[alatar]

Frodo, Sam and Pip, leaving the Shire for Buckland, are pursued what what they call, "Black Riders." Not knowing what they are, though Frodo suspects, the three flee them as they can, and hide when possible while they make their way East.

But before they even leave the Shire, it appears that their luck may have run out, as a Black Rider approaches yet again, and Frodo starts listening to the Call of both the Riders and the Ring. Just as the Rider approaches...there's singing, and elves appear nearby.

The Black Rider flees, and the three hobbits make off to their (and our) first encounter with elves. We meet Gildor Inglorion, and though he is apprehensive at the mention of Black Riders, it seems that he and the other elves have a strength, a strength that would turn back the Black Riders.

Later we meet yet another, mayhap even more powerful, elf. Glorfindel (of Rivendell, not to be mistaken for his other namesake) faced down the Witch-King and cohorts both at the Battle of Fornost (Third Age 1975) and years later at the Fords of Bruinen.

Both of these elves seem capable of handling at least one of the Black Riders.

So why, in the history of Middle Earth, did the 'good' never contemplate assassinating any of the evil sides' more prominent minions? Sure, taking out Melkor or Sauron may be beyond the abilities of those present in Middle Earth, but what about the Witch-King? And, sure, we have Glorfindel's prophecy and all, but what of the others? Why didn't Elrond or Galadriel or Saruman put a 'hit' on Gothmog?

Merry's 'sword,' found in the barrow, was specially meant for just such a task. Someone - human - was thinking along these lines, and human-human assassination took place, and so the concept was there.

Think of the snickering that Arwen could have done at the Fords (think Peter Jackson's version for a moment) when only eight appeared on the other side of the river.