History Characters / BatmanLadyShiva

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: During the ''ComicBook/PublicEnemies'' storyarc in ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'', Shiva is one of several villains to show up to fight the Duo. She's defeated rather easily by Batman, and this is later explained by her being [[WorfHadTheFlu mind-controlled by Gorilla Grodd]].

''Characters/Batgirl2000'' | ''Characters/BatmanAndTheOutsiders'' | ''Characters/DarkNightsMetal'' ([[Characters/DarkNightsMetalTheBatmanWhoLaughs The Batman Who Laughs]]) | ''Characters/IAmBatman'' | ''Characters/{{Nightwing}}'' ([[Characters/NightwingDickGrayson Dick Grayson]]) | ''Characters/RedHoodAndTheOutlaws'' | ''Characters/Robin1993'' ([[Characters/RobinTimDrake Tim Drake]]) | ''Characters/Robin2021'' ([[Characters/RobinDamianWayne Damian Wayne]])-]]]]]

[[Characters/BatmanTheCharacter Batman]]\\

* CanonDiscontinuity: [[invoked]] Her ''ComicBook/New52'' appearances, which chose to make her around Dick's age (seen in an attempt to write out Cassandra Cain, who was seen as a CreatorsPest by Creator/DanDiDio) and gave her an appearance that was ridiculed by fans for the inclusion of spikes in her hair. Following Cassandra's reintroduction in ''ComicBook/BatmanAndRobinEternal'' and ''DC Rebirth'' happening, Shiva's restored to her previous appearance and history, and zero reference is made to how she was depicted in the interim.

[[Characters/BatmanBane Bane]] | Characters/{{Catwoman}} ([[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]]) | [[Characters/BatmanClayface Clayface]] | Characters/HarleyQuinn ([[Characters/HarleyQuinnTheCharacter Harleen Quinzel]]) | [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]] | '''Lady Shiva''' | [[Characters/BatmanLeagueOfAssassins League of Assassins]] ([[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul Ra's Al Ghul]] | [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al Ghul]]) | [[Characters/BatmanMrFreeze Mr. Freeze]] | [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin The Penguin]] | [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] | [[Characters/BatmanTheRiddler The Riddler]] | [[Characters/BatmanTheScarecrow The Scarecrow]] | [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Two Face]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart1 A-H]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart2 J-R]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart3 S-Z]]\\

[[WMG:[[center:[-''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' '''[[Characters/{{Batman}} Main Character Index]]'''\\

Lady Shiva is best known for her [[TheDreaded reputation]] as [[TheAce the single greatest martial artist]] in the Franchise/DCUniverse, in terms of pure skill. Other masters, such as Franchise/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}, [[Comicbook/BirdsOfPrey Black Canary]], and others, are usually depicted as being inferior to her or just barely on equal terms. But while Shiva craves a [[LetsFightLikeGentlemen fair fight]] against a WorthyOpponent, most [[RoguesGalleryTransplant crimefighters encounter her]] as an obstacle hired by the current ArcVillain, whereupon they have to [[OutsideTheBoxTactic figure out a way to deal with her]] without being lured into a [[CombatPragmatist fair duel]]. Despite her abilities, she [[TheWorfEffect has been defeated on several occasions by numerous characters]], but almost always with [[WorfHadTheFlu some kind of Hand Wave to explain it]].

Though she began as the ArchNemesis of the aforementioned ComicBook/RichardDragon, she is [[BreakoutVillain FAR more famous than he ever became]], and thus is more known as the antagonist of Franchise/{{Batman}}, [[Comicbook/{{Robin}} Tim Drake]], [[Comicbook/{{Batgirl 2000}} Cassandra Cain]], and the Comicbook/BirdsOfPrey. She's developed into something of a NobleDemon, showing VillainRespect to characters whose warrior prowess she respects, especially those she thinks may be able to [[SuperiorSuccessor succeed her as the top fighter]] in the DCU. She's usually willing to train anyone (hero and villain alike) on the condition that a year or so later, they hone their skills and face her in a fair DuelToTheDeath.

Later stories also revealed Shiva to be the biological mother of [[Comicbook/Batgirl2000 Cassandra Cain]], [[InTheBlood to whom she passed not only her fighting ability]], but Shiva's "instincts" and insight to read body language and fight with speed and precision. Thanks to her [[AbusiveParents "upbringing" by her father]], Cassandra is capable of using this ability on a [[CharlesAtlasSuperpower level beyond what a human should be capable of.]] This greatly pleases Shiva, as she sees her own biological daughter as the natural choice to be her heir. Having defeated Shiva twice, Cassandra has largely supplanted her in being considered the DCU's strongest martial artist, although Shiva still has the title on a technicality. (Cassandra has adopted Batman's [[ThouShaltNotKill code against killing.]])

After DC's 2011 reboot into the ''Comicbook/{{New 52}}'', there is little known about Shiva's status in the new continuity, other than a brief appearance opposite Nightwing. She later also appears as an adversary of the ''Comicbook/SecretSix''.

%%* DeliverUsFromEvil: In ''Comicbook/{{Batgirl|2000}}'', it's shown to be her StartOfDarkness.

** ComicBook/BlackCanary [[InvokedTrope deliberately tries]] to be one for her in ''Comicbook/BirdsOfPrey''. Shiva allows it [[InvertedTrope because she wants to break Dinah of that habit.]]

** In the ''ComicBook/ADeathInTheFamily'' storyline, Shiva was one of the possible candidates for [[Comicbook/RedHoodAndTheOutlaws Jason Todd's]] real mother, him having found her name in an address book of his fathers'. When they subdued her, they asked her if she had ever born children. Amused, Shiva sarcastically told them that she had dropped litters all over the globe, but a shot of a truth serum made her say that she hadn't. This was changed with the reveal that she was Cassandra Cain's mother, since Cass is about the same age as Jason. However, since it was a fairly minor moment, it's just as likely that this was a simple continuity mistake instead of an intentional retcon. Of course, given the kind of insane stunts that she and her daughter have done, it's entirely possible that the truth serum [[ILied didn't work]] [[NoSell on her]].

* WorldsBestWarrior: In terms of pure skill, she is practically unmatched in the Franchise/DCUniverse. In a fair duel, Shiva can defeat anyone, with only her {{Rival}} Richard Dragon and [[Comicbook/{{Batgirl 2000}} her own daughter]] demonstrating any actual potential to defeat her, though Batman, Bronze Tiger, Black Canary, and ''maybe'' Conner Hawke and/or Catman are all capable of fighting on par with her (though even they will all shy away from such a prospect unless absolutely necessary). However, seeing as she lives in the DC Universe, she doesn't stand a chance against a SuperpowerLottery, and whenever a hero is forced to fight her, they typically use an OutsideTheBoxTactic to soften her up first or defeat her outright.

* WorthyOpponent: All she wants is to find one. In ''Comicbook/BirdsOfPrey'' after ComicBook/{{Huntress}} fights her in place of ComicBook/BlackCanary (who is sporting a broken arm and thus guaranteed to die) as a distraction until they can locate Canary's adopted daughter Sin and stop the fight, Shiva is so impressed that she gives Helena the name Iron Owl. Here, she wasn't impressed by Helena's skill (which she admits isn't up to par with Shiva's) so much as the sheer guts it took to challenge her.

** In a ''Comicbook/BirdsOfPrey'' story, she mercilessly hunted down the person who killed one of her favorite senseis. [[BlueAndOrangeMorality She does imply, however, that had he not been deathly ill already, she planned to kill him herself at some point.]]

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Writers tend to forget whether her last name is spelled Woo-san, Woosan, Wu-San or Wusan. Probably because very few people think of her as Sandra Woo-san/Wusan, knowing her only as Shiva, and as a result, issues in which her given name is even mentioned are few and far between.

[[Characters/BatmanBane Bane]] | Characters/{{Catwoman}} ([[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]]) | [[Characters/BatmanClayface Clayface]] | Characters/HarleyQuinn ([[Characters/HarleyQuinnTheCharacter Harleen Quinzel]]) | [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]] | '''Lady Shiva''' | [[Characters/BatmanLeagueOfAssassins League of Assassins]] ([[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul Ra's Al Ghul]] | [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al Ghul]]) | [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin The Penguin]] | [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] | [[Characters/BatmanTheRiddler The Riddler]] | [[Characters/BatmanTheScarecrow The Scarecrow]] | [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Two Face]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart1 A-H]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart2 J-R]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart3 S-Z]]\\

* TheAce: She's considered the single greatest martial artist in the DC Universe, in terms of pure skill. Only Richard Dragon can be considered her equal, and only her daughter, Cassandra Cain, is considered overall superior.

* AdaptationalWimp: Many Batman-centric adaptations that feature her as a member of his RoguesGallery depict Batman as being capable of defeating her by himself in a straight fight, whereas in the comics ''the best'' he can usually hope for is to hold his against her for a bit or very sparingly fight her off long enough to come up with a more unorthodox opproach. Sometimes it's moreso Batman receiving the AdaptationalBadass treatment (such as in the ''Arkham'' games) but even adaptations that put more emphasis on Batman's fallible human nature (like ''WesternAnimation/BewareTheBatman'') have instances of him beating Shiva.

* AGodAmI: Not by Shiva herself, but there's a cult that worships her as a goddess. She finds them sometimes quaint, sometimes annoying, and often useful as CannonFodder.
** In ComicBook/TheQuestion #27, Charlie literally prays to her for help on the streets of Hub City. ''And it works''.

* BadassNormal: Just barely. Some of her feats (like bringing back the dead) are very nearly in the territory of SupernaturalMartialArts and CharlesAtlasSuperpower.

* DeliverUsFromEvil: Type 2. In ''Comicbook/{{Batgirl|2000}}'', it's shown to be her StartOfDarkness.

* ForbiddenTechnique: The Leopard Blow.

* BoobsOfSteel: Especially Pre-Crisis. Post-Crisis, her bust size varies depending on the book, from "relatively small" to "noticeably large".

* CanonDiscontinuity: Her ''New 52'' appearances, which chose to make her around Dick's age (seen in an attempt to write out Cassandra Cain, who was seen as a CreatorsPest by Creator/DanDiDio) and gave her an appearance that was ridiculed by fans for the inclusion of spikes in her hair. Following Cassandra's reintroduction in ''ComicBook/BatmanAndRobinEternal'' and ''DC Rebirth'' happening, Shiva's restored to her previous appearance and history, and zero reference is made to how she was depicted in the interim.

* ShesGotLegs: As the Jade Canary, she even gets to wear Black Canary's fishnet stockings [[ReluctantFanserviceGirl much to Shiva's dismay]].

* StockingFiller: As the Jade Canary.

[[Characters/BatmanCentralRoguesGallery Central Rogues Gallery]] ([[Characters/BatmanBane Bane]] | Characters/{{Catwoman}} ([[Characters/CatwomanSelinaKyle Selina Kyle]]) | [[Characters/BatmanClayface Clayface]] | Characters/HarleyQuinn ([[Characters/HarleyQuinnTheCharacter Harleen Quinzel]]) | [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]] | '''Lady Shiva''' | [[Characters/BatmanLeagueOfAssassins League of Assassins]] ([[Characters/BatmanRasAlGhul Ra's Al Ghul]] | [[Characters/BatmanTaliaAlGhul Talia Al Ghul]]) | [[Characters/BatmanThePenguin The Penguin]] | [[Characters/BatmanPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] | [[Characters/BatmanTheRiddler The Riddler]] | [[Characters/BatmanTheScarecrow The Scarecrow]] | [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Two Face]]) | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart1 A-H]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart2 J-R]] | [[Characters/BatmanRoguesGalleryPart3 S-Z]]\\

* AbsoluteCleavage: The outfit she was introduced in in ''Richard Dragon: Kung Fu Fighter'' bore this,

* MartialMedic: Taken UpToEleven in that she's brought people BackFromTheDead ''by punching them in the chest''.

* [[OneManArmy One Woman Army]]: To the point where people started [[CargoCult worshiping her as an avatar of Shiva]] the destroyer. She couldn't care less.