The comics tradition is the result of the Comics Code (the villain must be punished at the end of the story) colliding with the need to keep using popular characters.
What makes you so… oh… nevermind.
In Role Playing games, it’s called an “obscure death”. There is no single correct answer.
Well having just watched the film again in anticipation of the Dark Knight rises; Like the film The Prestige …I think Nolan has misdirected everyone with regards to RAG death in Batman begins …
Firstly We know Liam Nielsen is going to be in the the Dark Knight Rises… from media leaks
But more Importantly we don’t see RAG die in the carriage. The carriage which explodes is the first one in the train with the Water Vaporizer. If i am not mistaken RAG was fighting Batman in the 2nd Carriage when Batman Bailed out 
…That carriage had fallen off the track or just hit the ground which you would have thought would be quite survivable in the movie verse. I re watched the film again and the 2nd carriage is no where near the explosion
Thoughts Everyone …
Joey King is slated to play Ra’s daughter, Talia, in Dark Knight Rises. More specifically, according to IMDB, “Young Talia Al Ghul.” I’m thinking flashback. It would be way uncharacteristic of Nolan to do the whole comic-book retcon thing. Sure, he may have deliberately left himself an opening, but it would be pretty weak.
and it would explain Ra’s appearance in the movie in flash back form. (could explain anyway silly media leaks)
Well, WE didn’t know that, YOU and probably some other people did, but not me. I mean, I know the title says spoilers ahoy, but I assumed it was for past movies already around and mainly Batman Begins, not Dark Night Rises. It’s not a big deal, I’m not enraged at finding out this way, just it would’ve been nice if that little bit had been boxed.
Anyway, just because the character is in the movie, doesn’t mean he survived. It could be some sort of flashback to earlier in his life. That’s just speculation on my part, other than the major casting (whatsername as Catwoman, that one dude as Bane), I don’t know very much about about the film yet.
EDIT: and I guess I had this tab sitting open long enough for someone else to bring up the possible flashback angle, doh!
I wouldn’t have even bothered posting at all if that had been there as I was typing!
So some nobody actor who just happens to have a name similar to the actor who played Ra’s al Ghul is going to be in The Dark Knight Rises. I don’t see how that tells us anything.
My Bad…Typo …i meant Liam Neeson 
Am I the only one who thinks that regardless of whether Ras survived, the League of Shadows should’ve played a larger role in the series?
Surely they weren’t all wiped out after the first movie.
i’m old enough to have seen what I think was the comics’ first depiction of a Ra’s Al Ghul Lazarus Pit resurrection, which came in a Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams Batman issue of the 1970s. It ended with a close up of his face showing - as O’Neil’s caption put it - “a mirthless, insane joy glittering in his eyes!”
That phrase has remained lodged in my head for nearly 40 years now. Funny the things you remember…
As I recall from Batman Begin Ra’s Ah Ghuls daughter and wife “were taken from him.” If his daughter can comeback to life for the 3 installment of the Batman series why not Ra’s too. From what I hear from the comics Bane takes the city and breaks Batman’s back. Eventually Ra’s trains Batman to get back in shape for a final showdown with Bane, sounds epic right?!!
Also they have a younger version of Ra’s in the film we know. So what if the younger version is for the flashbacks an Liam Neeson is for present day?
Would be cool right? Lastly will this film make more $$ then the Avengers??