The Nazgul were a powerful force in The Lord of the Rings, yet they were powerless against water. Though this was only briefly mentioned in the Lord of the Rings books, Tolkien’s posthumously published works reveal that Sauron’s Nazgul would not pass through or enter into the water. He never gave a reason for this. The legendary author’s books were always written as a real-world history, so anything that wouldn’t have been known to the Elf of Human historians of Middle-earth would remain a mystery to audiences. Still, one theory would explain why water was such a weakness to the evil Nazgul.
Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring movie included a scene in which Arwen rushed Frodo on horseback to Rivendell, the Nazgul on their heels. Once she had crossed the River Bruinen, the Nazgul were hesitant to enter the water themselves. They pushed their horses forward, only to be overtaken by the magical waves Arwen called upon. This scene went much the same in the Lord of the Rings books, though it was an elf named Glorfindel, not Arwen, who used the river to keep the Nazgul at bay, and he flooded the river to envelop them. This was necessary since the Nazgul would not have entered the water themselves.
The Nazgul Could Not Cross Water In Lord Of The Rings
In Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, the author states that “All, again save the Witch-King, feared water, and were unwilling, except in dire need, to enter it or cross streams unless dry-shod by a bridge.” This indicates that the Nazgul were deeply averse to entering water rather than being entirely unable to. This is why Glorfindel (or Arwen in the Lord of the Rings movie) took this extra measure to ensure that Frodo would not be followed to Rivendell. Still, it’s unclear why the Nazgul had such a fear, though it’s possible it simply came down to their bodies (or lack thereof).
In the Lord of the Rings books, it is mentioned that the Nazgul do not have typical physical bodies. Their cloaks give them a visible shape, but they do not exist in the same plane of existence as Frodo and the rest. Therefore, after the River Bruinen swept them away, it took a long time for them to emerge and make their formless way back to Mordor, where they could regain strength. Still, this doesn’t seem like enough reason to refuse to cross or enter the water. The truth may instead come down to the higher powers of Middle-earth.
Theory: The Nazgul Cannot Cross Water Because Of Ulmo The Vala
The Valar are the demi-gods of Middle-earth, each responsible for a different aspect of the realm. Ulmo was the Vala of water, and while other Valar lived in Valinor (AKA the Undying Lands), he resided in every body of water in Middle-earth. This meant that Ulmo was among the most active gods and passively offered the most assistance to the Elves and Men. His temper was as tumultuous as the sea, and he despised the evil of Sauron. Therefore, it’s not a stretch to think that the Dark Lord’s Ringwraiths would be afraid to enter Ulmo’s domain. Surely, such creatures entering the water would have invited the Vala’s wrath.
This could also explain why, after being flushed away by the river, it took so long for the Ringwraiths to escape back to Mordor. Their formless bodies might have been trapped by Ulmo, only able to escape (and only some of them) after weeks of struggle. When they finally did return to their master, they were given the flying fell beasts to ride instead, thus eliminating the need ever to enter Ulmo’s territory again.
The Lord Of The Rings’ Nazgul Water Theory Has 1 Problem
The idea that the Nazgul couldn’t enter water because of Ulmo has a problem. Since the Vala exists in every body of water in Middle-earth, the Nazgul being unable to cross any stream or river would have made maneuvering Middle-earth impossible. Especially on their way to the Shire, the nine creatures would have needed to cross several bodies of water, something that Tolkien himself even acknowledged.
In Unfinished Tales, Christopher Tolkien, son of the Lord of the Rings author, said, “My father did indeed note that the idea [of Nazgul being afraid of water, but still crossing Middle-earth] was difficult to sustain.” In all, this suggests that the Nazgul might have simply found water an inconvenience (perhaps due to their fluid forms) rather than a force of Ulmo that they must avoid. Ultimately, like so many aspects of Tolkien lore, audiences will never have a definitive answer. What truly matters is that the Nazgul were ultimately powerless to stop Frodo from traveling from the Shire to Mordor in The Lord of the Rings, regardless of the reason.
