![characters in the lord of the rings ring raiths characters in the lord of the rings ring raiths](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/lotr/images/c/c1/Jackson_Ringwraith.png)
Most likely, the idea was incorporated as a plot device to prevent the Hobbits from being captured, derived from European folklore, which portrayed unholy creatures, such as vampires, as being unable to cross running water.ĭespite Tolkien's own admission that a clear reason for the Ringwraith's fear was never provided, some fans have attempted to conjure up an in-universe explanation. Christopher Tolkien, who for years upheld the legacy of his father's works, wrote in Unfinished Tales that "my father nowhere explained the Ringwraiths' fear of water" and that the author conceded the notion was "difficult to sustain" going forward.
![characters in the lord of the rings ring raiths characters in the lord of the rings ring raiths](https://static3.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Harry-Sinclair-as-Isildur-Elijah-Wood-as-Frodo-Baggins-and-Sean-Astin-as-Sam-in-Lord-of-the-Rings.jpg)
RELATED: Lord of the Rings: Why Saruman Betrayed Gandalf & Joined Sauronīased on these two examples, it would seem that the Nazgûl's fear of water is a bit exaggerated, but at least one statement from the Tolkien estate proves it was actually meant to be an important, if underdeveloped, feature of these characters. In both the case of the film and the book, there is an implication that the Ringwraiths are at least partially deterred by Elvish magic, especially because they attempt to cross before being swept away by a magically summoned tide.
![characters in the lord of the rings ring raiths characters in the lord of the rings ring raiths](https://icdn.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/lord-of-the-rings-nazgul-416x278.jpg)
A short while later, the Riders are reluctant to cross the Ford of Bruinen near Rivendell. In the Peter Jackson-directed movies, they are portrayed as actively stopping and refusing to continue, whereas in the books, this refusal is only inferred. The first indication of the Ringwraiths' reluctance to interact with water occurs when the Black Riders refuse to follow the Hobbits across the Brandywine River when they take the Bucklebury Ferry. However, although they go on to play a significant role in the iconic trilogy, at least one of their most prominent features - their fear of water - has never been adequately explained, even by Tolkien himself. From their first appearance pursuing Frodo, Sam and Pippin in The Fellowship of the Ring, their eerie and phantom-like presence make it clear there is a great deal of dark magic behind their existence. As far as villains from the The Lord of the Rings go, few are as iconic as the Ringwraiths, also known as the Nazgûl.