2024 saw DC give a prominent Batman villain a death that was effectively impossible in The Dark Knight trilogy, opening up some interesting windows in terms of looking at what different paths could have been taken. The live-action Batman films have no qualms about killing off their villains, despite the Caped Crusader's own rule against murdering his opponents. From Max Shreck being brutally electrocuted to death in Batman Returns to Bane being shot at point-blank range by Catwoman in The Dark Knight RisesIn the end, being a Batman movie villain isn't something that comes with a promising life.
As such, it has been fairly common for Batman movie villains to die in their first appearance in the film, even with The Dark Knight trilogy following this convention to some extent - although the Joker and Scarecrow notably survive the events of their debut films and seemingly the entire trilogy, although both appear to end the series incarcerated. 2024 provided a new death for one of the villains who also appears in The Dark Knight film series, and the key similarities and differences with the Nolan film Fate raised in this release make it very interesting to compare.
The Dark Knight's Death of Ra's Al Ghul Film Trilogy Is Still Controversial Years Later
Almost two decades later Batman begins showed the death of Ra's Al Ghul in The Dark Knight trilogy - and more than a decade since the trilogy came to an end - the death of Liam Neeson's DC character is still the subject of some controversy for the series all this time later. Batman's claim that "I won't kill you, but I don't need to save you"Before letting Ra's fall to his death in a separate train car definitely enters a gray area when it comes to Batman's no-kill rule.as he still orchestrates death in general.
The lingering question of Ra's death likely also remains a consistent topic of focus for the series. Ra's remains a key part of the trilogy's story long after his death, both in terms of his participation in training Bruce Wayne to become Batman, and because The Dark Knight Rises ties his story to him in an important way, with his daughter Talia Al Ghul and his protector Bane.
With Ra's and his life being a focal point of the series, the controversial nature of his death is impossible to ignore, even after the story of Batman begins is complete. As such, this leaves lingering questions about what the villain's story would be like if the train scene wasn't the end of the line for the antagonist who has been the puppet master for much of the series.
Batman Unburied: Fallen City took a look at what Ra's Al Ghul's death in Batman Begins might have been like if he hadn't been hit by a train
Although it has been unclear for some time, Ra's Al Ghul is also revealed to be the villain behind the events of Unburied Batman: Fallen Citywith the Court of Owls working to protect "He Who Cannot Die" and their Lazarus Pit beneath Gotham. Batman uncovers this mystery and then finds himself facing Ra's in a climactic final fight not unlike Batman begins' own, albeit in a very different format.
In Unburied Batman: Fallen City episode 8, Batman and Ra's Al Ghul fight, before the villain dies in a way that would have been simply impossible for the film trilogy - stabbed to death by Talia Al Ghul as she comes to terms with how little her father cares about Gotham or those within him, allowing the character his own villain redemption arc. Interestingly, Ra's final moments here also reflect Batman beginsas he shows a notable sense of pride in his protégé, surpassing him in both.
How Batman Unburied: Ra's Al Ghul's death in Fallen City could have been good for the Dark Knight trilogy
While Batman and Ra's fight to the death of the latter in Batman begins is a highlight of the film and the trilogy, approaching things from this different angle could have helped with some specific aspects of the franchise. This is made clearer by the controversial nature of the character's train ending, as Talia directly killing him would undo any real responsibility on the part of the Caped Crusader.
This approach could also have helped with both Talia Al Ghul's changing identity and her own backstory. The Dark Knight trilogy, which is arguably forgotten at points instead of focusing on Bane and Batman's conflict. Giving Talia at least elements of a redemption arc could have resulted in a much more intriguing ending for the character than having her deliver a monologue and then moving on in an anticlimactic and slow manner. - or, conversely, having her kill her father to succeed him could have made her threat even more urgent.
With all that said, Batman begins is and will always be considered one of the best superhero films of all time, even if it is often overlooked when discussing The Dark Knight trilogy. However, it will also always be fun to imagine what could have been for the series and how connecting the different pieces of the puzzle in different ways could have altered the overall makeup of such an iconic part of the Batman cinematic landscape.
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