Black Riders in The Shire- Rules of Engagement

Martin Locock

New Member
In the episodes about Chapter 4 (Shortcut to mushrooms), the topic of why the Nazgul are so unterrifying and nonviolent in their search for Baggins was raised, but I don't think fully answered. The answer must surely be that their orders from Sauron were to find Baggins as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. Sauron's principal fear once he suspected that the ring was his ring, was that it would get in the wrong hands -- his worst nightmare would have been an Istari/Maia with a ring as opposition. He couldn't conceive that Gandalf or Saruman would find the ring and not use it themselves to challenge him. At that point, nobody is sure if the ring is the One Ring, and the last thing Sauron wanted was to make an overt move to bring the Council's attention, risking that they may beat him to it. He was also very wary of his underlings - the orcs at Minias Morgul were told not to touch the hobbit's belongings, because although Sauron would in time probably match an orc ringwielder, it would be a distraction. The only people he could trust to know about the ring, not tell anyone, and who wouldn't claim it for their own, were the Nine, so he sent them with strict instructions to blend in and use their rusty people skills.
 
Hi Martin,

I love your phrase about the Black Rider's 'rusty people skills'. How true.

I think your conjecture about the instructions given to the Riders rings true. However, it is obvious that they became less circumspect, and more overt as they grew frustrated with their quest. Galloping through Buckland while the Hobbits roused to the horn-call, was probably not in the spirit of their instructions. Nor were the confrontations on Weathertop or at the Ford of Bruinen.

Sauron probably desired more of 'Black Ninjas' operating in stealth, than 'Black Hooligans' causing alarm and making obvious assaults and attacks. The Prancing Pony endeavor was likely more similar to Sauron's conception. Though proper 'Black Ninjas' would have left far less evidence of their intent.
 
Black Ninjas attack when they find their target. The Nazgul only raised a fuss when they had a positive ID on Frodo's house. Then they cased it, saw/sensed a hobbit inside (all those little pudgy folk look alike to semi-corporeal beings), and went on the offensive. That sounds like the original plan to me. It was a stroke of bad luck that the ringbearer snuck off some time before and left a decoy in his stead. If it had gone right, Frodo would have been drawn out, quietly bagged, or wraithified, or throat slit, and they'd be halfway to Bree before anyone was the wiser.

I can just imagine the Witch King thinking to himself, now I understand Gollum: "Bagginses, hates it forever" indeed!
 
Apropos of this, I am doing my annual reading of LOTR now, and it occurred to me that the sword that Frodo uses to stab at the Witch King at Weathertop is the same kind of sword that Merry uses against him at the Pelennor Fields. It’s a sword of the Barrow downs, work of Westernesse – of which we later learn, “No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter.”

Admittedly, Frodo doesn’t seem to have actually struck him. “All blades perish that pierce that dreadful king,” which Merry’s does – “it writhed and withered and was consumed” – and Frodo still has his sword at the Ford of Bruinen.

But could the presence of this weapon have been sensed by the Witch King, and played into the dismay the Ringwraiths must have felt as they pursued their quarry? After all, hobbits were an unknown commodity, but not considered to be more than their size implied. Yet, here they are eluding what probably should have been an easy capture, on the attack, partnered with a fierce warrior, fighting the terror they were being faced with – and in possession of a great sword?
 
Apropos of this, I am doing my annual reading of LOTR now, and it occurred to me that the sword that Frodo uses to stab at the Witch King at Weathertop is the same kind of sword that Merry uses against him at the Pelennor Fields. It’s a sword of the Barrow downs, work of Westernesse – of which we later learn, “No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter.”

Admittedly, Frodo doesn’t seem to have actually struck him. “All blades perish that pierce that dreadful king,” which Merry’s does – “it writhed and withered and was consumed” – and Frodo still has his sword at the Ford of Bruinen.

But could the presence of this weapon have been sensed by the Witch King, and played into the dismay the Ringwraiths must have felt as they pursued their quarry? After all, hobbits were an unknown commodity, but not considered to be more than their size implied. Yet, here they are eluding what probably should have been an easy capture, on the attack, partnered with a fierce warrior, fighting the terror they were being faced with – and in possession of a great sword?

I wonder if the Witch King could sense the blade. I don't recall any reaction before getting stabbed by Merry. I don't have my copy of the books handy to check.
That would be interesting, though. A lot of frustration for the Nazgul: First they have to go way far to even find the place, then they get cussed out by the old folks, then they get run out by the flimsy guard, then they have troubles at an inn, and when they finally do catch up to the rugrats, they're accompanied by this shabby dude who knows too much AND they're wielding a magic blade specifically designed to hurt the enemies of the west!

You thought you were having a bad year.
 
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