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

The Black Riders – also known as the Nazgûl or the Ringwraiths – were the first villains to really induce a sense of fear. With their simple yet creepy aesthetic and their screeches of anguish, these servants of Sauron are amongst the most iconic of Tolkien’s villains.

Following Gollum’s lead, the Black Riders rushed to the Shire in pursuit of the One Ring. Their hunt then led them through the Old Forest, Bree, and further east to Weathertop and towards Rivendell. Throughout their hunt these dark-hooded figures were a constant source of terror. Indeed, Jackson’s experience with directing horror movies really shined through in the opening stages of the first movie.

The Black Riders also carried an intriguing backstory. Initially, they were the owners of the nine rings gifted to the great lords and warriors of men before they became enslaved to Sauron’s will and power. This aspect of their history gave the Black Riders a certain level of humanity that counter balanced the absence of dialogue and their ghost-like appearance.

In the case of the Black Riders, both Tolkien and Jackson proved that a simple design could be a remarkably effective way of creating suspense and fright.