2024 sawDCgive one prominent Batman villain a death that was effectively impossible inThe Dark Knighttrilogy, opening some interesting windows in terms of looking at what different paths could have been taken.Live-action Batman movieshave no qualms about killing off their villains, despite the Caped Crusader’s own rule against murdering his opponents. From Max Shreck being brutally electrocuted to death inBatman Returnsto Bane being shot point-blank by Catwoman inThe Dark Knight Rises' ending, being a Batman movie villain isn’t something that comes with a promising lifespan.
As such, it’s been reasonably common for Batman movie villains to die in their first film appearance, with evenThe Dark Knighttrilogyfollowing this convention to some degree - although the Joker and Scarecrow notably survive the events of their debut movies and seemingly the entire trilogy, albeit with both appearing to end the series incarcerated. 2024 provided a new death for one of the villains who also appears inThe Dark Knightmovie series, and the key similarities and differences to their Nolan movie fate raised in this release make it very interesting to look at in comparison.
Ra’s Al Ghul’s Death In The Dark Knight Movie Trilogy Is Still Controversial Years Later
Almost two decades afterBatman Beginsshowed Ra’s Al Ghul’s death inThe Dark Knighttrilogy - and over a decade since the trilogy itself came to a conclusion - the death of Liam Neeson’s DC character is still the topic of some controversy for the series all this time later.Batman’s assertion that “I won’t kill you, but I don’t have to save you” before leaving Ra’s to plummet to his death in a detached train car definitely enters into a gray area when it comes to Batman’s no-kill rule, since he does still orchestrate the death overall.
The lingering matter of Ra’s death likely also remains a topic of consistent focus for the series. Ra’s remains a key part of the trilogy’s story long after his death, both in terms of his part in Bruce Wayne training to become Batman, and becauseThe Dark Knight Risesties its story back to him in a major way with his daughter Talia Al Ghul and her protector Bane.
Theories existed for some time that Ra’s Al Ghul’s death scene was supposed to suggest he survived, butscreenwriter David S. Goyer debunked this theoryin 2020.
With Ra’s and his life being such a focal point of the series, the controversial nature of his death is impossible to ignore even after the story ofBatman Beginsis complete. As such, this leaves lingering questions about what the villain’s story could have looked like were the train scene not the end of the line for the antagonist who is the puppet master for so much of the series.
Batman Unburied: Fallen City Gave A Look At What Ra’s Al Ghul’s Death Could Have Looked Like In Batman Begins If He Hadn’t Been Hit By A Train
While it’s not clear for some time, Ra’s Al Ghul is also revealed to be the villain behind the events ofBatman Unburied: Fallen City, with the Court of Owls working to protect “The One Who Cannot Die” and his Lazarus Pit underneath Gotham. Batman uncovers this mystery, and then finds himself facing off against Ra’s in a climactic final fight not dissimilar toBatman Begins' own, albeit in a very different format.
InBatman Unburied: Fallen Cityepisode 8, Batman and Ra’s Al Ghul duke it out, before the villain dies in a way that would have been simply impossible for the movie trilogy - stabbed to death by Talia Al Ghul as she comes to terms with how little her father cares for Gotham or those within it, allowing the character her own villain redemption arc. Interestingly, Ra’s final moments here also mirrorBatman Begins, as he shows a notable sense of pride in his protege besting him in both.
How Batman Unburied: Fallen City’s Ra’s Al Ghul Death Could’ve Been Good For The Dark Knight Trilogy
While Batman and Ra’s fighting to the latter’s death inBatman Beginsis a highlight of the movie and trilogy, approaching things from this different angle could’ve helped with some specific aspects of the franchise. This is most notably clear with the controversial nature of the character’s train ending, sinceTalia killing him directly would undo any real responsibility on the part of the Caped Crusader.
This approach could’ve also helped with both Talia Al Ghul’s identity twist and her own story inThe Dark Knighttrilogy, which is arguably overlooked at points in lieu of focusing on Bane and Batman’s conflict.Giving Talia at least elements of a redemption arc could’ve resulted in a far more intriguing ending for the character than having her deliver a monologue and then anticlimactically and slowly pass on- or, inversely, having her kill her father to succeed him could’ve made her threat all the more pressing.
With all this said,Batman Beginsis and always will be rightfully regarded as one of the best superhero movies of all time, even if it’s often overlooked when discussingThe Dark Knighttrilogy. However, it will also always be entertaining to imagine what could have been for the series, and how connecting the different jigsaw pieces in different ways could’ve altered the overall makeup of such an iconic part of Batman’s cinematic landscape.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knightfranchise, also known asThe Dark Knight Trilogy, is a critically acclaimed and commercially successful film series directed by Christopher Nolan. It is a darker and more realistic take on the Batman character, exploring themes of justice, chaos, and redemption. The trilogy revitalized the Batman film series and is often credited with raising the bar for superhero films, particularly through its exploration of complex moral dilemmas and the iconic portrayal of villains like the Joker.
