Tolkien Gateway

Fell beasts

Revision as of 19:17, 26 September 2009 by (Talk)

The term fell beast is used to describe the gigantic flying pterosaur-like creatures on which the Nazgûl rode on after being unhorsed at the Ford of Bruinen.

They seem to have been bred from earlier Ages. They had no feathers or quills and they had vast hide between their fingers, which they used for pinions. They also stank. It is never stated that all the Nazgûl rode fell pterosaur-like creatures, but some infer that they did so.

At the River Anduin, Legolas shoots one down in the night as it approaches them.

They are especially prominent during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, where the Witch-king of Angmar, the Lord of the Nazgûl, rides his in battle against King Théoden of Rohan.

The fell beast attacked and eventually killed Snowmane, Théoden's horse. The horse fell on Théoden, crushing him. Dernhelm (who revealed herself as Éowyn) defended the dying Théoden, and challenged and killed the beast.


Tolkien actually only used the name "fell beast" as a descriptor and not an actual name. ("Fell" in this sense is an archaic English word meaning "cruel", "evil" or "lethal".) However, since this creature lacked any real name, "fell beast" is often used to refer to it.

In Letter 100, Tolkien referred to them as Nazgûl-birds.

Portrayal in Adaptations

1978: The Lord of the Rings:


1980: The Return of the King:

The Nazgûl ride winged horses. In the confrontation of Éowyn and the Witch-king, the latter rode a plump red dragon-like animal.


The fell beasts are depicted as more Dragon-like and serpentine creatures, i.e. their heads appear more like a snake's and they don't have beaks, leading to the common misconception that they are dragons in the books; Tolkien definitely meant a pterosaur-like creature, as shown in the quote above. This depiction came largely from John Howe's influence.
Also, they are much larger than is implied in the books, where they are essentially used as light observation planes. In the movies, they are used for attack much more often, with the Nazgûl usually swooping down and screeching, making the defenders at the gate of Minas Tirith run away, leaving Gandalf alone to face the Witch-king as he enters.