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Old 06-30-2015, 07:45 AM   #58
Galin
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,031
Galin is a guest at the Prancing Pony.Galin is a guest at the Prancing Pony.
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I've got to check on the Nazgūl, but based on some instances in which the Witch-king is mentioned I doubt he is invulnerable as Galin pointed out. Take for example his fear of certain Dśnedain. Why would he fear them if he were invulnerable to most/all weapons and they were not?

"Boromir was a great captain and even the Witch-king feared him." [Appendix A: The Stewards]
Good points, and I agree. Some have countered that the Witch-king didn't fear this Boromir personally, but feared him in the sense that he was a great captain and stategist. I don't buy that myself. Tolkien also notes that he was a man strong in body and will...

Quote:
"Boromir was a great captain, and even the Witch-king feared him. He was noble and fair of face, a man strong in body and in will, but he received a Morgul-wound in that war which shortened his days, and he became shrunken with pain and died twelve years after his father."
One needs a strong will to first stand against the unreasoning fear a wraith imparts, then you've got a chance in battle against them. This is why I think the Witch-king feared Boromir, that he had a notably strong will, as well as physical strength. Tolkien, of course, sets up the scenario by which Eowyn will also conquer her fear, and Merry as well, enough to help her.

Some also point to:

Quote:
"Over the hills of slain a hideous shape appeared: a horseman, tall, hooded, cloaked in black. Slowly, trampling the fallen, he rode forth, heeding no longer any dart. He halted and held up a long pale sword. And as he did so a great fear fell upon all, defender and foe alike; and the hands of men dropped to their sides, and no bows sang. For a moment all was still."
But this hardly proves invulnerability in my opinion, considering he heeded "no longer" any dart (which seems to suggest he had heeded them before this point). For me I think this is hubris, mixed with the Wraith's knowledge of his own effect upon Men...

... for we see, here at least, his effect will stop the bowmen from shooting in any case, at least for a time.

Last edited by Galin; 06-30-2015 at 08:00 AM.
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