Battle of the Pelennor Fields
Merry swore allegiance to Théoden and became his esquire. Against Théoden's orders, he rode to Gondor with the King's niece Éowyn, who disguised herself as a common soldier. In the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, while the leader of the Nazgûl was preoccupied with Éowyn, Merry stabbed him behind his knee. The Black Captain stumbled, enabling Éowyn to kill him. This fulfilled the prophecy that he would not be killed "by the hand of man," as it was a hobbit and a woman that ended his life. Éomer made Meriadoc a Knight of the Mark for his bravery.