The greatest trick Ducard ever pulled was convincing the world he actually existed. Liam Neeson was no stranger to the role of mentor when he was cast to train a young Bruce Wayne still on his journey to becoming Batman. Neeson was obviously perfect for that role and excelled in it as expected, but it was the turn that assured Neeson's place in Batman movie lore. When Neeson made the switch from Ducard to Ra's al Ghul, his warm father figure became a cold, calculating villain. Sure, a script leak a couple weeks ahead of Batman Begins' release may have spoiled the surprise for some fans, but most did not see it coming. Arguably, Neeson's performance is even better as Ra's than the facade of Ducard, as it put him in less famililar territory that elevated the drama of the film. The cool condescension with which he addressed his former mentee was so captivating that many fans wish Neeson's Ra's was immortal, or that Batman would have at least felt compelled to save him.
