League of Assassins

Origins

League of Assassins

Yasser split from the ancient Order of Assassins in a successor movement. Their followers claim to have annulled and deposed centers of civilizations such as Baghdad, Moscow, and Rome throughout past generations in their lineage. As a part of The Demon, it is sometimes called "The Demon's Fang" or "Demonfang".

The recruits of the League of Assassins follow a strict regimen, carrying distinct black emblems and supplies up to their mountain lairs. These new recruits are called Ghuls, because they emerge after proclaiming their final prayers in their own prefabricated graves before initiating in various, assigned operations.

Unlike the ancient Order of the Assassins, whose main objective was to halt sectarian conflicts and wars within the world, the League of Assassins acts as an organization that is a catalyst to the reformation of decadent civilizations around the globe.

Fictional team history

Under Ebeneezer Darrk's leadership

The League of Assassins was founded by Ra's al Ghul in 1013 A.D. to be "the fang that protects the head" (Batgirl #67, 2005). Members of the League demonstrated willingness to die at a word from Ra's. They have included some of the most dangerous assassins in the world including Lady Shiva, David Cain, and Merlyn. For much of its current history, any member who failed in an assassination was in turn targeted by the League. Indeed, one of its best-known members, the master-archer Merlyn, was eventually forced to flee from the League, fearing for his life after having failed to assassinate Batman.

Ebeneezer Darcel, aka Doctor Darrk, was the first known individual assigned to head the League of Assassins by Ra's al Ghul. Darrk himself was seconded by the Sensei, a martial arts master from Hong Kong. Although many of the League's leaders over the years have been accomplished martial artists, Darrk himself did not depend on physical prowess, and as an assassin he instead relied upon careful planning and manipulation, ambushes and death traps, as well as a variety of cleverly concealed weapons and poisons. Although the League apparently had an inner circle of elite fighters as well as a large number of warriors trained in the martial arts, the League during Darrk's tenure as leader reflected his personal methodology. Following a "falling out" with Ra's, Darrk kidnapped Ra's daughter, Talia al Ghul. Batman became involved in this matter while attempting to bring the League to justice for a number of recent killings. Although he had connected the League to several assassinations over the years, all previous attempts to investigate had met dead-ends. Batman rescued Talia (the first time the two would meet, laying the foundation for all their future interaction) and Darrk died while trying to kill them.

Under Sensei's leadership

Under the direction of the organization's second known leader, the villainous Sensei, the League became more brutal, and it rebelled against Ra's' rule. Although the Sensei's methods closely resembled Darrk's, and the majority of the League's operatives showed little to no real skill in personal combat, the Sensei did show slightly more reliance on skilled martial artists.

This version of the League is best known for two assassinations. As part of an initiation process, the operative known as the Hook was assigned to murder Boston Brand (who became Deadman after his death). Additionally, Professor Ojo successfully brainwashed Ben Turner (best friend and partner of Richard Dragon), creating an alternate personality dubbed Bronze Tiger, and turning the master martial artist into a League operative. As the Bronze Tiger, Turner defeated Batman in personal combat while another League operative murdered Kathy Kane (the secret identity of Batwoman in pre-Crisis continuity, and a close personal friend of Batman's post-crisis). Eventually Turner's earlier training at the hands of O-Sensei (not to be confused with the leader of the League) proved too strong for the League to fully break, and when he refused to kill Batman he was forced to flee the League.

Not long afterwards, the insane Sensei—no longer motivated by anything but a desire to raise assassination to an art—attempted to cause an artificial earthquake in order to kill a number of diplomats gathered for peace talks. Batman traced Ben Turner to a hospital, foiling a League attempt to assassinate the man. Turner could not fully remember the actions of his alternate personality (although years later, as a member of the Suicide Squad, he would reveal that the League had used him to kill a number of people), but he was able to aid Batman in uncovering the Sensei's latest plot. Although Batman was unable to prevent the earthquake, ultimately it was only the Sensei himself that died in the disaster, and control of the League returned to Ra's.

Role in the creation of Lady Shiva

Prior to the betrayals of Doctor Darrk and the Sensei, Ra's had grown tired of the fickle loyalties of his warriors. Ra's assigned David Cain to create a perfect bodyguard ("The One Who Is All"). After early attempts to raise such a person resulted in hopelessly psychotic children, Cain decided that he needed a genetically suited child and began searching for a possible mother. To this end he assassinated Carolyn Woosan/Wu-San, one of two astonishingly talented martial artist sisters he had seen fighting in an exhibition. Carolyn's sister, Sandra, swore revenge and tracked Cain down, only to be subdued by the combined might of the League. Both intoxicated and frightened by the levels of skill she was attaining now that she was no longer holding back for her sister's sake, Sandra agreed to be the mother of Cain's child. In return, the League spared Sandra's life, and assisted her in further training. By the time Sandra gave birth she had surpassed the entire League in skill. She left immediately following the birth of her daughter, Cassandra Cain, rechristening herself Lady Shiva.

Other stories would suggest that at some points afterwards Shiva worked as a member of the League, and eyewitness testimony from former League member Onyx indicates that she kept in contact with the League, although she apparently did not see her daughter. Although most of her appearances over the years show her working independently, she apparently had some degree of League membership, and was called upon by Ra's to "rescue" Talia during the Hush storyline.

In keeping with Ra's and Cain's plans, the League attempted to train Cassandra Cain from birth to be the ultimate assassin, unknowingly giving her the skills she would use as the hero Batgirl.

Under Nyssa Raatko's leadership

After the death of Ra's al Ghul, his first-born daughter Nyssa Raatko formed a new League. Lady Shiva was recruited to serve as the sensei to this incarnation of the League, with the intent that Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) would lead the warriors themselves.

Reflecting Shiva's emphasis for martial arts, the known members of Nyssa's League were all skilled in this area, and included the warriors Shrike, Kitty Kumbata, Wam-Wam, Joey N'Bobo, Tigris, Momotado, Krunk, White Willow, the twin warriors Los Gemelos, Ox, Mad Dog, Alpha, and Cristos. The new League was present when Mr. Freeze's wife Nora Fries was brought back to life as the monstrous Lazara, and several members died in the resulting chaos.

Due to the conflict between their loyalty to Shiva and Nyssa and their near-worship of Batgirl as "The One Who is All", the League split at that point, with Ox, White Willow, and Tigris pledging themselves to Cassandra. Several more members of the League (including all the defectors except Tigris) died when the insane "Mad Dog" went on a killing spree. "The Mad Dog", it was revealed, had been one of David Cain's early attempts to create Ra's' perfect warrior. The Mad Dog had been considered useless as a child, since Cain's methods had driven him murderously insane, and Ra's had ordered the child be killed. Nyssa, however, knew that the servant ordered to carry out this execution had instead released him into the wild, explaining how it was possible to recruit him. The Mad Dog was successful in killing Batgirl (who gave her life to protect the burqa-clad assassin Tigris). She was quickly restored to life in a Lazarus Pit by Shiva, in order that the two could face each other in a final battle. Batgirl won leaving Shiva on a meat hook suspended over the Lazarus Pit.

Infinite Crisis

Although most of its members had died or defected, the League survived the "Infinite Crisis", and was seen to play an important role in the Society's worldwide prison break. Throughout the period of aftermath it remained under the control of Nyssa, until she was apparently killed in a car explosion. Cassandra Cain has apparently taken over the League as its new leader, although she abandoned the League at some point prior to the Teen Titans storyline Titans East, where it is revealed that she was being drugged by Deathstroke.

Furthermore, it appears that Cassandra was battling for complete control of the League of Assassins with Ra's al Ghul's youngest daughter Talia, as well as the Sensei. Talia, who would naturally assume control of her father's empire by default following Nyssa's death, was seen in the Batman and Son storyline, leading ninja members of the League of Assassins, against Batman. At the same time, several members felt neither Talia nor Cassandra were up to the role, and, after failing to recruit Black Canary's adopted daughter Sin, gave the leadership to the Sensei, who reappeared in the "Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul" storyline.

"One Year Later", Talia al Ghul forced Kirk Langstrom to give her the Man-Bat formula which she used to turn some of its members into Man-Bats. Currently, the League of Assassins and its Man-Bat Commandos are used by Talia as her personal army and bodyguards, carrying her orders and taking retribution over her enemies.

In the series Green Arrow/Black Canary #11, a metahuman faction of the League of Assassins was introduced. They were involved in the abduction of an injured Connor Hawke. This group's members included Bear, Tolliver, Ruck, Spike, Mazone, and their leader Targa. However, although they thought they were being commanded by Ra's al Ghul, they were apparently duped by an imposter Shado.

The New 52

In 2011, The New 52 rebooted the DC universe. The League of Assassins reside in the sacred city of 'Eth Alth'eban. Lady Shiva, Rictus, Cheshire, December Graystone, and Bronze Tiger target Red Hood. They end up capturing Red Hood and bring him to 'Eth Alth'eban so that he can help lead the League of Assassins. Red Hood has been led to 'Eth Alth'eban, where the League of Assassins resides. Bronze Tiger explains that costumed heroes have been fighting to maintain a broken system—a system that can only be fixed by taking the next step, and culling the weak and wicked from the world. He and the others have chosen Red Hood to be their leader in taking the action that the world's super-heroes have been too afraid to take. Red Hood admits that he abandoned his friends because he did not want to be a killer. In response, Bronze Tiger begs the opportunity to show Red Hood how to do real lasting good. The assassins give Red Hood a tour of the Death Market, where tools of death and murder can be bought, to fill any need provided that the need in question is killing a lot of people. After reuniting with December Graystone, Cheshire, Lady Shiva, and Rictus, Bronze Tiger calls a meeting of the council to which Red Hood is invited. Meanwhile, they are concerned about the security of the city, given the coming war. Rictus assures them that it would take approximately four hundred terawatts of power to break through the city's walls. At their meeting, Red Hood wonders what it is about him that makes them think he can lead them to victory against the Untitled. Bronze Tiger admits amid jeers from his companions that he was told by Talia al Ghul that Red Hood would be the only one who could stop the Untitled if they ever attacked. This comes as a surprise to Red Hood, given that he cannot even remember what the Untitled look like. Bronze Tiger reminds that if Red Hood wants to do good with his life, he cannot do much better than to fight against the most powerful force for evil on the planet. Just then, sensors reveal that something is on the perimeter of the city. It is Arsenal and he is heavily armed.

Arsenal is using all of his unique inventions to hold back the defensive attacks of the Man-Bat Commandos of the League of Assassins. The first assassin Arsenal encounters is December Graystone and he soon entraps the magician within a block of ice, thanks to some grenades made with technology he stole from Mr. Freeze. Next, Cheshire appears next to him thanks to her teleportation abilities and steals the hat off of his head. However, he spots the teleportation device implanted in her wrist and uses an electrical shock to short it out. That causes the device to malfunction and she disappears completely. During the fight, Red Hood states that he would lead the League of Assassins in exchange that Arsenal and Starfire are unharmed. Starfire reminds Red Hood that she would rather die than be put in chains again. She warns him that with the last Lazarus Pit uncovered, it can strip away the Untitled's powers, which is why they have come to destroy it. They must not succeed. As she and Arsenal are escorted away, she warns Red Hood not to die today. As he prepares himself, Red Hood begins to hear a voice from within that explains that his destiny is coming to fruition, and shows him how to make the mystical All-Blades manifest in his hands. Though he does not remember what all this means, he hopes it will help, as the Untitled arrive in the sacred city.

DC Rebirth

In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called DC Rebirth, which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". The League of Assassins and League of Shadows are two separate organizations. The League of Assassins consists of Ra's al Ghul's standard followers, while the League of Shadows is the more mysterious of the two and is often considered a myth, but are said to have people everywhere and to have a plan to "bring the entire nation to the ground".

At a later point in time, Connor Hawke, the estranged son of Green Arrow, washed up on the shores of an unknown island, where he was rescued by the League of Shadows. They offered him an invitation to join their ranks, as they needed a "champion" to enter the League of Lazarus tournament and bond with the Lazarus Demon. Connor accepted the offer, intending to stop their plan to awaken the demon. The Shadows sent Hawke as their champion of the League of Lazarus tournament and monitored him vigilantly.

Members

Since the organization's debut and publication history, the League of Assassin's hierarchy and overall goal has been retroactively changed several times. In later appearances, Ra's al Ghul's secret society is split into three secret societies with differing goals that aid in his agenda.

League of Assassins

The League of Assassins was retroactively established as a means for Ra's to gain favor through sold servies of teams and agents to various nations, giving him great funding, political power, and capable warriors. While originally operating in secret, their clandestine operations became more public due to an expanding superhero community in more modern stories. The organization's leadership has changed over time; originally, the League of Assassins was alternatively led by deputies appointed by Ra's himself and was subjected to usurpation. During the New 52 era, the League of Assassins was led by a council of master assassins loyal to Ra's al Ghul's agenda and goals.

Ubu – A master assassin who is Ra's al Ghul's trusted second-in-command. In later works, it is revealed that the title of Ubu refers to a whole tribe of people. When one Ubu dies, another one takes his place. An Ubu was later killed by Bane.

Ebeneezer Darrk (also known as Doctor or Professor Darrk) – He is the first known individual assigned to head the League of Assassins by Ra's al Ghul. Although many of the League's leaders over the years have been accomplished martial artists, Daark himself did not depend on physical prowess, and as an assassin he instead relied upon careful planning and manipulation, ambushes and death traps, as well as a variety of cleverly concealed weapons and poisons. After earning Ra's enmity (for reasons unknown), Darrk died during a plot to kidnap Talia which was foiled by Batman.

The Seven Men of Death – The seven deadliest assassins of the League and Ra's al Ghul's personal hit squad. They answer only to the Demon himself and the Sensei. Its members have included:

Detonator – Member of the Seven Men of Death. He specializes in demolitions.

Hook – A hook-handed member of the Seven Men of Death. He was responsible for murdering Boston Brand during a circus act.

Maduvu – Member of the Seven Men of Death. He has mechanical clawed-hands.

League of Shadows

The League of Shadows is one of the three societies created by Ra's al Ghul, originally coined as the name given to the secret organization in adapted works. Within mainstream comics, this organization was retroactively the first one created by Ra's as a means to aid his eco-terrorist objective in culling mankind and preserving nature and the Earth itself, although within the League of Assassins, it was once thought to be a myth created to strike fear into Ra's al Ghul's followers. Under Nyssa Raatko, the current League of Shadows' agenda is said to align with reformation of its histories, although it is complicated by Nyssa's private agenda of prolonging her life following the loss of the Lazarus Pits.

Angel Breaker: First appearing in Shadow War: Alpha #1 (May, 2022), Angel Breaker was originally a high-ranking member under Talia al Ghul's Demon Shadow, created in response to her father's death seemingly at the hands of Deathstroke (later revealed to be a disguised and vengeful Geo-Force). She later serves under Nyssa Raatko, having established a romantic relationship with her.

League of Lazarus

The last and most enigmatic of Ra's al Ghul's splinter organizations, the society's goals include locating more Lazarus Pits. However, the splinter group would hold differing beliefs, leading to its annexation from both the League of Shadows and Assassins. The League of Lazarus holds a death tournament once every century with the intent of sacrificing the winner to the Lazarus Demon that exists within the Lazarus Pits, allowing it to bond with them.

Rúh al Ghul / Mother Soul: The leader of the League of Lazarus, she is the mother of Ra's al Ghul and one of the first people he revived upon discovering the Lazarus Pits, but she believes a demon to be responsible for her resurrection. Creating a new faith with worship for the Lazarus Demon, the League of Lazarus annexes itself from both the League of Assassins and Shadows, sparking an internal conflict between the factions to gain control over the Lazarus Pits.

Other versions

In Superman & Batman: Generations, Batman 'inherits' control of the League of Assassins after Bruce Wayne tracks down the organization and accepts a deal where he and Ra's enter the same Lazarus Pit at once; Ra's has determined that if two souls enter the pit, one will perish while the other will become immortal. Bruce accepts the offer, and Ra's al Ghul is destroyed. With Ra's gone, Batman uses the former's criminal empire to set up an anti-crime and humanitarian network by subtly changing the organization's goals.

In other media

Television

The League of Assassins, renamed the Society of Shadows, appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, Ubu, and Count Vertigo.

Additionally, a similar, unrelated group called the Society of Assassins appears in Batman Beyond, consisting of Curaré, the "Master Assassin" Devon, and Mutho Botha.

The League of Assassins appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Sidekicks Assemble!", consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, and Ubu.

The League of Shadows appears in Young Justice, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Ubu, Deathstroke, Sensei, Cheshire, Professor Ojo, Black Spider, Sportsmaster, Hook, Lady Shiva, Cassandra Savage, Onyx, Rictus, and Shade. This version of the group is based on Infinity Island, located in the Caribbean Sea, and is initially led by Ra's before Deathstroke takes over.

The League of Assassins appears in Beware the Batman, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Lady Shiva, Cypher, and Silver Monkey.

The League of Shadows appears in the DC Super Hero Girls episode "#LeagueOfShadows". This version of the group is a secret rock band.

The League of Assassins appears in series set in the Arrowverse, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Malcolm Merlyn, and Nyssa al Ghul.

The League of Shadows appears in Gotham, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Sensei, Anubis, the Hunter, Leila, and Palden.

Film

The League of Shadows appears in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, and Bane.

The League of Assassins appears in the films set in the DC Animated Movie Universe:

First appearing in Son of Batman, they are initially led by Ra's al Ghul until his former right-hand and heir Deathstroke kills him and a sect of League ninjas join him.

The League of Assassins appears in Batman: Bad Blood, now led by Talia al Ghul and consisting of the Heretic, Electrocutioner, Killer Moth, Firefly, Mad Hatter, Calculator, Onyx, and Tusk.

The League of Assassins, now going by the League of Shadows, appears in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, now led by Damian Wayne with Lady Shiva as his right hand.

The League of Assassins appears in Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, consisting of Ra's al Ghul and Ubu.

Video games

The League of Shadows appears in the Batman Begins tie-in game.

The League of Assassins appears in DC Universe Online.

The League of Assassins appears in the Batman: Arkham series, consisting of Ra's al Ghul and Talia al Ghul. Additionally, Nyssa Raatko appears as the leader of a rebel faction.

The League of Shadows appears in Gotham Knights, consisting of Talia al Ghul and a brainwashed Batman.

The League of Shadows appears in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, consisting of Ra's al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, and Bane.

Miscellaneous

The League of Assassins appears in Batman: Gotham Adventures.

The League of Assassins appears in Young Justice tie-in comic book.

The League of Assassins appears in the Arrow tie-in comic The Dark Archer.