Why did the Nazgul not succeed in Bree and on Weathertop?

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Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

In general, it seems to me that their attacks are not those of people in a confident position of strength; they are attacks of bullies who rule through fear. And that kind of power is always undermined when faced with true courage. Just my two cents, as ever.

In the Nazgul's entire history as wraiths, not once, not once was there a successful attack on one of them - unless there were more, and by the end of the Third Age we're down to Nine. If the prophecy propped up their chief, what maintained the other eight? It is incredulous that over the long years that no one - all those chief foes of the Nazgul that *created* the bright blades carried by the hobbits - hadn't bagged one of them, and yet the Five have a time of it in a dark dell occupied by three terrified hobbits, one somewhat terrified hobbit with a Ring that is in essence a curse, and a fire-wielding Ranger.