Author's Note: The Ra's al Ghul appearing in this battle is based upon his appearance in the comics and the "Arkham" series.
The Shredder portrayed here is based upon his portrayal in the comics, so here he looks more badass rather than a bumbling goof at times.
(An Arabic man with graying black hair and piercing green eyes dressed in an elaborate green and gold robe swings a scimitar at the screen.)
Ra's al Ghul: The immortal leader of the League of Assassins, who has made it his personal mission to cleanse the world of evil...
(Ra's slits the throat of a captured rival in front of his assembled followers.)
vs.
(An Asian man wearing a kabuto and armor covered in a multitude of sharpened blades swings a katana at the screen.)
The Shredder: The archnemesis of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who seeks to eradicate his sworn enemies and then conquer the world.
(The Shredder is shown driving his claws through the throat of a rival ninja who attempted to ambush him.)
WHO IS DEADLIEST?!
To find out, we've assembled a team of world-class fighters to test history's most lethal weapons. Using 21st-century science, we'll see what happens when two warriors go toe to toe.
No rules. No safety. No mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR!
Here in our elite fight club, we have gathered doctors, scientists and weapons experts to test out the lethal arsenals wielded by each of our combatants to determine who would win a fight between two warriors who never met in a face to face duel:
Ra's al Ghul
Appearing from: Batman extended universe
Real Name: Unknown
Leader of: League of Assassins
Height: 6' 5"
Weight: 215 lbs.
Armor: Leather cuirass, vambraces, and greaves
The Shredder
Appearing from: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles extended universe
Real Name: Oroku Saki
Leader of: Foot Clan
Height: 6' 6"
Weight: 280 lbs.
Armor: Kuro kabuto, iron cuirass, bladed vambraces, and bladed greaves
"Today is a battle between two supervillains. In one corner, you have Ra's al Ghul, the enigmatic leader of the League of Assassins, who seeks to cleanse the world of evil in his own brutal way, versus the Shredder, the leader of the Foot Clan who holds aspirations for world domination," biomedical scientist Bradley Foster started.
"Both of these men are fiercely trained warriors who fight on the front lines with their men rather than spending all their time hidden away in a secret control room. Ra's is believed to have lived for centuries thanks to repeated exposure to the Lazarus Pits, which have enhanced his longevity and his physical attributes, yet at the gradual cost of his sanity.
"On the flip side, you have the Shredder, who is a master of all 18 disciplines of ninjutsu, basically making him a perfect human weapon. Both these men are master strategists and combatants," trauma doctor Joseph Kaiser explained.
"Not to mention they are also weapons experts, yet they often tend to rely upon ancient weaponry they have used to deadly effect against enemies with more contemporary gear," computer expert Eddie Cortez piped in.
"Well, it's not every day you get to see two big time supervillains fight it out, so I'm eager to get down to business," Bradley concluded.
The camera focuses on an attractive tan-skinned woman with long brown hair and wearing a black jacket and matching skin tight pants. She has a throwing knife in hand that she carefully inspects before chucking it into a nearby wooden target.
Up first to represent Ra's al Ghul will be his daughter Talia al Ghul.
Having been taught everything she knows by her father, she is an authority on all weapons and tactics utilized by the criminal mastermind and his league.
"My father has a dream, a dream to purge the world of evil and corruption. He is willing to carry out his vision by any means necessary," Talia spoke in her thick accented voice.
The camera then cuts to a tall, muscular man in a mostly black suit with orange accents. He wears a mask that is black on one side and orange on the other, with only one eye visible. He has a scimitar in hand that he used to quickly slice through three wooden targets.
Also on hand to represent Ra's will be the assassin Deathstroke.
Having been a member of the League of Assassins at one point himself, he is an expert on their methods, both direct and hidden.
"This Shredder is an amateur. He would be seen as nothing more than a minor nuisance," Deathstroke growled.
Little is known of the early life of the man who would become known as Ra's al Ghul, or "The Demon's Head." He is believed to have been born into a tribe of nomads somewhere in Arabia centuries ago, where he developed an interest in the sciences at an early age. Wanting to continue his studies he moved to a nearby city, where he became a physician and married a woman named Sora. Eventually, he would discover the secrets of the Lazarus Pit, which he would use to save a dying prince, who in turn went insane and murdered Sora.
"It was a turning point in my father's life. He would be declared guilty of the crime and sentenced to a slow, torturous death in a cage with his beloved's corpse. But it wouldn't end there when the son of one of his previous patients helped him escape. He made his way back to his old tribe and was able to convince them to join him in his quest for vengeance," Talia explained.
Using his knowledge of germ theory hundreds of years before anybody else, Ra's would quietly infect the prince with contaminated fabrics and when the Sultan came seeking his assistance, Ra's killed him and then led his tribe to raze the city. Declaring himself "Ra's al Ghul," he would found the League of Assassins to carry out his plans. Using the Lazarus Pits to restore himself back to his prime, he would live for centuries and soon find his way to Gotham City, where he would encounter his greatest foe in the form of Batman.
"Ra's will destroy the Shredder and then erase all traces of his existence," Deathstroke concluded.
The master asssassin eliminated his targets with an ancient arsenal gathered throughout the centuries:
Short Range: Sai
Mid-Range: Scimitar
Long Range: Compound Bow and Throwing Knives
Special Weapon: Khanjar
But how will the dark overlord fare when he faces off against a deadly ninja master bent on world domination?
The camera cuts to a humanoid turtle wearing a blue mask. He has a katana in hand and is practicing some graceful slashing techniques.
Up first to represent the Shredder will be Leonardo.
The leader of Shredder's prime adversaries, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Leonardo and his brothers have fought the ninja master countless times and can attest to his brutality firsthand.
"The Shredder is one bad dude to mess with. If Ra's al Ghul thinks he's in for a cake walk, he's got another thing coming," the ninja turtle commented.
The camera then cuts to a young Asian woman in a black and red ninja outfit with a long red scarf wrapped around her neck. She takes aim with a bow and fires into the dead center of her wooden target.
Also on hand to represent the Shredder is the Foot Clan's chunin, Oroku Karai.
A direct descendant of Oroku Saki, she would train herself in the ways of the Foot Clan and eventually come to rebuild the Clan from the ground up before she was finally able to resurrect the warlord.
"The Shredder brought the Foot Clan to its greatest glory. He did so through taking down enemies similar to Ra's al Ghul. He would show no fear and no mercy," Karai spoke.
The man called The Shredder started his life as Oroku Saki, an ambitious young ninja who trained alongside his clan brother Hamato Yoshi. It would be during his younger years he was contacted by a witch known as Kitsune, who informed him of his true past incarnation. After murdering high ranking members and framing it as the work of unknown assassins, he would be made a jonin of the Foot Clan and with Kitsune's help, began turning the Foot back into a bloodthirsty clan who dominated all others.
"Oroku Saki was determined to return the Foot to its former glory. He would not tolerate dissent within their ranks. When Hamato Yoshi refused to take part in the slaughter of innocent civilians, he ordered Hamato and his family marked for death," Karai explained.
Saki would begin building up the Foot Clan to greater levels, including augmenting their numbers with mutant soldiers. Taking the mantle of "The Shredder," the ancient clan would expand into a worldwide criminal enterprise. His quest for power would eventually lead him to New York City, where he would find his former friend turned adversary Hamato Yoshi was still among the living, now mutated into a rat and leading his four "sons" who would go on to become Saki's greatest enemy – The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"The Shredder is one stubborn customer. No matter how many times you knock him down, he always finds some way to keep slithering back. Ra's doesn't know what he's up against," Leonardo finished.
The ninja master slaughtered enemies with a deceptive arsenal befitting the ninja:
Short Range: Tekko-kagi Claws
Mid-Range: Katana
Long Range: Yumi and Shuriken
Special Weapon: Tanto
When both warriors took an enemy at close quarters, they relied upon secretive, exotic weapons to deliver the killing blow.
For Ra's al Ghul, he relied upon a three pronged killer, the Sai.
(Ra's al Ghul is shown stabbing a rival assassin who attempted to take him by surprise in a public market with a sai he had concealed beneath his robe.)
Sai
Carbon Steel
Length: 18 in.
Weight: 1.5 lbs.
"This is a very multi-faceted killer the Assassins brought into battle," Talia explained as she took a set of sais about and practiced some katas for the panelists, "It has the central prong I can use for stabbing enemies, a knuckle I can use for striking, and two outer forks on the sides that I can use for disarming an enemy."
"More than one way to take an enemy by surprise," Bradley commented.
"Give me a target and you'll find out how surprising it can be," Talia smirked.
"Lucky for you, we have a 'volunteer,'" Bradley said motioning towards a nearby ballistic gel torso, "We're giving you 15 seconds to show what you can do with your sais."
"Ideally, I wouldn't need 15 seconds. But since you insist, very well," Talia said taking her position.
"On 3...2...1, dice 'em up!" Bradley called out.
Talia first struck the target in the jaw with the knuckle of her sai before driving her other sai into the target's chest. She followed up with a strike to the opposite side of the target's chest before going low with two more rapid strikes to the gut, followed by a strike to its throat and ending by driving the point of her other sai into the dummy's temple and leaving it there as she walked away.
"Wow, I think he got the point...literally," Eddie commented while observing the sai sticking out of the target's head.
"This just shows how effective it can be having two weapons at once," Dr. Kaiser examined, "You've collapsed both of this guy's lungs, turning his guts into mush, puncturing the windpipe, and piercing his brain through one of the weakest areas."
"A well-trained Foot ninja would have seen you coming from a mile away. The Shredder came into battle with a weapon you wouldn't have expected, and one that had more ways of killing you," Karai commented.
To answer the challenge, The Shredder punched back with a pair of concealed gauntlets, the Tekko-kagi.
(The Shredder is shown catching a rival ninja's sword with one of his claws before punching through the man's chest with the other.)
Tekko-kagi
Iron
Length: 12 in.
Weight: 12 oz.
Karai pulled back the sleeves of her robe to reveal the Tekko-kagi strapped to her hands, "These were one of the Shredder's trademark weapons. These are blades you can both stab and slash an enemy with, and given his level of skill, he also used these to disarm his foes."
"Stylish and deadly at the same time," Eddie commented looking over the sharpened blades, inviting a sharp scowl from Karai.
"It will be the same test for you, Karai. You've got a ballistic gel stand-in and 15 seconds to prove your point," Bradley spoke gesturing towards the fresh target.
"Very well then," Karai nodded and took her position.
"Alright Karai, on 3...2...1, dice 'em up!"
Karai launched herself at the target and raked her claws across its throat, leading to a torrent of stage blood gushing out. She followed up by driving her claws into the target's chest before following up with another slash to her target's face, tearing a large chunk off. She then plunged both sets of claws into the target's stomach and with a mighty heave, tore outward and sent the target's fake intestines spilling out to the shock and awe of the panelists.
"You just had to provoke her, didn't you?" Bradley asked Eddie.
"What the hell, man? I just complimented her claws!" Eddie shot back.
Dr. Kaiser ignored the squabble and made his way over to examine the damage done to the target, having to wade carefully through the large puddle of blood and entrails.
"Your first strike alone severed this man's windpipe for a quick kill within seconds. Your second strike collapsed this guy's lung and tore through his aorta, then you added some insult to injury by ripping off most of this poor bloke's face," he said kneeling down to pick up the jagged remnant, "But that wasn't the end as you completely disemboweled this poor son of a bitch."
"I would like to see you try that with an actual flesh and blood Assassin. This Shredder would be dead within seconds," Talia shrugged, unmoved by the gruesome display.
"I suggest you watch your tongue, or else you will find out what the Foot is capable of," Karai growled brandishing her blood soaked claws.
"Okay, okay there, ladies! Settle down! We don't need any actual bloodshed here," Bradley called out before looking over to Dr. Kaiser and Eddie, who looked just as uncomfortable as he did.
The sai and the tekko-kagi claws, two vicious, multi-faceted killers that left gruesome displays of carnage in their wake. Where do our panelists stand?
"This has been a test between two very multi-faceted weapons. Both of these weapons can be used for blocking strikes and stabbing foes, but the sai can also disarm a foe, whereas the Tekko-kagi can also be used for slashing attacks. I'm calling this one even," Bradley started.
"Indeed, they have their very strong differences that I feel can put them on even footing. The sai can disarm a foe, but the tekko-kagi can only be taken from its user when you've separated their arm from the rest of their body, thus making the sai's job harder. I'm calling this one even," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"More ways of killing your enemy with each weapon. I'm with both of you on this one, edge even," Eddie concluded.
In short range weapons, our warriors are even.
Coming up, both combatants put their trusted blades to the test.
And then later, what will happen when two criminal masterminds clash for the first time ever? Stay tuned!
XXXXXX
Ra's al Ghul and The Shredder, two fearsome warriors known for their equally legendary styles of combat.
"Ra's has lived for centuries. He has had much more time to learn different forms of combat and tactics. Until the present, nobody had ever bested him," Talia explained.
"The Foot Clan has evolved throughout the centuries. Our weapons and tactics have been continually used and improved upon as time went on. The fact that Ra's al Ghul is still using the same weapons as he did hundreds of years ago shows that he is still stuck in the past," Karai rebutted.
When both warriors needed to cut through oncoming attackers, both men relied upon trusted blades seen as iconic in their respective parts of the world.
For The Shredder, he relied upon the iconic killer of the samurai warriors to chop up all who crossed his path, the Katana.
(The Shredder is shown slicing through a ninja charging him head on before gracefully twirling his body and cutting through another ninja who attempted to ambush him from behind.)
Katana
Length: 34 in.
Weight: 3 lbs.
Material: Folded Steel
"The katana is a curved, single-edged blade that was just one of the many weapons the Shredder was trained in the usage of from an early age," Leonardo explained showing off the katana to the panelists, "His level of expertise with one of these is unlike anything we've ever encountered."
"Shredder could show off all the fancy dance moves he wanted. Ra's would cut him to pieces with his own sword while he's messing around," Deathstroke harrumphed.
"Now this I'd have to see," Leonardo replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Heh, you'd never see it coming," Deathstroke replied narrowing his good eye at the masked turtle.
Answering the challenge of the katana, Ra's al Ghul swings back with a blade known and feared throughout the Arab world, the Scimitar.
(Ra's is shown armed with a scimitar, locked in a back and forth struggle with a masked assassin before he finds a gap in his defenses and slices his stomach open.)
Scimitar
Length: 33.5 in.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Material: Forged Steel
"This was Ra's al Ghul's sword of choice, a variant of the kilij," Deathstroke explained pulling out his sword and showing it to the panelists, "It has a stronger curve and a weighted tip that gives it momentum with every swing. He's been perfecting his craft for centuries."
"Well, now is the time to put both blades to the test," Bradley said motioning behind him.
"Each of you will show off the slicing power of your blades against a charging pig carcass standing in for an unarmored attacker. After that is done, you will next show off your blades' effectiveness against armored opponents," he said motioning towards two ballistic gel targets, one that was a torso outfitted in a leather cuirass similar to the ones worn by Ra's al Ghul, and the other a bust outfitted in a kabuto similar to that worn by Shredder.
"Leonardo, you're up first," Bradley spoke.
"Ready," the ninja turtle said getting into position.
"Then release the pig!"
"Cowabunga!" Leonardo shouted as the pig slid towards him on the zipline, only for him to cleave the carcass in half before he swung again and chopped another large chunk out of it and followed up with a third slice that cleaved a large chunk out of its side and sent the larger half (which included its head) falling to the floor, leaving only a hoof still hanging.
He then made his way over to the armored torso and swung at the midsection, leaving only a groove. He then went for another that broke away some of the leather scales, but still failed to penetrate before attempting a stab that did manage to pierce the surface.
"Dinner is served!" Dr. Kaiser announced as he made his way over to assess the damage done to the pig carcass.
"A pig has the same density and viscosity as real human flesh and bone, so this wouldn't be too far from the actual thing," the doctor explained picking up the pig's detached lower half before making his way over to the armored target and observed the aftermath.
"Your first blow caught this guy in his midsection. You're going to possibly knock the wind out of him, but otherwise he is protected from serious harm. You then went a little higher up with your next swing and broke away a few of the scales and in the process, registered enough force to break a rib or two. It will hurt him, but not kill him," he explained before examining the hole left by the blade's tip.
"You managed to pierce the leather and went deep enough to pierce his large intestine. It wouldn't be an immediate kill, but it would cause him a lot of pain and a very quick bleed out if he doesn't get treatment immediately. So you've got one definite kill and one delayed kill," the good doctor concluded.
"Deathstroke, it's your turn now. Think you can do any better?" Bradley asked the assassin.
"Watch and learn," Slade replied, narrowing his good eye at Leonardo as he got into position and readied his blade.
"Alright, on 3...2...1, release the pig!"
The pig came zooming towards Deathstroke on the zipline, who shot his blade out and cut the pig in half, albeit with more force and power compared to the katana. He then twirled his body and slicked another large chunk out of the pig before going for another swing that took another chunk before he finally beheaded it with his fourth swing.
With the pig incapacitated, Deathstroke made his way over and brought his blade down on top of the kabuto, only to be met by a jarring clang, yet still managing to violently rock the bust's head. He went for a second swing that again only left a dent in the kabuto, but still rocking the head underneath. With a disappointed grunt, the assassin drove the tip of his blade through the target's face.
"This guy is dead four times over," Dr. Kaiser reported as he examined the remnants of the pig, "Every strike would have resulted in something vital being struck: his guts for a mortal wound, and his heart and neck for instant kills."
He then went over to examine the bust and the kabuto covering it.
"Both of your strikes failed to penetrate the kabuto, but our meters did register enough force that you would have given this guy whiplash and a severe headache to boot, possibly even a concussion. Your strike to the face though, went deep enough to pierce his brain stem for an instant kill," the doctor concluded.
The katana and the scimitar, two deadly blades that cut through the competition with deadly precision, but where do our panelists stand?
"I thought both of these blades would be even given that they both are primarily used for slashing and given their curved blades, yet the scimitar's stronger curve allows it to inflict more damage and in addition, it's made of the stronger materials. Edge scimitar," Bradley started.
"I'm going to have to disagree and call it even. I think they are very on par in terms of cutting power and their designs are just too similar in my opinion," Eddie countered.
The tiebreaker would fall down to Dr. Kaiser.
"I'm going to side with Bradley on this one. I initially thought this would be a fairly even match up, but the scimitar's superior cutting power won it over for me in the end," the doctor concluded.
In mid-ranged weapons, Ra's al Ghul takes the edge with the Scimitar.
Coming up, both warriors pick off their enemies from a distance and then later, two easily concealed blades are revealed.
XXXXXX
Ra's al Ghul, the immortal eco-terrorist and the Shredder, the would-be world conqueror.
When both warriors sought to eliminate enemies from afar, they relied upon a dual assault for secretly taking down their targets.
For Ra's al Ghul, he and his Assassins relied upon the combination of the Compound Bow and Throwing Knives.
(An Assassin is shown taking aim with a compound bow and dropping a weapons smuggler with an arrow piercing his back, while another drops his two accomplices with throwing knives to vital areas.)
Compound Bow
Length: 6.25 ft.
Weight: 3.2 lbs.
Material: Aluminum Alloy, Fiberglass, Polyethylene
Throwing Knives
Length: 8 in.
Weight: 1 lb.
Material: Steel
Talia and Deathstroke stood before the panelists, holding the throwing knives and compound bow respectively.
"The Assassins have made use of numerous bows over the centuries, updating their arsenal as their designs evolved. Right here I have a compound bow that is useful for hunting big game, or other humans. It's got great stopping power, lightweight, and has a smaller frame I can use in tighter spaces," Deathstroke explained.
"We also carry plenty of throwing knives," Talia said showing off three of them in her gloved hand, "These are easily concealed. You never know how many we might be carrying at once, or where they are coming from."
"We look forward to seeing the kind of skills the Assassins have at killing from afar and we have separate tests for the both of you," Bradley said motioning to the firing range behind him where two different sets of white foam targets were positioned, the first being five targets lined up in a row and the other being five scattered targets, "Both sets of targets have been set up at the probable effective ranges of both weapons. You each have 5 targets and 5 shots. Team Ra's, you may take your positions when ready."
Talia and Deathstroke both stepped up to their respective positions and readied their weapons.
"On 3...2...1, open fire!"
Deathstroke drew his string back and fired his first arrow into the chest of his first target before reaching into his quiver for the second arrow, nocking it and firing into the throat of his second target. He pulled out his third arrow and repeated the reloading process before striking his third target right between the eyes, to the roar of the observing panelists. He then took aim at his fourth target and went for another center mass shot before loading his final arrow and setting his sights on the fifth target, sending an arrow through its right eye.
Meanwhile, Talia tossed her first knife overhand into the chest of her first target before tossing her next knife into nearly the same spot of the second target. She aimed higher for her next target and struck it in the side of its neck, followed by a blade to the throat of her fourth target, and then going higher with her last knife, sending it flying through her target's right eye.
"Damn! We're talking murder by numbers here!" Eddie exclaimed.
"Indeed. You'd be stacking corpses like it was judgment day," Dr. Kaiser added as he examined the targets, "Deathstroke, with all of your shots, I'm seeing a pierced heart, pierced trachea, pierced brain stem, pierced aorta, and another shot through the eye. Those are all instant kills!"
"As for Talia's targets, I'm seeing your first target's heart pierced, the aorta being pierced for the second, a man's jugular being cut open for a rapid bleed out, a pierced windpipe, and then going through your last guy's eye and right into his brain. These are kills all across the board."
"The Foot would not be intimdated by such a display as we have taken on more dangerous enemies before," Karai spoke up.
Undeterred by the display before them, Team Shredder answers the challenge with the combination of the Yumi and the Shuriken.
(A Foot clan ninja is shown taking aim with his yumi at a palace guard from a tree and firing an arrow into the man's chest, while another ninja on the ground drops another guard with a shuriken to his throat.)
Yumi
Length: 7 ft.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Material: Bamboo, Wood & Rattan
Shurikens
Length: 4 in.
Weight: 2 oz.
Material: Tempered Steel
Leonardo and Karai stood before the panelists, holding the shurikens and yumi respectively.
"Man, that's gotta be the tallest bow we've had on here so far," Eddie commented at the yumi's size.
"The yumi is always supposed to be taller than its user," Karai replied, "These have existed in Japan since pre-history. It's length gives the bow its greatest firing power. Foot archers were trained to use these from an early age."
Leonardo then stepped forth and held out a handful of shuriken, "Foot ninjas also carried plenty of shuriken at once. Great for distracting an enemy. You can craft these out of any everyday items you can find, be it nails, coins, washers, or anything flat and metal."
"Well it's the same test for both of you. 5 targets for each of you, 5 shots. Team Shredder, you may take your positions when ready," Bradley spoke.
Leonardo and Karai looked to each other and nodded before taking their respective positions.
"Then on 3...2...1, fire away!"
Karai took aim with her yumi and fired her first arrow into the chest of her first target before repeating the same process with the second. She went higher with her third arrow and struck the third target through its right eye, before her fourth arrow went a little lower and straight through the target's throat. She loaded her last arrow and shot it again into her target's chest.
Leonardo meanwhile took his shurikens and started out tossing them like frisbees, the first one flying into a target's left eye, while another struck the second in its shoulder, and the third making its mark in the target's throat. He then tried a new tactic, tossing his fourth shuriken overhanded into the fourth target's chest before striking his last target in the abdomen.
"Not as strong of a showing as I expected," Eddie whispered to Bradley.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to first examine Karai's targets, "Upon closer inspection, I'm once again left seeing kills all the way across the board. We've got a pierced heart, a pierced aorta, an arrow through the eye and thus piercing the brain, a pierced trachea, and another shot to the aorta. These guys aren't getting back up anytime soon."
He then made his way over to Leonardo's targets, "As for these guys, I'm afraid it's not as strong of a showing. With your first guy, you are wrecking his left eye. It's going to be a debilitating injury that could leave him wide open, but it's not a kill. With your second guy, I'm seeing his shoulder struck and bad enough to reder his arm useless, but he could still fight back. With your third guy though, you do get some luck and if this were a real person, you could possibly have just severed his carotid artery. That could possibly kill him within a minute, but it's a 50/50 scenario at this point. Your last two shots hit your targets in the chest and abdomen, which will hurt them, but not kill them. Altogether, we've got a debilitating injury, a possible crippled limb, two nasty scratches, and one possible kill."
"This isn't even worth our time," Deathstroke shrugged towards Talia.
"Don't count us out just yet. The Foot likes their enemies to get complacent before we go in for the killing blow," Karai winked.
All weapons showed off what they were capable of, but where do our panelists stand?
"Starting this off with bows, I'm with the compound bow. It's got range and power that's likely equal to the yumi, yet it's smaller frame makes it easier to use in tight spaces compared to the yumi," Bradley started.
"I agree that the range and the power of both bows has to roughly be the same, but the compound bow's smaller size does it for me, as well as its sturdier material making it more reliable," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"I have no objects. Edge compound bow," Eddie concluded.
"Moving on to throwing weapons, it's the throwing knives all the way for me. They can kill more easily, whereas the shuriken requires a perfect shot to the neck in order to be lethal," Bradley started.
"Contrary to what the movies like to portray, the shuriken was meant to be more of a distraction tool rather than an actual lethal weapon, whereas the throwing knives are built for the purpose of killing. Edge throwing knives," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"The shuriken has four mini scalpels that can hurt you without question, but the throwing knife has that deadly point that will pierce your vital organs and kill you. Edge Ra's," Eddie concluded.
In long range weapons, Ra's al Ghul takes the edge with the Compound Bow and Throwing Knives combination.
Coming up, two sneaky, lethal daggers are put to the test.
And then later, Ra's al Ghul and The Shredder clash to determine who is "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
XXXXXX
The time has now come for both sides to unveil their special weapons
When the Shredder wanted to quietly dispatch an enemy, he relied upon a trusted short sword to take his enemy by surprise, the Tanto.
(The Shredder pulls a rival clan leader closer to him, impaling the man with his tanto in the process.)
Tanto
Length: 16 in.
Weight: 13.4 oz.
Material: Folded Steel
"This is a short sword used as a companion to the tachi during the Genpei War," Leonardo explained showing the blade off, "It's perfect for any situation where a longer blade would be too unwieldy."
"And we have a volunteer for you to demonstrate on," Bradley spoke as Eddie wheeled forth a ballistic gel torso, "Leonardo, show us what you can do."
"You got it," the ninja turtle said getting into a battle ready stance.
"Then on 3...2...1, cut 'em up!"
Leonardo performed a graceful flip that saw him landing behind the gel target before launching his tnto into its back with a sick tear. He then pulled the blade out and plunged it into the dummy's neck before making his way around to the front of the target and stabbing it four times, twice in the chest and twice in the stomach, before drawing his blade across its throat in a gruesome coup de grace.
"Your first strike struck the very bottom of the descending thoracic aorta for a quick kill. Your second strike tore through all the muscular and veins until it connected with the spine for another instant kill. Both of your stabs to the chest collapsed both this guy's lungs and your shots to his gut tore through the large intestine. These are all immediate or eventual kill shots," Dr. Kaiser spoke.
"That was a cute showing, but an Assassin would still see you coming from a mile away. We have a blade that is just as dependable and just as deadly to match your little toy," Talia spoke up.
To answer the Shredder's challenge, Ra's al Ghul responds with a curved dagger known and feared throughout the Holy Land, the Khanjar.
(Ra's al Ghul is shown with a khanjar in hand, before he slices open the throat of a businessman.)
Khanjar
Length: 19 in.
Weight: 1.5 lb.
Material: Steel
"This is quick, easily concealed, and easier to use," Talia said showing off the dagger to the panelists, "This blade has been used by the Assassins since the beginning and is still used even to this day."
"It's going to be the same test for you, Talia. We've got a 'volunteer' and you are going to show us what the khanjar can do," Bradley said motioning to a fresh target.
"Very well," she nodded and got into a battle ready position.
"Then on 3...2...1, kill it!"
Talia performed a graceful cartwheel and then jammed her blade into the side of the target's neck before drawing it out and then stabbing it into the target's ribcage before pulling it out and driving it through the gut. She then pulled back one last time and drew her blade across the target's throat.
"Your first strike severed this guy's carotid artery for an instant kill. Your second went right through his heart, followed by you pushing all the way through his intestines, possibly to the point of making contact with his spinal cord. Lastly, you cut both his jugular and windpipe for a quick kill," Dr. Kaiser reported.
"Best of luck getting that far," Karai harrumphed.
Both blades sliced up their targets, but where do our panelists stand?
"This is another close one for me. The khanjar is slightly longer, but that doesn't matter much in the end when you see how well both these blades can stab and slash. I'm calling this even," Bradley started.
"I agree. They both slash and stab effectively on the same level. I'm calling this even," Eddie seconded.
"The results do not lie. They both killed in more ways than one with the same kind of lethality, this is even to me," Dr. Kaiser concluded.
In special weapons, our warriors are even.
As it is with all warriors, there is a critical X-factor that makes them who they are. For Ra's al Ghul, it's his exposure to the Lazarus Pits that have prolonged his life.
"Thanks to his exposure to the Lazarus Pits, my father has lived for over 600 years. In that time, he has learned much more about the world around him than the Shredder could ever learn in a single lifetime, especially in regards to warfare," Talia explained.
For the Shredder, it's presiding over an evolving organization.
"The League of Assassins is still stuck centuries in the past. Oroku Saki built the Foot Clan back up into what it is today and made it even stronger than before. Not only that, he improved upon their technology, including giving them robotic soldiers and genetically enhanced super soldiers," Karai explained.
Coming up, two criminal masterminds collide to determine who is "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!"
XXXXXX
With our testing complete and our X-factors evaluated, we are now one step closer to determining who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior."
Our teams tested 5 weapons used by Ra's al Ghul and his Assassins: the Sai, the Scimitar, Compound Bow and Throwing Knives, and the Khanjar.
On the opposite side, 5 weapons used by the Shredder and the Foot Clan were tested: the Tekko-kagi Claws, the Katana, the Yumi and Shurikens, and the Tanto.
In short range weapons, the multi-faceted Sai and Tekko-kagi Claws were evenly matched.
EDGE: Even
In mid-ranged weapons, the Scimitar's superior cutting power chopped down the Katana.
EDGE: Ra's al Ghul
In long range weapons, the Compound Bow's superior manueverability and the killing power of the Throwing Knives triumphed over the Yumi and Shurikens.
EDGE: Ra's al Ghul
For special weapons, the Khanjar and the Tanto met each other cut for cut.
EDGE: Even
Our scientists and weapons experts are done with their testing. The results are in and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. The battle will be fought in a 5-on-5 squad battle between Ra's al Ghul and 4 of his Assassins going against The Shredder and 4 Foot Clan ninjas. To ensure this battle won't be decided by a single lucky blow, the battle will be simulated one thousand times in a duel to the death.
Who will win in a battle between two cunning, shadowy warriors?
Assassin
(Ra's al Ghul is shown standing before his assembled Assassins.)
vs. Ninja
(The Shredder looks on as Foot ninjas train for battle.)
Lust for Power
(The Shredder is shown holding a precious artifact while standing tall over a room full of corpses.)
vs. Twisted Sense of Justice
(Ra's al Ghul looks on as explosives are about to be detonated in a room full of hardened criminals, while innocent civilians are also present.)
"It's a battle of the bad guys. May the worst guy win," Eddie commented before typing in a few final commands.
XXXXXX
On a New York City harbor, 4 men clad entirely in black stand outside of a warehouse looking on quietly as an Arabic man in a fancy green robe walks past them and sizes up the building for himself.
This man is Ra's al Ghul, leader of the League of Assassins, and he is on a mission to eliminate the leader of a rival organization whose weapons have been finding their way into Gotham City. With a nod to his assembled followers, they make their approach.
Ra's al Ghul: 5
Inside the warehouse is filled with cargo crates loaded with firearms and explosives. In the center of the room is a parked delivery truck where two masked men in black uniforms with large red foot insignias were in the middle of loading a heavy crate into the back of a truck as two more similarly dressed men stood guard. Overlooking the quartet was a tall, muscular man wearing a samurai-like kabuto and bracers and greaves covered in razor sharp blades.
He is Oroku Saki, better known as the Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan. The 4 men below are the only followers he had available to help prepare an important weapons shipment, while the others were out and about hunting down those blasted turtles after they had been spotted in the area.
The Shredder: 5
Outside of the building, the Assassins have taken to the higher ground and are situated at different positions around the building. One of them looks through a broken window and is able to see the Shredder, while another sees a nearby guard. Looking to each other, both men ready their compound bows and take aim. With a collective nod, they make their move.
The Shredder was standing tall as his men worked, but his attention was diverted by a shadow above him and then his eyes widened. Shouting to his men, he shot his hand up and used one of his bladed bracers to deflect an arrow shot in his direction, but one of his men wasn't as lucky as an arrow punched through the back of his head.
Ra's al Ghul: 5 – The Shredder: 4
The Foot ninjas stopped everything they were doing and readied their weapons for the unseen intruders while Shredder leaped down from his perch and drew his katana. The four men stood with their backs to each other as they struggled to make out any threats in the dimly lit room, only for one of them to jump and fire an arrow from his yumi when he swore he heard something nearby, yet hit nothing.
The Shredder stood tall with his blade at the ready, but then heard movement from behind him and quickly reached for a shuriken that he lobbed at a nearby Assassin, catching the man in the eye and making him cry out in pain. It left the Assassin wide open and one of the Foot ninjas was able to draw his yumi and fire an arrow that caught the man in his throat.
Ra's al Ghul: 4 – The Shredder: 4
The Shredder ordered his men to spread out as he prepared to intercept an Assassin who had drawn his scimitar and brought his katana up to block the man's attempted strike and then kicked him backwards. The Assassin was quick to recover, but the ninja master ducked low and sliced his stomach open, his intestines spilling out soon after.
Ra's al Ghul: 3 – The Shredder: 4
The Foot ninjas spread out around the warehouse with one man firing an arrow from his yumi upon an approaching Assassin, who quickly took cover behind a large crate. The ninja took a left turn down a narrow passage that forced him to sling his yumi and draw his blade as he waited to ambush the rival Assassin. Unknown to him, the agile Assassin has scaled one of the stacks of crates and is quietly creeping along ready to take him from above. Catching sight of his target, he draws his khanjar and leaps down upon his target.
The Foot ninja gasps in surprise as he raises his katana, yet the khanjar cuts deep into his arm and forces him to drop his blade. The ninja is forced to duck again as the dagger is swung at his throat and he attempts a spinning sweep kick that the Assassin leaps backward to avoid. With enough space between the two of them, the ninja draws his tanto and waits for his opponent to make his next move.
After a tense staredown, the Assassin is first to act, swinging his khanjar at the Ninja's throat, but the Foot warrior leans back to avoid the strike and then blocks another attempted blow with his tanto before attempting a strike of his own that the Assassin leaps backwards to avoid before quicking drawing a concealed throwing knife and tossing it into the Ninja's thigh, bringing the Foot warrior to a grinding halt. He quickly draws another knife and tosses it into the man's shoulder, causing him to drop his tanto. Drawing a third knife, he chucks it overhanded and the blade embeds itself in the man's temple.
Ra's al Ghul: 3 – The Shredder: 3
The Assassin's victory is short lived as the Shredder himself approaches the man from behind and impales him with his tekko-kagi claws, using his great strength to hoist the man into the air and let him let out one last gurgled cry of pain before tossing him aside.
Ra's al Ghul: 2 – The Shredder: 3
Elsewhere in the building, the other two Foot ninjas have regrouped and are searching for their remaining targets. With their katanas drawn, they carefully stalk along the narrow pathways for any signs of their hiding enemies. They are suddenly halted as they hear a loud object hit the floor, followed by another heavy thud from the opposite direction. Looking to each other with a collective nod, the two men split up.
The first Ninja goes to the right and creeps along until he spots a partially obscured figure behind one of the shelves, clad in an ornate green robe.
It had to be another one of those invaders and he carefully approached with his katana at the ready until he noticed a fire extinguisher mounted to a pillar nearby. Reaching into his side pouch, he withdrew a shuriken and chucked it at the extinguisher, puncturing the canister with a loud 'ping.' Hoping it would have taken his enemy by surprise, the ninja leaps forward and shoots his blade out.
Only, the blade cuts through an empty robe hanging from a hook.
The ninja freezes in shock, but before he can call out, a hand is clamped over his mouth and a dagger is drawn across his throat.
Ra's al Ghul: 2 – The Shredder: 2
Ra's al Ghul looks down upon his latest kill and shakes his head in disappointment before pulling out a cloth and wiping the blood from his khanjar.
The other Ninja followed the opposite direction and was about to approach the end of a large metal container, when he was forced to duck a large blade being swung at his head.
The Foot Ninja rolled backwards with his katana raised as the Assassin stepped into the open with his scimitar drawn and went for another swing directed at his head, yet the Ninja brought his blade up to deflect the blow before having to dodge a throwing knife tossed at his head.
The Ninja swung his katana at the Assassin, but the masked man rolled out of the way and attempted to slash at his opponent's legs, yet the Foot Ninja back flipped to avoid yet another blow before he drew two shuriken and tossed them both at his enemy, the discs tearing into his hand and forearm like miniature scalpels and causing him to drop his scimitar.
The Foot Ninja goes for another swing with his katana, yet the Assassin produces a sai he uses to catch the blade before using his power to twist it out of his hand. The Foot Ninja leaps backward to avoid the sai being driven into his gut and produces a tanto he uses to slash into the Assassin's side, yet the intruder fights through the pain and produces another sai he uses to stab through the Ninja's hand as he goes for another strike and he drops the tanto to the ground.
In pain and bleeding, the Foot Ninja desperately tries to avoid another stab from his enemy, but the Assassin produces another sai that he tosses into the Ninja's kneecap, halting the man's retreat as he collapses to a knee. With the Ninja at his mercy, the Assassin drives his sai up beneath the man's chin and into the base of his brainstem.
Ra's al Ghul: 2 – The Shredder: 1
The Assassin turns around to see his leader approaching, who then nods and motions for him to follow as they seek out their remaining target.
The Shredder looked on in anger as he found his men lying dead around the building. He was determined to make these invaders pay and would proudly display their leader's head upon his mantle after he was finished with him.
He kept to the shadows as he hunted the remaining intruders and it wouldn't be long before he would find the Arabic man and one of his followers on the hunt. He stalked them from a distance before withdrawing his tanto and with the Assassin closer to him, he pounced and drove his blade into the masked man's neck.
Ra's al Ghul: 1 – The Shredder: 1
Whirling around, the eco-terrorist known as The Demon's Head was finally standing face to face with the leader of the Foot Clan known as The Shredder.
Both men glared coldly at one another and remained silent as they drew their respective blades.
It was a silent game of chicken as both men stared each other down. A few tense seconds passed before the Shredder stepped forth and charged his opponent, swinging his blade at the man's throat. Ra's raised his scimitar and parried the attack before swinging his own blade and Shredder returned the gesture, a loud clang reverberating throughout the warehouse.
Ra's sized up the Shredder again before going for another swing at his side the Foot leader knocked away, then spinning around to slash at the Assassin's throat, which Ra's would leap back to avoid. He was quick to slash at the Shredder's throat again, yet Shredder raised his bladed vambrace to catch the blade and shove his enemy backward before tossing a shuriken that cut his enemy's face just beneath his eye.
Ra's al Ghul staggered backwards before catching himself and feeling the warm blood trickling down his cheek. Gritting his teeth in anger, Ra's again leaped after Shredder with his blade raised, only for the Foot leader to duck down and roll away from his opponent. He rose to his feet just in time to block another attempted slash from Ra's scimitar before delivering a roundhouse kick that sent him staggering backward, yet he managed to keep his grip on his blade and held it up to parry another blow from Shredder's katana before he twirled around and slashed into the ninja master's exposed back.
The Shredder grunted in pain, but was forced to duck low at another shot directed at his head, just in time for the blade to bounce off his kabuto. The blow left him dazed, but he quickly shook it off and shot his hand out so that his claws slashed into the Assassin's side, yet most of the blow was absorbed by his leather armor and he was sent staggering backward. With his opponent stunned, the Shredder went for another slash that caught the Assassin in his exposed side, quickly coloring his white undershirt crimson and leaving him sagging to the ground.
With a hateful scowl beneath his mask, the Shredder raised his katana and prepared to behead his adversary, but was cut off as Ra's quickly reached for a concealed sai and found a spot in the Shredder's side not covered by his cuirass and drove the pointed tip into his small intestine.
The Shredder roared in agony, yet was determined to keep on fighting and kept his katana drawn, yet Ra's al Ghul brought his scimitar down.
There was a flash of blood and the Shredder collapsed to his knees in disbelief as his severed hands hit the concrete still clutching his katana. Exhausted and crippled, the Shredder can only look up as the Demon's Head stands tall over him with the blood drenched scimitar raised high.
He then brings his blade down one last time and The Shredder's head is separated from his shoulders.
Ra's al Ghul: 1 – The Shredder: 0
Looking down to his fallen opponent, Ra's al Ghul shakes his head before wiping the blood away from his blade and sheathing it before turning and walking away.
XXXXXX
Winner: Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul:
Sai: 10
Scimitar: 237
Compound Bow: 274
Throwing Knives: 9
Khanjar: 65
Total: 595
The Shredder:
Tekko-kagi Claws: 15
Katana: 187
Yumi: 143
Shuriken: 0
Tanto: 60
Total: 405
"In what turned out to be a more lopsided than expected matchup, Ra's al Ghul decimated The Shredder.
"Ra's triumphed largely in part thanks to his vast amount of experience that only a select few can match, allowing him to easily bypass Shredder's weapons, tactics, and even his superior armor.
"In addition, while Ra's and Shredder have both used similar weapons before, the ones Ra's brought to the table today were far more lethal and able to cut down the Foot Clan warriors much quicker than normal.
"All in all, you're basically talking about a guy who has been around long enough to engineer history, along with taking part in wars in the past and into early modern day like the Napoleonic Wars. This wasn't even counting his fights against the numerous members of the Bat Family and other supervillains who are more than equal to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," Bradley concluded.
"Impossible! How can someone with such outdated tactics and weapons defeat the Shredder?" Karai gasped.
"My father holds a dear vision for the new world and he will eliminate whoever is not a part of that vision," Talia concluded.
(Ra's al Ghul is shown in the warehouse that once belonged to the Foot Clan, now populated by a group of Assassins standing at attention and awaiting orders. Unknown to them, four humanoid turtles lurk in the distance observing this new threat with their weapons at the ready.)
XXXXXX
Next time on "Fictional Deadliest Warrior," it's a battle between the fierce front line forces of two vast kingdoms:
(A man wearing a blue and white tunic over a mail hauberk with plate armor and a sallet swings a broadsword at the screen.)
Hyrulean Soldier: The loyal soldiers who defend the Kingdom of Hyrule from all threats...
vs.
(A man in Roman-inspired body armor and a helmet raises a large shield before swinging a sword at the screen.)
Imperial Legion: The top fighting force of Cyrodil, who led their country to create the largest empire in Tamriel's history.
Who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior?!
XXXXXX
Author's Note: I literally got this out just in time for Thanksgiving, so thus I give you my readers something else to be thankful for! (Provided the ending hasn't pissed you off.)
This battle proved to be a bit more difficult than I expected in the end, given that there are multiple incarnations of both these warriors stretching out through different types of mediums, each with their own original touches, thus I found it harder than I thought to stick to one singular narrative, yet I did likely mix in elements of more than one particular medium.
In the case of Ra's al Ghul, there is always consistency in his origin story of him having been alive for hundreds of years thanks in part to his exposure to the Lazarus Pits, as well as the presence of his daughter and his complicated relationship with Batman.
Whereas on the flip side, Shredder has undergone changes that have seen him go from being a human ninja, to even an alien overlord. There have also been numerous different takes on Karai's relationship with the Shredder, where in some cases she is actually portrayed as being related to the Shredder either biologically or through adoption, or in other cases she is just a high-ranking lieutenant in the Foot Clan. There have also been different takes on the Shredder's personality, including some instances where he is more honorable and has even at times helped the Turtles in some way or another.
Needless to say, there were times I found myself pulled in different directions, yet I did try to establish some linear form as this chapter progressed.
I am also aware that Ra's al Ghul does use more Far East Asian influenced weapons as well, including some of the same as the Shredder has used in either the comics or the games, but at the same time I wanted to do what I could to make them different enough from each other.
Giving Ra's al Ghul the Khanjar was inspired by his display in the GCPD evidence room as shown in "Arkham Knight," where there were three blades displayed in his exhibit, one of which reminded me of the Khanjar.
The Compound Bow Ra's uses in this chapter is based upon the real-life PSE Chaos AD Compound Bow, as shown being used by the League of Assassins on the "Arrow" TV series. As for the Yumi, I've seen Karai use that in the earlier TMNT comics and thus decided to give that to the Foot Clan as a whole.
I'm also aware how the term "scimitar" has been a generic term used in regards to a backsword or a sabre with a curved blade, yet as I stated earlier, the model used on here is meant to be similar to the kind of Kilij that Vlad the Impaler used in his battle against Sun Tzu on the TV show.
Well, I think that's everything I've covered that needs to be covered, so for the legal mumbo jumbo, Ra's al Ghul and all references to Talia al Ghul, Deathstroke and the League of Shadows are owned by DC Comics, whereas The Shredder and all references to Karai, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Foot Clan are owned by ViacomCBS.
With apologies to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans!
Once again, this is Metal Harbinger telling you all to keep it FUCKING METAL (and enjoy some turkey in the process!)