| Overview |
- "When I found you in that jail, you were lost. But I believed in you. I took away your fear, and I showed you a path. You were my greatest student. It should be you standing by my side, saving the world."
- ―Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
Ra's al Ghul was the title of the mentor and trainer to Bruce Wayne under the name Henri Ducard and recruited him into the League of Shadows to destroy Gotham City. Bruce defied the organization, dismantled his allies in the Gotham Underworld, and put a stop to Ra's himself. Ra's was the father of Bruce's later romantic interest and foe, Talia. He was portrayed by Liam Neeson in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises as an older man, and by Josh Pence as a younger man in The Dark Knight Rises.
Biography
Origin and early life
Ra's as a young mercenary
In his youthful days, Ra's al Ghul was a skilled mercenary who worked for a powerful warlord. He fell in love with the Warlord's Daughter. She conceived a child with him and they secretly married. Out of a sense of dishonor, the warlord had the mercenary condemned to The Pit, but exiled him instead. The warlord had his daughter take her husband's place in the prison. The mercenary then joined the League of Shadows and rose through the ranks relatively quickly. In the Pit, Ra's' wife gave birth to a daughter that she named Talia, who spent the early years of her life locked up with her mother. One day, the prison doctor forgot to lock the door to their cell and the other inmates eventually attacked and murdered Ra's' wife.
With the assistance of a prisoner known as Bane, Talia later escaped from the prison, although Bane was beaten within an inch of his life while he defended her. Talia found her father and brought him back to the Pit to enact vengeance. There, he rescued Bane, who became mutilated. The League of Shadows trained Talia and Bane, but due to the constant reminder of the fate that his wife had suffered, Ra's exiled Bane. It was for that reason that caused Talia to have resentment towards her father until his death.
Batman Begins
Mentoring Bruce Wayne
- "If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal and if they can't stop you, then you become something else entirely. A legend, Mr. Wayne, a legend."
- ―Ra's Al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
Ra's al Ghul in Batman: Begins
Ra's found Bruce Wayne in a Bhutanese prison, where he presented himself simply as Henri Ducard, an associate of Ra's al Ghul, and offered him a "path." After Bruce was freed, he climbed to the monastery home of the League of Shadows, where Ducard waited with Ra's and a band of mercenaries. When asked if he was ready to begin, Bruce replied that he could barely stand. As a test, Ducard attacked Bruce and explained that death would not wait for him to be ready. After he defeated Bruce, Ducard asked him what he feared.
- "To manipulate the fears of others, you must first master your own. Are you ready to begin?"
- ―Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
After Bruce recovered, Ducard began to train him in every aspect of Ninjutsu. Ducard was a very skilled warrior and a stern teacher. Throughout his training, Bruce was unable to best Ducard, but came extremely close during a sword battle, that was fought upon a frozen glacial lake. However, Bruce forgot to take full notice of his surroundings and Ducard broke the ice beneath him for the victory. While Bruce recovered from the cold water while he sat with Ducard around a fire, Ducard explained that his wife's death had taught him that there were those in the world that must be mercilessly fought and that vengeance was his release. Ducard was unable to understand why Bruce couldn't avenge the deaths of his parents.
At the end of his training, Ducard forced Bruce to face him while he was slightly drugged. Ducard hid among several of the men while Bruce attempted to locate him. He leaped out at Bruce from his hiding place and managed to wound Bruce slightly on his arm. Bruce, however, gave an identical injury to two of the other ninja, and tricked Ducard into capturing the wrong person. Bruce revealed the trick and defeated his mentor.
- "Ra's al Ghul rescued us from the darkest corners of our own hearts. What he asks in return is the courage to do what is necessary."
- ―Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
As a final test, Ducard handed Bruce a sword and ordered him to kill a man who was accused of murder, but Bruce refused. Bruce believed that he could not fight evil with evil methods."Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share," Ducard told Bruce. Bruce told him that it was necessary to separate him from his enemies. Ra's explained that Bruce must do what was necessary to fight evil and revealed that they had trained him with the intention of him leading the League on a mission to destroy Gotham, which they believed became a breeding ground for suffering and injustice. Bruce subsequently knocked Ducard unconscious and set the League's fortress aflame. He engaged Ra's in a sword fight and left the man that he believed to be Ra's for dead as part of the floor above fell upon him. Ducard was then rescued by his pupil as the fortress collapsed and was then left unconscious in the mountain village by Bruce.
Attack on Gotham
- "No one can save Gotham. When a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable and natural. Tomorrow, the world will watch in horror as its greatest city destroys itself. The movement back to harmony will be unstoppable this time."
- ―Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
Ra's and Bruce's confrontation at Wayne Manor
Months later, Ducard unexpectedly reappeared at Wayne Manor, and revealed that he was Ra's, and not the man who Bruce had left for dead at their headquarters. Bruce told him that he saved his life and Ra's said, "I warned you about compassion, Bruce." In the ensuing confrontation, Ra's elaborated on the League of Shadows' exploits throughout history. Ra's explained the League's plans to use Fear Toxin that was invented by their partner, Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow) to infect the city with, and watch it destroy itself in a state of panic. Ra's said that the League had attempted to use economics as a means of destruction in their previous attack on Gotham, which created the Gotham Depression and led the murder of Bruce's parents when Joe Chill attempted to mug them after the loss of his job. Their deaths subsequently prompted the industries to band together and save the city. He explained that the destruction of Gotham was merely another mission by the League to correct humanity's recurring fits of decadence. Ra's then had his henchmen burn down the manor as a falling log knocked Bruce unconscious. Ra's stated that, "Justice is balance. You burned my house and left me for dead. Consider us even." Ra's left the manor and boarded a waiting SWAT vehicle that contained the Wayne Enterprises stolen Microwave Emitter.
- "If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them, and stab them in the heart."
- ―Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
With the aid of Alfred, Bruce survived the fire, and confronted Ra's as Batman. Ra's commented that Batman took his advice of using "theatricality" too literally before he escaped and continued with his plans. Batman caught up with him again, and the teacher and student had one final battle on a runaway train that contained the Microwave Emitter. Ra's dominated Batman in physical combat, kicked him off his feet, and attempted to strangle him, but his arrogance was ultimately his downfall after Batman revealed that he had no intention of stopping the train and pushed Ra's over, and pinned him down. Sgt. James Gordon assisted Batman in taking out the steel support system that held up the train track using the Tumbler; and Batman told Ra's that he had failed to be mindful of his own surroundings. Mirroring Ra's' own philosophy of compassion being a weakness, Batman refused to kill Ra's but also refused to save him, and left him to die in the following crash. Ra's meditated before he died as the train ran out of track and fell moments later into a parking garage and the Microwave Emitter that the train contained, exploded.
Aftermath
Following Ra's demise, the League of Shadows, though greatly diminished and defeated, continued on. As heir apparent, Talia learned of the events that transpired surrounding her father's fate and swore to honor him by continuing his mission of ridding the world of Gotham City. Bane's exile was rescinded and he became the strategist and field commander of the League's ground forces, while Talia began to operate behind the scenes under the guise of businesswoman, Miranda Tate.
The Dark Knight Rises
- "You yourself fought the decadence of Gotham for years, with all your strength, all your resources, all your moral authority. And the only victory you could achieve was a lie. Now you understand. Gotham is beyond saving. And must be allowed to die."
- ―Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne[src]
Bruce Wayne hallucinates his old mentor, Ra's al Ghul.
While Bruce recovered in the Pit, he hallucinated his old mentor and foe, Ra's as he tried to make sense of what he had been told and what brought him to that point in his life. Ra's expressed his disappointment that Bruce had doubted that he would return, and he claimed to be immortal through another method - one that produced an heir. Bruce deduced that Ra's was the mercenary whose wife was taken from him, and who had fathered the only child that escaped from the Pit. But Bruce mistook the child that' the hallucination of Ra's was referring to as Bane.
Personality
Unlike his comic book counterpart, Ra's al Ghul was just an ordinary man at the head of a sect he claimed was centuries old. He claimed to be immortal to Batman, using binary individuals and doubles. He was an ardent and fiercely devoted member of the League of Shadows, firmly convinced that his aim of fighting humanity before it overdeveloped was justified. He believed in doing whatever was necessary to eradicate evil from the world and restore what he called balance.
Ra's had a deep and irredeemable contempt for criminals, convinced that they deserved to face real justice whatever their status as human beings; he considered them parasites on society, beyond society's comprehension. Despite this, Ra's didn't consider his own actions and ideals to be harmful, but rather necessary. He was a very bitter man inside, and famously excommunicated Bane from the League of Shadows in view of the way he had abandoned his own wife. When talking about his wife, Ra's became curiously sentimental, content to say that she had been taken from him.
The leader of the League of Shadows had no qualms about taking another person's life if he felt their existence contradicted his beliefs; nor did he have any qualms about having a man executed as punishment for his crimes, without due trial. Ra's was also an educated, calm and sophisticated man, who dressed eccentrically and used a broad, intelligent vocabulary. Endowed with an easygoing and wise charisma for such a common man, Ra's proved to be a skilled orator and was a tireless motivator for those he took under his wing, including Bruce Wayne. As a mentor, Ra's was direct, uncompromising and totally open about his methods. When training Bruce in battle, he never allowed him to concede defeat, and instilled in him the ideals of the League of Shadows.
As Bruce got to know Ra's al Ghul, and even after his death, he gradually discovered just how dangerous the man was. Indeed, despite his appearance as a cultured man, he was an unrivalled League of Shadows fanatic, so devoted to his principles that he didn't hesitate to jeopardize his own relationships. He was confident enough to openly admit that the League was responsible for the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents, calling them mere obstacles to his people's ambitions. He also showed anger and occasional frustration when Bruce opposed him, but ultimately seemed rather amused by the way his protégé took his teachings on theater and deception literally.
Abilities
- Peak Human Physical Condition: Due to his longevity combined with numerous years as a former soldier and the League of Shadows leader, Ra's al Ghul was a highly skilled individual and had peak human physicality for a man of his age. In particular, he was able to keep his balance when fighting Bruce Wayne on the frozen lake, and was also able to injure Batman despite his armored suit.
- Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant/Martial Artist: Ra's was a remarkable hand-to-hand combatant as well as an accomplished martial artist. Since he was the one who trained Batman to fight, he was able to get the better of him during their final confrontation. His fighting style was varied and seemed to include Keysi, Jujitsu, Panther Kung Fu, Tiger Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jujitsu, Krav Maga and Boxing.
- Master Swordsman: He was an outstanding swordsman, employing mainly Japanese Kenjutsu in his duels. He trained Bruce Wayne in swordfighting and used this skill to fend off the vigilante in their battles.
- Master Tactician/Leader: Ra's was aware of his environment during a fight, and used it to his advantage when it looked like he was going to lose. He was also a good planner, having devised a scheme to destroy Gotham City, using the Scarecrow, Carmine Falcone and Wayne Tech to complete his mission. He also was a great leader, as he had led the League of Shadows during numerous years.
- Master of deception/manipulator: Ra's has skilfully used his appearance as an ordinary man to make many people believe he was Henri Ducard, and has even passed off a decoy as the leader of the League of Shadows. He even managed to manipulate Bruce into joining the League without him knowing that the cult was planning to attack Gotham City until they revealed their plans to him.
- Stealth: As leader of the League of Shadows, Ra's mastered stealth tactics. He was able to sneak around undetected and later taught these tactics to Batman.
Weakness
- Arrogance: Ra's was a talented man, but prone to arrogance, which allows Bruce Wayne to defeat him.
Equipment
- League of Shadows Armor: Ra's wore standard League of Shadows armor when training Bruce. All League of Shadows armors feature gauntlets with scalloped blades on the forearms to block and trap the opponent's weapon. During his fight in Gotham, Ra's used this gas mask to protect himself from the Fear Toxin during his attack on Gotham.
- Ninjato Sword: Ra's used this sword to train Bruce to join the League of Shadows.
- Cane Sword: Ra's used this cane sword when he met Bruce at his party and during their final fight.
In Other Media
The Shadow of Ra's al Ghul
Ra's final fight from Batman Begins appeared in the motion comic, The Shadow of Ra's al Ghul, that was written by Dennis O'Neil. Following the events of the film, Batman encountered agents of Ra's who targeted and undermined the Wayne Foundation Charity and Batman investigated whether or not Ra's survived the train crash.
The Dark Knight Novelization
Ra's was mentioned in Dennis O'Neil's Novelization
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Ra's "Legend" quote was satirized in LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. "If you make yourself more than just a man, you become...a Super-man...no, that's not right...a legend! Yes, a legend."
Behind the scenes
- Guy Pearce was in consideration along with Liam Neeson for the role of Ra's al Ghul, but Christopher Nolan ultimately decided that an older character was more appropriate for the role. Co-writer David Goyer explained the casting direction in a Batman Begins: The Screenplay interview as coming down to the character having a paternal relationship rather than a fraternal one with Bruce Wayne. Viggo Mortensen was also a consideration for the villain role (believed to be Ra's al Ghul) according to Michael Caine during Pre-Production.
- Christopher Nolan explained that it was David Goyer who suggested the villains for Batman Begins. Nolan said that he wasn't familiar with Ra's al Ghul, but after doing his research, said that he that liked Ra's as a style of villain similar to a villain in the James Bond universe in a Batman Begins: The Screenplay Interview. Goyer said that it was Nolan's idea that Ducard should exist in the film, and that the mentor and villain be the same person.
- Christopher Nolan said that it was "very important" for Scarecrow to seem like a central threat or main villain before the third act reveal of Bruce's first act mentor figure as the super-villain threat in a Batman Begins: The Screenplay Interview.
- In trailers and promotional material for Batman Begins, Liam Neeson was always credited as Henri Ducard and Ken Watanabe as Ra's al Ghul, and lead viewers to believe that Ducard, as in the comics, was to serve as a mentor figure to Bruce Wayne in the film's early scenes. According to Nolan, since Neeson is commonly cast as a mentor figure, the realization that Neeson was the film's main villain was intended to shock viewers.
- Liam Neeson said of his Batman Begins character incarnation, "Well, I think he's quite a mysterious sort of guy. I think he's a citizen of many cultures. I think, even though it doesn't come out in the film, I think he's as rich as Bruce Wayne, and has access to enormous, enormous funds of money. And he's like Bruce Wayne. He wants to defeat evil and corruption in the world. And has developed a way of doing that, without revealing too much."
- Neeson said that he was only on set for "maybe an hour and a half" when he shot his cameo in The Dark Knight Rises, and that Christopher Nolan did not tell him of any plot details.
- The Hollywood Reporter stated that scenes with the young Ra's al Ghul were to take place 30 years before the present story in The Dark Knight Rises. His scenes in the film encapsulated a significantly long period of time that spanned many years.
- Liam Neeson stated he would be willing to reprise the role upon the television show Arrow "In a heartbeat" before Australian actor Matt Nable was cast.
- Wanting to surprise fans with the twist of Neeson being the real Ra’s al Ghul, Christopher Nolan elected to cast well known veteran actor Ken Watanabe as the decoy version at the mountain temple. Watanabe's character shares many similarities with Sensei who commands Brotherhood of hte Demmon at different times.
Trivia
- Ra's al Ghul had a major impact on the plot of the Nolan film trilogy, both as Bruce Wayne's mentor and as a villain. Ra's taught Bruce the means that he used to fight injustice as Batman, means that Ra's had intended to use him to destroy Gotham. The emergence of Batman in Gotham then led to the emergence of the Joker. Bruce Wayne's final test as Batman was to stop Ra's' daughter, Talia, and Bane from finishing Ra's work of destroying Gotham.
- Liam Neeson was not credited as Ra's al Ghul in the ending credits of Batman Begins. Instead, he was referred to by his alias Ducard and the part of Ra's al Ghul was attributed to Ken Watanabe, who portrayed Ra's decoy. Neeson was credited as Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises.
- Though Ra's was not seen or mentioned in The Dark Knight, Bruce quoted him by saying that criminals were not complicated.
- Liam Neeson also stars as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. In this particular movie, Jinn is seen to be meditating when separated from his opponent, as he does when Batman leaves him to die during the train crash. He is also killed at the climax.
- Liam Neeson and Josh Pence had previously appeared together in the film, Battleship.
- In the video game of Batman Begins, Ra's al Ghul did not wear his ninja costume in the final battle as in the movie, but always wore a suit.