The Morgul Knifing, a botched job?

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Gandalf's words seem to indicate the splintering of the blade was intentional.

Many Meetings (emphasis added)

The splinter working its way toward the heart slowly, causing a gradual fading effect, seems to have been the aim all along. Frodo would steadily lose his connection to the world of light, undergoing whatever physical and spirtual changes were necessary. I would think a stab to the heart would have caused simple death. .

It still seems like an awful lot of metal to use. If all you need is a splinter why not an arrow, or a dart. Unless maybe it's meant to splinter, but one can take the reaminder back and re-forge it (or sharpen it till it has a point again) and it's re-usable then (in which case dropping it is still a mistake).

Originally Posted by Inziladun

As for the WK's aiming for a specific part of Frodo, it doesn't seem he would have been trying for the neck. Frodo was throwing himself toward the ground when he was stabbed, so the intended point of penetration would need to be lower than where Frodo actually obtained his wound, in his shoulder.

In that case, maybe he was aiming for Frodo's back an equally mortal spot. All I was trying to say was that the shoulder seems a lousy spot