Lord of the Rings from the Witch-king's perspective

Explore the best of fantasy and sci-fi in depth, with analysis of the worlds of Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Witcher and more.

Follow me on:
Twitter - @indeepgeek
Instagram – indeepgeekofficial
TikTok - @indeepgeek

Thank you to the talented artists who allowed their work to be featured in this video. You can find them and buy your own prints by following the links below:

This video was brought to you with support from my amazing Patreon community - special thanks to
Stephanie Frederick, Maura Lee, Rabbi Rob Thomas, Brooke Geer Person, Josh Bielemeier, J. S., Vance, Ivie Hilburn, Jimmy, Vercingetorix, John-Paul DeLuca, Filbert, Frank Glad, lemmy101, The Lady Gordon, Rick Mendez, Max Kingdom, Karen Armstrong, BradBraddersBradley, Edward Ryan, Stephanie B, Coleen, Ben Androvich, Nana L, Brennan Barnes, Ivanka Hainzl, Howland’s Little Sister, Charis Messalina de Valence, Donna Daley, Cade Norman, Murray D, NOscar, Rick Hoppe, James Pisano, Bridget Boyle, TheStarkInWinterfell, Ellemcee, Alannah Prestayn of Braavos, Raymond Joy, Jonathan Harrison, Petyr Pebble, Jason Mauleon Rosario, Milton Christopher Appling, Edward Ennett, Katy Smith, 26Artgirl, Karen Thomas, Rickon, Cathrine Furseth, James Fitzpatrick, Doug Hughes, lawnduck20, Perseffanie, Emily Mole, Lady Dane, The Late Escapist, Natalie Donald, J. Gregory Henderson, whalawitsa, Luna Cascade, Dan MacKay, Johnny Targs, Kevin Warner, Julie Bernard, Bear, Susan Lonergan, Bo Riley, Lyle Hammac, Alex Butter, Pam Peterson, T boz, Angela Marie Young, Sarah Awesomesauce, Stephanie Erickson, KaliKo_Jack, SeaGreenMango, GeorgeRRTolkien, Antihero Association, Richard Woodard, Caiden Timmons, ThatVBGuy, Tyler Barnhart, John H. Austin, Jr, NikFromNJ, Ty Farnsworth, Beesman, EJ, Willow Button, Julia Kendall, Jonny Ceriani, Mary Frances Angelini, Emma Sheiman, Joseph Jones, Christine Denny, Julien Dubois, Leland, Tricia Brady, LiK, Simen Dalstein, Scott Maraldo, Shelley J, Karen Wennerlind, Martin Sjöstrand, Kristen H, King of Imps, Minerva Gale, Eric Nelson, Michiel Venema, Brandie Roberts, Kendra Summers, reed m, Commander Ray, Mayra Lawson, Lola Roebuck, Mark P, Nicole Stewart, Rasler, Patrick Ward, Amy vh Hines, Slippery1989, Una Haller, Almo71, Ravi Kakarala, Jacob Culp, Janet Lyn, NikFromNJ, Magepie, Ms. Fox, Jon Greenwood, Jahan, Justice, Biscuit Jones, Biscuit Jones, Cookie Tywyn, Ranabir Mitra, CRChesnutt, Kip Ingram, Savannah Smith, Tadeo D'Oria, Mario Murray, Leland, AaronM127, Denis Warner, Callie Summers, Gena Z, Joseph Barresi, Karen, KGO, Martin Maleček, Karamy CG, Alvino V, DickCrabb’sSquire, Haley Harstad, Ian Landsman, Lord Medici, Mathew Pauley, Aidan Butler, Phelan Walker, Andrew Roberts, Bill Boxall, Caleb Wiers, InquisitorXarius, Marcelo Zanetti, A Son of Ice and Fire, Madeline Tyrell-Dayne, Dave Nite, Johanna Ayers, Fool of a Took, Brandie Roberts, Evanne Elizabeth Stoll, Blitzen, Slouch&Nod, and Jane

Books for fans of Lord of the Rings:

Other books we love:

Thanks for watching!

(All pictures used are in the public domain, or used under fair use copyright laws or with the express permission of the artist).

[PaddyDAngelo]

Still waiting for the Lord of the Rings from the Innkeeper at the Prancing Pony's perspective

[Locedamius]

One often overlooked action by the Witch-King: Shagrat, commander of the tower of Cirith Ungol, said he received orders "Nazgûl uneasy. Spies feared on Stairs. Double vigilance. Patrol to head of Stairs." and it seems Gorbag had similar orders when he headed out from Minas Morgul. So the Witch King did not just ignore Frodo and move on with his army when he sensed him on the stairs. He sent two companies of orcs to patrol both ends of the pass of Cirith Ungol to catch him (which they did).

[isomeme]

It's a subtle distinction, but I think it's important to understand that Glorfindel's prophecy didn't create a requirement, it simply reported an observation. Basically, Glorfindel was given a vision of Eowyn and Merry defeating the Witch-King, and remarked "Huh -- no men involved." It's not that the Witch-King was invulnerable to men, it's that he was fated to die a different way. Tolkien loves playing with ideas of immutable fate despite apparent free will, and this is one of the best examples of that theme.

[jamesmclemore]

It's kind of funny to me that as soon as Wormtounge ran into the Nazghoul he just went "Nope, I do *not* get paid enough for this. The guy you're looking for is that way and by the way my boss betrayed you." And they just say thanks and let him go on his way.

[JMThought]

There’s something about the Witch Kings fall that also mirrors other Tokien themes… it’s not the mighty Glorfindel that ends him but a humble hobbit and “just a woman”. It’s not a single warrior but a team effort. Merry, Eowin and those enemies years ago that forged that dagger. Cooperation through love not fear. And Eowin’s empathy for Merry to bring him to the battlefield because of their shared experience of being dismissed. Everything about the Witch Kings fall were things alien to him.

[UncleTimTheHermit]

The witch king didn't just ignore the feeling of Frodo in his valley. When Sam has the ring and is listening to the orcs of Cirith Ungol, Shagrat says they were told to watch for potential spies using the stairs.

[XJC]

Fun fact: Professor Tolkien originally envisioned the Witch-king as the Wizard King and as Gandalf's opposite and his equal, the latter of which he is still referred to as by Denethor. He was to be an Istari who betrayed their order before this role was filled by Saruman. There was also a draft where he survived the Pelennor Fields, negotiated at the Black Gate in place of the later added on Mouth of Sauron, and confronted Frodo at Mount Doom before dying either to Sam's blade or to Frodo commanding him to follow the Ring into the lava.

[peadarbradaigh]

I could listen to your voice for hours, it’s so relaxing. You should do a reading of the LoTRs books.

[ErnestLordGoring]

I always wondered how the Witch King learned of Glorfindel’s prophecy. It’s not like the two drank together every week at the Prancing Pony

[LordReginaldMeowmont]

Gollum: "Shire! Baggins!"

Sauron: "What is a Shire?"

[TheLyricalCleric]

Imagine moving from strength to strength for centuries, crushing the northern kingdom of Arnor, dealing with setbacks, and conquering your enemies, only to be mugged by a knife-wielding child and a woman in men’s armor at the height of your powers.

[Xswitchblades]

"I'll do a whole other video on exactly what happened there If you're interested"
YES PLEASE!!!
Great experience as always!

[alexandravladmets]

His real name was Cliff, and he invented the sauna for it was cold in Angmar. So he wasn´t all bad.

[benhayfield]

I always thought the witch King was way over confident in the prophecy. No man may kill me? Unfortunately for you mate we have dawefs elves and wizard, who are all much harder than men and far more of a threat to you 😅 I like to think that if he'd survived his encounter with women and hobbits, an olaphont would have stepped on him a moment latter. Or a huge rock from a trebuchet 😂

[glorthoron]

My interpretation was not that the Witch King was trying to will Frodo into putting on the ring in the Morgul Vale, but rather, the Ring was trying to overpower Frodo's will to put it on because it knew it was so close. Just like it convinced him to put it on while at Weather Top.

The ring, after all, had a will of its own. Even the Ring Wraiths spoke to it at the Ford of Rivendell.

'Come back! Come back!’ they called. ‘To Mordor we will take you!'

[davidtatro]

The moment when Eowyn confronts the Witch King and reveals herself to be a woman is one of the best moments in either the books or the films. I know the films changed many things, and mostly very appropriately so for the change in genre. But that scene in particular is one which the film got very right.

[colindunnigan]

The Witch King's demise didn't trigger a full scale rout of Sauron's forces, the lieutenant Gothmog took charge and brought more forces up the road from Osgiliath. And while the initial charge of the Rohirrim had gone quite well, the war elephants of the Haradrim served as rally points for Mordor's troops.* Had Aragorn and the soldiers from Anfalas and Belfalas not shown up when they did, Minas Tirith may still have been lost. Even after that, many contingents of Sauron's army still fought to the last. A messy, brutal, slaughter.

*It's a testament that JRRT knew enough about ancient and medieval warfare to know that horses are terrified of elephants and won't approach them (unless they've been trained for it). Something that the movies spectacularly failed to show.

[danielmiller]

The witch king gets some autonomy because he was reshaped and modeled by Sauron after thousands of years of control and domination. The wraiths are almost another extension of the dark lord

[CrniWuk]

Woha. I gotta have to admit that it was a pretty brave action by Khamûl The Easterling to confront Farmer Maggot. 4:48

[rmsgrey]

It strikes me that the voice never being heard again in that age of the world is a lot less impressive when you consider that the Fourth Age was only ten days away (by Gondorian reckoning), or, at the most, within three years (by Hobbit reckoning).