Talia al Ghul
Talia al Ghul is a female comic character that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Talia al Ghul (Arabic: تاليا الغول)
Beloved
After failing a mission, Doctor Darrk turned against Ra's al Ghul and took control of the League of Assassins where he kidnapped Talia. This saw Batman arrive where he rescued by Talia al Ghul and she later shot and killed Darrk in order to save the Dark Knight's life. Afterwards, Talia was seemingly captured alongside Robin with Ra's al Ghul recruiting the vigilante detective. Ultimately, it was shown that the entire kidnapping was orchestrated by Ra's. The reason for this was because Talia had fallen in love with Batman and that the staged kidnapping was to prove Batman's suitability and worth as a husband for Talia along with being Ra's al Ghul's successor. Batman rejected Ra's offer but he did have similar and return Talia's feelings.
Daughter of the Demon
She later assisted her father in his plot to cull the world population with him starting by eliminating the Justice League. To defeat them, he had stolen plans Batman had actually created in case he had to ever oppose the Justice League with these being used to cripple them. (JLA v1 43)
After being disillusioned with her father, she left the company of her father and sought to escape from his shadow with her taking the name Talia Head with her wanting to be alone. During this time, she was residing in Hong Kong when she was approached by President Lex Luthor who wanted her to manage his company LexCorp as he headed the country. This was because of her own experience in managing corporate assets of her father with Luthor offering her protection from her father. Talia refused and said that she wanted to be left alone but was attacked by assassins seemingly from her father. She was saved by the intervention of Luthor's bodyguards who brought her to him with her accepting the position of CEO of LexCorp. (President Luthor Secret Files and Origins v1 #1)
During the Asteroid X crisis, Talia in her role as C.E.O. of LexCorp began to drain all the company's resources and sell its assets to the Wayne Foundation leaving Luthor with nothing as his crimes were exposed to the world and his presidency came to an end. (Superman/Batman v1 #6)
The Society
Around this time, she became one of the core founders of the Secret Society of Super Villains.
Batman Inc.
At some point, she usurped control over his fathers followers and placed Ra's al Ghul under house arrest for opposing her plans. (Batman Incorporated v2 #2) She then became the mastermind behind the shadow organization Leviathan that was formed in opposition to her beloved's Batman Incorporated project. During this time, she placed US$500,000,000 dollar bounty on the head of her own son Damian and declared war against Batman. (Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes v1 #1)
Return
She later joined with Batman to fight alongside their son against the threat posed by Suren Darga. (Robin: Son of Batman v1 #11)
Holly Robinson later sought shelter under the protection of Talia who kept her safe. Around this time, Batman and Catwoman sought her out as the pair intended to get married. This led to a battle with Talia who lost to Selina and expressed her admiration for Catwoman. (Batman v3 #35) She was later hired for an assassination of Lois Lane and used this opportunity to test her son Damian as she sought him to achieve his true potential though once more he rejected her. (Super Sons v1 #14)
The truce in Leviathan came to an end forcing Talia to seek out the retired Honor Guest who had departed the life of an assassin and had become a wife as well as mother to a child. (The Silencer v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
For a brief time, she wore a robe with a skeletal mask over her face during the time she operated as the hidden leader of Leviathan. (Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes v1 #1)
To Batman, Talia was everything he could want in a woman with Bruce describing her as being beautiful, intelligent and loyal. He only opposed marrying her because he felt that she would stand in the way of his mission against crime. (DC Special Series v1 #15)
Powers and abilities
Notes
- Talia al Ghul was created by Dennis O'Neil, Bob Brown and Dick Giordano where she made her first appearance in Detective Comics v1 #411 (May, 1971).
Alternate Versions
- In Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table v1 (1998), Talia al Ghul appeared in the alternate reality Elseworld set in the Arthurian era where she was the daughter of Ra's al Ghul who desired to marry the Dark Knight Bruce of the House of Waynesmoor that was battling the forces of Mordred.
- In Injustice 2 v1 (2017), Talia al Ghul appeared in the alternate world that tied in with the Injustice series. She was the former lover of Batman and was the mother of his son Damian Wayne who left her to follow his fathers path. She had another daughter who went by the name of Athanasia al Ghul (Daughter of the Bat) who took the identity of Nightwing and helped Talia rescue her brother Damian from prison.
In other media
Television
- In the DC Animated Universe, Talia al Ghul made a number of appearance in the various animated series of the setting.
- In Batman: The Animated Series, Talia made her first appearance in the animated television series starting in the episode "Off Balance" where she was voiced by actor Helen Slater.
- In Superman: The Animated Series, Talia made a guest appearance in the animated television series in the episode "The Demon Reborn" where she was voiced by actor Olivia Hussey.
- In the Arrowverse, Talia al Ghul made a number of appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Legends of Tomorrow, a young Talia was shown in the live-action television series episode "Left Behind" where she was portrayed by actor Milli Wilkinson. Her father Ra's al Ghul brought her to the training session of Sara Lance where he noted on the young warriors proficiency in combat.
- In Arrow, an adult Talia made a number of appearances in the live-action television series fifth season where she was portrayed by actor Lexa Doig. She was shown initially in flashback in Russia where she found Oliver Queen and helped train him to become a vigilante to seek his vengeance. Years later, she trained Adrian Chase for the skills he needed to get his revenge on Oliver Queen for killing his father. This was because she resented Oliver for killing her own father Ra's al Ghul and intended her student to get her revenge.
Films
- In Batman: Under the Red Hood, Talia al Ghul appeared in a cameo non-speaking role in the animated film.
- In The Dark Knight Rises, Talia appeared as a supporting protagonist initially before being revealed as the primary antagonist where she was portrayed by actor Marion Cotillard with Joey King and Harry Coles portraying the character during flashbacks. Whilst in Gotham, she began operating under a new identity as Miranda Tate who was seemingly a wealthy executive and philanthropist.
- In Son of Batman, Talia al Ghul appeared in a supporting role in the animated film where she was voiced by actor Morena Baccarin.
- In Batman vs. Robin, Talia al Ghul appeared only in a cameo non-speaking role in the animated film as a hallucinatory vision experienced by Batman.
- In Batman: Bad Blood, Talia al Ghul appeared as an antagonist in the animated film where she was voiced again by actor Morena Baccarin.
Video games
- In Batman: Arkham City, Talia al Ghul appeared in the video game where she was voiced by actor Stana Katic.
- In Injustice 2, Talia was referenced in dialogue in the fighting video game.
Misc
Appearances
- Detective Comics v1:
- Gotham City Sirens v1:
- Batman Incorporated v2:
- Batman and Robin v2:
- Robin: Son of Batman v1:
- Batman v3:
- The Silencer:
- Super Sons:
External Links
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