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| “ | Little is known about the early years of the nearly immortal Ra's al Ghul, leader of the League of Assassins, whose name means "the demon's head." He has lived for many centuries thanks to the Lazarus Pits, mystical and alchemical brews that restore his youth. A brilliant master of strategy and organization, Ra's goal is to save the Earth from eventual ecological destruction by destroying most of Earth's population. He recognises Batman as a worth foe and a possible ally-except that Batman cannot accept Ra's dystopic worldview. To bring Batman to his side, Ra's has even orchastrated a relationship between Batman and his beautiful daughter, Talia al Ghul. | „ |
| ~ Ra's al Ghul's bio in Batman: Arkham City. |
| “ | Ra's: Your part in this is over, "Professor Strange." Strange: Why? I did everything you wanted. Ra's: Indeed. You clearly demonstrated that Batman is better than you. Let him die, Detective. Batman: He was your puppet, Ra's. Why?! Strange: You said I could replace you. This was... Our vision. Ra's: And you failed to see it through. Strange: But- Ra's: When you came to me with Batman's identity, I gave you this chance to prove to me your worth; providing you with limitless resources for your plan. You came... Close. But you have failed me. |
„ |
| ~ Ra's betraying Hugo Strange and revealing himself as the mastermind behind Protocol 10. |
Ra's al Ghul is one of the two overarching antagonists (alongside Joe Chill) of DC's Batman: Arkham franchise.
He is the immortal leader of the League of Assassins, as well the father of Talia al Ghul and Nyssa Raatko, who seeks to destroy all forms of evil in the world, including that from Gotham City and convince Batman to become his successor.
He is also the master of Hugo Strange and the one behind the reopening of Arkham Asylum, thus leading to the events of the first game. His death and defeat led to a civil war within the League, with Nyssa leading the rebels to prevent his resurrection.
He is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who also played Plasmus and Cinderblock in Teen Titans, the Brain and Clock King in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Bubble Bass in SpongeBob SquarePants, Daffy Duck and Wile E. Coyote in Looney Tunes, and Perry the Platyborg in Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension.
Biography[]
Past[]
Ra's al Ghul is over 600 years old, having stayed alive using the Lazarus pits. Unfortunately, using the pits began to damage his sanity. During this time, he dedicated himself to preserving the earth, by wiping out criminal behavior, and massively culling the human race, so that the earth's resources could be preserved. Sometime along the line, he created the League of Assassins to fulfil his goal of creating a new world unburdened by criminals; achieving this through mass murder. Ra's also had a traveler named Cyrus Gold, who had recently died, brought to him so he could test his theory that the Lazarus Pit would bring back the dead, rather than simply revitalizing the living. It was a success, but fearing the long term affects, Ra's had Gold murdered repeatedly and brought back to life, until it left him with his mind broken, carrying on the effects turned Gold into the monstrous Solomon Grundy. Realizing this, Ra's began his search for a successor, before his use of the Pits did the same to him.
Around 100 years ago, Ra's arrived in Gotham City, as there was a Lazarus pit there. Going to the city officials he bought the area, and constructed Wonder City with slaves he bought from his homeland, incredibly advanced for the time, possessing technology beyond what should have been available, powered entirely by the Lazarus pits, Ra's saw Wonder City as a chance to save the world from the future destruction mankind would bring. Completing Wonder Tower as the cities pinnacle. However secretly, Ra's used the City as a base to begin his plans for mass extermination. However Wonder City was a failure, the Lazarus Pits energy drove the population insane, when Ra's refused to do anything, the City council did, bursting in they shut the place, forcing Ra's to disappear. Hidden in his lab, they found Grundy, still waiting to be killed and resurrected again.
Sometime in the past, Hugo Strange brought forward the identity of Batman to Ra’s who already knew. Impressed by Strange, Ra’s decided to give him a chance to prove if he was a worthy successor, although his favorite was still Batman. Ra's agreed to help Strange, providing him with near limitless resources for his plans.
Batman: Arkham Origins[]
Around the same time that "Black Mask" hires assassins to kill the Batman during his second year of operation, Lady Shiva is already operating in Gotham. Even before the $50 million contract is put on the Batman's head, she meets with Senator Quincy Sharp; convincing him to reopen Arkham Asylum to better serve their plans whilst promising to aid his political career. Shiva herself tests the Batman on the night of the war before escaping and informing Ra's of Batman's prowess. Impressed, the Demon's Head begins considering Batman a worthy successor.
Pre-Arkham Asylum[]
Over the next ten years, the League of Assassins meet Batman at least twice with Ra's and his daughter Talia having come to know the Batman personally; Batman developing an on-off relationship with the latter and a tense relationship with Ra's. On both of these occasions, Ra's is killed and resurrected with one of these events being recent enough for Ra's body to still be in Arkham at the time of the Joker's riots.
Batman: Arkham Asylum[]
Although Ra's is not known to have anything to do with the riots which are entirely orchestrated by the Joker and Harley Quinn, their presence is still felt. Batman finds Ra's body in Dr. Penelope Young's office whilst searching for the TITAN Formula only for it to later vanish as the Ninjas break in and steal it.
After being resurrected through the Lazarus Pit under the Monarch Theatre, Ra's has his followers start digging underneath Old Gotham, to find all his old base, leading to seismic activity above.
Pre-Arkham City[]
After retrieving his body, Ra's' followers took it to the underground Wonder City and used the Lazarus Pit to bring him back to life, though he was still severely bruised and barely clinging to life, Ra's had his followers start digging underneath Arkham City, to find all his old base, leading to seismic activity above.
During the Joker's takeover of Arkham Asylum, the Asylum is destroyed which works out perfectly for the League as they use the situation to portrays Warden Sharp as the hero which leads to his election as Mayor. Using their influence and the manipulative Hugo, they were able to get the Council to approve a new supermax prison built in Old Gotham; Arkham City. With Blackgate burnt down and Arkham Asylum not only insecure but critically damaged, both prisons are shut down with their inmates all being sent to the supermax prison. Hiring TYGER as the private security force, the GCPD are left toothless and replaced with the criminals being left to kill and slaughter as they please whilst TYGER and the League prepare for Protocol 10; the carpet bombing and destruction of Arkham City and all within.
Batman: Arkham City[]
After being poisoned by the Joker and informed by Mister Freeze that the only cure is Ra's al Ghul's blood, Batman finds his way into the heart of Wonder City after tracking a wounded assassin there. After Talia finds Batman, on the verge of death, he agrees to join the League of Assassins and to undergo Demon Trials. Although doubting, because only one man succeeded, Talia allows it. During the Demon Trials, Batman faces Ra's who proposes that Batman kill him, and be his successor. Batman refuses and the fight where, after after a lengthy battle, Ra's is defeated. Though Ra's tries to convince Batman by taking his own daughter as a hostage, Batman defeats him and frees Talia, also gaining his blood for a cure, confronting him he demanded answers, Ra's confesses he used the pits too much, and fears there will be side-effects if he continues. Batman tells Ra's the pits have damaged his mind and he has become the very evil he had fought before leaving
Much later, after Batman stops Protocol 10 and confronts Hugo Strange, Ra's al Ghul appears and impales the mad psychiatrist as punishment for his failures; having deemed Batman a much worthier successor. Revealed as the mastermind behind Arkham City, Ra's prepares to fight Batman to the defeat one final time. Instead though, with his last breath, Strange activates the self destruct and blows up Wonder Tower. Batman and Ra's jump out the window before the explosion and as Batman attempts to catch Ra's in mid air, Ra's impales himself with his own sword to try in a last ditch effort to force Batman to become his successor. This fails and he ends up being impaled again when he lands on the main gate into Arkham City. However, when Batman returns to the same spot after the death of the Joker, Ra's body is gone, implying that his followers have taken him away to revive him again.
Pre-Arkham Knight[]
As is later revealed, the League had indeed grabbed Ra's but lack a suitable Lazarus Pit due to the fight between Batman and Clayface having completely destroyed the Pit under the Monarch Theatre. Leaderless and weak, the League eventually splits into two factions; the Loyalists nominally led by a zombie-like Ra's al Ghul and the Rebels seeking to kill Ra's once and for all; led by his daughter Nyssa.
Eventually, shortly before Halloween Night, The loyalists bring Ra's to Elliot Memorial Hospital because of a long forgotten Lazarus Pit; hooking him up to a machine in the basement that barely keeps him alive as they search for another source.
Arkham Knight[]
Ra's in Arkham Knight, severely weakened
Immediately after lowering the bridge to Miagani Island to pursue the Arkham Knight and Oracle, Batman receives word from Alfred that the GCPD called in a fight between "crazy ass ninjas." When Batman arrives, he finds two of the ninjas dead from wounds they inflicted on each other but finds a blood trail from the third. Following the Loyalist's blood trail to Elliot Memorial, he finds Ra's al Ghul in the basement; essentially a living corpse, his body still heavily injured and damaged from his last encounter with the Dark Knight. The only thing keeping him alive is a constant stream of Lazarus, which the mechanisms from his chair continuously pump into his body.
Batman is then approached by Ra's loyalists, who tell him that their enemies have found another Lazarus Pit under Gotham City. They tell him, that unlike their pit, this ones energy is pure and one injection will be enough to restore Ra's back to full health. Batman refuses to help them at first, but the loyalists force his hand. They make it very clear that, if Batman does not do as they instructed, they will unleash a bloodbath upon the innocent citizens of Gotham in retaliation for their master's demise.
With a bit of help from Alfred and the Bat Computers scanners, Batman eventually uncovered the second Lazarus Pit. After fighting off the Pit's rebel guards and taking a sample however, Batman was personally confronted by Nyssa. Surprisingly however, she was not there to kill him. Instead, she made a plea to Batman to end the civil war and let her father die. She told him that the man who had once been her father was already dead, the over-extensive use of the Lazarus Pit's had long since erased him. All that was left now was a mindless zombie that can't remember even the day of the week or that his other daughter has died. Nyssa also stated that if Ra's returned to full strength he would inevitably turn his sights back on Gotham. If she succeeded him, she would withdraw the League from the City permanently. As a gesture of good will, Nyssa then destroyed the Lazarus Pit, ensuring that it could never be used again.
With the Pit gone, Batman returns to the Elliot Memorial Hospital but, as he makes his way to the lower levels, Batman remains a conflicted man. On the one hand, he knows that reviving Ra's al Ghul is the wrong thing to do. If restored to full health as the Head of the Demons, Ra's will inevitably unleash a blood bath upon innocent civilians and countless numbers of people will suffer for it. Yet, in order to stop him, Batman would have to violate his one rule; never kill anybody. Yet as Nyssa and even Alfred point out, it can technically be argued that Ra's is already dead and that he is only being kept alive through artificial means. Therefore, it can be argued that Batman is not technically killing him, just letting nature take its course.
Eventually, Batman reaches the lower levels of the hospital and stands before Ra's machine once more. Ultimately, what happens to Ra's and the League of Assassins depends upon the players choice: -
| Sparing Ra's |
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| In this scenario, Batman will stand by his principles and, reluctantly, administer the cure.
As Ra's strength and power slowly return, Nyssa and a group of assassins appear. Anticipating that this would happen, they attempt to eliminate Ra's themselves. Unfortunately, Batman holds them off, with Nyssa stating that because of his weakness, the blood of innocent people will now be on his hands. Moments after the rebels' defeat, Ra's rises to his feet, picks up a sword and declares his daughter a traitor. Nyssa attempts to attack her father, but he effortlessly defeats her, slicing open her stomach. He then attacks Batman, who blocks his attacks and breaks his sword. Smiling knowingly, Ra's throws a smoke bomb and disappears into the mist, escaping from Batman as the now completely revived Head of the Demon, and leader of the League. Nyssa dies shortly afterwards, refusing to take any remaining Lazarus like her father. With her dying breath, the young woman notes that Batman was a fool for letting someone like her father return, knowing what he would do. Batman leaves the hospital afterwards and despite Alfred's reassurances that an assassin civil war has been prevented, it is clear that he still does not know if he has done the right thing. Ra's does not return afterwards, as despite his revival, his battered body still needs time to recover. |
Alternatively...
| Destroying the Lazarus |
|---|
| In this scenario, Batman is won over by Nyssa and Alfred's words.
Realising that Ra's is too dangerous to revive, he smashes the phial of pure Lazarus, then hurls a Batarang at Ra's machines, causing them to explode and stop the flow of tainted Lazarus. This enrages Ra's bodyguards, who rush to avenge their master, only to be defeated and incapacitated by Batman. As the last of his loyal followers drops to the ground, Ra's staggers to his feet, but is so weak that he can barely stand. He tries to pick up his sword, but Nyssa arrives, having been watching from the shadows. She quickly knocks his weapon away before staring down at the pitiful, broken figure that was once her father. Standing beside her, Bruce asks how long Ra's has left to live. Nyssa doesn't know, saying it could be hours or maybe a couple of days. Either way, it is over; victory is hers. Nyssa then moves to kill her father, but Batman stops her. Despite choosing not to save Ra's, Batman refuses to let the man's life be taken in cold blood. Instead, Bruce says that he will take Ra's to the authorities and let his life end naturally. Nyssa agrees to this and, as per their agreement, declares the League will withdraw from Gotham. With the matter resolved, Batman takes the dying man to the GCPD Lockup. Ra's is placed into a containment cell, where he will be kept comfortable as nature takes its course. As Bruce is leaving, Ra's calls out and says that he is proud of him. The sequence ends with Nyssa now leader of the League of Assassins and Ra's al Ghul awaiting his inevitable death; gasping in pain inside his cell. |
Whatever outcome chosen, the civil war in Gotham ends, with either the rebels or the loyalists leaving the city after their defeat.
Appearance[]
| “ | Nyssa: Go back to him. Destroy that foul machine. And let the... thing that was once my father finally die. Batman: I'm no killer. Nyssa: He's already dead. He has died a thousand times! And every time, the Lazarus Pit restored him, he came back worse. More hateful, more crazed. I tremble to imagine what he could become if this... Had fallen into his followers' hands. |
„ |
| ~ Nyssa about Ra's al Ghul. |
Ra's al Ghul's original appearance, original eye colour and his look prior to Arkham City are unknown. His eyes are always depicted as a sickly glowing yellow-green.
In Arkham Asylum, due to being inside a body bag, the only part of Ra's visible is the foot his toe tag is attached to. It is visibly aged and lined, streaked with what it presumably blood.
In Arkham City, Ra's al Ghul is a visibly aged but fit man with a long grey blue-grey line beard and hair to match with the latter spiked up in places. He is always dressed in a dark green variation on the typical League of Assassin wear but his feature large bright green glowing highlights to signify his leadership position.
By Arkham Knight, as a result of an imperfect resurrection and continual exposure to contaminated Lazarus Pit water, Ra's appearance has deteriorated rapidly. As summed up perfectly by Alfred and Nyssa, Ra's is little more than a rotting corpse kept alive by his irrational fanatics; visibly rotting and decaying and covered in scars and scratches. The Lazarus Pit mixture is visible as large yellow-green throbbing veins across his body and his hair lies askew and flat.
Personality[]
| “ | You said I could replace you. This was... Our vision. | „ |
| ~ Hugo Strange about why he helped Ra's al Ghul, showing his original more "rational" personality. |
Ra's al Ghul's true personality is hard to decipher due to his growing insanity throughout the series. When it started, Ra's was known to be sane enough to make a deal with Hugo Strange and see his potential. He was also known to love his daughters dearly enough for them to fanatically follow him. Whilst Batman hated Ra's for his murderous methods, he understood they wanted the same thing... At first.
| “ | Batman: He's going to die, Ra's. He needs medical attention NOW! Ra's: Do as you wish, Detective. He is already dead to me. Strange: I'm so close. Just... Give me more time. Ra's: Too late. I don't give second chances. This is a good day, Detective. Batman: GOOD?! People are dying! Ra's: People will not miss them. Why should you? Look at my work. You may have defeated Strange but this... This is just the beginning. Come with me. We will wipe this world clean. Batman: Never. You're wrong, Ra's. You've become what you've fought against, and I will stop you. Ra's: I doubt it. |
„ |
| ~ Ra's ruthless nature |
By the time of Arkham City's opening, due to at least three uses of the Lazarus Pit, Ra's al Ghul's mental state has deteriorated significantly. Although still driven largely by a desire to exterminate crime, it has become far more about punishing and exterminating all criminals worldwide. Although somewhat still courteous to Batman, he has become far more obsessed and callous in making the Dark Knight his successor; taking his own daughter hostage to try and force Batman to kill him. Ra's also develops a completely ruthless streak, killing Hugo Strange on the spot for failing him and being completely unconcerned whether he dies or not.
| “ | Batman: Does Ra's know his daughter fights for the Rebels? Nyssa: The Rebels fight for me and that zombie no longer knows his own name. Or the day of the week. Or that his other daughter died. |
„ |
| ~ Nyssa showing how far Ra's personality had deteriorated |
By the time of Arkham Knight, Ra's al Ghul's personality has largely faded away entirely due to his severely depleted capacity; speaking at most three words at a time and usually just wheezing for air. As Nyssa reveals, his mind is so far gone he cannot even remember her name or that Talia died or who Talia even was. Even if the player choose to save Ra's, he only speaks once and ruthlessly kills Nyssa for her betrayal. In this timeline though, it is very heavily implied his personality will eventually "recover" with time. If the player chooses to let Ra's die, his personality deteriorates to the point of only being able to say three more words but expresses pride in Batman following through on "killing" him.
Powers and Skills[]
- Skills: Aside from his tactical leadership skills, Ra's al Ghul is a master of martial arts, marksmanship, weaponry expertise, swordsmanship, manipulation, intimidation & resource allocation.
- Genius Intellect: Ra's is able to manage an international secret organization that exerted influence in regions throughout the world, often without revealing the League's involvement, even when in plain sight.
- Master Strategist and Tactician: Ra's ensured that the League of Assassins remained a powerful group over hundreds of years. He is also able to orchestrating complex plans that cover decades.
- Reanimation: Exposure to the pure Lazarus formula granted Ra's enhanced strength, mobility and resilience, immortality, self-resurrection & a healing factor.
Weaknesses[]
- Lazarus Overexposure: While Ra's had been able to continue using the Lazarus Pits for 600 years, it has a diminishing return, as its efficacy gradually lessens without an unspoiled source.
- Insanity: Even when effective, the Lazarus accumulates psychological instability that undermines the sincerity of Ra's original goal to save the world, as it became more about punishing people.
Arsenal[]
- Sword: Ra's al Ghul's primary weapon is a large ceremonial sword which he uses to fight Batman as well as kill Hugo Strange and, depending on the player's choice, Nyssa.
- Knife: Ra's used a knife to take Talia hostage to try and make Batman kill him.
Victims[]
| Victims killed by Ra's al Ghul |
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Quotes[]
| “ | Welcome, detective. I am the great Ra's al Ghul. These tests will be prove if you are strong enough to lead my forces. To save this world from the evils destroying it. | „ |
| ~ Ra's al Ghul's first words as Batman began the Demon Trials. |
| “ | Are you the one I have searched for, Detective? The one who will succeed me? | „ |
| ~ Ra's subtly convincing Batman to join him. |
| “ | The Blood of the Demon has allowed me to live for 600 years. Imagine the good you could do with such a gift. | „ |
| ~ Ra's appealing to Batman's morality and logic |
| “ | Ra's al Ghul: Welcome, Detective. It is time for your final challenge... Kill me. Replace me as the Head of the Demon. It is your destiny. Batman; I will never kill. Not even you. Talia: What? You lied to me! Batman: I needed a sample of your father's blood. This was the only way. Ra's al Ghul: Allow me to help you... Use my sword. Take it all. Batman: No. Ra's al Ghul: And that is your final answer? |
„ |
| ~ Ra's al Ghul after being defeated before immersing himself in a Lazarus Pit. |
| “ | Now, only one of us can leave this chamber... alive. | „ |
| ~ Ra's after restoring himself. |
| “ | Talia: What are you doing?! Ra's al Ghul: Listen to me, Detective. And listen well: you will kill me. You will lead the League of Assassins. Because if you do not join us, I will kill the only person you have ever loved. Talia: This wasn't part of the plan! |
„ |
| ~ Ra's revealed his moral decay as he threatened the life of his own daughter to coerce Batman into allegiance |
| “ | I have used the Lazarus Pit too many times. I have lived 600 years. My mind and body cannot take much more. Each time I enter the Pit, I am frightened of what will come out. | „ |
| ~ Ra's confessing his fear over centuries of using the Lazarus Pit |
| “ | I doubt it. | „ |
| ~ Ra's when Batman refused his final offer and his apparent last words. |
Arkham Knight[]
| “ | Detective... Uuuugh... Help me... for Talia... | „ |
| ~ Ra's first words in-game as a Loyalist Assassin coerces Batman's help. |
| “ | Nyssa... daughter... traitor... | „ |
| ~ Ra's moments before killing Nyssa, should the player administer the Lazarus cure. |
| “ | Detective...? Proud... of you... | „ |
| ~ Ra's last words to Batman, if denied the cure and sent to GCPD |
Trivia[]
- The way Batman carries Ra's to the G.C.P.D. in Arkham Knight is reminiscent to Batman carrying the deceased Joker in Arkham City.
- If taken to GCPD in Knight, Ra's tells Batman that he's proud of him; even indirect, Batman still took a life to save Gotham from the League's civil war. The fact Batman was willing to let him die and not save him was admirable to Ra's; the willingness to expend one life for the sake of many is what Ra's himself believes in.
- It is revealed in Batman: Arkham Origins that Ra's al Ghul was the true leader behind Lady Shiva, where extortion tapes reveal that she persuaded Quincy Sharp to reopen Arkham Asylum. If this is true, this means that Ra's is both directly and indirectly responsible for most of the events of the franchise as he was also the mastermind behind the Arkham City facility since:
- It led to the events of the first game in which the Joker staged a breakout.
- Other than that he was the man behind Hugo Strange's Protocol 10, the events of the first game also led to Arkham City's opening thanks to Ivy's vines destroying majority of the Asylum and that the Joker's breakout finally ended when he injected TITAN in himself, resulting him to slowly die and poison Batman to find a cure for him.
- The Joker's eventual death led to Scarecrow, who wants revenge against Batman for failing to stop Killer Croc from maiming him during the Arkham Asylum breakout, uniting most of the criminal underworld for one goal; to destroy the legend of the Batman.
- It is unclear which player choice was the canon one, as Ra's al Ghul isn't noted as incarcerated, deceased, or at large in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
External Links[]
- Ra's al Ghul on the Arkham Wiki
- Ra's al Ghul on the DC Comics Database
