Necromancy: Nazgul, Barrow-wights, and Zombies | Magic in Middle-earth

Timestamps:
Intro - 0:00
What is Death? - 3:26
Elves - 6:17
Elves: The Houseless - 8:01
Men - 14:22
Men in Aman - 19:29
Ringwraiths and Morgul Blades - 22:09
Barrow-wights - 26:33
Conclusions - 32:35

Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use purposes such as criticism, commentary, parody, news, reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. All works used in this video (images, audio, etc.) belong to their respective authors and are used with permission or in accordance with the copyright holder's stated usage policy.

🖌️Art Credits🖌️

A full list of artworks, including links, is found here:

Thumbnail Art Credits:

Artists (in order of work’s first appearance):

17 - Álvaro Fernández González:
32 - HP Gaskins:

🎵Music Credits🎶

Where required, a license has been purchased for use of music.

Tracks Used: "Dominus Magisterium," "Sanctus Terra," "Fratres," "Cathedralis Titanum," "Pax Imperatoris"

Tracks Used: "Cathedral Ambience," "Tranquility"

Thank you to those who have supported me on Patreon!

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#lordoftherings #tolkien #sauron

[TerezatheTeacher]

The idea of a wraith getting embodied in a hobbit's boddy is both creepy and pretty damn hilarious. "Why am I so short?"

[brianroberts]

My first video on your channel, and as soon as I heard the phrase "we don't know much about the metaphysics of Dwarves" I knew I had found my people!

[TolkienLorePodcast]

I think you deserve a Ph.D. In Tolkienian Magic by now. This is one of your best yet!

[LeHobbitFan]

Your take on the Barrow-Wight is enlightening.
I now require a comedic sitcom about an enslaved Elven fëa looking for a new body, and his Mannish Wight sidekick who's just a fun-loving goof who likes to scare people.

[sirzorg]

The scene at the end being your character high-fiving feanor at the burning of the ships while maedros looks on horrified was awesome.

[Alphqwe]

We also need to consider the watchers near the orc tower where Frodo was held.

[jpbjoel]

You have to hand it to GNG - only she can breathe new life into a previously dead topic!

[Implaythrough]

The idea of the trapped Numenoreans in Valinor coming back in the Dagor Dagoroth to serve Morgoth as basically a feral army of beasts is super cool.

[DinJaevel]

Wow, what a compilation of necromancy and un-death has seldom been seen in Middle Earth. This really got me in the mood of playing the One Ring rpg again..

[waltonsmith]

You just totally changed my perspective on the Barrow Wight. I assumed it was a low level maiar and/or elf spirit and couldnt possibly be human because of the "rules" of Arda. Now Im not so sure. I thought Merry's outburst about the men of Carn Dum was a result of some kind of residual memory rather than literal possession but maybe I was wrong....wow.This is why I love your channel. No one thinks harder about Middle earth metaphysics, a subject near and dear to my heart.

[alexbenson]

I previously only watched Nerd of the Rings, but her library of deep, well researched, and long videos has earned her a new loyal subscriber! Thank you!

[skateboardist]

I had a dream just this morning about necromancy. It only concerned me and other living people, which confused me because no dead thing was involved. They said “I gotta check your neck” I was like “neck?” Then he said “yes necromancy” then started chanting in Latin. It scerd me

[emtiger]

One example of unhoused spirits being bound into new forms that I particularly found fascinating were those spirits bound into dragons as illustrated in "The Children of Hurin" where we are told of the evil spirit bound into Glaurung that seems to give him intellect if not life. Interestingly Morgoth also speaks through him to Mablung, which is especially creepy.

[RIPJimmyAX]

I just found this channel and I normally consider myself as knowing quite a bit about tolkiens stories but I've only watched 3 videos of yours and already learned a pile of new things I never knew. These videos and your Tolkien knowledge is amazing

[fetteranton]

Just wanna say that I'm watching all your videos one by one and it is by far the most interesting analysis and telling of Tolkien's fantastic works I've seen on Youtube. Keep it up, I love your work!

[Pixis]

Fascinating stuff, especially your interpretation of what was happening in the Barrow-downs. I assumed the ritual was to turn the hobbits into Barrow-wights as well. I hadn't considered that spirits might want to possess their bodies and switch places with them, desperately trying to escape their endless undead existence. I think that scene just got even creepier!

[roninjedi]

The army of the dead Aragorn commands isn’t from necromancy. In Tolkiens universe oaths aren’t just words they have great power. We see that with both Gollum and the army of the dead. By breaking their oaths they were both punished in kind for breaking them. The reason Aragorn can control and release the army isn’t because he is the king it is because he is the blood of Isildur whom the oath was sworn. Great video though on a topic that very few have dove deep into. Thoroughly enjoyed it

[HairTiesForGlorfindel]

Honestly you're my favourite person. This is so brilliant, and just as insightful as all your content always is.

[that_vivian]

Wow, awesome vid! I love finding new high quality content makers. Subbed.

[Skelldr]

I always thought that the fate of arda being directly linked to the elves was fascinating. The elves ends when arda ends. Not the men though. That’s a part of the gift of men. They endure after arda is no more.