|
| “ | Welcome, detective. I am the great Ra's al Ghul. | „ |
| ~ Ra's al Ghul |
| “ | Detective...? Proud... of you... | „ |
| ~ Ra's last words to Batman, if denied the cure and sent to GCPD |
| “ | Nyssa... daughter... traitor... | „ |
| ~ Ra's moments before killing Nyssa, should the player administer the Lazarus cure. |
Ra's al Ghul is the overarching antagonist of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham franchise, which is based on the DC Comics superhero Batman.
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 was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who also played 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.
History[]
Ra's 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.
Present Day[]
Around 100 years before the events of the games, 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.
He 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.
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 who already knew about it. 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. He then sends Lady Shiva to convince Quincy Sharp to reopen Gotham City Mental Hospital so he and Strange can use him as a pawn for their plans.
Arkham Asylum[]
Ra's al Ghul appears very briefly in the video game Batman: Arkham Asylum. When Batman goes to the Arkham morgue to solve one of the Riddler's riddles, Ra's' dead body is seen. But if you return later, his body has disappeared, having been presumably reclaimed by his followers.
Arkham City and Death[]
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. While Mr. Freeze was saved by Batman from Penguin in the Iceberg Lounge, told Batman that an enzyme is required for completing the cure, a female assassin got free and escaped. Batman understood that she was from Talia al Ghul's personal guards, and tracked her using her splitting blood, and, later, by placing a beacon on her. After Talia found Batman, he, being on the verge of death, agreed to join the League of Assassins, and to undergo Demon Trials. Although doubting, because only one man succeed, Talia allowed him to do that.
While passing Demon Trials, Batman faced Ra's. The latter proposed that Batman will kill him, and be his successor. Batman disagreed and they fought, and after a lengthy battle Ra's was defeated. Though Ra's tried to convince Batman by taking his own daughter as a hostage, Batman defeat him and freed Talia, also gaining his blood for cure, confronting him he demanded answers, Ra's confessed he had used the pits to much, and feared there effects if he continued. Batman told Ra's the pits had damaged his mind and he and he had become the very evil he had fought. It is later revealed that Ra's was the person Strange was working for and is the one that gave him the resources to create Arkham City and take control of Mayor Quincy Sharp. He agreed with and was impressed with Strange's plot to gather the worst of Gotham in one area and have them all killed. However following Strange's failure at the hands of Batman he betrayed and fatally wounded Strange, telling him all he had accomplished was proving that Batman was better than him.
With his last breath, Strange activated 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 however impaled 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 later to the same spot, Ra's body is gone, implying that his followers have taken him away to revive him again.
Arkham Knight[]
Ra's in Arkham Knight, severely weakened
In Arkham Knight, it was revealed that a civil war had broken out amongst the league. On one side, where the loyalists who remained devoted to Ra's. On the other side, were those whose loyalty had shifted to his surviving daughter Nyssa, who said that Ra's must never be revived.
The loyalists were revealed to have brought Ra's to Elliot Memorial Hospital because of a long forgotten Lazarus Pit. When Batman arrives there, having followed the blood trail of an injured loyalist, he found Ra's al Ghul. The Head of the Demon was 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 was a constant stream of Lazarus, which the mechanisms from his chair continuously pumped into his body.
Batman was then approached by Ra's loyalists, who told him that their enemies had found another Lazarus Pit under Gotham City. They told him, that unlike their pit, this ones energy was pure and one injection would be enough to restore Ra's back to full health. Batman understandably, refused to help them at first, but the loyalists forced his hand. They made it very clear that if Batman did not do as they instructed, they would unleash a bloodbath upon the innocent citizens of Gotham in retaliation for their master's demise. Left with no choice, Batman complied.
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 returned to the Elliot Memorial Hospital. As he made his way to the lower levels, Batman remained a conflicted man. On the one hand, he knew that reviving Ra's al Ghul was the wrong thing to do. If restored to full health as the Head of the Demons, Ra's would inevitably unleash a blood bath upon innocent civilians and countless numbers of people would 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 pointed out, it could technically be argued that Ra's was already dead and that he was only being kept alive through artificial means. Therefore, it could be argued that Batman wouldn't technically be killing him, just letting nature take its course.
Eventually, Batman reached the lower levels of the hospital and stood before Ra's machine once more. Ultimately, what happens to Ra's and the League of Shadows depends upon the players choice:-
- If the player chooses to save Ra's. Batman will reluctantly administer the cure, causing Ra's strength and power to return slowly. As the chemical starts to do its work, Nyssa and a group of rebel assassins appear. Having known that they could not trust Batman, they attempt to kill Ra's before he recovers to much of his strength. 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, former and present leader of the League. Nyssa dies shortly afterwards, refusing to take any remaining Lazarus like her father. With her dying breath, the young woman noted that he was a fool for letting someone like her father return, knowing what he would do. Batman left the hospital afterwards and despite Alfred's reassurances that an assassin civil war had been prevented, it was clear that he still didn't know if he had done the right thing. Ra's did not return afterwards, as despite his revival, his battered body still needed time to recover.
- Alternatively, the player can choose not administer the cure. In this situation, Batman won over by Nyssa and Alfred's words, smashes the phial of pure Lazarus, then hurls a Bataraang at Ra's machines, causing them to explode and stop the flow of Lazarus. This act understandably enrage's Ra's bodyguards, who rush to avenge their master, only to be defeated and incapacitated by Batman. As the last of his loyal followers falls, Ra's rises from his chair, 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 and quickly quicks the weapon away, before staring down at the pitiful, broken figure that had once been her father. Standing next to her, Bruce asks how long Ra's has left to live. Nyssa admits she doesn't know, it could be hours or maybe a couple of days. Either way though it's over; victory is hers and Ra's al Ghul is no more. Nyssa then moves to kill her father, but Batman stops her. Despite choosing not to save Ra's, Batman refuses to let the mans 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 frail, dying man to the GCPD Lockup. Ra's is placed in a containment cell, where he can quietly live out the rest of his life. As Bruce starts to leave, Ra's calls out to him and tells the detective 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.
Whatever outcome chosen, the civil war in Gotham ends, with either the rebels or the loyalists leaving the city after their defeat.
Powers and Skills[]
- Skills: Aside from his tactical leadership skills, he is a master of martial arts, marksmanship, weaponry expertise, swordsmanship, manipulation, intimidation & resource allocation.
- Genius Intellect: He was 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: He 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 him enhanced strength, mobility and resilience, immortality, self-resurrection & a healing factor.
- While he had been able to continue using the Lazarus Pits for 600 years, it had a diminishing return, as its efficacy gradually lessens without an unspoiled source. Even when effective, it accumulated psychological instability that undermined the sincerity of his original goal to save the world, as it became more about punishing people.
Victims[]
| Victims killed by Ra's al Ghul |
|---|
|
Quotes[]
| “ | 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 attempting to indoctrinate Batman when he has to take the Demon Trials to stave off TITAN-poisoning |
| “ | 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. |
„ |
| ~ Batman's deception of joining the League of Assassins is revealed, as Ra's attempts to convince him again, before challenging him to battle. |
| “ | [Ra's takes Talia hostage with a knife to her throat] Talia: What are you doing?! |
„ |
| ~ 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 |
| “ | Indeed. You have clearly demonstrated that Batman is better than you. Let him die, Detective. | „ |
| ~ Ra's deriding Hugo Strange for his failure, then telling Batman to not save Strange from his wounds. |
| “ | When you came to me with Batman's identity, I gave you the chance to prove your worth, providing you with limitless resources for your plan. You came close, but you have failed me. | „ |
| ~ Ra's recounting what he offered to Hugo Strange and condemning him for being unable to succeed despite so much aid. |
| “ | Batman: He's going to die, Ra's. He needs medical attention NOW! Ra's al Ghul: Do as you wish, Detective. He is already dead to me. |
„ |
| ~ Batman reasoning for help for Strange, but Ra's responded with indifference about his failed minion. |
| “ | Ra's al Ghul: This is a good day, Detective. Batman: Good? People are dying! |
„ |
| ~ Ra's once again attempting to convert Batman by advocating the "success" of Protocol 10, only to face rejection and criticism that he fails to acknowledge. |
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.
