The Lord Of The Rings: Ranking Every Major Villain From Worst To Best

9. The Witch-King

The design of the Witch-king was terrific. His armour – especially his mask – was enough to make anyone flee.

As scary as he looked, however, he didn’t prove to be a particularly effective villain. Amongst the chaos of The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, the Witch-king was taken down almost entirely by Éowyn – although Merry did make a minor contribution.

In fact, he was far more effective in The Fellowship of the Ring when he stabbed Frodo with a Morgul-blade at Weathertop. This was a much more intense moment than any of the Witch-king’s scenes in The Return of the King.

As such, the Witch-king was a little disappointing in terms of his effectiveness, though it was certainly thrilling to witness Éowyn stab him through the face.