Gandalf vs. Witch King Breakdown

I know that I was not the only person disappointed upon their first watch or read of The Lord of The Rings to learn that the seemingly imminent showdown between Gandalf the White and The Witch King of Angmar gets interrupted and thus never takes place. It does make for an interesting scenario to speculate over however. I am going to breakdown this hypothetical matchup based on multiple categories. Physical Attributes, Equipment, Power/Abilities.

(left: A shot from The Return of The King showing Gandalf standing alone in defiance of the Witch King.)




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Physical Attributes

Gandalf was an Istar, sent by the Valar to Middle Earth in the Third Age to confront the evil of Sauron. His advanced age did nothing to dull his abilities however. He had far greater stamina and was comparable in strength to most men. He was fast enough to be able to knock a fully heaved throwing axe out of the air with ease.

The Witch King was a wraith of a fallen king of men who Sauron enslaved to his will through a ring of power. He had no absolute physical body but instead would take on the shape of what was needed to fill his task. We will be observing his Black Rider form for this contest. As for his attributes they drift more into the powers/abilities side of things. Any weapon that struck him would be destroyed and its wielder poisoned. This is more due to his magic than any sense of physical hardiness. Magical weapons have not been tested however and may prove an exception. Being a wraith he is not bound by mortal limitations like fatigue.

Edge: Gandalf

Gandalf gets the edge in the physical attribute category. When weighing the two it became clear that if I counted the Witch Kings weapon break/poison ability he would take this in a landslide. I decided ultimately that would factor in better in the powers section. Once that was eliminated I looked at things more objectively. Gandalf has showcased speed far greater than anything we have seen from the Witch King. As far as pure martial prowess goes Gandalf has showcased himself to be the superior fighter as all 9 nazgul couldn't overcome him at Weathertop.

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Equipment

We will begin with the equipment of Gandalf. I will make a list here and then continue on into detail about each weapon and its strengths and weaknesses.

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Gandalf's Arsenal

(Wizard Staff, Glamdring)

Wizard Staff:

The staff of the Istari served as a symbol and conduit of their power. It functioned as a weapon also with some relying more on it than others. Gandalf utilized his staff for use with various different spells and abilities. In combat the staff gave him great range and when used in conjunction with the next weapon on his list, he became a flurry of death on the battlefield.

Glamdring:

Glamdring was a sword created by the elves that Gandalf found in a troll cave. He primarily used Glamdring as a complement to his staff, on many occasions wielding them both at once. His staff being of longer reach could control the distance of opponents and then Glamdring would dish out the real damage and lethal blows.


Witch King's Aresenal
(Broadsword, Mace, Morgul Blade)

Broadsword:

A weapon hailing from the forges of Mordor, this was the Witch King's primary weapon in battle and he wielded it with deadly efficiency. He has been known to be able to set the sword alight with flame, making this already deadly weapon even deadlier.

Mace:

This was a mighty weapon that was wielded with the same great dexterity as the broadsword. This was capable of taking down several foes as once and shattering shields. This weapon however has no magical properties about it at all, it is simply just menacing in appearance.

Morgul Blade:

Definitely the smallest weapon in the Witch King's arsenal this dagger sized blade also had the opportunity to be the most deadly. Any person who was stabbed by a morgul blade would become a lesser wraith, faithful to the Nine and to Sauron.

Edge: Witch King

Should not really be a surprise in this category. Gandalf's staff and sword are both considerable weapons and he uses them to great effect. The Witch King simply has more tools at his disposal and therefore is more adaptable to different situations.

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Powers/Abilities

Witch King:

The Witch King has a wide array of powers. Typical of all the Nazgul the Witch King has an tangible aura of fear that surrounds him. The Black Breath fills enemies with dread and can affect even the most steadfast of souls. The Witch King was also a renowned and feared sorcerer. He frequently exerted influence over the physical world, such as when he broke Frodo's sword. He was able to light objects such as his sword on fire and his powers were increased during the night.

Gandalf:

Gandalf has displayed a very large number of abilities, too many to go into but I will generalize when need be. He has demonstrated many skills linked to fire, such as creating flames so hot they are blue and erecting huge pillars of smoke as well as redirecting embers and other flames away from himself and his allies. Gandalf has the ability to create extremely strong force fields, so strong they are able to absorb hits from a freaking Balrog. His telekinetic abilities allow him to create shock waves over a hundred feet in diameter.

Edge: Gandalf

While these are both two very powerful individuals this was Gandalf's category to lose from the beginning. He is practically a demi god bound to a less powerful form. Gandalf has a much greater breadth of abilities than the Witch King and can even negate some of the Witch King's own abilities.

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Verdict

After great thought it really boils down to what we know. Gandalf has a list of triumphs over just a broader number of great foes than the Witch King. Gandalf has defeated a balrog, something I am not sure the Witch King could accomplish and has faced all nine Nazgul included the Witch King and held them off. I understand a fight to the death is a different matter but this weighs heavy on my decision.

Winner: Gandalf