Top 100 Batman VILLAINS

16 - Talia al Ghul

#16 - Talia al Ghul
First Appearance: Detective Comics #411 (May 1971)

"Your move. Beloved." ~Talia al Ghul

Now we're into the thick of it. The villains that I adore unabashedly, the baddies that I clamor for more of, that I just never seem to get enough of. And first up in that elite tier is the baby mama herself, Talia al Ghul.

What makes Talia so great for me? First of all, and let's not neglect this fact: she's ******* hot. Okay? Capiche? Good, because certain characters go beyond hotness into that otherworldly level of just utter beauty. That's Talia; she's one of those once in a generation, worldwide beauties that is purely refined, where her every action seems to somehow exude attractiveness. The only thing I can't understand is why Batman passed up this sure thing. I mean, I don't care who you are; if getting to hit that means forsaking a life of crimefighting and becoming the force behind the one thing you hate the most, you do it in a heartbeat.

Anyways, Talia is more than just a pretty face; she has one of the most well-developed personalities in the DCU, one that I feel always continues to evolve in logical but nevertheless riveting ways. She's grown slowly out of her impetuous youthful ways into a full-fledged A-List leader in her own right, going so far as to even become one of the elite leaders of the Society, which pretty much included every villain aside from Catman. That takes cajones, y'imean? You have to not only exude talent, but a level of confidence that can sway the likes of a Vandal Savage or a Mr. Freeze or even a Bane. It's an unavoidable sign that her reputation and abilities have blossomed into something on the level of her father.

And, from that level, perhaps further yet again. With the advent of Batman Inc.'s final issues, it's become clear to all Batman readers that the mother of Batman's baby (more on that later) is perhaps the biggest adversary he can face in this day and age. Limitless resources at her disposal, and of course an adage that she has proven true several times over recently, "There's no greater wrath than a woman scorned." Talia may be beautiful, but her face contorted with rage is something that I think is nightmarish; there's a monster that lurks behind her eyes as she conducts her symphonies of destruction, and for me, that makes her impossibly interesting.

And the baby. Right. You know what's even more hardcore than killing Batman? Raping Batman. And let's count the number of villains who have raped the Dark Knight. One. Uno. Guess who? Spoiler alert: Talia al Ghul. So Damian Wayne, probably the most integral addition to the Batman franchise post-Infinite Crisis, would never have come to be without Talia. Also, before I forget, the level of consistency between her various appearances in different mediums. She's so damn consistent! Batman: The Animated Series hits her beats perfectly, and the Arkham games do as well. Even The Dark Knight Rises, which introduced a superficially different Talia still had that trademark ruthlessness and continental personality which makes her a favorite of mine. Talia al Ghul: 10/10, would bang, would read again.

Greatest Talia al Ghul Story Ever Told:The LexCorp Storyline - For a while in Superman, Talia ran LexCorp as Lex worked as President of the United States. Of course, this is Talia; at first, you totally buy this unholy alliance... until she turns around and reveals that ruthless side that makes her so great; she undermines Luthor by exposing his villainous dealings with Superman, then sells all of LexCorp to the WAYNE FOUNDATION, leaving Lex penniless.

I mean, goddamn.