssa told Laurel she should stay away from her as Oliver and the League will come for her now that he has become the heir.

Nyssa and Laurel went to John and Felicity and told them that Oliver was brainwashed and is no longer the person they knew him to be. John and Felicity mentioned they could not believe it and Nyssa told them she was damaging the memory they had of him. She told them she would not hide and she would face him and accept her destiny.

Nyssa went to the rooftop where Sara got killed. Oliver showed up and she asked him if he still remembered her or if his memory of her had been destroyed by her father. Oliver told her she had to come to Nanda Parbat. The two attempted to shoot each other, however, both managed to dodge and block the arrows. Nyssa and Oliver then fought each other using their bows and swords. After a short fight, Oliver quickly disarmed her and knocked her down. Before he could kill her Laurel and John stopped him. As they told him to back off Oliver quickly escaped the scene by jumping off the roof.

At her hideout, Nyssa nurtured her wounds and told Laurel she should not have intervened. Laurel mentioned she did not want to lose her as well after all the people she lost. Nyssa mentioned that the last few weeks she realized there was a life outside of the league however as the daughter of the Demon that life would never be for her. Laurel mentioned that she did not recognize Oliver when he fought Nyssa. Nyssa mentioned he has changed, however, Laurel mentioned that she could change as well.

John and Felicity visited them and told them Lyla had been captured to force them to surrender Nyssa. Furious, John scolded Nyssa and the League for their lack of honor. Laurel tried to calm him down however he wanted Nyssa to surrender to the League. Nyssa told them she will give herself up however Laurel told them they would lose their soul if they would surrender her to get Lyla back. Nyssa, Laurel, John and Felicty met with Oliver and the Assassins. Oliver ordered Maseo Yamashiro to search them for weapons. Felicity refused to be touched and Oliver made Maseo back off. Oliver ordered Nyssa to be bound and then released Lyla. Maseo ordered Nyssa to kneel before Oliver however she refused. Lyla grabbed two guns hidden on Felicty and quickly shot two assassins. In the ensuing fight, Nyssa took out two guards and managed to break her bonds after which she took a sword. She fought Maseo in single combat while Team Arrow quickly got overpowered by the Assassins. When Laurel got overwhelmed Maseo quickly subdued the distracted Nyssa and captured her. Nyssa then got dragged away by the assassins.

Being Wedded to Oliver Queen
When brought before her father, he told her about how she used to steal during meals but that he always found out. He then unlocked her sword and found the Omega virus. Ra's told her he would try to remember her as she was before she left the League. Nyssa mentioned that her whole life she had been afraid of him but she was not scared of him anymore. Ra's ordered Oliver to kill her but stopped him at the last second. He congratulated Oliver for overcoming her and said that her death would serve no purpose. Learning he wanted her to marry Oliver, Nyssa mentioned she would rather die. However, Ra's said she had no choice in the matter. He told her that she will marry Oliver and she would become Bride of the Demon.

Later, she was brought before her father and Oliver for dinner, Ra's decided that he wanted the title Ra's to be in the family line and so he wanted a grandchild so he told Nyssa that she must bear Oliver's children, a decision that she was visibly displeased by. Later, her father met her in her room and told her to be respectful to him, but instead, she scoffed at him. Her father had brought in a necklace that belonged to her mother and told her about how he met her. When she refused to marry Oliver, he held her face in a threatening matter and forced her to go through with it. After Oliver's team was captured and infected with the Alpha Omega virus, she married Oliver and the "union is sealed", as said by the Priestess.

Betrayal
When Ra's put his plan into motion which was to infect Starling City with the Bio-weapon, she was put on the plane and guarded by several members of the League. The plane was later sabotaged and Nyssa looked confused, Ra's was about to kill his own daughter when Oliver revealed his deception, he gave his sword to Nyssa and she killed the majority of the men on the plane. Ra's, unfortunately, escaped with the canister and the only parachute, and they landed the plane safely in the forest. They infiltrated Palmer Technologies and gave the group a scare; she held the group at bow-point but was brought down by Oliver. Oliver was later knocked down by Diggle and she raised her bow at him again to protect her new husband but was again brought down by Oliver.

Later when the group formed a plan, she went with Laurel to take down another member of the League and despite not being inoculated, she went along with the plan saying "This is my father's doing, I will see it undone". After this, she parted ways with Oliver to Nanda Parbat. Nyssa returned to Nanda Parbat where she discovered Malcolm had become the next Ra's al Ghul, with his proof of ascension is that he was tortured by Ra's sword and he survived also stating that he wanted to escape Ra's just like she wanted, Nyssa stated she hadn't forgiven him for what he had done and vowed that she would have justice. Malcolm welcomed her to try and she was forced to kneel in front of him along with the other dozen members in the room.

Coup against Malcolm
Malcolm and Nyssa were sparring before Laurel and Thea arrived in Nanda Parbat to try and convince Malcolm to use the Lazarus Pit to resurrect Sara which Malcolm refused and Nyssa agreed to with his decision. Nyssa later explained to Laurel that using the pit has serious consequences and her father paid a dark price for using the pit and she didn't want to see Sara go through that pain. After Malcolm finally agreed to use the pit on Sara, Nyssa furiously barged in and told Laurel that all that was happening to Sara was her responsibility. Nyssa later destroyed the pit and was taken away by Malcolm.

After she was held prisoner, she refused to eat anything, only waiting for the correct time to strike against Malcolm and his men, all the while asking League member Talibah to assist her in gathering loyalists for her war against Malcolm.

Nyssa escaped from Nanda Parbat with the help of an assassin Talibah, who slipped a key to her via a hollowed-out pepper in her dinner. The pair searched for the Lotus in Kyushu, guarded by Tatsu Yamashiro. Tatsu and Nyssa found their skills to be too evenly matched for an outcome and Nyssa gave the option to keep fighting or give up and listen to the news she had on a situation concerning Oliver.

Later that night, Nyssa showed up at Thea's hospital room offering Oliver the Lotus elixir, which counters the effects of the Lazarus Pit, on the condition he kills Malcolm; he told her that he had no intention of doing so, but Nyssa promised that the deal still stood. Ultimately, however, Oliver arrived on a rooftop in the city and defeated Malcolm in sword combat for Nyssa and other members of the League to see, with Oliver removing his opponent's hand, but choosing not to kill him. Oliver removes the Ra's ring from Malcolm's severed hand and gives it to Nyssa, telling her to disband the League, which she said would be difficult. She then departed with the other Assassins while Malcolm fled and joined H.I.V.E., seeking revenge on Oliver.

Doomworld Reality
After the time-travelling supervillain Eobard Thawne obtained the Spear of Destiny with the help of Malcolm, Damien Darhk and Leonard Snart, they altered reality to suit their own purposes. In this new reality, Nyssa is mentioned as living a "miserable closeted life" in Ohio.