Cowardly Ringwraith

[Elfhild]

So which Nazgul was the cowardly chap in the movie version of Weathertop, the one who tried to sneak away before being assaulted by that treacherous upstart who claimed to be a king?

My first guess is automatically Khamul, since everyone picks on him anyway. ;D

[Angmar]

What is there about Khamul that makes people want to pick on the Shadow of the East? Like Charlie Brown wondered, "Why is everybody always picking on me?"

I just don't understand it. ;D

[khazarkhum]

Fuinar. He strikes me as being sneaky.

[khazarkhum]

Let's think. Does anyone really think Aragorn wanted to take on WK? Over Frodo??

[Elfhild]

Well, Frodo DID have the Ring...

In the Reader's Companion, it is stated that the Witch-king "withdrew and hid for a while, out of doubt and fear both of Aragorn and especially of Frodo." (p. 180)

So maybe the cowardly one was the Witch-king.

Indeed, that was a low point in his career... ;D

[Angmar]

Imagine the indignity of being one of the most powerful beings on Middle-earth and you are forced by a turn of fate to bow down to a real shrimp. ;D

[Angmar]

I think Frodo could get used to his new status a lot easier than could the Nine. It would be hard on the back to bow that low. Takes a lot of mental visualizing to see the scene.

"Oh, so you are my new master." *looks down at the 3'6" hobbit* "Well," the wraith thought, "at least he cannot blast me with fire... not yet anyway."

[khazarkhum]

Recall that they don't want to be there: no matter what happens, for them it's going to be bad. Either Sauron gets his Ring, and their lives will be worse, or someone like Galadriel takes it, in which case there's no telling what she will make them do. Although I suppose if she made them her sex slaves, it wouldn't be too bad.

That might make them into pets, though, like Madonna's various boy toys. Being made to carry her purse while she went shopping, endlessly praising her beauty, or trying on shoes for her pleasure...emasculation isn't much better, is it?

[khazarkhum]

Feb 23, 2010 16:42:02 GMT Angmar said:

I think Frodo could get used to his new status a lot easier than could the Nine. It would be hard on the back to bow that low. Takes a lot of mental visualizing to see the scene.

"Oh, so you are my new master." *looks down at the 3'6" hobbit* "Well," the wraith thought, "at least he cannot blast me with fire... not yet anyway."

A clever wraith would suggest 'elevating' Frodo to a more commanding seat, from where he could direct his empire.

I have kicked around the idea of Frodo claiming the Ring at Weathertop, and how that changes things. So long as they stay a reasonable distance from Mordor, Sauron can't exert too much influence, and in any event what he could do would be cancelled by the Ring. If they were closer to Sauron that might not be possible, but farther away?

[Elfhild]

The Nazgul as Galadriel's love slaves sounds like an idea for a very dark, sexy sort of AU... ;D

After all, when one claimed the Ring, the Nazgul came along as part of the package. It would only be logical that Minas Morgul and all the lesser wraiths would be thrown in as well.

At any time on the quest, Frodo could have used the power of the Ring to control the Nazgul. However, that would be giving into the Ring's influence. Too, Frodo probably didn't realize just how powerful the Ring could be, especially since he didn't know how to wield it. By the time Gollum came along, Frodo had increased in power and could use the Ring's power indirectly to dominate Gollum.

Tolkien wrote that once Frodo claimed the One Ring, that the Nazgul could not hurt him. So theroetically if he had claimed the Ring at Weathertop, the Nazgul would have become his slaves, although remaining slaves to Sauron as well since the Dark Lord kept their individual rings. Sauron would probably have launched the war early to devestate the West, weakening them so that he could make a personal attempt to get the Ring back himself before it fell into the hands of Gandalf or Aragorn.