In The Return of the King, Eowyn, the niece of King Theoden, desperately longs to fight with her kinsmen, but being a woman she is told to stay behind and look after the kingdom. She disobeys, however, and rides into battle disguised as a man. As the battle rages, King Theoden is struck down by the Witch King, the most powerful of the nine Ring Wraiths and the most dreadful of Sauron's servants. When Eowyn rushes to her uncle's defense, the Witch King arrogantly orders her out of the way and warns that she is helpless against him for it has been foretold that he will not fall by the hand of man. Eowyn reveals that she is not a man and bravely attacks the Witch King. With the help of a Hobbit, Merry, who had also been warned to stay out of the battle, Eowyn is able to defeat the Witch King, plunging her sword into the space where his face should be. His crown and mantle fall empty to the ground, and the Witch King is no more.