Batman: Arkham Knight – Why Letting Ra’s Die Was The Right Choice

Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Season of Infamy DLC challenges Batman’s morals in determining the fate of Ra’s al Ghul, but letting the leader of the League of Assassins die is the right choice. Batman’s code prohibits him from killing, but the decision given to the player as to let Ra’s live or die questions how far that code can be twisted. When it comes to Ra’s al Ghul’s questline, it poses the dilemma as to whether or not Batman would let Ra’s live and continue to wage war, or be captured and die of natural causes.

When players begin the quest labeled Shadow War,  it steers Batman to an underground facility being used by the League of Assassins to conduct operations around Gotham. This facility is where they are hiding Ra’s al Ghul, as his health is declining due to the destruction of his Lazarus pit in the storyline of the previous game, Batman: Arkham City. When Batman notices Ra’s’ declining health, he tells the assassins to let him die, as he wants no more further conflict in Gotham. However, Ra’s appeals to Batman by asking for help because it is what Talia, Ra’s deceased daughter and Bruce Wayne’s former love interest, would want.

This meeting leaves Batman the choice of finding a new Lazarus pit, and either destroying or using it to reverse Ra’s declining health. While Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Season of Infamy allows the player to choose, the other characters in the questline provide convincing arguments as to why it is more humane to not heal him and allow him to die of natural causes. If Ra’s is restored to health, he would most likely resume his command over the League of Assassins and continue waging war with whomever he sees as a threat, including Batman: Arkham‘s other villains. Although this decision would lead to his good health, it would also lead to countless more lives being lost. Batman talks with Alfred before his decision, with his loyal butler assuring him that healing Ra’s would result in more conflict, but that he would support his decision no matter what choice he made.

Batman: Arkham Knight – Why It’s Right To Let Ra’s Al Ghul Die

Batman has long avoided taking a life, although in this particular case – due to the fact that Ra’s has already died and been resurrected numerous times, as well as him being likely to continue waging war – the decision to allow him to die naturally is the right course of action. When the player makes this choice in the game, Batman destroys the machine prolonging Ra’s’ life and breaks the vial with the Lazarus liquid. After defeating his personal guard of ninjas, Batman brings him back to the GCPD HQ – the place where players can visit defeated villains in Batman: Arkham Knight – where he hooks Ra’s to a life-support machine. Following this, the Head of the Demon mutters to his old adversary, “proud of you“, potentially showing that even he agrees with Batman’s decision to let him die, although perhaps as a sly dig at the Dark Knight having ostensibly twisted his infallible code.

Allowing Ra’s al Ghul to die also saves Nyssa’s life, and gives her the opportunity to gather the rest of the League and leave Gotham forever. This decision gives Batman the safety of knowing that he won’t have to deal with the League of Assassins again. This also ends the story that began in the previous game by tying up Ra’s’ arc and allowing Batman to move on from not only him, but also the League of Assassins and his former relationship with Talia. It leaves Batman’s future open and ready for all of the other challenges in Batman: Arkham Knight, and whatever lies beyond.

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