Witch-king of Angmar

The **Witch-king of Angmar** was the chief of the Nazgûl, King of Angmar and Sauron's great captain in his wars. A wraith, the Witch-king of Angmar was nearly indestructible, a terrifying warrior, and a cunning strategist.

## Overview

The Witch-king of Angmar was the leader of the Nazgul and a servant of Sauron. Before he was a servant of Sauron, the Witch-king of Angmar was once a mortal human king, but had become a ring wraith because of men's weakness for power. In TA 2941, the Dark Lord had returned and resurrected the Witch king, who was a ghost. However, after Sauron was defeated by the White Council, Sauron fled to the east with the Witch-king transformed into a ringwraith thus the undead.

He later stabbed Frodo Baggins on Weathertop, but was later chased by Aragorn out of Weathertop. However, he intercepted Frodo and his elf companion, Arwen with others, but was washed away with the others because of Arwen's magic to use the water as their downfall. However, it was revealed that he survived the ordeal with Arwen as no mortal man can kill him. He also acted as Sauron's lieutenant during the War of the Ring, where he had waylaid Gandalf (then known as Gandalf the White) and young Peregrin "Pippin" Took, intending to destroy the wizard and the Hobbit. Otherwise, he was summoned on the battlefield when Rohan intended to destroy the Nazgul.

In defense to save her uncle, Eowyn and Merry Brandybuck killed the witch-king, thus ending his reign of terror.

## History

As a king of men, the soon to be wraith recieved a ring of power, but like the other kings of men, he gave way to darkness, becoming a wraith and serving the Dark Lord Sauron.

The wraith fled after Sauron's defeat and set up his own evil kingdom in Angmar. He soon gained a reputation as a dark sorcerer- earning him the title of the Witch-King of Angmar. The Witch-King lead a campaign against the Northern Kingdom of Men, Arnor. The Witch-King destroyed the northern Kingdom, but the Elves intervened and Angmar was destroyed in turn, the wraith getting banished to Mordor. Glorfindel prophesied that the end was a long way off for the ringwraith and that it would not be at the hands of a man that he should fall.

### Death and Return

The Witch-King is tracked down and temporarily slain along with the other Nazgûl. His corpse was buried in the high fells but all nine of them were revived by Sauron who was growing in his power within the abandoned fortress of Dol Guldur, calling himself the Necromancer. The Witch King fought Radagast and dropped his Morgul-blade on the ground, allowing the brown wizard to take it and give it to Gandalf who would show it to the White Council.

### White Council

Later on, Gandalf and Radagast investigated the High Fells and found that the tombs of the Nazgûl were indeed empty. Gandalf hastened to Dol Guldur, sending Radagast to Galadriel to give her the news but the grey wizard was captured by Sauron, who suspended him from a spiky cage in the fortress. When Gandalf was rescued by White Council, the Witch-King and his Nazgûl appear and fight Elrond and Saruman. The Elf Lord and the Wizard take them all down including the Witch King. Sauron appeared and rose the Nazgûl up, reviving them but they were all banished by the power of Galadriel into the land of Mordor.

### Agandaûr

60 years after the Battle of Dol Guldur against White Council, the Witch King and the other Nazgûl wore simple black cloaks and no helmets or masks. The Witch King wore a crown on his head to set him apart as the leader. They fought against the Dúnedain in the north. After a battle, the Witch King met with Agandaûr the Black Númenórean and servant of Sauron who told him that he was gathering the Orcs of the mountains in the ruins of Fornost.

### Gollum

Gollum was captured by the servants of the dark lord and word of this spread to the Witch King who returned to Minas Morgul with the other riders. Word reached them from Mordor that Gollum had uttered two words - "Shire" and "Baggins". The ringwraiths leave Minas Morgul immediately for the Shire to retrieve the One Ring.

### Riders in Black

*"They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead" -* Aragorn speaks of the Nine.

The Morgul Lord briefly encountered the Hobbits while they were on the road. He sensed the ring, and Frodo nearly put the ring on, however Sam stopped him. The wraith was distracted when Merry threw a bag to one side, allowing the Hobbits to escape. The Wraith encountered the hobbits again as they fled to the Buckleberry Ferry.

In Bree, thanks to Frodo's accident resulting in the One Ring landing on his finger, the wraiths were drawn to him in the wraith world and they raced to Bree. The Witch-King and his riders broke down the gates of Bree and searched the town. Once they reached the Prancing Pony, the Nazgul stabbed the beds with their swords and were enraged to find them empty. The following day, Aragorn and the Hobbits left Bree and reached the watch tower of Amon-Sul.

### A Knife in the Dark

Later in the evening, the Witch King and five other wraiths were drawn to Weathertop when the Hobbits stupidly create a fire. They surrounded the Hobbits, who pulled out their swords. The Nazgûl knocked them all aside, leaving only Frodo. In fear he revealed the ring, and the Witch-King prepared to stab him with his Morgul Blade.

The Witch King beared down on Frodo, who put on the ring in fear. This didn't help as Frodo actually became more visible to them in the spectral world. Frodo now saw the Nazgul in their twilight form including the Witch King who then raised his hand and the ring responded by pulling up Frodo's own hand with the ring. Frodo fought back and withdrew his hand, prompting the Witch-King to stab him with the blade. Aragorn arrived with a firebrand and attacks the wraiths. The Witch-King puts up a fight, but Aragorn hurled the firebrand into the Morgul Lord's unseen face, setting him on fire. In agony and pain, the Witch-king ran with the other Nazgûl.

### Defeat at the Fords

*"Give up the Halfling, She-Elf!"* - the Witch-King demands Arwen to hand over Frodo
The Nazgûl later chased Arwen with an injured Frodo who was trying to reach Rivendell. Arwen knew if she didn't get the Hobbit to Rivendell in time than he would pass into the wraith world and become one of them. The Witch King and the Nazgûl maintained a close distance behind her until she reached the Ford of Bruinen where they stop and the Morgul Lord asks her to give up the halfling. In retaliation, Arwen drew her sword in open defiance and told them to come get him. The Witch-King and his Nazgûl drew their own swords and advanced into the water. Immediately, Arwen chanted to the river and a ranging torrent of water drowned the Witch-King and the Nazgûl. Left as shapeless spirits, the Nazgul retreated to Mordor again to recover. Frodo was cured by Lord Elrond, but the wound left by the Witch-King would haunt him for the rest of his days.

### Wraiths on Wings

The Morgul Lord had regained a new shape, still wearing the black robes. This time he had been gifted with a new steed, a large fell beast, allowing him to fly at great speed across the lands. He briefly appeared in the Dead Marshes, having sensed the presence of the One Ring in the region. Frodo, Sam and Gollum are forced to hide from him. Frodo was terrified as he remembered the Witch-King, feeling the wound in his shoulder react. The Witch-King failed to spot them and returned to Mordor.

Later on, Sauron sensed the ring yet again, this time in Osgiliath. The Witch-King arrived while the city was under attack, searching for Frodo. In a trance, Frodo approached the wraith and prepared to put on the ring. But Sam pulled him off the rampart just in time and Faramir shot the fell beast with an arrow. The Fell Beast recoiled and the Witch-King retreated to Mordor.

### The Black Captain

By the time Sauron had regained his full strength, he was ready to reveal the Witch-King as his chief servant. The Morgul Lord received new weapons, armour and a terrifying horned helmet. The Witch-King answered the signal from Mordor by sending a pillar of flames into the sky in Minas Morgul. He emerged on his fell beast, sensing the ring was nearby again as Frodo and Sam were hiding from the City. The Witch-King unleashed a mighty host from Minas Morgul and led them to Osgiliath. The Witch-King arrived with two other Nazgul as the city is overrun, terrifying the soldiers. With the Nazgul's aid, Osgiliath fell to the Witch-King.

The Witch-King attempted to pursue Faramir and his men, using his fell beast to attack them, but Gandalf shone a powerful light at him from his staff. Like all wraiths, the Witch-King's vision is heavily affected by light or fire and his powers were weakened. Therefore he immediately fleed, unable to face Gandalf under the light of day.

Later on the Witch-King gave orders to Gothmog. He commanded the Orc to send forth all legions to attack Minas Tirith. Gothmog expressed doubt, having seen the Wizard drive back the Nazgûl. Angered, the Morgul Lord replied that he will deal with the Wizard soon enough.

### Siege of Gondor

The Witch-King and all of the Nazgûl descended on Minas Tirith, sending out powerful screeches. The Gondorians ran for their lives, until Gandalf rallied them again. The Witch-King and his Nazgul used their fell beasts to destroy some of the trebuchets, as well as violently plough through countless Gondorian soldiers. Despite this the Gondorians still held, as the orcs were unable to completely invade the city.

The Witch-King reappeared at dawn when he confronted Gandalf and Pippin on the streets of the City. He declared "This is my hour" and drew his sword, which burst into flames. Gandalf's staff then broke in his hands and they fall off Shadowfax. Their confrontation is interrupted by the arrival of the Rohirrim. The Witch-King realised that they were right on top of his army, leaving them open to attack. Therefore he left immediately.

### Final Battle and demise

Initially the Rohirrim were too fierce for the Witch-King to attack all alone, as they effortlessly trampled the Orcs. But then the Haradrim arrived on their Mumakil, scattering the Rohirrim. In the chaos, the Witch-King beared down on Théoden and commanded his steed to throw the king and his horse across the field. Théoden is crushed beneath his horse. The Witch King urges his steed to devour the King, but Éowyn angrily defied him. Surprised, the Witch-King warned her not to stand in his way but Éowyn angrily cut off the fell beast's head. The Witch-King was thrown off his dying steed. Becoming angry in turn, he unveiled his mighty flail and went on a rampage against Eowyn, until the flail broke her shield and fractured her arm

Still not knowing her identity as a woman, the Witch-King mocked the Éowyn, stating that no man could kill him, citing Glorindel's prophecy. He grabbed her by the throat, but he was suddenly stabbed in the back of the leg by Merry. The Noldorin blade broke the spell that bound the Witch-King's limbs together, paralysing him from the legs up. Éowyn takes off her helmet revealing that she was "No Man". She stabbed him through his helmet and the Witch-King screamed unceasingly, his face briefly illuminated by flames. His screech was stifled and his helmet was crushed by a ferocious wind.

### Legacy

Frodo and Sam took the ring to Mordor and it was destroyed when Gollum fell off with it into the cracks of doom. Sauron was destroyed once and for all and this seals the Witch King's fate, meaning he could never return.