League of Assassins
| Synonyms: | LoA, Society of Shadows, Society of Assassins, Nanda Parbat |
| See also: | Arrow (TV), DC Comics |
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The League of Assassins is a DC Comics canon secret organization of assassins under the leadership of Ra's al Ghul. The League's goals might vary slightly based on the source media, though the League most often exists to further Ra's al Ghul's quest to cleanse the earth of human exploitation. Importantly, the League of Assassins also guards the Lazarus Pits, which have enabled Ra's al Ghul to extend his life for centuries. The League has various bases all over the world, varying based on source material, including on Infinity Island, in the Swiss Alps, in the Himalayas, the city of 'Eth Alth'eban, or the city of Nanda Parbat.
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Comics
The League of Assassins was founded by Ra's al Ghul near the time of the Crusades.[1] Originally, the League was rallied to help Ra's gain revenge on a North African king who was responsible for the death of Ra's' wife, Sora. Soon after gaining his revenge, Ra's found himself concerned for the direction humanity was headed, and vowed to use his power to guide the world towards his own vision. Since then, Ra's has used the life-extending Lazarus Pits and support from the League to craft and execute plans on a global scale, including attempting to release a fatal pandemic[2] or creating a device that renders people incapable of communicating via speech or text.[3] In these plots, assassins often serve as highly trained foot soldiers.
During the time period that Bruce Wayne was traveling around the world and destroying Lazarus Pits, the League of Assassins suffered a hostile takeover from Ra's al Ghul's estrange daughter Nyssa Raatko. Without access to the Lazarus Pits or the support of his daughter Talia, whom Nyssa had turned against him, Ra's was killed.[4] Nyssa then began reorganizing the League of Assassins, bringing in Lady Shiva to mentor a new generation of highly skilled assassins. This era would last until Nyssa's death, orchestrated by a brainwashed Cassandra Cain during the One Year Later publishing initiative. This led to a period of instability for the League, until the Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul. During this event, the League sought to find a host body for Ra's' disembodied spirit. Ra's originally wanted Damian Wayne as his host, since host bodies that lacked a blood relation to Ra's rapidly disintegrated. However, his efforts were thwarted by Talia al Ghul, Damian's mother. To try to preserve Ra's, the League of Assassins laid siege to the mystical city of Nanda Parbat, hoping to gain access to the fabled Fountain of Youth within. The siege failed, and the League was expelled by the holy monks of Rama Kushna, the deity who oversees the city. Ra's was ultimately saved, however, by taking the body of his rejected son Dusan.[5] In this new body, Ra's began to re-consolidate the League of Assassins.
During a time he had access to the League's computers, Tim Drake reported that the League of Assassins carries out roughly 100 contract killings per month, though the League is selective of which contracts it accepts.[6]
Canonically, the League of Assassins is almost always led by Ra's al Ghul, with his daughter Talia al Ghul often as his right hand. Ra's is historically protected by a lineage of bodyguards, all of whom take the name Ubu. Among the League's many killers are the Seven Men of Death, elite assassins who work both as individuals and as a team. The Seven Men of Death are Detonator, Hook, Maduvu, Merlyn, Razorburn, Shellcase, and Whip. During the time Nyssa Raatko was the head of the League, Lady Shiva was brought in to mentor new assassins. During Ra's' tenure, that responsibility was headed by the Sensei.
Ra's al Ghul has a long standing interest in Batman (Bruce Wayne) becoming his successor and taking over the League of Assassins. This is spurred by Bruce's longstanding romantic involvement with Talia al Ghul. Though Talia loves Bruce, and later their child Damian Wayne, she often is left having to choose between them and her father, as Batman can never accept the ruthless killing Ra's expects from anyone who would be his inheritor.
Arrow
Canonically the League of Assassins is led by Ra's al Ghul. It's members include Nyssa al Ghul, Sara Lance, Malcolm Merlyn, and various unnamed characters. Sara and Malcolm are the only two that were released from the League. In the second season finale, Sara returns to the LOA.
Fandom often have Oliver Queen or Felicity Smoak join the LOA. Otherwise, the LOA often appears in fanworks focusing on the Sara/Nyssa and the LOA usually appear as background characters. The trope where Tommy Merlyn!lives is also often intertwined with LOA due to the Lazarus Pit.
In Fan Works
The League of Assassins is frequently a setting for fanworks involving Damian Wayne and Jason Todd. After Jason's death at the hands of the Joker, Talia al Ghul used a Lazarus Pit to aid in his resurrection, then subsequently used League resources to help provide Jason the training to become the Red Hood.[7] Fans often imagine that Jason and Damian's time in the League overlapped, leading to fics where they interact or bond.
Resources
- League of Assassins - Freeform works at AO3
- Jason Todd and Damian Wayne Meet in the League of Assassins works on AO3
- Nanda Parbat works at AO3 (Arrow's tag)
- League of Assassins at Arrow & Flash Wikia
- League of Assassins at Wikipedia
Citations
- ^ Barr, Mike W., et al. Batman, the Demon Trilogy. DC Comics, 2020.
- ^ Dixon, Chuck, et al. Batman: Legacy. DC Comics, 2017.
- ^ Waid, Mark, et al. JLA, the Tower of Babel. DC Comics, 2021
- ^ Rucka, Greg, et al. Batman: Death and the Maidens: The Deluxe Edition. DC Comics, 2017.
- ^ Morrison et al. The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul. DC Comics, 2009.
- ^ Yost, Chris et al. Red Robin #6. DC Comics, 2010
- ^ Winnick, Judd et al. Batman: Red Hood - The Lost Days. DC Comics, 2011.