He always had his own way of addressing them I guess he looks past the bat suit and calls him how sees them like detective otherwise he would called Batman "nut case" or "Otaku"
@@BigBWolf90Yeah, it's like he's addressing everyone as some kind of evaluated archetype, even himself as the "demon" who hates the "plague" that is humanity. The title he gives gives pretty big hints as to the value he has assigned to each person.
I gotta say, I love that shot of Bruce's reaction to the photo. From shock, to sadness, to pure rage. Really shows that this man isn't an empty husk full of vengeance. This is a driven man, who will NOT let people get hurt under his watch. EVER.
Except for the criminals he beats to a pulp, for which Batman is also an unhinged criminal operating under the guise of “righteousness”. Batman is a hypocrite, and his blatant cognitive dissonance has gotten people brutally killed, like his ex-ward Jason Todd, at the hands of other criminals. Batman’s vigilantism is a bandaid “solution” to the festering ulcer of corruption and debauchery that plagues Gotham.
Ghouls, in Arabic folklore, are the equivalent of Revenants or Daugrs in European folklore. They are creatures that stalk graveyards and dig up the freshly dead to eat, although they are also known to attack travelers in order to gain fresh meat. Also, a minor gag with Ra's al Ghul is that he can't quite remember how old he is ("I lost count during the Black Plague") so it's possible that he also can't exactly remember how to pronounce his title.
Fun fact about Ra's AL Ghul is that he originally tried to change the world as a healer and someone who saves lives (a lot like Thomas Wayne) he would save people no matter who they were but when some of the bad people he saved, instead of taking their new lease on life to change, ended up committing atrocities and doing evil acts it was only when one of those same people he saved killed his wife and the first woman he loved that he became the Ra's AL Ghul we know.
Props to David Warner for the awesome performance of this character. He will be missed. Also, speaking of Arabic, a fun fact I found: bats are specifically mentioned in the Quran and are said to be one of god's miracles. So, when the character of Batman is translated into Arabic media, it possibly has a different, but still perfectly valid interpretation of the character. Batman is adopting a miraculous aspect, indirectly giving him divine connotations. Thus, to criminals, he would be representing a form of divine punishment, possibly, so he would still be frightening to criminals in that cultural context. Just something I thought interesting when I heard it.
@@SerumLake Let me know what they say. I'm far from an expert in Arabic culture in any of its forms, so I may not be 100% on the money there, but I'm always interested to learn more.
The literal translation of "Ghul" from Arabic being 'Beast' or 'Monster' instead of 'Demon' is largely semantic since the point is pretty clear. 'Demon' just sounds more menacing in English than the rather generic 'Beast' or 'Monster.'
Looking it up, "ghul" is specifically the origin of the word "ghoul" in English (only the best investigative work) and is described as a monstrous creature of varying malicious natures. Using specifically the corpse-eating version which has become the more popular version in the present day, one could make a tangential connection between the Head of The Ghoul and the sterilizing (often underappreciated) work of carrion eaters like vultures. But yeah, "Head of the Beast/The Ghoul" is definitely more interesting than "The Demon"
Ra's is one of Batman's more unique villains in that unlike the other rogues he's not another nut with a gimmick in a colorful costume. He's just a guy with a dream, a dream to murder two billion, fifty-six million, nine hundred and eighty-six thousand people and then go swimming in a fountain of Monster energy drink. For real though, I think he's one of Batman's coolest foes. He's a James Bond style villain whose grand schemes take Batman out of Gotham and makes him travel across the world in pulp style adventures which is always a delight and fits the character and his world perfectly.
Ra’s al ghul is by far one of my favourite villain; I know he’s not quite typical by Batman Villians given he’s not a street criminal but his cunning, sense of class and nobility yet still being callous and insane plus a great design.
No no, you had me at "Ra's gets abducted by aliens and steals their flying saucer". I wanna know more about it, and would gladly see it adapted in animation.
In Arabic, the Nolan version is correct. In Arabic, it is Rahs. My Arabic mother used to curse at me, saying Kassur Rahsuck which means "I will break your head" when she would get angry at me.
I never understood why fans disliked Ras Al Ghoul. He is a homage to classic pulp villains, and Batman was inspired by many pulp heroes like the Shadow. I do not mind Batman fighting Al ghul, as it is a nice change from fighting villains in gotham. Bedsides if Bruce doesn't stop Al ghoul, gotham won't be the only city in danger. Also, his battles with Ghoul in the dcau serve as a nice precursor to his adventures with the JL. Batman confronting Lex Luthor is ok, but fighting an eco terrorist who wants to kill half of humanity is bad and goes against everything Bats stand for? The fans can be very fickle sometimes. Anyway, I like the arc of the DCAU version of ghoul. He was ruthless and cold towards his fellow man, but he was honourable and cared for his children. But sadly, his addiction to the pit, along with his own fear of death and obsession with power, would slowly turn him into a monster. His appearance in STAS was foreshadowing of his eventual fate in Beyond. The pits can revive the dead, but the downside is temporary insanity for the resurrected party. Ghoul has been using the pits for hundred of years, so with each revival, he loses more of his sanity. Basically, his very soul becomes corrupted over the years. And of course, he was voiced by the late great David Warner, one of the best British actors of all time.
Personally I don’t mind Ra’s, and David Warner was excellent, as you pointed out. I just prefer a different type of villain. It’s funny, I didn’t think I’d have much to say about Ra’s but my first cut of this video was almost 30 minutes long, which is way longer than any other video essay I’ve made.
As far as I know, there is barely anything delving into how Thomas and Martha Wayne met or what some of their earlier life experiences were like prior to Bruce's birth. That said, I think it could be an interesting twist to have a reveal that a noticeably younger Ra's was, in fact, one of Thomas's instructors at medical school, under an assumed identity as part of one of his numerous plans, with Thomas inadvertently rendering the plan moot without being aware of what was really going on. As a result of that, Ra's would see it necessary to keep tabs on the Waynes to see which of his lists they should be on at any given time; maybe he would even be somewhat aware of Bruce during this observational period, and really turn his attention on Bruce after he began walking the path that would lead him to becoming Batman, and maybe even seeing Bruce's time as Batman as a trial run for the duties required to be his successor. But that's just a bit of theory crafting on my part, and chances are the comics won't really do that kind of dive, but I still think it could be a fun surprise and twist if we did get to see something like that in the near future, if not foreseeable future.
Actually, in the comic where the villain Onomatopoeia gets introduced, we see Batman save a girl from Zsasz. Batman remarks to himself that out of everyone, he hates Zsasz the most.
@@zacharygilmore1075 Zsasz always struck me as one of the more innately hatable of Batman's villains. Not over the top enough to "cross the line twice", not sympathetic enough to be tragic, not going for any fancy higher goal, not badass enough to be a worthy opponent, just sucks at gambling = life is meaningless = okay to stab folks.
We always avoided the Ra’s episodes (in my family) because of the occult stuff, for religious reasons. In the ones I did watch, it felt like the fellow was playing God, deciding who lives and who dies based on his skewed view of human nature. A pathetic creature terrified of his own mortality. Characters like this are so interesting, and can tell you a lot about the people who create them.
A bit sad, but overall, I won't complain and can admittedly sympathize. Hmm, does this "embargo" also include The Real+Extreme Ghostbusters and Disney's Gargoyles?
Sad to hear that. My own family was also strict on what content I was allowed to watch. Which is a pity, as when one refuses to open their minds and be more aware to certain things, then there is no way you can possibly learn from them.
Hypocrisy is Ra's big failing. He was thrown into a prison during Birth of a Demon and left to rot as a political gesture. Now in his final days he... threw Batman's Rogues Gallery into a prison and left them to rot as a political gesture to Batman. He always talks big about principle, but when the chips are down he takes the coward's way out. Batman always keeps his moral fiber, unwilling to take it easy and willing to have faith in other people. I just rewatched "Double Talk" from TNBA and it showed how much he was willing to help Arnold, the Ventriloquist, just by believing in him. Ra's would never put his faith in someone else, and ultimately this is his downfall. Unable to cheat death anymore, and unwilling to trust his daughter with his legacy, he tries to trust Batman, but wants it his way. Batman's methods are different, and that's simply not acceptable. Can't wait to hear about your video on Talia.
Great analysis! Just to note that the "Break all the bad guys out of jail to gang up on Batman and wear him out" was originally used in Killer Croc's debut arc (Which was also the original origin for Jason Todd's Robin) and which the Bane storyline fairly shamelessly ripped off. The Ra's does it in a single story was a sort of shorthand homage to the Croc storlyine I think (and also an excuse to allow the artists to draw so many classic villains. :) Also, the BTAS version would not have worked nearly as well without the magnificently world-weary tones of David Warner. This is someone you could BELIEVE was centuries old, and as such no longer felt the need to hurry anything, least of all his speech.
You know something? I've always preferred Batman in Gotham only stories but you've made me totally reconsider watching the Ra's Al Ghul episodes now! Funnily enough I only saw Showdown once when I was a kid and my muddled memory had me thinking that Ra's was there to retrieve an old Jonah Hex for some reason 😂 Great video!
Thank you, you’re too kind. I’ve been doing weekly video essays for almost 11 months now, and I think I’ve come a long way, but, as you say, I could always be doing better. I have some fun things planned over the next few months that I think people will enjoy.
Usually when choosing between btas and Arkham versions of the characters, there’s a clear winner. I genuinely can’t decide for Ra’s Dee Bradley Baker is more threatening but David Warner just had such a commanding presence of intelligence and authority
Can't wait for Talia's video. Honestly, in the context of the DCAU including the tie-in comics, Talia's presence had a significant impact on Batman's character development in the DCAU, much more so than Catwoman. A part of that might also have to do with the fact that I don't thin that the DCAU's Catwoman is really a stand-out adaptation of the character. I also felt that both actresses that Helen Slater and Olivia Hussey who voiced Talia in the DCAU had better chemistry with Kevin Conroy than he had with Adrienne Barbeau, which I think helped showcase a more profound emotional bond. Talia's unwavering support for Batman's mission and her willingness to sacrifice for him demonstrated a level of commitment and understanding that surpassed the DCAU dynamic between Batman and Catwoman. And regarding the voice performances of Helen Slater and Olivia Hussey, while they are a bit similar, I do prefer Olivia Hussey in the rolw because I felt the manner of which she spoke gave a certain sophistication to Talia and her voice and accent felt more authentic and believable whereas I felt with Helen Slater sometimes felt like she was putting on an accent.
In ways, Ra's was right wanting Bruce as a heir and worthy of his Daughter. Oh sure, he got his successor through his grandson, but if Bruce wasn't so damn stubborn, it could've happened a whole lot sooner!❤😂
Aaaaaand this is why Ros al Ghul is and always will be my favorite DC villain. The idea of what someone could do with unlimited resources, especially if the only "super power" they have is just living multiple lifetimes is alone an interesting concept to me, but when you pair that with Ros's obsessions of "doing the right thing for the planet through the worst means" makes him a very, very compelling villain. Even more so when he's willing to engage in more cerebral means when the plots don't work, though he is also more than willing to get his hands dirty. Thanks for sharing this project, and good luck with the next one!
Ra's Al Ghul is one of those villains that could've been hit or miss depending on the person who is introduced to him. For me personally, Ra's is a decent villain in my opinion, he's very deceptive and practically insane in his own right. I've always been curious what his next Eco-Terrorist plan would be whether it be blowing up the Lazarus Pits or teaming up with Shredder in Batman vs TMNT Movie. (That was a very good movie in my opinion. Even the chemistry between Shredder and Ra's was hilarious, and to quote Shredder "I hate Gotham...") I also agree Ra's much like Batman's Rogue's Gallery, Ra's is alot like Bruce in many ways, but does crap in the all the wrong ways. Though, I do have to give to Ra's for having great respect for Bruce. Ra's is a very interesting character to me, and alot could be done with him. Same can't be said for Talia however... I wish more would've been done with her than just her being Selina Kyle 2.0. The more I think about Talia... the more I realize there is a LOT wrong with her being with Batman. And it's been proven time and time again Talia is loyal to her dad no matter what, and just seems to like Batman cause Daddy says so in most incarnations of her. With the expectation of the Son of the Demon comic I've read, Talia just works better as a replacement as the new Demon's Head and opposite to Batman once Ra's is truly gone. And then there's another stan on Talia and Bruce being... Damian Wayne, that little can of worms is something I think I'll save for Talia's video. Again great work as usual, Serum looking forward to the videos next week.
The Arabic pronunciation comes as a surprise. I wonder how come Alexander Siddig, who I think is a native arabic speaker, decided to pronounce it Resh in Gotham. Well, as long as they're consistent
I have to assume that he was told how they wanted him to pronounce it - there’s always a chance that he didn’t realise it was meant to be Arabic? I’ll tell you something though, I found it very hard switching between the Arabic and the Hebrew pronunciation when recording this video. There are a couple of times where I almost got it the wrong way around!
They could have used their particular regional accent or dialect. Or simply gave up trying to have a satisfying pronunciation, since there are so many conflicting versions and sources. While I can't speak to the Arabic-speaking sources mentioned so far, the only references I've personally seen from those who speak the language is that it's not even proper Arabic. That it's basically the Google Translate version of the phrase, choppy but getting the point across. At this point I'm just happy I know who people are talking about lol.
@@CapnAlcesI'm not an Arabic speaker, but "Ra's al Ghul" is absolutely the kind of name someone would come up with while flipping through and English to Arabic dictionary.
Even killing all the super villains in Arkham wouldn't work in my opinion. Thats why the Joe Chill aspect is so important. Yeah, the suepr villains need to be stopped for their immediate threat and part in the bigger picture but as long as Gothem is a broken city with cycling poverty/disilusionment ruling its streets, it wont be safe. Its not a super villain that killed the or why Batman does it..its the everyday thugs that are a priduct of the failed gothem enviroment that we wants to finally help resolve. I even feel he would possibly hang up his cape if the city got to the point of metropolis. Plagued by evil costumed goons but relatively low on base crime. There are other heros out there now who can deal with the joker but it was the common scurge that batman wanted to undo. Of course..Ras could never just fix that as easily or quickly..which leads creedence to his own madness. If Ras can't "fix" gothem in a sustainable way and just thinks killing the big bads are enough..how really capeable will his methods ever be to help the world? That is part of his whole point and we've seen he has been behind everything history bad on a global scale including Nazi germany to help "cleans" the world but depsite gathering the worst of humanity together in violence, some level of societal evil prevails or resurfaces at the horrific cost of so much good. He is a genius and ridiculously expereinced but the one thing he can never learn is his lesson of failure. I think this is an amazing aspect of Ras countering Batman. Batmans parents were killed by a guy with a gun so he seeks the best way to rehabilitate the cause. Ras felt betrayed and wronged by a perosn he saw evil and the world itself. He killed thw evil peson but the world and other evil people are still out there. He wont get his wife back. He also is a doctor who respects the lengthening of life and has a means to do so..but no longer ahs the family or cause to live that he once did. So what drive does he decide on? Well..his wife is dead and he was left wronged because the world is sick with a disease of bad humanity. He insistst he will cure it..cleanse it..but a doctor cant cure all diseases in the world..no. What he is doing is being a doctor, he is treating the disease in his ongoing prescribed manner. Batman seems to just be stemming the tide but he has a true gaol to fix things while Ras concinces himself of the goal so he can peraue it but really what he is doing it giving himself a sysiphus task to perform while he is living indefinently. Its a direction to have that will never stop being there for him to persure. An impossible crusade for himself over anyone else.
I put off watching the "spoilers" section until I could read the comic, and just got the trade paperback in the mail and read it. I didn't know it was the last one. This is the only DC comic I was interested in, and they ended it. It's too bad they didn't get the audio book thing to happen before Conroy died. But I could clearly hear his voice in my head while reading, along with the other actors from the show, living and dead.
I like it when Ra's calls Batman Detective, and my favourite episode with Ra's is Showdown. Also Ra's is voised by the late great David Warner who has a Jewish background (on his father's side of I'm right, russian Jewish) so the Hebrew translation of Ra's name in btas kinda fits well 🙂
I was watching a 1960s horror film, Mr Sardonicus, and they defined Ghouls as grave robbing beasts. Kinda fits with what you’re saying, but I guess the only grave Ra’s robs is his own…
Ra's Al Ghul is the only villain that ever equaled Batman in ability and threat, he is Batman's equivalent of Lex Luthor. Also David Warner ruled as the voice of Ra's Al Ghul and the Idea that Etrigan and Ra's have past history just fits very well concept wise considering the occult nature of the characters. Batman also really fits well in occult stories with the gothic nature of his mythos despite his stories being largely more grounded in reality.
The Hebrew word is "Rosh" not "Rhesh", and that wouldn't make sense in the context of "Al Ghul" which is Arabic. "Demon's Head" in Hebrew would be "Rosh Ha Shed" or "Rosh Shed", depending on either a specific demon ("the demon's head") or just a generic demon ("demon head").
I really like the line "Though I've never intentionally killed...", I think that reflects batman really succinctly, both in general and in his conflicts with Ra's Al Ghul, without simplying him too much.
Ra's Al Ghul has always been one of my favourite Batman villains for many years because he's very different and interesting in terms of his motivations, he's not what you would call your traditional bad guy. This was someone who wasn't a madman like The Joker or Two-Face, Ra's actually has great respect for Batman and always addresses him as detective plus he knows he's Bruce Wayne but chooses not to expose him out of respect. The fact that Ra's actually wants to destroy the world on a global scale as his way of saving it puts him on a different level to the rest of the members of the rogue's gallery and to make things more difficult and personal, he has his daughter Talia who loves Batman and refers to him as her "beloved" She loves Batman but is loyal to her father and his cause. That raises the emotional stakes even higher between Batman and Ra's. Ra's reminds me of an old school classic villains you would have seen in a James Bond movie from the 60s and David Warner did a tremendous job in bringing not only sophistication but the foreign aspects as well which really showed you that this guy wasn't born in Gotham. One of the most unique characters ever created
Good point on the origins of the name. Raysh is in Aramaic, and Hebrew both ancient and modern. Ghoul is Arabic though. But nonetheless these are all Semetic languages.
Well there is some debate about that. His wife very likely was Jewish, but when he met her he was a visitor from a far away land. There’s some speculation that he might actually be Persian, or potentially a nomadic Turk. I think the fact that there’s no clear answer adds to his character though.
@SerumLake y'know, you're right. I guess I got a bit confused, since his wife was Jewish and the mother of his older known daughter was most likely Jewish as well; I just assumed that he was as well.
I had the head canon he was Uyghur because he's got an Arabic name and is implied to have been from a nomadic tribe in China. However, this Ra's is White and British.
What a performance by David Warner, I rember being maybe 9-10 when I saw Ras for the first time and by the end after the Lazarus Pit, Batman finally beating up Ubu and the shirtless sword fight I was both fascinated and terrified by the demon’s head ( that hand rising out of the pit with that insane laugh still haunts me). in much the same way Kevin Conroy is the voice I hear when reading Batman, David Warner IS Ras Al Ghul.
Wow! _Painted by the legendary Norm Breyfogle..._ I was sad to learn what your _"legendary"_ was circum-locuting. And the pictures you show are simply astonishing. (For the era.) Justifying _"painted",_ rather than _"drawn."_ Do you know what medium he used? Watercolour? Gouache? American comics were coloured so cheaply and disposably until Lynn Varley's work on _The Dark Knight Returns._ And then Alex Ross's on _Kingdom Come._ And - I now learn - Norm Breyfogle's _Birth of the Demon_ - a copy of which I shall try to track down. I wish these little miracles had started a trend of colour craftsmanship in American comics, rather than amounting to a flash in the pan.
Actually, I'm a native Hebrew speaker, and the Hebrew word for "head" is "rosh", with a soft O, similar to the O sound in the Brtish pronunciation of "tall". The Hebrew O sound is completely 'round', though.
As a small child to whom Batman was ALMOST entirely novel when BTAS was coming out, this was the only villain I found less interesting and compelling than Bane and Red Claw. Turns out a lot of the things that make him interesting were just lost on the primary audience of the time, who can then go back to the series on re-watch as adults and gain newfound appreciation for it.
The more the world and humanity become... sicker, the more I wholeheartedly sympathize with this universe's Ra's, Watchmen's Ozymandias, TMNT 2003's Agent Bishop, and the MCU's Thanos. Heck, if it were me, such an "antagonist" would be *the* protagonist born from a sense of paragonism, only to necessarily become a renegade that, for all grudging intents and purposes, ACTUALLY SUCCEEDS in making the worlds they purged far better in the future than pessimistically predicted. Yet to add to all that, B: TAC sure appears to have rendered the Near-Apocalypse of '09 and thus Batman Beyond godsforsakingly non-canon. More proof of it being an Elseworlds saga, and more justification on bringing back the DCAU-canon friendly Batman Adventures Vol. 2 from cancellation. Sidenote: "Raysh" is still the better pronunciation. Plus, we need more sword-wielding Batman iterations. 2nd sidenote: Also love the Ra's eps for giving us a good transition away from the Gothamite mundanities of B: TAS, which then come to an awesome head with S: TAS. However, I do feel that there are less of them than expected over the course of the 60-something in-universe years animated saga. 3rd sidenote: Sorry for making this too long... appreciate how the Society of Shadows has Spider-Man lookalike operatives. Would love to hear how the people who did S-M: TAS, John Semper Jr. especially, thought about their competition having them.
Yeah because he doesn’t seem like a Batman villain because Batman is very Street centred and Ra’s is too mythical for and he definitely wasting his time going after him to make a ideal heir, so I think he should be a Superman,Wonder Woman and Hawkman villain instead
@@srstriker6420It isn't just about an heir. Al ghoul also sees Batman as a rival and obstacle in his path towards purging the earth of humanity. He is a throwback to pulp villains, and Batman is based on pulp fiction heroes, so I do not understand why Al ghul being a villain 4 bats is a bad thing? It is a nice change to the status quo, but I guess you guys do not like change, right?
Eeeeeh... As far as the jewish/arabic thing goes, with him being as old as he is, he could easily be both arabic and jewish because at a certain point in history, the ethnicites kinda merge into one... And given that Ra's is Ra's, I don't think he really cares too much how is name is pronounced, as long as you get close enough. (As a person who has a similarly hard to pronounce name, I stopped caring after a while too)
I always thought it was funny that he had an English accent in the DCAU, or at least in BTAS. "I am the most English Arab man the world has ever seen! *coughs* Napoleon told me that! *wheeze*"
I've made my hate for Ras Al Ghoul plenty of times, so I won't go overboard now. I can sum up in the following statement. "Stubborn old bastard refuses to die, despite overstaying his welcome."
10:54. Another thing I always found interesting about The Demon's Quest is that the title is never said in the episode. Most episodes of the show, at some point in them, have a character say the title if the episode. Some good examples are "Almost got him", "Blind as a bat" and "Silicone Soul".
Thank you for calling Ra's Al Ghul a relatively "recent" addition. I started reading comics in the 60s, and was a big fan of Batman and Neal Adams when this story line came out. And I think he is a great character, who has alas been revisited too often. (Even... especially by Neal Adams "Batman: Odyssey" (2013) I Do Not Recommend.) (Though I do love John Byrne's "elseworld" story that saw Batman enter the Lazarus pit with Ra's knowing only one could exit, and it is the now immortal Bruce Wayne.) As always, thank you so very much for the videos.
Ra's Al Ghul is a great villain because his intentions to save to world is noble, but the way he dose it is wrong by killing. My favorite episode of the Batman series that he was in was Avatar. Thoth Khepera needs more fanart.
4:13 Mmm, no. He's dead wrong, actually. Most environmental issues are caused by rich people wanting to be richer. Scarcity of food, water, housing, etc is artificial, caused by corporations by throwing away food, forcing people to buy only sterile seeds that only work with their fertilizers, withholding water from local populations, or polluting it or using more than required, all to save a buck. It's corporations who are to blame for deforestation, water and air pollution and poaching (since they are the ones who'll buy the stuff) The people who execute it are just minions, trying to survive. There are measures that can be taken, many ways to produce reliable, renewable energy, ways to provide people with adequate living conditions so they won't have to result in those criminal acts on their behalf, but that's just not profitable for them. Collective responsibility is a myth. In the end, Ra's cares about balance the way Belos cared about protecting humanity. That is to say, not really (the fact he was a Nazi should drive that home, tbh) All of his plans are to control humanity. To give him power. I will say he only cared for one thing other than himself and that was Talia. It was a codependent love, and, in the end, he would chose himself over her if it came down to it, but he did love his daughter. Nothing else mattered, not even her greatest love and the person he admired most in the world
It’s been shown repeatedly that the Lazarus pit can have adverse effects on the human mind, including on ras alghoul which explains his end justify the means philosophy
As a native Hebrew speaker I can confirm that the pronunciation that people sometimes say is true resembles the hebrew pronunciation a lot more than the arabic one.
I LOVE that Dee Bradley Baker voices Ra's in Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Knight. Query: what would happen if Solomon Grundy was to go in the Lazarus Pit?
As I said on the essay about Talia, Rass is the correct Arabic way to say his name. Raish in Hebrew is the name of the letter corresponding to R (ר). The Hebrew word for head is Rosh (ראש). So nope, Ra's al Ghul is definitely not Jewish and the way to say his name in Hebrew is Rosh Ha'Shed (ראש השד).
Its worth noting, Yemen was almost universally Jewish just before the rise of Islam, and Judaism was common across the Arabian Peninsula at that time. It's possible he uses the Hebrew version of the title because he grew up hearing it spoken at Synagogue.
personally i did not like this character from btas. When i first saw his episodes i just rolled my eyes, similar to you i prefer the more grounded stories. But after watching this video it really gave me a new appreciation for the character. bravo!
This is just a comment for the "How do you say his name" portion. Honestly if the Hebrew and Arabic meanings are the same or at least close to it, I say live and let live. So many people are used to the DC AU version due to their own childhoods like myself. Ra's shouldn't even be focused on his name, but rather himself in every incarnation. Like his honorable remorse in the Under the Red Hood movie.
In batman beyond bruce was right he does whimper in fear of death since he cheated death for over 600 years and even sacrificed his own daughter just so he could stay alive and he's not even ashamed of it when bruce called him out on it excusing it as he had to do it, a real father would never use their child like that and not out live them, if he truely cared about his daughter he would've excepted his fate and let her live her life free from his control and actually use his assets to change the world for the better.
I never liked the Ra's episode plots nearly as much as I liked Ra's Al Ghul himself save for that episode that was mostly flashback to southwestern USA and ending with him collecting his son to bring him home. I thought that was such a neat twist.
Love your content! I gotta ask though, what’s that song that plays at the end of your videos? I don’t know why, but it’s such a nice melody I have to know what it’s called
I always liked that he called Bruce "Detective" instead of "Batman".
He calls Superman Icon too.
He also calls Tim Drake Detective
He always had his own way of addressing them I guess he looks past the bat suit and calls him how sees them like detective otherwise he would called Batman "nut case" or "Otaku"
He always addresses the heroes by some kind of title instead of name. It's a very interesting sign of respect which isn't usually shown by a villain
@@BigBWolf90Yeah, it's like he's addressing everyone as some kind of evaluated archetype, even himself as the "demon" who hates the "plague" that is humanity. The title he gives gives pretty big hints as to the value he has assigned to each person.
I gotta say, I love that shot of Bruce's reaction to the photo. From shock, to sadness, to pure rage. Really shows that this man isn't an empty husk full of vengeance. This is a driven man, who will NOT let people get hurt under his watch. EVER.
Except for the criminals he beats to a pulp, for which Batman is also an unhinged criminal operating under the guise of “righteousness”. Batman is a hypocrite, and his blatant cognitive dissonance has gotten people brutally killed, like his ex-ward Jason Todd, at the hands of other criminals. Batman’s vigilantism is a bandaid “solution” to the festering ulcer of corruption and debauchery that plagues Gotham.
Ever if it,s the people he das Not like?
He is a hero..
@@jeancaron9325 apperently not
Yeah
Ghouls, in Arabic folklore, are the equivalent of Revenants or Daugrs in European folklore. They are creatures that stalk graveyards and dig up the freshly dead to eat, although they are also known to attack travelers in order to gain fresh meat.
Also, a minor gag with Ra's al Ghul is that he can't quite remember how old he is ("I lost count during the Black Plague") so it's possible that he also can't exactly remember how to pronounce his title.
Imagine trying to keep up with changing linguistics over centuries, don't blame him really
@@zenebeanSomeone else in the comments posited that it's a dialect that doesn't exist anymore
Fun fact about Ra's AL Ghul is that he originally tried to change the world as a healer and someone who saves lives (a lot like Thomas Wayne) he would save people no matter who they were but when some of the bad people he saved, instead of taking their new lease on life to change, ended up committing atrocities and doing evil acts it was only when one of those same people he saved killed his wife and the first woman he loved that he became the Ra's AL Ghul we know.
Being honest is that backstory that made me feel bad for him. He used to be a good guy Who saw light in everyone until that prince kill his wife
Props to David Warner for the awesome performance of this character. He will be missed.
Also, speaking of Arabic, a fun fact I found: bats are specifically mentioned in the Quran and are said to be one of god's miracles. So, when the character of Batman is translated into Arabic media, it possibly has a different, but still perfectly valid interpretation of the character. Batman is adopting a miraculous aspect, indirectly giving him divine connotations. Thus, to criminals, he would be representing a form of divine punishment, possibly, so he would still be frightening to criminals in that cultural context.
Just something I thought interesting when I heard it.
That’s really interesting! I’ll have to talk to my Muslim friends about that to see if they have any additional insight. Thanks for sharing!
@@SerumLake Let me know what they say. I'm far from an expert in Arabic culture in any of its forms, so I may not be 100% on the money there, but I'm always interested to learn more.
Makes me wonder how they feel about Spider-Man as a spider is specifically mentioned as saving Muhammad's life.
That's so cool honestly
Fun fact: Christopher Lee was originally going to voice the character. But he was scheduled for a different project.
"Head of the beast" sounds way more badass and scarier because it implies the Devil, and Ra's can be seen as an Antichrist of sorts.
The literal translation of "Ghul" from Arabic being 'Beast' or 'Monster' instead of 'Demon' is largely semantic since the point is pretty clear. 'Demon' just sounds more menacing in English than the rather generic 'Beast' or 'Monster.'
And the Devil himself is more menacing than a regular demon.
Looking it up, "ghul" is specifically the origin of the word "ghoul" in English (only the best investigative work) and is described as a monstrous creature of varying malicious natures. Using specifically the corpse-eating version which has become the more popular version in the present day, one could make a tangential connection between the Head of The Ghoul and the sterilizing (often underappreciated) work of carrion eaters like vultures.
But yeah, "Head of the Beast/The Ghoul" is definitely more interesting than "The Demon"
Ra's is one of Batman's more unique villains in that unlike the other rogues he's not another nut with a gimmick in a colorful costume. He's just a guy with a dream, a dream to murder two billion, fifty-six million, nine hundred and eighty-six thousand people and then go swimming in a fountain of Monster energy drink.
For real though, I think he's one of Batman's coolest foes. He's a James Bond style villain whose grand schemes take Batman out of Gotham and makes him travel across the world in pulp style adventures which is always a delight and fits the character and his world perfectly.
Lol monster energy drink
Ra’s al ghul is by far one of my favourite villain; I know he’s not quite typical by Batman Villians given he’s not a street criminal but his cunning, sense of class and nobility yet still being callous and insane plus a great design.
And more power to you. The world would be a boring place if we all liked exactly the same thing.
*Al *Ghul
“Ra’s gets abducted by aliens and steals a UFO no it’s really good I promise”
SOLD
No no, you had me at "Ra's gets abducted by aliens and steals their flying saucer". I wanna know more about it, and would gladly see it adapted in animation.
In Arabic, the Nolan version is correct. In Arabic, it is Rahs. My Arabic mother used to curse at me, saying Kassur Rahsuck which means "I will break your head" when she would get angry at me.
To each his own, my friend, whether its the Nolan or DCAU version, Ra's Al-Ghul is the most definitive, either way you pronounce the name works out.
I never understood why fans disliked Ras Al Ghoul. He is a homage to classic pulp villains, and Batman was inspired by many pulp heroes like the Shadow. I do not mind Batman fighting Al ghul, as it is a nice change from fighting villains in gotham. Bedsides if Bruce doesn't stop Al ghoul, gotham won't be the only city in danger.
Also, his battles with Ghoul in the dcau serve as a nice precursor to his adventures with the JL. Batman confronting Lex Luthor is ok, but fighting an eco terrorist who wants to kill half of humanity is bad and goes against everything Bats stand for? The fans can be very fickle sometimes.
Anyway, I like the arc of the DCAU version of ghoul. He was ruthless and cold towards his fellow man, but he was honourable and cared for his children. But sadly, his addiction to the pit, along with his own fear of death and obsession with power, would slowly turn him into a monster.
His appearance in STAS was foreshadowing of his eventual fate in Beyond. The pits can revive the dead, but the downside is temporary insanity for the resurrected party. Ghoul has been using the pits for hundred of years, so with each revival, he loses more of his sanity. Basically, his very soul becomes corrupted over the years.
And of course, he was voiced by the late great David Warner, one of the best British actors of all time.
Personally I don’t mind Ra’s, and David Warner was excellent, as you pointed out. I just prefer a different type of villain.
It’s funny, I didn’t think I’d have much to say about Ra’s but my first cut of this video was almost 30 minutes long, which is way longer than any other video essay I’ve made.
Correction: Batman fights crime and evil everywhere, just like every good guy. Not just in Gotham City. Ra's Al Ghul is Badass@@SerumLake
His eventual fate in Beyond...not to mention the implication that he has probably been a woman for decades that too in his own daughter's body
As far as I know, there is barely anything delving into how Thomas and Martha Wayne met or what some of their earlier life experiences were like prior to Bruce's birth. That said, I think it could be an interesting twist to have a reveal that a noticeably younger Ra's was, in fact, one of Thomas's instructors at medical school, under an assumed identity as part of one of his numerous plans, with Thomas inadvertently rendering the plan moot without being aware of what was really going on. As a result of that, Ra's would see it necessary to keep tabs on the Waynes to see which of his lists they should be on at any given time; maybe he would even be somewhat aware of Bruce during this observational period, and really turn his attention on Bruce after he began walking the path that would lead him to becoming Batman, and maybe even seeing Bruce's time as Batman as a trial run for the duties required to be his successor. But that's just a bit of theory crafting on my part, and chances are the comics won't really do that kind of dive, but I still think it could be a fun surprise and twist if we did get to see something like that in the near future, if not foreseeable future.
Sounds really cool
R.I.P. David Warner, the voice of The Demon, and Kevin Conroy.
Of all the villains in BTAS, I always felt Batman hated Ra’s the most.
It’s the combination of how grandiose Ra’s’ schemes are in scope, and his insistence that Batman is so much like him as to be a suitable heir.
Actually, in the comic where the villain Onomatopoeia gets introduced, we see Batman save a girl from Zsasz. Batman remarks to himself that out of everyone, he hates Zsasz the most.
@@zacharygilmore1075 Zsasz always struck me as one of the more innately hatable of Batman's villains. Not over the top enough to "cross the line twice", not sympathetic enough to be tragic, not going for any fancy higher goal, not badass enough to be a worthy opponent, just sucks at gambling = life is meaningless = okay to stab folks.
We always avoided the Ra’s episodes (in my family) because of the occult stuff, for religious reasons. In the ones I did watch, it felt like the fellow was playing God, deciding who lives and who dies based on his skewed view of human nature. A pathetic creature terrified of his own mortality. Characters like this are so interesting, and can tell you a lot about the people who create them.
A bit sad, but overall, I won't complain and can admittedly sympathize.
Hmm, does this "embargo" also include The Real+Extreme Ghostbusters and Disney's Gargoyles?
@@michaelandreipalon359 we didn’t grow up with Disney channel, it was too expensive, so we would get old movies from the library
@@solacehealer7589 Ah, any noted favorites from those oldie flicks?
@@solacehealer7589 haha thats what i did too!
Sad to hear that. My own family was also strict on what content I was allowed to watch. Which is a pity, as when one refuses to open their minds and be more aware to certain things, then there is no way you can possibly learn from them.
I like that we don't know where Ras al Gul's ethnicity except that he's probably Eurasian.
Hypocrisy is Ra's big failing. He was thrown into a prison during Birth of a Demon and left to rot as a political gesture. Now in his final days he... threw Batman's Rogues Gallery into a prison and left them to rot as a political gesture to Batman. He always talks big about principle, but when the chips are down he takes the coward's way out.
Batman always keeps his moral fiber, unwilling to take it easy and willing to have faith in other people. I just rewatched "Double Talk" from TNBA and it showed how much he was willing to help Arnold, the Ventriloquist, just by believing in him. Ra's would never put his faith in someone else, and ultimately this is his downfall.
Unable to cheat death anymore, and unwilling to trust his daughter with his legacy, he tries to trust Batman, but wants it his way. Batman's methods are different, and that's simply not acceptable.
Can't wait to hear about your video on Talia.
Great analysis! Just to note that the "Break all the bad guys out of jail to gang up on Batman and wear him out" was originally used in Killer Croc's debut arc (Which was also the original origin for Jason Todd's Robin) and which the Bane storyline fairly shamelessly ripped off. The Ra's does it in a single story was a sort of shorthand homage to the Croc storlyine I think (and also an excuse to allow the artists to draw so many classic villains. :)
Also, the BTAS version would not have worked nearly as well without the magnificently world-weary tones of David Warner. This is someone you could BELIEVE was centuries old, and as such no longer felt the need to hurry anything, least of all his speech.
Head of the Beast honestly sounds just as cool as of the Demon
The moment you say Batman was trained by Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn, there is NO take backsies.
Well he does have a particular set of skills
David Warner was always a treat.
An awesome Friday-night delve into Batman lore. I loved every minute of it and learned lots of new facts. Keep them coming Serum!
Thank you, and I will do!
You know something? I've always preferred Batman in Gotham only stories but you've made me totally reconsider watching the Ra's Al Ghul episodes now! Funnily enough I only saw Showdown once when I was a kid and my muddled memory had me thinking that Ra's was there to retrieve an old Jonah Hex for some reason 😂
Great video!
I want to frame the panel of Bruce punching Ra's so hard he ends up horizontal and put it over my bed.
This channel is so underrated, seriously one of my favorite channels keep up the good work dude :)
Thank you, you’re too kind. I’ve been doing weekly video essays for almost 11 months now, and I think I’ve come a long way, but, as you say, I could always be doing better.
I have some fun things planned over the next few months that I think people will enjoy.
Usually when choosing between btas and Arkham versions of the characters, there’s a clear winner. I genuinely can’t decide for Ra’s Dee Bradley Baker is more threatening but David Warner just had such a commanding presence of intelligence and authority
It'll be David Warner for me, any day of the week.
@@SerumLake I’ll admit I switch between them when reading comics or even find some amalgamation of their voices
6:12 Batman's hands are rated E for Everyone
The hammer of Justice is unisex.
@@ianfinrir8724"I'm an equal opportunity crime fighter," he said to Red Claw.
Yet another banger of a video. Cannot wait for the Talia episode. You're just killing it, man, you're just killing it.
I remembsr hearing "Al Ghul", in his name, is in reference to Algol, the Demon Star, which is where they "Head of the Demon", I would presume.
I never heard about that star until now…huh…the more you know I guess
Can't wait for Talia's video. Honestly, in the context of the DCAU including the tie-in comics, Talia's presence had a significant impact on Batman's character development in the DCAU, much more so than Catwoman. A part of that might also have to do with the fact that I don't thin that the DCAU's Catwoman is really a stand-out adaptation of the character. I also felt that both actresses that Helen Slater and Olivia Hussey who voiced Talia in the DCAU had better chemistry with Kevin Conroy than he had with Adrienne Barbeau, which I think helped showcase a more profound emotional bond. Talia's unwavering support for Batman's mission and her willingness to sacrifice for him demonstrated a level of commitment and understanding that surpassed the DCAU dynamic between Batman and Catwoman. And regarding the voice performances of Helen Slater and Olivia Hussey, while they are a bit similar, I do prefer Olivia Hussey in the rolw because I felt the manner of which she spoke gave a certain sophistication to Talia and her voice and accent felt more authentic and believable whereas I felt with Helen Slater sometimes felt like she was putting on an accent.
In ways, Ra's was right wanting Bruce as a heir and worthy of his Daughter. Oh sure, he got his successor through his grandson, but if Bruce wasn't so damn stubborn, it could've happened a whole lot sooner!❤😂
Aaaaaand this is why Ros al Ghul is and always will be my favorite DC villain. The idea of what someone could do with unlimited resources, especially if the only "super power" they have is just living multiple lifetimes is alone an interesting concept to me, but when you pair that with Ros's obsessions of "doing the right thing for the planet through the worst means" makes him a very, very compelling villain. Even more so when he's willing to engage in more cerebral means when the plots don't work, though he is also more than willing to get his hands dirty. Thanks for sharing this project, and good luck with the next one!
Ra's Al Ghul is one of those villains that could've been hit or miss depending on the person who is introduced to him. For me personally, Ra's is a decent villain in my opinion, he's very deceptive and practically insane in his own right. I've always been curious what his next Eco-Terrorist plan would be whether it be blowing up the Lazarus Pits or teaming up with Shredder in Batman vs TMNT Movie. (That was a very good movie in my opinion. Even the chemistry between Shredder and Ra's was hilarious, and to quote Shredder "I hate Gotham...") I also agree Ra's much like Batman's Rogue's Gallery, Ra's is alot like Bruce in many ways, but does crap in the all the wrong ways. Though, I do have to give to Ra's for having great respect for Bruce. Ra's is a very interesting character to me, and alot could be done with him.
Same can't be said for Talia however... I wish more would've been done with her than just her being Selina Kyle 2.0. The more I think about Talia... the more I realize there is a LOT wrong with her being with Batman. And it's been proven time and time again Talia is loyal to her dad no matter what, and just seems to like Batman cause Daddy says so in most incarnations of her. With the expectation of the Son of the Demon comic I've read, Talia just works better as a replacement as the new Demon's Head and opposite to Batman once Ra's is truly gone. And then there's another stan on Talia and Bruce being... Damian Wayne, that little can of worms is something I think I'll save for Talia's video.
Again great work as usual, Serum looking forward to the videos next week.
Thank you, looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Talia next week!
Can agree, those crossover comics and movie adaptation sure were a surprise hit.
The Arabic pronunciation comes as a surprise. I wonder how come Alexander Siddig, who I think is a native arabic speaker, decided to pronounce it Resh in Gotham. Well, as long as they're consistent
I have to assume that he was told how they wanted him to pronounce it - there’s always a chance that he didn’t realise it was meant to be Arabic?
I’ll tell you something though, I found it very hard switching between the Arabic and the Hebrew pronunciation when recording this video. There are a couple of times where I almost got it the wrong way around!
They could have used their particular regional accent or dialect. Or simply gave up trying to have a satisfying pronunciation, since there are so many conflicting versions and sources. While I can't speak to the Arabic-speaking sources mentioned so far, the only references I've personally seen from those who speak the language is that it's not even proper Arabic. That it's basically the Google Translate version of the phrase, choppy but getting the point across. At this point I'm just happy I know who people are talking about lol.
@@CapnAlcesI'm not an Arabic speaker, but "Ra's al Ghul" is absolutely the kind of name someone would come up with while flipping through and English to Arabic dictionary.
Even killing all the super villains in Arkham wouldn't work in my opinion. Thats why the Joe Chill aspect is so important. Yeah, the suepr villains need to be stopped for their immediate threat and part in the bigger picture but as long as Gothem is a broken city with cycling poverty/disilusionment ruling its streets, it wont be safe. Its not a super villain that killed the or why Batman does it..its the everyday thugs that are a priduct of the failed gothem enviroment that we wants to finally help resolve. I even feel he would possibly hang up his cape if the city got to the point of metropolis. Plagued by evil costumed goons but relatively low on base crime. There are other heros out there now who can deal with the joker but it was the common scurge that batman wanted to undo. Of course..Ras could never just fix that as easily or quickly..which leads creedence to his own madness. If Ras can't "fix" gothem in a sustainable way and just thinks killing the big bads are enough..how really capeable will his methods ever be to help the world? That is part of his whole point and we've seen he has been behind everything history bad on a global scale including Nazi germany to help "cleans" the world but depsite gathering the worst of humanity together in violence, some level of societal evil prevails or resurfaces at the horrific cost of so much good. He is a genius and ridiculously expereinced but the one thing he can never learn is his lesson of failure. I think this is an amazing aspect of Ras countering Batman. Batmans parents were killed by a guy with a gun so he seeks the best way to rehabilitate the cause. Ras felt betrayed and wronged by a perosn he saw evil and the world itself. He killed thw evil peson but the world and other evil people are still out there. He wont get his wife back. He also is a doctor who respects the lengthening of life and has a means to do so..but no longer ahs the family or cause to live that he once did. So what drive does he decide on? Well..his wife is dead and he was left wronged because the world is sick with a disease of bad humanity. He insistst he will cure it..cleanse it..but a doctor cant cure all diseases in the world..no. What he is doing is being a doctor, he is treating the disease in his ongoing prescribed manner. Batman seems to just be stemming the tide but he has a true gaol to fix things while Ras concinces himself of the goal so he can peraue it but really what he is doing it giving himself a sysiphus task to perform while he is living indefinently. Its a direction to have that will never stop being there for him to persure. An impossible crusade for himself over anyone else.
I put off watching the "spoilers" section until I could read the comic, and just got the trade paperback in the mail and read it. I didn't know it was the last one. This is the only DC comic I was interested in, and they ended it. It's too bad they didn't get the audio book thing to happen before Conroy died. But I could clearly hear his voice in my head while reading, along with the other actors from the show, living and dead.
Ras Al Ghul is a James Bond villain with an immortality gimmick.
8:09 The idea for Damian Wayne came from Son of the Demon.
That’s right, although his conception was a bit less… personable.
I like it when Ra's calls Batman Detective, and my favourite episode with Ra's is Showdown.
Also Ra's is voised by the late great David Warner who has a Jewish background (on his father's side of I'm right, russian Jewish) so the Hebrew translation of Ra's name in btas kinda fits well 🙂
I love that Batman gets a plant that seems too good to be true, and the first thing he does is take it to Poison Ivy
from what i understanded it Ghul words are used for a walking corpse or some short of demons but it always refer to vampire in arbic
I was watching a 1960s horror film, Mr Sardonicus, and they defined Ghouls as grave robbing beasts. Kinda fits with what you’re saying, but I guess the only grave Ra’s robs is his own…
In the original Night Of The Living Dead, the word Zombie is never used. Instead, the shambling masses of undead are called Ghouls.
4:17 Ra al ghul should've been working on promoting space travel. Taking advantage of the pioneering spirit humanity had to leave Earth on our own.
Ra's Al Ghul is the only villain that ever equaled Batman in ability and threat, he is Batman's equivalent of Lex Luthor. Also David Warner ruled as the voice of Ra's Al Ghul and the Idea that Etrigan and Ra's have past history just fits very well concept wise considering the occult nature of the characters. Batman also really fits well in occult stories with the gothic nature of his mythos despite his stories being largely more grounded in reality.
18:15 I do enjoy the moments where scarecrow gets to be badass! I think DCAU scarecrow's best moments are ironically in the tie in comics!
The Hebrew word is "Rosh" not "Rhesh", and that wouldn't make sense in the context of "Al Ghul" which is Arabic.
"Demon's Head" in Hebrew would be "Rosh Ha Shed" or "Rosh Shed", depending on either a specific demon ("the demon's head") or just a generic demon ("demon head").
I really like the line "Though I've never intentionally killed...", I think that reflects batman really succinctly, both in general and in his conflicts with Ra's Al Ghul, without simplying him too much.
Ra's Al Ghul has always been my favorite Batman villain even before I liked Batman.
I hope to see a comic/DCAU inspired adaptation of Ra's Al Ghul in Brave and the Bold. He deserves a second chance on the big screen.
Ra's Al Ghul has always been one of my favourite Batman villains for many years because he's very different and interesting in terms of his motivations, he's not what you would call your traditional bad guy. This was someone who wasn't a madman like The Joker or Two-Face, Ra's actually has great respect for Batman and always addresses him as detective plus he knows he's Bruce Wayne but chooses not to expose him out of respect. The fact that Ra's actually wants to destroy the world on a global scale as his way of saving it puts him on a different level to the rest of the members of the rogue's gallery and to make things more difficult and personal, he has his daughter Talia who loves Batman and refers to him as her "beloved" She loves Batman but is loyal to her father and his cause. That raises the emotional stakes even higher between Batman and Ra's. Ra's reminds me of an old school classic villains you would have seen in a James Bond movie from the 60s and David Warner did a tremendous job in bringing not only sophistication but the foreign aspects as well which really showed you that this guy wasn't born in Gotham. One of the most unique characters ever created
Good point on the origins of the name. Raysh is in Aramaic, and Hebrew both ancient and modern. Ghoul is Arabic though. But nonetheless these are all Semetic languages.
1:13 - considering that he's an Arabic Jew in the comics, that would be accurate to the character.
Well there is some debate about that. His wife very likely was Jewish, but when he met her he was a visitor from a far away land. There’s some speculation that he might actually be Persian, or potentially a nomadic Turk. I think the fact that there’s no clear answer adds to his character though.
@SerumLake y'know, you're right. I guess I got a bit confused, since his wife was Jewish and the mother of his older known daughter was most likely Jewish as well; I just assumed that he was as well.
In _Birth Of The Demon_ Ra's is stated to have been born to a tribe of Chinese Nomads somewhere in Northern Africa.
I had the head canon he was Uyghur because he's got an Arabic name and is implied to have been from a nomadic tribe in China.
However, this Ra's is White and British.
The two henchmen seen at 12:38 look like Spider-Man.
What a performance by David Warner, I rember being maybe 9-10 when I saw Ras for the first time and by the end after the Lazarus Pit, Batman finally beating up Ubu and the shirtless sword fight I was both fascinated and terrified by the demon’s head ( that hand rising out of the pit with that insane laugh still haunts me). in much the same way Kevin Conroy is the voice I hear when reading Batman, David Warner IS Ras Al Ghul.
"As you said Detective, this is not over!"
Wow! _Painted by the legendary Norm Breyfogle..._ I was sad to learn what your _"legendary"_ was circum-locuting. And the pictures you show are simply astonishing. (For the era.) Justifying _"painted",_ rather than _"drawn."_ Do you know what medium he used? Watercolour? Gouache? American comics were coloured so cheaply and disposably until Lynn Varley's work on _The Dark Knight Returns._ And then Alex Ross's on _Kingdom Come._ And - I now learn - Norm Breyfogle's _Birth of the Demon_ - a copy of which I shall try to track down. I wish these little miracles had started a trend of colour craftsmanship in American comics, rather than amounting to a flash in the pan.
Ra’s is my fave batman villian honestly
so glad I found this channel!
great work man! :-)
Actually, I'm a native Hebrew speaker, and the Hebrew word for "head" is "rosh", with a soft O, similar to the O sound in the Brtish pronunciation of "tall". The Hebrew O sound is completely 'round', though.
David Warner also voiced in Gargoyles
As a small child to whom Batman was ALMOST entirely novel when BTAS was coming out, this was the only villain I found less interesting and compelling than Bane and Red Claw. Turns out a lot of the things that make him interesting were just lost on the primary audience of the time, who can then go back to the series on re-watch as adults and gain newfound appreciation for it.
Excellent video
The more the world and humanity become... sicker, the more I wholeheartedly sympathize with this universe's Ra's, Watchmen's Ozymandias, TMNT 2003's Agent Bishop, and the MCU's Thanos. Heck, if it were me, such an "antagonist" would be *the* protagonist born from a sense of paragonism, only to necessarily become a renegade that, for all grudging intents and purposes, ACTUALLY SUCCEEDS in making the worlds they purged far better in the future than pessimistically predicted.
Yet to add to all that, B: TAC sure appears to have rendered the Near-Apocalypse of '09 and thus Batman Beyond godsforsakingly non-canon. More proof of it being an Elseworlds saga, and more justification on bringing back the DCAU-canon friendly Batman Adventures Vol. 2 from cancellation.
Sidenote: "Raysh" is still the better pronunciation. Plus, we need more sword-wielding Batman iterations.
2nd sidenote: Also love the Ra's eps for giving us a good transition away from the Gothamite mundanities of B: TAS, which then come to an awesome head with S: TAS. However, I do feel that there are less of them than expected over the course of the 60-something in-universe years animated saga.
3rd sidenote: Sorry for making this too long... appreciate how the Society of Shadows has Spider-Man lookalike operatives. Would love to hear how the people who did S-M: TAS, John Semper Jr. especially, thought about their competition having them.
One of the Rogues that can even be a threat to Superman.
Yeah because he doesn’t seem like a Batman villain because Batman is very Street centred and Ra’s is too mythical for and he definitely wasting his time going after him to make a ideal heir, so I think he should be a Superman,Wonder Woman and Hawkman villain instead
@@srstriker6420It isn't just about an heir. Al ghoul also sees Batman as a rival and obstacle in his path towards purging the earth of humanity. He is a throwback to pulp villains, and Batman is based on pulp fiction heroes, so I do not understand why Al ghul being a villain 4 bats is a bad thing? It is a nice change to the status quo, but I guess you guys do not like change, right?
Arguably the *most* insane of all of Batman's foes...
Eeeeeh... As far as the jewish/arabic thing goes, with him being as old as he is, he could easily be both arabic and jewish because at a certain point in history, the ethnicites kinda merge into one...
And given that Ra's is Ra's, I don't think he really cares too much how is name is pronounced, as long as you get close enough. (As a person who has a similarly hard to pronounce name, I stopped caring after a while too)
I always thought it was funny that he had an English accent in the DCAU, or at least in BTAS. "I am the most English Arab man the world has ever seen! *coughs* Napoleon told me that! *wheeze*"
I've made my hate for Ras Al Ghoul plenty of times, so I won't go overboard now. I can sum up in the following statement. "Stubborn old bastard refuses to die, despite overstaying his welcome."
Those words are also nicely apt for the Joker.
"Stubborn bastard that refuses to die."
That's Batman.
A Jonah Hex cameo? Will wonders never cease. I half thought the old man had faded and died away from memory.
18:17 That's cool.
Ghul to a Tunisian would be akin to ogre. So he's basically ''Shrek's head'' XD
10:54. Another thing I always found interesting about The Demon's Quest is that the title is never said in the episode. Most episodes of the show, at some point in them, have a character say the title if the episode. Some good examples are "Almost got him", "Blind as a bat" and "Silicone Soul".
This was a great Ra’s Al Ghul videos. I loved it.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
My favorite Ra's comic was when he recruited Bane to be a replacement for him
Thank you for calling Ra's Al Ghul a relatively "recent" addition. I started reading comics in the 60s, and was a big fan of Batman and Neal Adams when this story line came out. And I think he is a great character, who has alas been revisited too often. (Even... especially by Neal Adams "Batman: Odyssey" (2013) I Do Not Recommend.) (Though I do love John Byrne's "elseworld" story that saw Batman enter the Lazarus pit with Ra's knowing only one could exit, and it is the now immortal Bruce Wayne.)
As always, thank you so very much for the videos.
I've always assumed the Raysh pronunciation was because his original comic creators were Jewish.
Ra's Al Ghul is a great villain because his intentions to save to world is noble, but the way he dose it is wrong by killing. My favorite episode of the Batman series that he was in was Avatar. Thoth Khepera needs more fanart.
4:13
Mmm, no. He's dead wrong, actually. Most environmental issues are caused by rich people wanting to be richer. Scarcity of food, water, housing, etc is artificial, caused by corporations by throwing away food, forcing people to buy only sterile seeds that only work with their fertilizers, withholding water from local populations, or polluting it or using more than required, all to save a buck. It's corporations who are to blame for deforestation, water and air pollution and poaching (since they are the ones who'll buy the stuff) The people who execute it are just minions, trying to survive. There are measures that can be taken, many ways to produce reliable, renewable energy, ways to provide people with adequate living conditions so they won't have to result in those criminal acts on their behalf, but that's just not profitable for them. Collective responsibility is a myth.
In the end, Ra's cares about balance the way Belos cared about protecting humanity. That is to say, not really (the fact he was a Nazi should drive that home, tbh) All of his plans are to control humanity. To give him power. I will say he only cared for one thing other than himself and that was Talia. It was a codependent love, and, in the end, he would chose himself over her if it came down to it, but he did love his daughter. Nothing else mattered, not even her greatest love and the person he admired most in the world
I remember the first time I saw Ra's in the animated series it sent shivers down my spine and I couldn't wait for the next episodes he'd be in
It’s been shown repeatedly that the Lazarus pit can have adverse effects on the human mind, including on ras alghoul which explains his end justify the means philosophy
As a native Hebrew speaker I can confirm that the pronunciation that people sometimes say is true resembles the hebrew pronunciation a lot more than the arabic one.
in Hebrew head of the demon is pronounced "rosh hashed" (ראש השד).
I LOVE that Dee Bradley Baker voices Ra's in Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Knight. Query: what would happen if Solomon Grundy was to go in the Lazarus Pit?
3:20 anyone going to mention the pool looks just like the pool that the Joker fell in.
Ra’s Al Ghul for GTA: Outer Space
As I said on the essay about Talia, Rass is the correct Arabic way to say his name. Raish in Hebrew is the name of the letter corresponding to R (ר). The Hebrew word for head is Rosh (ראש). So nope, Ra's al Ghul is definitely not Jewish and the way to say his name in Hebrew is Rosh Ha'Shed (ראש השד).
I never heard of this guy before Batman Begins, so I always call him 'Rozz' Al Ghul.
Its worth noting, Yemen was almost universally Jewish just before the rise of Islam, and Judaism was common across the Arabian Peninsula at that time.
It's possible he uses the Hebrew version of the title because he grew up hearing it spoken at Synagogue.
gotta be honest, maybe the inescapable prison should've been left running just for the joker's sake
Excellent video 👌👌👌
I think the phantom of the opera would be a cool opponent for Batman
personally i did not like this character from btas. When i first saw his episodes i just rolled my eyes, similar to you i prefer the more grounded stories. But after watching this video it really gave me a new appreciation for the character. bravo!
YES I BELIVE IT CAN BE DONE! I THINK THIS CAN DEFINITELY WORK OUT ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYONE PULLING SOME TIME FOR IT!
This is just a comment for the "How do you say his name" portion. Honestly if the Hebrew and Arabic meanings are the same or at least close to it, I say live and let live. So many people are used to the DC AU version due to their own childhoods like myself. Ra's shouldn't even be focused on his name, but rather himself in every incarnation. Like his honorable remorse in the Under the Red Hood movie.
In batman beyond bruce was right he does whimper in fear of death since he cheated death for over 600 years and even sacrificed his own daughter just so he could stay alive and he's not even ashamed of it when bruce called him out on it excusing it as he had to do it, a real father would never use their child like that and not out live them, if he truely cared about his daughter he would've excepted his fate and let her live her life free from his control and actually use his assets to change the world for the better.
Out of curiosity, was I the only one who thought that the costumes of Ra’s henchmen resembled a black Spider-Man suit?
I never liked the Ra's episode plots nearly as much as I liked Ra's Al Ghul himself save for that episode that was mostly flashback to southwestern USA and ending with him collecting his son to bring him home. I thought that was such a neat twist.
I keep waiting for you to talk about what happens with the characters in Batman Beyond but it never happens
It happens in the follow up video about Talia
I like Ra's Ghul great batman villain 😎 😊😅
Love your content! I gotta ask though, what’s that song that plays at the end of your videos? I don’t know why, but it’s such a nice melody I have to know what it’s called
It’s a free track from Apple’s royalty-free music library. I think it’s called Altitude?