“ | Shire… Baggins. | „ |
~ Khamûl's one line in the films. |
Khamûl is a supporting antagonist in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson's Middle-earth film series. He was a Nazgûl and second-in-command to the Witch-king of Angmar. He became the new Lord of the Nazgûl after the Witch-king's death, though this newly-gained title was short-lived, as Khamûl and the other seven Ringwraiths were soon killed along with their master Sauron once the One Ring of Power was destroyed in Mount Doom.
History[]
In life, he was a king of the Easterlings during the Second Age, but was corrupted by one of the nine Rings of Power that Sauron gave to the great kings of Men. Like the other eight kings, he became a Nazgûl, a wraith-like creature enslaved to Sauron's will and the power of the One Ring.
In the Third Age, Sauron learns from a captured Gollum that the Ring is in the Shire, and sends Khamûl and his fellow Nazgûl there to find the Ring and the "Baggins" who possess it. (In Jackson's films, he is seen questioning a terrified Hobbit about finding the Shire and "Baggins".) He fails to acquire the Ring, however, and he and his fellow Nazgûl are redirected through the efforts of Aragorn and Glorfindel (or Arwen in the movies).
Like his fellow Nazgûl, he aids Sauron's Orcs and Mannish hordes in their efforts against the kingdom of Gondor. Along with Sauron and the other Nazgûl, he is destroyed after the Gollum falls into Mount Doom while carrying the Ring.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- It is said that, of all the Nazgûl, he was most weakened and disoriented by daylight. But on the other hand, he was second only to the Witch-king in perceiving the presence of the One Ring.
- Him being King of the Easterlings in life is perhaps darkly fitting, as the Easterlings traditionally hate Gondor and revere Sauron.