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Quote1 Vast stockpiles of food rot, while people starve. Millions die from curable diseases, while drug companies rake in the billions. Our environment chokes on our waste, becoming so toxic that life fails. It's genocide by greed, apathy, and neglect. These are the real crimes. Something must change... The Society's plans are vast... they will succeed. I can't stop them. When the world gets a true taste of violent oppression, and their heroes lie dead and broken -- apathy will die. That's when you'll lead my league to sanction key society members. Leaving Talia and I to lead the revolution. A new world will be born, one of peace and equality. Millions of lives will be saved. Quote2
Nyssa Raatko src

Nyssa Raatko is the daughter of Rā's al Ghūl. Much older than her more notable half-sister Talia, the hardships she suffered led her to take up arms against her father.

Origin

Ra's al Ghul had a child born during his travels in Russia in the year 1775, named Nyssa.[1] Enamoured by the romantic stories that her mother would tell her about Ra's as a child, Nyssa set out to find Ra's and eventually located him at his headquarters in North Africa.

Impressed by her beauty, her warrior skills, and the fact that she was able to locate him, Ra's promoted her to a position similar to that held by her half-sister, Talia. As a right hand associate, she accompanied Ra's during his adventures. Ra's was so impressed with her abilities, he even allowed Nyssa to use his Lazarus Pits. Like her sister Talia, Nyssa eventually became disenchanted with Ra's genocidal plans to "cleanse the Earth," and disassociated herself from her father sometime in the early 19th century. Ra's reluctantly approved this, believing that she would return to him and that she and/or her children would become his future heirs. To his disappointment, Nyssa refused to give herself or her family to him, causing him officially to disown her permanently. He did however allow her to keep a Lazarus Pit for herself and, much to his surprise, she found a way to reuse it, allowing her to survive until modern times.

During World War II, Nyssa and her family were sent to a concentration camp, where Nyssa's entire family died and she was rendered infertile by gruesome Mengele-sque experiments.

Revenge against Ra's al Ghul

Broken by her horrifying experiences during this time, and enraged that Ra's had abandoned her and her family to die at the hands of the Nazis, Nyssa planned to kill Ra's by befriending, kidnapping, and brainwashing Talia and using her to kill Ra's. She then planned to destroy all hope and optimism in the world by assassinating Superman with kryptonite bullets she stole from Batman's Batcave.

While Batman was successful in preventing the assassination of Superman, he was unable to stop Ra's from being killed by Nyssa. This in turn was part of a greater plan by Ra's to ensure that his daughters, both initially dissatisfied with his plans, would realize that he was right, and that they would come to accept their destinies as his heirs. Realizing and accepting this, Nyssa and Talia became co-heads of the League of Assassins. Talia disavowed her love for Bruce Wayne, and both sisters declared Batman to be their enemy.

Infinite Crisis

During the Infinite Crisis, Nyssa and her sister connived to use Talia's membership in "Lex Luthor's" Secret Society of Super-Villains in order to take over the planet. Talia tried to recruit Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) to stand at her side as "The One Who Is All". Cassandra refused, and, along with Mister Freeze, escaped from Nyssa's grasp.

One Year Later

One year later, Nyssa was in North Africa, planning an unknown plot with two terrorists. As she got into her car to leave, it exploded, killing her.[2] It was concluded by Lady Shiva that Nyssa's killers were likely to be the League of Assassins.

Powers

  • Decelerated Aging: Nyssa has had an extended lifespan through the use of Lazarus Pits. It is the reason she survived the Holocaust.

Abilities

Related

Footnotes


Batman Villains 0003
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Batman Villain(s)
This character, team or organization, has been primarily an enemy of the Batman, or the Batman Family as a whole. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Batman Villains."

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League of Assassins member
This character is or was a member of the League of Assassins, a international organization of the world's greatest killers, operating both for hire and their own agenda, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "League of Assassins members" category.

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