Witch King of Angmar

[jdidds]

For the Tolkien buffs out there. Just been thinking about this.

Why was it that he could be killed by a woman?

[Hawkwind]

Prophecy?

[Forceknight]

First Merry stabs the Witch King with a "magic Numenorean dagger" that he finds in the Barrow-Downs in the first book, it basically has enchantments on it to fight the forces of evil that somehow break the magic Sauron uses to keep the Witch King in Middle-Earth.

Eowyn then comes in for the killing blow, it's not clear that she even needed to after Merry got in his hit with the Numenorean dagger but it might've been necessary (maybe Merry's dagger just weakened the Witch King and Eowyn finished it off). It's a bit confusing in the movies cause the magic dagger isn't as explained, but I'm still a big fan of that scene.

[Hazgarn]

Prophecy?

This, if I remember. It was stated somewhere that "no man" could kill him, and thus the only way to get around that was for the person to kill him to be a woman.

And a lot of people say that Merry helping (being a hobbit) is somehow important, but if merely not being of the race of Men could somehow get around it... Well, with Elves and Dwarves both being as badass as they are, I don't really see how the "killed by no man" thing would really be that significant if they could have bypassed the prophecy.

[Olthadir]

From the encyclopeda of Arda:

After that first assault, the Witch-king bided his time in Carn Dûm. As the years passed, a great plague wiped out the last people of Cardolan, so that only Arthedain remained of the lands that were once ruled by Elendil. At last, in III 1974, the Lord of the Nazgûl struck: Arthedain was overrun, and its capital of Fornost captured. That was the end of the North-kingdom in Middle-earth, but the Witch-king's victory was to be short-lived.

A vast force came north out of Gondor, too late to save Arthedain, but sufficient to avenge its loss. Led by Eänur, the heir to King Eärnil II, the Gondorians met Angmar's armies at the Battle of Fornost, and the Witch-king's forces were overcome. The Lord of the Nazgûl himself escaped into the Ettendales, and it was at this time that Glorfindel famously uttered his prophecy:

"Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall"
The Lord of the Rings
Appendix A I (iv), Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion

ETA: http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/l/lordofthenazgul.html

For the entire history of the Witch-King from 'birth' to supposed death.

[Ava]

Oh wow, I just looked at that encyclopedia for the first time. I had to get the app for my phone. Now I know exactly what to read on my commute!

[tehkory]

Oh wow, I just looked at that encyclopedia for the first time. I had to get the app for my phone. Now I know exactly what to read on my commute!

The Silmarillion? Yes. Yes, you should.

(Not that that part's quoted from the Silmarillion, but instead from it appears to be RoTK's Appendices).

[MrDvAnt]

It was Glorfindel's fault he was so hard to kill.

[tehkory]

It was Glorfindel's fault he was so hard to kill.

Holmes and I have a running open argument over whether Feanor or Glorfindel is the best elf ever(obviously Feanor is first, Fingolfin second, Galadriel third, and Glorfindel dead whatever last 'cause he's so dumb). I'm using this in an argument for how dumb Glorfindel is next time.

Also someone tell Padweld Alien>Aliens.

[MrDvAnt]

It was Glorfindel's fault he was so hard to kill.

Holmes and I have a running open argument over whether Feanor or Glorfindel is the best elf ever(obviously Feanor is first, Fingolfin second, Galadriel third, and Glorfindel dead whatever last 'cause he's so dumb). I'm using this in an argument for how dumb Glorfindel is next time.

Also someone tell Padweld Alien>Aliens.

I rate Feanor as number one as well. He made lots of cool stuff that we need in game.

[Ava]

Oh wow, I just looked at that encyclopedia for the first time. I had to get the app for my phone. Now I know exactly what to read on my commute!

The Silmarillion? Yes. Yes, you should.

(Not that that part's quoted from the Silmarillion, but instead from it appears to be RoTK's Appendices).

I have read the Silmarillion; this app is what I'm excited over. It's much easier to navigate on the fly.

[Olthadir]

I love it too, and love just browsing it for hours!

Glorfindel was cool. There are cooler elves, but Glorfindel, I think was one of the more action minded elves. Thats why he died in Gondolin.

[Brian]

Coolest elf is definitely Maedhros. I think one of the saddest moments in the Silmarillion is when he is convinced by his brothers that their oath won't rest until they have the Silmarils and they attack Arvernion. He had a chance to be more than the Oath, and wished to be, but in the end was shackled to his doom.

[Zargen]

My favorite elf is Eol the dark elf

[Erythil]

The real answer is because Tolkien was a fan of Macbeth.

Durham wood something something

[Songweaver]

All of the best characters are just men.

There's no elf that holds a candle to Turin Turambar!