Batman's Most Empathetic Villain is Also His Most Dangerous Opponent,Batman's Rogues' Gallery is filled with tragedy, but one of his most dangerous villains is defined by his radical levels of empathy.
Batman’s Most Empathetic Villain is Also His Most Dangerous Opponent
The following article contains spoilers from Batman: One Bad Day – Ra's al Ghul #1, on sale now from DC Comics.
Part of what makes Ra's al Ghul one of the unique villains Batman has been his motivation. He wants nothing more than for humanity to stop destroying the world they live in, and this pushes him to take drastic actions to see it happen, often bringing him into conflict with the Dark Knight. However, Batman: One Bad Day – Ra's al Ghul #1 (by Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Brad Anderson, and Wes Abbott) makes it clear that Ra's is not motivated by cruelty or even the need for revenge against those humans who destroy the global ecosystem. It is spurred on by compassion and empathy for the world around him.
CBR VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
It arguably makes him Batman's most dangerous villain because it gives him a goal worth fighting for. Unlike Batman's other enemies, this isn't some obsession or desire to inflict harm that causes him to keep resurfacing. He has a genuinely worthwhile mission that he has sworn to fulfill. Much like Batman, he will never give up until the world is heading towards a better future, one that has a balance between humanity and the world they are lucky enough to inhabit.
Ra's al Ghul Killed Thousands to Stop Extinction
The inciting incident of the story was the death of Ra's pet wolf, Najia, from old age. It may sound petty that Ra's killed hundreds of people because his dog died, but it was the greater context behind Najia's death that explained his actions. Najia was the last of a species of wolf that had thrived when Ra's was young. So to Ra's, he wasn't just losing a close companion that he had rescued from abusive poachers. He was witnessing the extinction of a species, one of the countless other tragedies that have been caused by human greed.
This is what carried him throughout the entire story. Ra's wasn't fighting to punish greedy businessmen and aristocrats, he was doing everything in his power to limit the damage the human population would do to the planet. It is the same mission that he passed on to his daughter Talia. He was trying to prevent more extinctions. It is a task he believes he has failed at for far too long. In this issue alone he cited ecosystems that have been ruined and entire species that have gone extinct thanks to human pollution and poaching. To him, these were unacceptable losses, and it was time someone tried to force a balance between mankind and the planet.
Ra's al Ghul is a Complex and Noble Batman Adversary
Ra's al Ghul is many things: a murderer, a political schemer, and overall a dangerous man, but one thing he has never lacked is empathy. He feels deeply for the world around him and is terrified that future generations will never get to experience the wonders that he has seen over the course of his long life. Wonders that have slowly died out as humans have given in to the temptation of excess.
It's why he keeps coming back no matter what. His goal is a good one, even if the methods aren't clean. Ra's has killed thousands to get rid of the thirty people he deemed most responsible for damaging the planet, and in his mind, it was worth it because it meant that the world would be left in better hands. Considering everything he has seen wiped out by his fellow man, it is hard not to sympathize with his motivation. At the very least, one can understand him. Ra's al Ghul isn't dangerous because he doesn't care for the future of humanity, he's dangerous because he cares too much. That can push anyone to do terrible things if they believe it is in the best interest of everyone.
Related News & Content
-
How Aussie was swindled out of nearly $300,000 in sophisticated romance scam
How Aussie was swindled out of nearly $300,000 in sophisticated romance scam,Queensland man Paul Reed has been swindled out of hundreds of thousands of dollars after he was targeted in... -
AskST: What should I do if I lose my passport or phone while on holiday?
AskST: What should I do if I lose my passport or phone while on holiday?,Actions include making a report at a local police station and wiping out a phone’s memory via apps. Read more at straitstimes.com. -
France’s Justine Triet becomes third female director to win Cannes’ top prize
France’s Justine Triet becomes third female director to win Cannes’ top prize,Triet won the prize over veteran directors like Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ken Loach and Wim Wenders. Read more at straitstimes.com. -
Dandadan Mangaka Accidentally Deleted a Chapter’s Final Pages
Dandadan Mangaka Accidentally Deleted a Chapter's Final Pages,The popular new manga Dandadan nearly lost the final pages of one of its chapters after the author accidentally made a tech mishap. -
A career door to develop everything from drugs and cosmetics to paint
A career door to develop everything from drugs and cosmetics to paint,Pharmaceutical scientists: The people who ensure your medications, cosmetics, and even your paints, are up to scratch -
Malaysian Tengku Irfan, 25, is youngest player in Singapore International Piano Festival line-up
Malaysian Tengku Irfan, 25, is youngest player in Singapore International Piano Festival line-up,Other performers include Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Nelson Goerner and Jonathan Biss. Read more at straitstimes.com. -
CCTV released to aid investigation in weeks-long search for missing Tasmania teen
CCTV released to aid investigation in weeks-long search for missing Tasmania teen,The drivers of three cars are urged to come forward as the search for a missing girl in Tasmania nears a mo... -
Jury discharged in trial of Bassam Hamzy, accused of running Supermax drug ring
Jury discharged in trial of Bassam Hamzy, accused of running Supermax drug ring,The jurors were unable to reach a verdict on any of the three charges after deliberating for 35 hours. The case will return to court next week. -
Shadow and Bone Gets a Tentatively Hopeful Season 3 Update
Shadow and Bone Gets a Tentatively Hopeful Season 3 Update,Shadow and Bone casting director Sophie Holland offers a tentative, but hopeful, update on a possible third season for the Netflix series. -
Zack Snyder Confirms Batman and Lois Lane Got Together in Original Justice League Script
Zack Snyder Confirms Batman and Lois Lane Got Together in Original Justice League Script,With the ending of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice featuring the death of Superman, this provided a number of narrative complications for Zack Snyder's Justice League, especially in regards to how the figures closest to the Man of Steel coped with his death. Snyder himself recently recalled [...] -
You Might Need To Be Bruce Wayne To Afford New THE BATMAN Premium Format Figure From Sideshow — GeekTyrant
You Might Need To Be Bruce Wayne To Afford New THE BATMAN Premium Format Figure From Sideshow — GeekTyrant,Sideshow’s DC Comics Collection of premium format figures has added Batman as seen in The Batman (2022) to its lineup. Measuring at 19’’ tall and 22’’ wide, the figure is inspired by the emotional end scene as Batman and Catwoman prepare to part ways, the figure shows a pensive Batman astride hi -
Wrath Of Becky Sets Up Becky 3, And The Directors Have Lots Of Ideas [SXSW] – /Film
Wrath Of Becky Sets Up Becky 3, And The Directors Have Lots Of Ideas [SXSW] - /Film,Lulu Wilson is down to make a third Becky movie, especially if she gets to fight pirates. -
World’s Finest Fan Q&A: Chip Zdarsky – Batman
World's Finest Fan Q&A: Chip Zdarsky - Batman,Chip Zdarsky answers fans' questions about his Batman series and what the future has in store for the Dark Knight. -
Willem Dafoe Opens Up About Joker Pitch that Never Materialized
Willem Dafoe Opens Up About Joker Pitch that Never Materialized,Willem Dafoe may have been associated with the Green Goblin character for over 20 years now, but the Marvel actor has also been on the fans' radar when it comes to potential Joker actors. Of course, the actor's menacing presence easily makes him a prime candidate for the part and it's somehow baffling that DC never considered him to play the iconic antagonist. -
Why Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's Relationship Deserves a Spotlight in James Gunn's DC Universe
Why Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy's Relationship Deserves a Spotlight in James Gunn's DC Universe,Joker who? -
Why can’t Batman shows just be normal?
Why can’t Batman shows just be normal?,Somehow, across many shows — Birds of Prey, Gotham, Batwoman, Titans, Pennyworth — it became normal to have Batman shows without Batman, and it’s very odd. This one follows Turner Hayes, a new character. -
Why can’t Batman shows just be normal?
Why can’t Batman shows just be normal?,Somehow, across many shows — Birds of Prey, Gotham, Batwoman, Titans, Pennyworth — it became normal to have Batman shows without Batman, and it’s very odd. This one follows Turner Hayes, a new character. -
Why Batman Giving Away His Fortune Wouldn’t Actually Save Gotham
Why Batman Giving Away His Fortune Wouldn’t Actually Save Gotham,Detective Comics writer Ram V questions the notion that Bruce Wayne's money would solve Gotham's problems, drawing parallels with the real world. -
Who is the best Joker ever? We rank all the actors who have played Batman’s No. 1 enemy
Who is the best Joker ever? We rank all the actors who have played Batman's No. 1 enemy,The Joker remains one of the most iconic Batman villains in popular culture, and actors like Heath Ledger and Mark Hamill are among those who played him best. -
Who is the best Bruce Wayne on the big screen?
Who is the best Bruce Wayne on the big screen?,Who is the best movie Batman? Fans debate the best Dark Knight all the time, but it’s only half of the question. Batman couldn’t exist without Bruce Wayne, and every actor who has donned the cowl has also played an orphaned billionaire playboy. Which actor was the best Bruce Wayne? -
What's on TV this week—The Oscars, The Last Of Us finale, Ted Lasso
What's on TV this week—The Oscars, The Last Of Us finale, Ted Lasso,Plus, an elegant British spy thriller, the return of a Netflix fantasy drama, and more -
What's on TV this week—The Oscars, The Last Of Us finale, Ted Lasso
What's on TV this week—The Oscars, The Last Of Us finale, Ted Lasso,Plus, an elegant British spy thriller, the return of a Netflix fantasy drama, and more -
What’s on SYFY this week? ‘Batman,’ rewind with ‘Warehouse 13,’ ‘John Wick’ trilogy & more
What’s on SYFY this week? ‘Batman,’ rewind with ‘Warehouse 13,’ ‘John Wick’ trilogy & more,Looking for superheroes? Want to hang out with everyone’s favorite puppy owner John Wick? Looking to rediscover some magical artifacts? We’ve got you covered this week on SYFY. SYFY is bringing all the classic Batman action with a lengthy marathon through the early glory (and disaster) days of the Dark Knight franchise, and also has some street racing action on the docket with a mini-marathon through some of the best installments in the Fast & Furious series. -
What’s Your Favorite Way to Reuse a Little Plastic Pizza Table?
What's Your Favorite Way to Reuse a Little Plastic Pizza Table?,The official name is “pizza box support,” but that’s not as fun as “tiny pizza table.” -
What’s on SYFY this week? Jaws-ly 4th marathon, ‘Quantum Leap’ finale, the (new) ‘Thing’ & more
What's on SYFY this week? Jaws-ly 4th marathon, 'Quantum Leap' finale, the (new) 'Thing' & more,It’s Independence Day, and to celebrate SYFY has some classic summer movie marathons rolling out all week — along with the end of the original Quantum Leap series (while we wait for the new one this fall!) as part of SYFY Rewind. -
What’s going to happen in the final season of Titans?
What's going to happen in the final season of Titans?,HBO Max's superhero series, Titans, is about to premiere its final episodes, and there are a lot of things that can happen to the show's titular heroes. -
What movies are coming out in UK cinema in June 2023?
What movies are coming out in UK cinema in June 2023?,From Indiana Jones 5 to The Flash, Transformers, and Spider-Man - a number of huge films are coming out in June. -
What movie villain are you based on your zodiac sign?
What movie villain are you based on your zodiac sign?,Bad to the bone and made for the screen, give me a complicated villain over a one note hero any old day. -
Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright Worried That He’d Get Bored With Playing Bernard – /Film
Westworld's Jeffrey Wright Worried That He'd Get Bored With Playing Bernard - /Film,'I thought it might be uninteresting to return to the same character continually, year after year, but what I've found with our show is the opposite.' -
We’re Giving Away A Few John Wick Steelbook Box Sets – Here’s How You Can Win – /Film
We're Giving Away A Few John Wick Steelbook Box Sets – Here's How You Can Win - /Film,Yeah, I'm thinking you'll want to enter this contest. -
We Have Our First Look at Colin Farrell in THE PENGUIN Series
We Have Our First Look at Colin Farrell in THE PENGUIN Series,It won't release until 2024, but Max has shared an in-production teaser for The Penguin, Colin Farrell's spinoff to Matt Reeves' The Batman. -
Was Batman Forced to Quit Teaming Up With Paris Hilton’s Great-Grandfather in the 60s?
Was Batman Forced to Quit Teaming Up With Paris Hilton's Great-Grandfather in the 60s?,In the latest Comic Book Legends Revealed, learn whether Batman was forced to stop teaming up with Conrad Hilton in his 1960s comic strip -
Warner Bros Discovery to tap popular movie franchises, posts loss
Warner Bros Discovery to tap popular movie franchises, posts loss,Warner Bros Discovery Inc is borrowing a page from the Walt Disney Co playbook, saying it will lean into its popular... -
Virtual Reality Batman game in development by Iron Man VR studio
Virtual Reality Batman game in development by Iron Man VR studio,Batman is no stranger to the world of virtual reality, with a short but impressive VR experience being released for the platform back in 2017. It seems another virtual reality Batman game is in the works from the team that made 2020’s Iron Man VR. As discovered and first reported on by Janko Roettgers via … -
Val Kilmer Discovered Batman's True Nature While Shooting BATMAN FOREVER: "There Is No Batman" — GeekTyrant
Val Kilmer Discovered Batman's True Nature While Shooting BATMAN FOREVER: "There Is No Batman" — GeekTyrant,While I didn’t much care for director Joel Schumacher 's Batman Forever , I did like Val Kilmer ’s performance in the role. He brought something different and cool to the character, the filmmaker just didn’t build a good story around the character, and it was one of the strangest -
Unstoppable Doom Patrol Creative Team Previews New Leader, Team, and Purpose
Unstoppable Doom Patrol Creative Team Previews New Leader, Team, and Purpose,The Doom Patrol is carving out an all-new space within the greater DC Universe, and it all begins in Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1. Unstoppable Doom Patrol is a six-issue mini-series from writer Dennis Culver, artist Chris Burnham, and colorist Brian Reber, and it shakes up the Doom Patrol's status [...] -
Two Barry Allen’s, A Supergirl, Two Batmans and A Zod Walk into The Flash Trailer – The Koalition
Two Barry Allen's, A Supergirl, Two Batmans and A Zod Walk into The Flash Trailer - The Koalition,After first appearing in a cameo role way back in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” Ezra Miller is suited up as the Scarlet Speedster once The Flash trailer is Flashpoint with some new and old faces. -
Tom King and Mitch Gerads once pitched a Doctor Fate comic, but DC said 'No'
Tom King and Mitch Gerads once pitched a Doctor Fate comic, but DC said 'No',Tom King and Mitch Gerads had plans for a Doctor Fate series that never came to fruition. -
Tom Hardy's Bane body double answers whether actor 'is a d**k' after admitting he wasn't his favourite person on set
Tom Hardy's Bane body double answers whether actor 'is a d**k' after admitting he wasn't his favourite person on set,The A-lister's body double Liam James Collins has opened up about his opinions on Tom Hardy whilst filming the Batman movies -
Tom Cruise, for one, apparently loves The Flash
Tom Cruise, for one, apparently loves The Flash,Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav reportedly offered the Top Gun star a private screening of the upcoming DC movie -
Moment driver fumes at HGV for not letting her merge on dual carriageway – but who is in the wrong?
Moment driver fumes at HGV for not letting her merge on dual carriageway – but who is in the wrong?,THIS is the moment a driver fumes at a HGV for not letting her merge on a dual carriageway – but who was in the wrong? Dashcam footage posted by the lorry driver on TikTok revealed exactly wh… -
Cars collide on empty roundabout – but viewers are divided on who’s to blame
Cars collide on empty roundabout - but viewers are divided on who’s to blame,A VIDEO revealing the moment two cars smash into each other on an empty roundabout has gone viral on social media – and people are divided on who’s actually to blame. The TikTok clip shows a … -
Driver stunned after entire car park slapped with £70 fines
Driver stunned after entire car park slapped with £70 fines,DRIVERS were stunned after a council blunder saw every car in a busy railway station car park slapped with fines. Yellow tickets were posted on all cars parked at High Wycombe station in morning ru… -
Why Are People So Hyped About Seeing the Barbie Movie?
Why Are People So Hyped About Seeing the Barbie Movie?,If you’ve got your finger on the pulse of upcoming blockbuster releases, there’s a good chance you’ve already heard of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie feature film spectacular, slated for release this July. From online buzz around the film’s teaser and trailer, to the viral photo filter that transforms anyone into a Barbie character, the movie looks set to -
A Week After They Spoke Out Against A “Near Catastrophic” NYC Paparazzi Car Chase, Meghan Markle And Prince Harry’s Rep Responded To Claims They Exaggerated
A Week After They Spoke Out Against A "Near Catastrophic" NYC Paparazzi Car Chase, Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Rep Responded To Claims They Exaggerated,Meghan and Harry are hitting back against claims that their previous statement shouldn't be taken too seriously. -
Halle Bailey Opened Up About The Importance Of Keeping Her Natural Hair For “The Little Mermaid”
Halle Bailey Opened Up About The Importance Of Keeping Her Natural Hair For "The Little Mermaid","I’ve had my locs since I was 5, so they’re a huge part of who I am." -
A$AP Rocky Doesn’t Let Anyone Mess With Rihanna, And This Video From A Club Honestly Just Proves It
A$AP Rocky Doesn't Let Anyone Mess With Rihanna, And This Video From A Club Honestly Just Proves It,"Y'all act like gentlemen when y'all in our presence." -
I’m a sleep expert – here’s my top tip for nodding off faster
I'm a sleep expert - here's my top tip for nodding off faster,A SLEEP expert has shared her top tip for nodding off faster – and the key is distracting your mind. Many of us turn to supposedly tried-and-true methods to get to sleep – like counting… -
Why your Spain holiday is about to get more expensive
Why your Spain holiday is about to get more expensive,IT COULD soon become impossible to bag cheap accommodation in Spanish hot spots such as Majorca and Ibiza due to new laws. The potential price increase is a result of an accommodation shortage in t… -
My cheap door frame hack keeps the bugs out of the house – it takes seconds, all you need is a Dollar Tree buy
My cheap door frame hack keeps the bugs out of the house – it takes seconds, all you need is a Dollar Tree buy,A WOMAN has shared the cheap Dollar Tree product that keeps her home bug-free and people are shocked. Viewers took to TikTok to joke about how the internet has taught them all the life skills they … -
The seaside town that’s ‘Brighton of Ireland’ in Hollywood films with great views & food – just 40 minutes from Dublin
The seaside town that’s ‘Brighton of Ireland’ in Hollywood films with great views & food – just 40 minutes from Dublin,A PICTURESQUE Irish seaside town is famous for its features in Hollywood films – and has now been branded the “Brighton of Ireland”. But popular day-out destination Bray also boas…
![Wrath Of Becky Sets Up Becky 3, And The Directors Have Lots Of Ideas [SXSW] – /Film](https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/wrath-of-becky-sets-up-becky-3-and-the-directors-have-lots-of-ideas-sxsw/l-intro-1678646791.jpg "Wrath Of Becky Sets Up Becky 3, And The Directors Have Lots Of Ideas [SXSW] – /Film")
