Why did the Nazgul not succeed in Bree and on Weathertop?

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Originally Posted by alatar

It is incredulous that over the long years that no one - all those chief foes of the Nazgul that *created* the bright blades carried by the hobbits - hadn't bagged one of them.

That and the fact that the person who prophesied the end of the Witch King was himself not a Man but an Elf. One would think there would have been many non-men who would have had a chance (although what was meant by "man" has certainly provoked many a heated discussion, all by itself).

But this often seems to be the nature of prophecy, and fate: seemingly endless possibilities are blown because there is an intended person (or persons) who are to fulfill the prophecy, and no one else. Thousands of others who fill the criteria can be in what seems the right place and the right time, but not succeed because they are not, in actuality, the Intended One. This could go on and on into a debate over the definitions of fate or destiny within Tolkien's work, but that's a long discussion that I've seen before, and never with what anyone felt was a satisfying conclusion. In this case, the WK himself believed in the prophecy, enough to quote it on the field of battle. By the point he faced Eowyn and Merry, I think he had seen enough of hobbits to dismiss them as a threat to himself, but if Frodo was his first encounter with one -- especially one willing to fight -- it might have given him considerable pause. As far as the others go, they do not seem to be as strong, especially in terms of leadership, as the WK. Just my impression, of course.