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Middle-earth Cinematic Universe wiki
Middle-earth Cinematic Universe Wiki
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Nazgûl

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The Nazgûl were nine Kings of Men who were given rings of power by Sauron. They became the evil servants of the dark lord, easily corrupted by the rings and were also known as Ringwraiths or black riders. They were led by the Witch King of Angmar.

History[]

Most of the Nazgûl were kings of Man in various kingdoms across Middle-earth and it's surrounding lands. These men were easily corrupt-able and had a love for riches and wealth.

In the year SA 1500 Sauron and Celebrimbor forged the Rings of Power in the forges of Mount Doom in Mordor and Sauron went on to offer the nine Rings of Men to these kings who accepted them. Sauron used the power of the rings to corrupt the men into serving him. They became the leaders of his armies of Orcs and foul creatures during the Second Age and served right up until their masters' defeat during the Battle of Dagorlad.

Sauron was thought dead by the Men and Elves of Middle-earth but the Nazgûl re-emerged in Middle-earth during the War of Angmar led by the Witch King of Angmar. Following the Angmar war, the Nazgûl were all defeated by the Elves and their bodies were buried in the High Fells of Rhudaur by the men of Angmar.

Sauron's spirit survived in Middle-earth and he started to regain his strength in Dol Guldur, known only as the Necromancer. He was thought to be a human sorcerer dabbling in Black Magic and was dismissed by the likes of Saruman the White. When Radagast and Gandalf investigated the High Fells during the Quest for Erebor they discovered Sauron had raised the ringwraiths from their tombs and summoned them to Dol Guldur. The White Council fought the ringwraiths in Dol Guldur during the Battle of Dol Guldur while rescuing Gandalf the Grey from Sauron, the latter being banished to Mordor by Lady Galadriel. The ringwraiths were also banished to Mordor with their master.

The Nazgûl were sent out of Minas Morgul at the beginning of the War of the Ring after Gollum was interrogated, searching for "Baggins" in the Shire. They almost caught the Hobbits with the One Ring in the Old Forest and then again in Bree. They attacked the Hobbits at Weathertop and almost took the Ring from Frodo, the Witch King stabbing him with a Morgul-blade. Aragorn arrived and attacked the ringwraiths with a flaming sword, scaring them off. The wraiths chased Arwen and Frodo to Rivendell where at the Fords of Bruinen they commanded the Lady of Rivendell to hand over Frodo who was in danger of becoming a wraith like them as well as the Ring. Arwen told them to come get him and they began to cross the ford. Arwen commanded the waters of Bruinen to rise and the water came rushing down the fords, crushing the Nazgûl and killing their horses. At some point the defeated Nazgûl returned to Mordor.

The Nazgûl started using their fell-beasts and kept searching for the Ring, although Sauron ordered them to help more with the war against Gondor in Osgiliath and then later in Minas Tirith. Because Sauron thought that Aragorn and Pippin had the ring due to their communication through the Palantir he put all his focus on Minas Tirith which became the Siege of Minas Tirith. The Witch King of Angmar was killed by Éowyn during the Battle of Pelennor Fields and Khamûl became the Lord of the Nazgûl. The remaining ringwraiths took part in the Battle of the Black Gate and when Sauron realised Frodo , Sam and Gollum had the ring in Mount Doom he panicked and the Nazgûl raced towards Mount Doom but didn't make it in time. Gollum had taken the ring and fallen into the cracks of doom, destroying the ring finally. Sauron was defeated once and for all and the Nazgûl passed into shadow forever, never to return.

Powers and Abilities[]

The Nazgûl were sustained by the power of Sauron. The Witch-king in particular was difficult to slay, for any weapon that struck him would be destroyed. The Nazgûl's own weapons included long swords of steel and daggers. Their leader possessed a powerful black mace as well. Their arsenal of deadly armaments was not confined to physical means; they also had powerful voices, which brought terror into the hearts of mortals and a general aura of dread. They wore hauberks of silver mail and had enhanced senses of hearing and smell.

The Nine could not see during the day as mortals; instead they saw shadowy forms. At night they saw shapes and forms invisible to mortal eyes, and were to be feared the most at that time. Their presence could be felt as a troubling of the heart, and they could more keenly feel the presence of others. In their function, they particularly sensed the presence of the Ring at all times, and were drawn to it especially if it was put on.

They were surrounded by an aura of terror, which affected all living creatures; their aura called the Black Breath could be toxic to those hapless enough to come near them. This fear the Nine inspired was one of their greatest strengths. According to Gandalf, if Sauron regained the One, they would become vastly more powerful (in an unspecified way). However, as Sauron's strength grew in the course of The Lord of the Rings, the Nazgûl did become more powerful. In The Fellowship of the Ring, their cries were simply unnerving to the hobbits, and they appeared to be physically weak, as Aragorn managed to fend against five of them single-handedly on Weathertop. In The Return of the King however, their cries are powerful enough to send all but the most stout-hearted of Gondor's defenders into helpless terror, and the Witch-king in particular had become so powerful that he challenged the reborn Gandalf the White.

Members of the Nazgûl[]

Canon[]

  • Morgomir

    • Appearances[]

    Canon[]

    Non-canon[]

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