Damian was born of an artificial womb. When his nine-month term cycle had completed, his mother Talia al Ghul took him from the womb and placed him into a pool of water, expecting him to learn to swim as a newborn. One of his nurses warned that this act was foolish, and Talia killed her, causing her body to slump into the pool beside the baby. Damian saw the water change from blue to red as the cold, dead eyes of the woman stared at him under the water. Finally, his mother picked him up, dripping water and blood, and welcomed him to their world.