- "You must show you are willing to take a life to save the world."
- ―Talia al Ghūl to Batman [src]
The daughter of Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul aided her father in his mission to bring their self-defined perception of peace to the world through the eradication of most of its population. After she was trained to a physical and mental peak by her father, Talia was a true force to be reckoned with and used her brilliant mind to implement and run several legitimate business empires that funded the League of Assassins' illegal operations throughout the globe. Despite being the second in command of the organization and the daughter of Ra's, Talia was not as ruthless as her father and was much more compassionate, namely during desperate circumstances, though she was nonetheless ruthless enough to be chosen as the heir to the League of Assassins over her sister, Nyssa Raatko, in the event that Batman refused to replace Ra's.
She was an enemy, ally, and lover of Batman since the pair met and were romantically involved. While Ra's cruelly manipulated Batman's love for his daughter in an attempt to enlist him in his plans, Talia's immense love toward the Dark Knight often conflicted with her loyalty toward her father, which dwindled over the years. Aiding her father in a sinister conspiracy known as Arkham City, Talia's true loyalties were tested to the ultimate extremes throughout the long and brutal night.
Biography
Talia met Batman when he saved her from an attack, but in the process he was stabbed with a poison dagger. Talia took Batman, nursed him back to health, and unmasked him to tend to his wound. She introduced Bruce to her father, Ra's, who wanted to form an alliance with him. Bruce and Talia developed a relationship, but Batman discovered Ra's murderous goals.
Before Arkham City
Five years later, and a year before the events of Arkham City, Batman and Talia encountered each other in Metropolis which ended with them spending the night together. Talia herself appeared to remember the night fondly and it was implied that this was the beginning of their love-hate relationship.
Batman revealed that his feelings for Talia hadn't changed, but neither did his view of Ra's. Talia offered to let Batman slay her father and take his place, but he refused. Talia returned to her father who revealed that he had scheduled a meeting with Professor Hugo Strange.
Talia later was involved in the planning process alongside Ra's of Arkham City. The eve before Protocol 10 was to commence, however, she received a message from her father: Namely, due to the Lazarus Pit's restoration of him that became less successful each time, he needed to find a successor, and that if Batman was unwilling to take the mantle of Leader of the League of Assassins, then he would elect her to act as leader due to her merciless nature, especially when compared to her sister, Nyssa.
Batman: Arkham City
Because of her father's frail nature and growing psychosis, Talia assumed the duties as the second in command of the League of Assassins and oversaw their operations in Gotham City alongside her personal guard. While she responded to an intruder alarm, Talia was surprised to find that her beloved was the intruder. After she ordered that the assassin that Batman tracked would be dealt with later, she spoke him Batman and expressed her concerns that regarded his health. Much to Talia's surprise, Bruce revealed that he was ready to undergo the Trials of the Demon and take his place by her side.
She urged Bruce to reconsider due to his weakened state due to the Titan Disease and because he would have to violate his rules about killing, but led him to the chamber at his urging. Overjoyed that they would finally be together, Talia was distressed to learn that it had been a lie in order to gain access to Ra's to get a blood sample and that he had no intention of completing the Way of the Demon by killing him. Outraged, Ra's threatened his own daughter, but was saved by Batman. Nonetheless, Talia stormed out because of the betrayals by both her father and her beloved.
Talia, in secret, monitored Batman because of his condition and followed him to Joker's Funland at the Steel Mill. During that time, Talia found Harley Quinn, duct taped her to a pipe, and took the cure from her as well. There, Talia found Batman held at knife-point by the Joker and made a deal with him; if he freed Batman, then she would give him access to the Lazarus Pit and he would lead the League of Assassins by her side. When they were on their way to the League's Headquarters, Joker turned against Talia and took her hostage at the Monarch Theatre. Batman pursued her after he defeated Strange and confronted Joker, who demanded the cure in exchange for Talia's life. Talia was able to stab the Joker from behind with her ceremonial sword, much to the anger of Batman for Joker's murder.
She then presented Batman with the cure for the Titan Disease, and Batman realized that Talia did not really kill anyone: Joker was in fact Clayface the entire time. Talia was shot in the back by the real Joker and apologized to Batman with her last breath. The cure fell from Talia's hands and rolled toward the waiting Clayface, who then took it into his body. Batman spent part of the fight attempting to dislodge the cure from Clayface's skull, and used Talia's sword to fight him. He also used her blade to destroy the Lazarus Pit, and prevented Joker from immortality.
After Arkham City
Talia's Sword was placed in the Evidence Room at the GCPD Lockup, and Batman mourned for her upon his visit to her display. In addition, because of her presumed death alongside the death and failed revival of Ra's, there was a splinter of the League of Assassins between those who were loyal to Nyssa and those who were loyal to Ra's, which escalated into a bloody civil war on Halloween.
An audio tape at Elliot Memorial Hospital also revealed that, even if Strange had proven himself as a worthy successor, Ra's still would not have granted him immortality and control over the League, and instead intended for Talia to take his place should Batman still refuse to cooperate and agree to become his successor. That cemented Strange's role within the Arkham City Conspiracy as nothing more than another mere pawn on the warlord's board to manipulate for his own ends and then dispatch when his usefulness had served its purpose, although Strange did at least have the foresight to anticipate a betrayal and took Ra's with him once it happened.
However, when Batman visited the Morgue at Elliot Memorial Hospital, Talia's Locker was left ajar and her body was not found even by Detective Mode.
Gallery
Trivia
- Unlike most versions of Talia who had dark hair, that Talia had blonde hair in the game. However, in Arkham Unhinged, her light hair was revealed to be a dye.
- Talia never had a biography in the previous game, and was only mentioned in Ra's Biography. She was one of four characters (the other three, Deadshot, Solomon Grundy and Nora Fries, who was only mentioned in Mr. Freeze's Biography) that appeared in the game, but not have a bio in Batman: Arkham Asylum.
- Talia's body went missing during the entire battle between Batman and Clayface, which either suggested that her body was taken by the League, or it could have been an oversight on the developers' part.
- Talia's involvement in the game was revealed through a Tweet for her voice actress, Stana Katic rather than any official announcement, which suggested that either she was meant to have been revealed at a later time or was not intended to be revealed at all until she appeared within the game itself. It's also possible that she was told that she was allowed to reveal it through a Tweet.
- Talia's belly button piercing was removed in the remaster of Arkham City, the reason for this is unknown.