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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wicht" data-source="post: 296805" data-attributes="member: 221">One problem here is trying to discuss the events of the book and the events of the movie as if they were the same, which is far from the case.  The scenario I described earlier is how it happened in the movie (though I think I would change the suprise round to a successful intimidate on second thought) but the events of the book are very different and IMO more plausible.First off Aragorn, has no sword (he carries only a broken blade).  He chases the wraiths off with two flaming brands.  He explains to the hobbits that the wraiths fear fire.   They certainly are not afraid of swords.  Frodo stabs a wraith in the foot and it destroys the sword.  The name of Elbereth which he cried had more effect on them.  Second of all the wraiths are weaker on Weathertop for two reasons.  One, they are not all there.  They seem to have greater strength in numbers.  When they battled Gandalf on weathertop I believe they were all present.  But an elf stood against two or three of them at a time.  Furthermore, they have been weakened from former glory by the loss of the one ring.  It is explained the if the ring is returned to Sauron they will be more powerful again.  They are essentially disembodied, much as their master is.  The primary weapon of the wraiths is portrayed in the books as being fear.  In return of the king, when the Lord of the Nazgul rides into battle, it is the fear he brings upon the enemy that is his biggest power.  Swords they carry but they do not often use them, nor do they need to use them.Thus when they attacked Frodo, Frodo momentarily hurt them by calling the name of Elbereth and then a very powerful person, in the form of Aragorn, rushes at them with fire.  They decide it is easier to retreat and then hunt the hobbit as he dies.  All they have to do is keep him out of Rivendell and he is theirs.  To this end the five on weathertop withdraw and the four elsewhere stage an ambush by the fords of Rivendell.  When all nine are together again at the fords they feel strong enough to rush the dying Frodo, they almost turn away from the water when the torrent is unleashed but Aragorn and Glorfindel, weilding fire again, chase them into the water.  They are not killed but they lose their shape and thus are powerless until reclothed.   (I might also postulate that their power is stronger the closer they are to Sauron)</blockquote>

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