Lazarus Pit
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You go in dead. You come out insane. 
- -- Batman
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History
A Lazarus Pit is a natural phenomenon that possesses restorative properties that instantly heals injuries and even granting immortality. The origins of the Lazarus Pit was accidentally discovered by Ra's al Ghul while digging a pit where he discovered the restorative chemical pools while searching for a cure to a dying prince. Although the Lazarus Pit saved the prince's life, it also drove him mad and into killing Ra's al Ghul's wife, Sora. This incident led to a series of cruel circumstances for Ra's al Ghul's into becoming the feared "Demon's Head". For several centuries, the Lazarus Pits were used by Ra's al Ghul to prolong his life.
The Lazarus Pits have been later used by multiple people across the globe, including Ra's al Ghul's daughter, Nyssa, the Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)[1], The Riddler, Lady Shiva, Cassandra Cain and Kate Kane
The fanatical terrorist known as Kobra also had his own hidden network of Lazarus Pits after having analyzed and duplicated the chemical compositions of the Pits. Furthermore, Kobra's analysis of the Lazarus Pits' chemicals allowed to control those he resurrected as mindless slaves.
Eventually all of the Lazarus Pits were apparently destroyed by Bane and Batman, except for one. Because each Lazarus Pit can reportedly only be used one time, Ra's had to accept the fact that eventually he would die (a notion that is subject to debate, as there is evidence of him existing in the 31st century). His daughter Nyssa, however, had discovered a way to make the Lazarus Pits last indefinitely, but rather than let her father use it, she stabbed him to death. Although supposedly only one pit remains, its location has appeared vague - at one point it appears to be in an island compound Ra's assaulted, later it appeared to be in a completely different location, and another "last" pit was constructed inside the Batcave. This may in fact indicate that there is more than one pit remaining, or that Nyssa was able to create additional pits.
Powers
The substance that fills each pit is a chemical blend of unknown composition, seemingly originating from somewhere within the Earth's crust. For an unknown reason, it bubbles to the surface only at certain key points around the globe, typically at the junction of ley lines. The chemicals can rejuvenate the sick and the dying (and even the technically deceased as long as they have not yet truly died), but will typically kill a healthy user. In addition, it appears to act as a youth restorative sometimes, decreasing the age of a user depending how long they were in the pit, and in many cases, resurrect the dead.
For maximum efficiency however, a decedent must be placed within the Lazarus pit within a relatively short period of time following their death. Although older bodies may be resurrected, there is no guarantee that they will return in perfect condition. On one occasion, Ra's exhumed the bodies of Thomas and Martha Wayne, threatening to immerse them in the pit, transforming them into undead zombies.[2]
When used to heal or to bring someone back to life, that person is also rendered temporarily insane (although one instance when it was used for the Joker, it temporarily rendered him sane).
Notes
- The concept of the Lazarus pit was first developed by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.
Trivia
- The Lazarus Pit is likely named for Lazarus, the biblical figure whom Christ resurrected from the dead.[3]
- The Church of Blood possesses a device that functions similarly to that of a Lazarus Pit. The Teen Titan known as Raven used one of these pits to resurrect her former college classmate, Jericho.[4]
See Also
Links and References
- None.
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