Lady Shiva

Huntress beaten by Lady Shiva in Birds of Prey v2 #6.

Lady Shiva is a female comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Pre-Crisis

Richard Dragon battles Lady Shiva in Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter v1 #5.

Sandra Wu-San

Post-Crisis

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.

She was later recruited by the new Demon's Head Nyssa Raatko after she had taken over her fathers criminal empire. This saw Lady Shiva being the new sensei of a new crop of recruits for the League of Assassins. (Batgirl v1 #68)

Lady Shiva was later dispatched by Ra's al Ghul to find his daughter Talia who had been taken by Batman from the offices of LexCorp. This was because he initially believed that Ra's al Ghul was involved in a plot against him. Whilst confronting Ra's in the desert, he had Catwoman remain in Gotham to watch over the captive Talia but Shiva arrived at the scene to free her. Sandra Wu-San managed to easily best the thief but then was knocked unconscious but Talia al Ghul who had freed herself. She had no intention of returning to her father and in fact wanted to help her beloved Batman which was why she had helped Selina Kyle defeat Lady Shiva. (Batman v1 #616)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different series of events.

For his League of Shadows, Ra's al Ghul decided to choose the assassin Lady Shiva to serve as their leader in order to play on their fanaticism. She gave them purpose and drive that they did not have before but upon learning what they were intended for she usurped Ra's rule over them for herself and turned them against him. This led to a state of hostilities between the League of Shadows and the League of Assassins. (Detective Comics v1 #954)

Around a year ago, Shiva alone attacked a stronghold of the Colony where by herself she massacred its personnel whilst she had injured Jacob Kane and forced him to watch the slaughter. Several months ago, she was visited by Ra's al Ghul in Paris who asked her to end the state of hostilities with her in exchange for information on her daughter. Shiva refused and the Colony arrived to ambush her but she easily killed her attackers in ten seconds. She then had her League of Shadows stage an attack on Gotham City in order to witness her daughter Cassandra Cain in action but was disappointed that she did not engage in fatal strikes. (Detective Comics v1 #952) Cassandra later confronted her with Shiva enjoying the challenge of a fight to the death only to be disappointed in her daughter for refusing to engage in the battle. (Detective Comics v1 #953) She threatened to destroy Gotham City with a bomb and faced Batman along with her own daughter in hand-to-hand combat with Cassandra managing to get her mothers respect but Shiva was killed by Ra's al Ghul who shot her. (Detective Comics v1 #956)

Though killed, she was restored to life by Ra's al Ghul but she stated that she had a will of her own. Despite that, Shiva was working with her master in order to corrupt her daughter Cassandra Cain to follow the darkness in her and follow in her footsteps. (Batman and the Outsiders v3 #9)

Overview

Personality and attributes

Whilst among the Brotherhood of the Monkey Fist, she came to wear a mask and was known as the Paper Monkey. (Nightwing v2 #23) After joining the Birds of Prey, Shiva decided to take the name of Jade Canary for a time. (Birds of Prey v1 #92)

Another account claimed she came to see that her older sister had held her back from achieving her true potential. Thus, she became grateful to David Cain for releasing her from the bonds she had with her sister. (Batgirl v1 #73)

Powers and abilities

Shiva became a senior figure within the League of Assassins where she was responsible for training its members. (Batgirl v1 #68) She came to be made the leader of the League of Shadows that were tasked with destroying civilisations. (Detective Comics v1 #954) Lady Shiva came to head a group of skilled fighters that were known as the Circle of Six. (Richard Dragon v1 #1)

Notes

• Lady Shiva was created by Dennis O'Neil and Ric Estrada where she made her first appearance in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter v1 #5 (December, 1975).

In other media

Television

• In Birds of Prey, Lady Shiva appeared in the setting of the live-action television series in the episode "Lady Shiva" where she was portrayed by actress Sung-Hi Lee.
• In Beware the Batman, Lady Shiva appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series where she was voiced by actress Finola Hughes. She was shown as being one of the lieutenants of the League of Assassins where she made her first appearance in the episode "Safe" when she sent Silver Monkey to capture Dr. Jason Burr so that she could get the Ion Cortex. Following his failure, Shiva had learnt from Silver Monkey that Katana was still alive after faking her death and was defending Dr. Burr. Instead of continuing their assault, she decided that they would obtain the Ion Cortex by other means as Katana was a bigger prize for the League of Assassins. In "Family", Silver Monkey orchestrated a secret plot with Bethanie Ravencroft to lure Batman to the Argus Club in order to force Katana into the open so that they could get the Soultaker sword from her. Silver Monkey intended to use the sword to usurp control of the League of Assassins from Lady Shiva but she was aware of his plans and thwarted them. Taking the Soultaker, she used it to take the sword of Ravencroft and had Silver Monkey taken away as a prisoner. She later battled Batman and Katana who she fought off whilst she escaped with the sword in a helicopter. In "Sacrifice", a cargo box containing the sleeping body of her master Ra's al Ghul was being smuggled into Gotham City but the container was stolen by Anarky. This forced Lady Shiva to make a deal with Anarky to retrieve a mutative toxin from the Gotham Contagion Research Center in exchange for the cargo. At the same time, Anarky had lured Batman and Katana into the center in order to trap them all with the released virus. Shiva later escaped with Anarky giving her the returned cargo despite his plans having failed. In "Instinct" she welcomed Dr. Burr after his mind had beein brainwashed by Cypher leading to him joining the League of Assassins. In "Fall", she stood alongside her master Ra's al Ghul who had commanded the League in taking over Gotham City and as he had defeated Batman. In "Reckoning", she battled Silver Monkey who had betrayed the League by siding with Batman after out of honor he had sided with the Dark Knight but Lady Shiva defeated him with the Soultaker sword. She was defeated alongside the rest of the League when Batman reversed the incantation on the Soultaker causing its trapped souls to be released where they attacked Ra's al Ghul.
• In Young Justice, Lady Shiva appeared in the setting of the animated television series starting in the episode "Home Fires" where she was voiced by actress Gwendoline Yeo. She was a member of the League of Shadows and recruited to become the Lights newest enforcer. Lady Shiva was dispatched by the Light to stop its former member Ocean Master when he went rogue and intended to kill the families of the superhero community. The Light believed this would result in mutually assured destruction between themselves and their enemies thus Lady Shiva was sent to stop Orm. When Orm could not be dissuaded, Lady Shiva eliminated him and removed his body from the scene so that his activities could not be traced before reporting her success back to her masters.
• In Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons, Lady Shiva appeared in the setting of the animated web series where she was voiced by actress Panta Mosleh.

Films

• In Superman/Batman: Pubic Enemies, Lady Shiva appeared as a minor villain appearing in one-scene and was voiced by actress Rachael MacFarlane who only made vocal noises with no dialogue. She was one of many supervillains that were taken over by Gorilla Grodd's mental powers and sent to get the bounty on Superman and Batman. Shiva arrived where she battled Batman after he defeated the mind controlled Solomon Grundy only to be knocked out by him in their fight.
• In Batman and Harley Quinn, Lady Shiva was referenced in the setting of the animated film.
• In Batman: Hush, Lady Shiva appeared in a minor role in the animated film where she was voiced by actress Sachie Alessio.
• In Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Lady Shiva appeared in the setting of the animated film where she was once again voice by actress Sachie Alessio.
• In Batman: Soul of the Dragon, Shiva appeared in the setting of the 2021 animated film where she was voiced by actress Kelly Hu.

Video games

• In DC Universe Online, Lady Shiva appeared in the setting of the MMORPG video game.
• In Batman: Arkham Origins, the character appeared as an antagonist where she was voiced by actor Kelly Hu. Shiva was among the eight assassins that were hired by Black Mask with the goal of killing Batman. To test Batman's abilities, she was responsible for kidnapping two corrupt police officers where she killed one and left the other to be rescued. When Batman rescued him, Lady Shiva confronted him with the two fighting only for the Dark Knight to be the victor. She would declare him worthy of continued living and allowed him to continue his efforts in protecting Gotham City. However, she insisted that he would soon learn that Gotham was beyond saving and deserved destruction in order for it to rise from the ashes. Before disappearing, she commented that Batman's skills would impress her 'master' when he heard of them. In the extortion files held by Edward Nygma, it as revealed that Lady Shiva was aware of Bane's addiction to Venom and his desire to end his addiction. In the Initiation DLC, Lady Shiva was the last opponent that Kirigi unleashes on Bruce Wayne prior to becoming Batman and during his training.

Appearances

• Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter v1: (1975)
• Birds of Prey v1:
• Batgirl v1:
• Batman v1:
• Secret Six:
• Detective Comics v1:
• Batman and the Outsiders v3: (2019)

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Comicvine Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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