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Fellbeasts, also known as Nazgul-Birds or Black Wings, are supporting antagonists in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy book, The Lord of the Rings and its various adaptations.. They are giant, vicious flying creatures used as mounts by The Witch-king of Angmar and the other Nazgûl during the War of the Ring.
Appearance
The fell beasts were described as large, winged creatures without feathers, similar enough to dragons that they could almost be mistaken for one. Its pinions were in between horned fingers; and its body gave off a foul stench. Fellbeasts resembled dragons but were large winged creatures that were bred by the Dark Lord Sauron for war purposes. Tolkien describes them as creatures that were holdovers from an older world before Sauron began breeding them for war.
For the movie adaptations, fell beasts' appearance leaned more to wyverns (dragon-like and serpentine creatures that have two legs and two wings) albeit deformed; i.e. their heads appear more like a snake's and they don't have beaks like in the novel, leading to the common misconception that they are dragons in the books; Tolkien definitely meant a pterosaur-like creature.
Biography
After losing their horses, the regrouped Nazgul were given fellbeasts as the new steed, which give them more ground in their search for One Ring. One of the Ringwraiths then came close in locating the Fellowship of the Ring while they camping at the western shore of the river Anduin, at which they describe his steed as "a great winged creature, blacker than the pits in the night". However, both he and his ride were driven away by an arrow fired from Legolas with his great bow of Lórien, resulting the beast to let out "a harsh croaking scream" as they vanished into the gloom of the Eastern shore.
Frodo, Sam and Gollum encountered a fellbeast while passing through the Dead Marshes, wherein Gollum referred to the beasts as "wraiths on wings".
Other Media
Films
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
In the films created by Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop, the fellbeasts retain their roots, which remain much the same as in the novels, being flying steeds given to the Nazgûl by Sauron. However, they are additionally far more formidable in the films. During the Siege of Osgiliath in The Return of the King, the fellbeasts are shown being able to snatch up multiple Gondorian soldiers in their talons before dropping them to their deaths.
When the fellbeasts attack the fleeing soldiers, they inflict heavy casualties until Gandalf drives them away with a blinding flash of light. When Sauron orders his forces to attack Minas Tirith, the Nazgûl take their fellbeasts and snatch men off the ramparts, also using them to destroy the city's trebuchets and prevent the Gondorians from mounting adequate defenses. When the Witch-king of Angmar attacks Théoden during the battle of the Pelennor Fields, he uses his fellbeast to maul the king's horse, Snowmane, who is sent toppling on top of Théoden. The Lord of the Nazgul then orders his mount to feed on the king, only for Éowyn to behead the monster, killing its master soon after.
The remaining fellbeasts take part in the Battle of the Morannon, where they are pitted against the Great Eagles. They quickly flee back to Mount Doom when Sauron senses Frodo put on the One ring, but for all their speed, the fell beasts deliver the Nazgul too late; when the ring is destroyed, their masters are unmade and the fellbeasts are destroyed in the volcano's eruption.
Video Games
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North
In the video game, several fell beasts appear, with one serving Agandaur and another serving his second-in-command, Wolfrun. Both of these fell beasts are killed by the Great Eagle, Beleram.
TV Series
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Fellbeasts, or perhaps precursor creatures, were featured in the flashback of TV Series' narration of the war that saw Morgoth's downfall fighting Great Eagles.
Gallery
External Links
- Black Wings at Lord of the Rings Wiki.
