I've been wondering for some time why the Nazgûl only paralyze 'good' people. In RotK there are many different people fighting for Sauron and Saruman, but the Nazgûl don't seem to bother the dark armies. Well, I understand why orcs and goblins, trolls etc. wouldn't be influenced by they presence, but what about the Haradrim, wild men and Easterlings who faught for Sauron?

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Well, in the book they did bother the dark armies, but not to the same extent as the 'good' people because the dark armies knew that they were on their side. That's how I see it, at any rate. As to why they didn't show it in the movies, I haven't a clue.

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They are not targeted by the Nazgul and perhaps, the sane part of them had already been sucked out of them when they joined with Saruman and Sauron.

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Well, the Nazgûl just have an air of frightening fear around them that make the blood freeze in every mortal being. It's possible the dark armies got used to it over time.. since they had to have different departments to work together, they might have been on teambuilding courses...

At least Saruman's army consisted of many 'good' men whom he manipulated to join him or put a spell on. But since Saruman's army didn't directly join in the great battles where the Nazgûl also participated, I guess I can't really make a point here...

And yes I am thinking of the book description of the Nazgûl here, but I'd assume it would be the same in the movie. But... well, generally I have an issue with the Nazgûl in the movie.. there are many things that don't make sense. But that's the difficult conditions when adapting book to movie...

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Lol--so you basically just answered your own question, Ea. What'd you need us for?

Yeah, I have an issue with them in the movie, too. They don't ever really get explained.

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Umm... because I love you guys so much and want to debate with you???

No, actually I'm still left with this feel of... 'something is not right...' But I think they work quite well in the movie - if you haven't read the books - because they are mostly used as riders on flying war machines with annoying high-pitched screeches. But if people have read the books, they might start wondering about them. If Tolkien mentions that the Nazgûl also scare the living daylights out of their own armies too, it would result in very odd fights.. it would basically paralyze the battle field when the Nazgûl arrived..
And that's actually one of the problems I have with the Nazgûl... they are too unfair, because no one really can resist them, until the eagles take up the challenge at the battle in front of the black gate. (unless you are Eowyn and gets her moment of glory by first slaying a fell beast and then (with a little help from a friend.. ohh, she gets by with a little help from a friend *coughcough*) the Witch King!)

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Lol, Ea.

I don't think everyone is paralysed by them--those of strong will can resist it, I think. Aragorn, for instance, never showed any sign of resisting it, though it wasn't said that they ever shrieked when he was around.

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So your point was...? That all the Mordor mortals are as cool as Aragorn? lol

I've got an additional question that I will try not to answer myself... *shifty eyes*
In the EE Gandalf is challenged by the Witch King in Minas Tirith, but it seems like he would turn out the weaker one if it came to a real duel (bad move PJ *scowls*), but when he rides out to meet the retreating soldiers from Osgiliath he actually manages to scare off several Nazgûl with the power of his staff! Why?

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Well, the Witch-king is stated to be the most powerful of the Nazgul. However, I agree that making it seem as though Gandalf was weaker was a bad move--he would have been far more powerful than the Witch-king. His natural power was far, far greater, his ring was greater, and his wisdom and skill was greater. I never saw anything in the books that hinted that Gandalf might lose a battle against the Witch-king.

But in my previous post I was basically saying that not everyone is paralysed with fear, the way you implied (or seemed to, anyways). But again, I think the Orcs are not scared to death by the Nazgul simply because they know that they happen to be on their side.

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*applauds*
Well said Aerandir! Gandalf's our man!! Gandalf for president!!
Gandalf was a maia and he had been sent back as The White after his fight with the balrog, he was the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor etc, etc. The Witch King was after all just a man, a spirit of a mortal, though a great king, who had been corrupted and enslaved by Sauron. Most likely Sauron had poured his own malice into the Nazgûl but it shouldn't have been such an uneven macth for Gandalf. I understand if PJ wanted to show how powerful the Witch King is, but then he is having a halfling and a girl slaying him afterwards, just like that!!

The reason why I didn't mention orcs was that I don't really consider them 'mortals' or 'men'. They are sort of filled with the Sauron's malice too so I don't think they would be so affected by the Nazgûl because they live in Mordor, like elves also would be able to resist the Nazgûl better than men. I know that strongwilled people could resist them, and I actually think it says in the book that Aragorn was able to calm his men and their beasts only by the power of his will!

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Aerandir didn't the nazgul shrike at amon sul ( sp?) when he showed up to help the hobbits

or was that just because he was hurting them?

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Very well said, Eä. Much better than my reasoning.

Manwathiel, I don't think the Nazgul shrieked at Amon Sul--not in the book, at least, though this is in the movie section. In the movies, they never go into that much detail, unfortunately.

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Thank you again Aerandir!

I think they may have shrieked in exitement, thrilled to see the ring... I imagine them dancing around with joy had the situation been a little less tense... *coughcough*
But the point is, not only their shrieking scared the living daylights out of people, the mere presence did as well.

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Yeah. That's the most important point. It's also critical in connecting to the book in the scene when Faramir returns from Cair Andros--Pippin is terrified by their mere presence, which proves that point, but Beregond overcomes it because of his love for Faramir, which shows that the fear can be overcome by a stronger conflicting emotion.

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^Yess and also reminds me of the book where Aragorn makes his companions follow him on the Path of the Dead only through his strong will!

Actually I think it was really well done in the movies. It's difficult to give the same feeling of pure, terrifying fear like Tolkien does in the books, but I think they managed well. The shrieking and the eerie atmosphere, the hooded, faceless shapes and the blacker-than-black horses.
Many times throughout the movies we get a good impression of the terror they spread.. although in most of the battle scenes, they're merely flying war machines...

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Yeah. Ditto, ditto, ditto, etc. PJ did do a good job with the Nazgul, at least in FotR and TTT. In RotK, as you said, they were more like flying war machines.

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