Ra's al Ghul

Ra's al Ghül appeared as recurring villain in Batman: The Animated Series. He first appeared at the end of the episode "Off Balance", where he tasked Talia with killing Vertigo, a rogue former pupil of his who had tried to cause a schism in the Society of Shadows (the show's version of the League of Assassins). He first faced Batman in the two part episode "Demon's Quest", where he attempted to wipe out most of the Earth's population in order to create a greater harmony between man and nature. He subsequently appeared in the episodes "Avatar" and "Showdown", the latter of which featured a battle between Ra's and Jonah Hex during the 1800's.

Origin
Ra’s al Ghul was born 700 years ago in a tribe of nomads in one of the Arabian deserts. When Ra’s was young, he became fascinated with science, but due to his nomad tribe, he was unable to study. Ra’s decided to leave his tribe and move to the city where he could study science. He became a physician and then quickly married the love of his life, Sora. Later, Ra’s discovered the secret lair of the Lazarus Pit. When a sadistic prince was dying (Ra’s did not know he was sadistic) Ra's tried to save him by putting him in the Lazarus Pit. When he emerged from the Lazarus Pit, it caused him to go completely insane and the prince would proceed to strangle Sora and killed her in the process.

Power and Abilities
Ra's al Ghul is a superb fighter. He has had centuries of training and practice, making him nearly a match for Batman himself. Through use of the alchemical Lazarus Pits, al Ghul has been able to prolong his life considerably and can also transfer his soul into other bodies through ancient rituals. Via prolonged use, the Pits have given him enhanced strength and agility as well. In addition, Ra's has a mind naturally inclined towards science and analysis. He was, for example, one of the first human beings to understand germ theory. He is an excellent strategist and tactician. Ra's engineered a test for Batman in their very first encounter by kidnapping Robin; a scheme so elaborate that he went to great lengths to determine if Batman was "worthy" to be considered his heir. Over his centuries of existence, Ra's has amassed an enormous amount of information, resources, and wealth.