Great villains talk big and back it up with actions. In The Batman, Riddler adds himself to the list of great Batman live-action villains with incredible quotes. Before him, there were many more evil orators from Gotham, namely Bane, the Joker, Mr. Freeze, and Two-Face. But another villain that should be appreciated for his great conversational skills is Ra's al Ghul.
Introduced in the first installment of The Dark Knight trilogy, Ra's trains Bruce Wayne before he and the billionaire clash because of conflicting ideologies. While his plan to destroy Gotham isn't well thought out, Ra's does come up with incredible pronouncements, no matter the situation he finds himself in.
When He Persuades Bruce To Join The League Of Shadows
"If You Devote Yourself To An Ideal, They Can't Stop You, Then You Become Something Else Entirely: A Legend."
Ra's sees the potential in Bruce the moment he finds him in a Bhutanese prison. He quickly persuades him to train under him, promising him that he will become more than just an ordinary vigilante.
Ra's is right because by choosing to join one of the most powerful DC organizations, Bruce becomes a vigilante that's skilled in all forms of combat. Batman not only becomes indomitable but also acquires legendary status. That wasn't the initial intention though, as, during the prison visit, the villain hoped he could mold Bruce into a powerful henchman who could help him conduct his missions.
When He Advises Bruce To Believe In Himself Even When He Is Weak
"To Manipulate The Fears Of Others, You Must First Master Your Own."
When he first arrives at the monastery, Bruce is asked if he's ready to fight but he hesitates. Ra's labels this as fear and advises him that the only way he can conquer opponents is by believing in himself.
It's a basic bit of advice that can be applied in multiple fields of life and it works so well for Bruce Wayne in the future. When he becomes Batman, he is never afraid to hop into the darkest corners of Gotham, a habit that makes many criminals afraid of him. And it's by mastering his own fear that he manages to climb out of Bane's prison in the 3rd installment.
When He Reveals His Plan To Attack Gotham
"When A Forest Grows Too Wild, A Purging Fire Is Inevitable And Natural."
Months after training Bruce, Ra's shows up in Gotham where he reveals his intent to attack the city using the Fear Toxin developed by Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka, Scarecrow. Ra's believes that the city has grown too chaotic hence it should be annihilated.
After years of heading the biggest martial arts organization in the world, Ra's has developed a superiority complex. He truly believes that no one is good enough to stop him. He also believes that only he knows what's best for the city, and that is destroying it. At this particular point, he also has no idea of just how good Batman is, something he finds out the hard way.
When He Criticizes Bruce For Letting Him Live."
"I Warned You About Compassion, Bruce."
Bruce is shocked when Ra's suddenly reappears in Gotham because he had left him for dead. The miscreant reminds Bruce that he never bothered to personally kill him, which was his biggest mistake.
Bruce Wayne's "No-Kill" rule always comes back to haunt him. Everyone he spares always seems to come back stronger. Such has always been the case with the criminals he put in the Arkham Assylum. Nonetheless, Bruce believes that his refusal to kill is what makes him different from the baddies.
When He Argues That Thomas Wayne Could Have Defended Himself
"The Training Is Nothing. The Will Is Everything."
The death of Thomas and Martha Wayne will always be one of the saddest moments in Batman's history but Ra's has no sympathy for either of them. During a training session, he angers Bruce by claiming that Thomas Wayne is to blame for his own death. Bruce defends his late father, claiming he had no training to defend himself but Ra's doesn't consider that a good enough excuse.
The antagonist's words here are worthy of a nod because having a strong will is important. However, he is being a bit too harsh by judging without knowing the details. Since Thomas didn't have a gun when he and Martha were murdered, there was little he could do to save the situation. And even if he had a gun, he wasn't the type to kill someone.
When He Responds To Bruce Calling Him Out For Living A Double Life
"Surely A Man Who Spends His Nights Scrambling Over The Rooftops Of Gotham Wouldn't Begrudge Me Dual Identities."
Bruce attempts to criticize Ra's when he learns that he's the same person that claimed to be Henri Ducard. However, Ra's reminds him of his own dual identities.
Bruce is indeed being hypocritical by criticizing the villain's double life since he himself keeps switching between billionaire and vigilante. However, there's a difference between them. Bruce switches identities for the right reasons whereas Ra's does so out of malevolence in order to achieve his personal goals.
When He Advices Bruce How To Intimidate Enemies
"You Must Become More Than Just A Man In The Mind Of Your Opponent."
Ra's once again gives Bruce solid advice that helps him for the rest of his life. He lets him know that the easiest way to win is by making the enemy believe you are greater than them.
Most of Gotham's criminals cower whenever they see Batman, so this advice has indeed been very effective. By becoming the Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne made himself more than just a man. There's the possibility that he wouldn't be as daunting if he lacked all the mystery surrounding him.
When He Destroys Wayne Manor
"If Someone Stands In The Way Of True Justice, You Simply Walk Up Behind Them And Stab Them in The Heart."
As revenge for Bruce burning down the league's monstery, Ra's torches the Wayne Manor, hoping Bruce will die too, Luckily, Alfred saves him.
Ra's strongly believes that Bruce is delusional for trying to stop the League of Shadows. According to him, he and the organization at large can make a better judgment about who deserves to be punished and who should be spared. He, therefore, sees it fit to hurt Bruce for standing in his way.
When He Explains The Mission Of The League Of Shadows
"Every Time A Civilization Reaches The Pinnacle Of Its Decadence, We Return To Restore The Balance."
After informing Bruce that he's going to destroy Gotham, Ra's explains that the league has taken a similar course of action for centuries. When a city or civilization started becoming too corrupt, they simply destroyed it.
Ra's claims that the League of Shadows brought an end to the Roman Empire and burned down London are false in real life but truthful within the context of the movie. With his words, he gives the organization more legitimacy. If it indeed shapes history as much as Ra's claims, then it should be allowed to do with Gotham as it pleases.
When He Prepares To Releases The Fear Toxin
"Time To Spread The Word, And The Word Is Panic."
Rachel freaks out when she notices Ra's is planning to cause destruction. She demands to know what he's doing but the villain simply declares that the start of his plan has begun.
As enthusiastic as Ra's is about his plan, it fails because his best-ever student stands in his way. Some might argue that his biggest undoing is relying on Scarecrow, who despite being one of the best villains in The Dark Knight trilogy, isn't as good a planner as him. By figuring out Scarecrow's moves, Batman is able to stop Ra's too.