Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, "Flight to the Ford", p. Gandalf's face shows obvious fear in this scene, in comparison to the resolution (for "victory or death") in the books.

He is shown briefly as a king of Men in the prologue, and serves as one of the primary antagonists throughout the film alongside the other Ringwraiths. At the bidding of Sauron, he leads the siege on the city of Minas Ithil, making an adversary out of Talion, in whom he takes a particular interest. He led his master's main armies in the War of the Ring, stabbed Frodo Baggins on Weathertop during the first months of Frodo's venture out of the Shire to Rivendell, and at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields he broke the Great Gate of Minas Tirith, killed King Théoden of Rohan, but met his own doom. The Lord of the Nazgûl was described as wearing a "kingly" crown in The Lord of the Rings, which may symbolize Isilmo's unfulfilled claim to kingship in addition to the kingship of Angmar. He played upon their opposition, sending in infiltrators and taking over the hearts of the men of that land.However, the Lord of the Nazgûl chanced upon Gríma Wormtongue in Rohan, who, for fear of his life, told where the Shire was.

In the year TA 2000 they came out of Mordor and attacked Gondor – which had been weakened by the Great Plague and the Wainrider invasion – and laid siege to Minas Ithil. His more notable appearance is in The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II: The Rise of the Witch-king which features Angmar's rise to power and eventual destruction, including new heroes such as Morgomir. King Arveleg I was slain and the tower was destroyed, but the coveted palantír escaped in the hands of the surviving men of Arthedain and was brought to Fornost. The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series): The role of The Lord of the Nazgul, as he is always credited in this production, is expanded with material from The Hunt for the Ring. Realizing that his troops were all but completely crushed, the Witch-king attempted to flee back eastward – but an Elven army from Rivendell led by Glorfindel came up out of the south and blocked his escape, destroying what was left of his crumbling army.But plans were halted when Sauron received word of the events in Gondor and the doings of the turncoat Saruman, and concluded that the Wise did not yet have possession of the Ring. Then the Witch-king laid siege to Minas Tirith itself, sending fire and the heads of the dead Gondorians into the city via catapults. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, "Fog on the Barrow-downs", pp. The Witch-king first appears in an introductory scene voiced over by Gandalf's description of him, and is later seen by Frodo, Sam and Gollum leaving Minas Morgul with a massive army.