Kemen Is the Witch-king of Angmar? Analyzing The Rings of Power's Biggest Nazgûl Theory
I wanted to share my research and theory about the identity of the Witch-king of Angmar and why I believe The Rings of Power may already be setting up Kemen to become him.
Who Was the Witch-king Before He Became a Nazgûl?
Before the Witch-king loomed over Middle-earth as Sauron's greatest servant, he was a mortal man. Tolkien tells us very little about his true identity, but one sentence from The Silmarillion is especially important:
"Yet Sauron was ever guileful, and it is said that among those whom he ensnared with the Nine Rings three were great lords of Númenórean race." Akallabêth, The Silmarillion
This single sentence reveals two crucial facts. First, three of the Nine Nazgûl were Númenóreans. Second, Tolkien deliberately calls them great lords, not kings. This distinction matters because it suggests that these men belonged to Númenor's highest nobility rather than its royal line.
The Black Númenóreans
To understand who these lords may have been, we need to look at Númenor's expansion across Middle-earth. Originally, the Númenóreans came as teachers and allies of the peoples of Middle-earth. Over time, however, especially under the rule of Tar-Ciryatan and Tar-Atanamir, they became conquerors.
The King's Men established powerful colonies and fortresses in places such as Umbar, Harad, and many other coastal regions. Rather than helping the local peoples, they demanded tribute, extracted resources, and ruled through military power.
When Númenor fell during the Downfall, most of the King's Men perished alongside Ar-Pharazôn's fleet. However, those who had already settled permanently in Middle-earth survived. These survivors became known as the Black Númenóreans.
This allows us to draw a reasonable conclusion: the three Númenórean Nazgûl were likely powerful colonial lords who ruled these overseas settlements and later became leaders among the Black Númenóreans.
How Does This Connect to Kemen?
This is where it becomes interesting. Kemen perfectly fits many of the characteristics Tolkien gives us. He is a prince of Númenor, the son of Ar-Pharazôn. He possesses one of the noblest bloodlines in the world, descending from Elros himself. He openly supports the ideology of the King's Men. Throughout Season 2, he becomes increasingly ruthless, ambitious, and eager to prove himself worthy of his father.
By the end of Season 2, Kemen is sent to Pelargir, one of Númenor's colonies in Middle-earth, where he becomes its commander. His behavior there is particularly telling. Instead of acting as a protector, he demands resources and loyalty from the local population in exchange for supplies and military protection. This reflects exactly how Tolkien describes the later Númenórean colonies: powerful colonial rulers exploiting the peoples of Middle-earth.
The parallels are difficult to ignore.
If Tolkien tells us that one of the future Nazgûl was a great Númenórean lord ruling in Middle-earth, then Kemen's storyline appears to be moving in exactly that direction. He is: a noble Númenórean, loyal to the King's Men, placed in command of a colony in Middle-earth, already displaying authoritarian tendencies.
Everything seems to be positioning him as one of the future Black Númenórean leaders. The next logical step would be Sauron establishing direct contact with him. After all, Sauron still has the Nine Rings to distribute. Receiving one of those Rings would perfectly complete Kemen's transformation from an ambitious Númenórean prince into the greatest of the Nazgûl.
Of course, this remains a theory.
Kemen could die before these events ever unfold, or the writers could choose a completely different direction. However, based on Tolkien's writings and the trajectory established in The Rings of Power, Kemen currently seems to be one of the strongest candidates to become the future Witch-king of Angmar.
If the writers continue developing his character along this path, we may eventually witness the complete transformation of Númenor's cunning prince into the most feared of the Nine the Witch-king himself.
But Wasn't the Witch-king a Sorcerer?
Another common argument against this theory is that Kemen cannot become the Witch-king because he is not a sorcerer.
However, The Rings of Power may already be hinting that there is more to Kemen than we realize. In Season 2, Kemen is told:
"Once when you were at her breast, your mother prophesied that you would come to an ill end."
This line immediately raises an interesting question: what does it mean that his mother prophesied?
The ability to foresee future events is an exceptionally rare gift in Tolkien's legendarium. If Kemen's mother possessed prophetic abilities, it is entirely possible that Kemen inherited the same potential.
This idea becomes even more believable when we remember who Kemen is. As the son of Ar-Pharazôn, he descends from the royal House of Númenor and ultimately from Elros. It would not be surprising if Kemen were to discover similar abilities within himself.
And even if he does not possess any natural magical talent, there is another possibility. Sauron himself could teach him.
If Kemen eventually enters Sauron's service and receives one of the Nine Rings, Sauron could instruct him in dark sorcery, just as he later taught the Mouth of Sauron. Therefore, Kemen's current lack of magical abilities is not an argument against this theory it is simply something that could naturally develop as his story progresses.
Kemen's Personality Is Surprisingly Close to the Witch-king's
Beyond his origin, Kemen also matches the personality traits we would expect from the future Witch-king.
The Witch-king is often imagined as an unstoppable warrior, but Tolkien presents a more nuanced character. He is cruel, cunning, arrogant, power-hungry, and ultimately a servant who is manipulated by Sauron. His greatest strengths are not overwhelming martial skill, but strategy, intimidation, and the relentless pursuit of power.
Those qualities describe Kemen remarkably well. Throughout The Rings of Power, Kemen rarely succeeds through strength alone. Instead, he relies on manipulation, political maneuvering, and exploiting his position. He desperately craves authority and recognition, constantly trying to prove himself worthy of his father while showing little compassion for those beneath him.
A common criticism of this theory is that Kemen is a coward, and therefore cannot become the Witch-king. Ironically, that criticism also applies to the Witch-king himself.
The Witch-king almost never fights on equal terms. He chooses battles where he holds an overwhelming advantage and retreats when the situation turns against him. He destroys his enemies through fear, intimidation, deception, and overwhelming force rather than personal heroism. Earnur is lured to his death through treachery instead of honorable combat. At the Ford of Bruinen, he and the other Nazgûl flee after their attack fails. According to Tolkien's own notes, the Nazgûl also hesitated to seize the Ring from Frodo because they feared the danger of the mission Sauron had entrusted to them.
Behind the terrifying image of the Lord of the Nazgûl is a man driven by ambition rather than courage. That is exactly what Kemen represents today.
Behind all of that is the image of someone who could easily grow into the Witch-king: an insecure young Númenórean noble whose hunger for power outweighs his bravery. Give that man one of the Nine Rings and perhaps a few lessons in dark sorcery from Sauron and suddenly the transformation feels entirely believable.
Kemen's personal story also pushes him toward darkness. His desperate need for his father's approval, Ar-Pharazôn's constant disappointment in him, the loss of his mother, and even his failed relationship with Eärien all contribute to a character who becomes increasingly isolated, bitter, and willing to embrace darker choices in pursuit of significance.
Interestingly, Charlie Vickers even hinted at this possibility in an interview, saying that if Sauron needed to recruit followers, Kemen would be at the very top of his list.
Finally, there is one more narrative detail that would make this reveal incredibly satisfying.
Just imagine Kemen developing a lasting rivalry with Isildur. Isildur survives the Downfall and goes on to found the Númenórean kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, Kemen would have every reason to hate everything they represent. His eventual campaign against the Dúnedain would become deeply personal rather than merely another order from Sauron.
And what better symbol of that hatred than making Minas Ithil, one of Isildur's greatest cities, his own seat of power after its conquest.
That's my Witch-king.
For now, all we can do is wait until July 24 and hope we'll learn more about Kemen's path in The Rings of Power Season 3.
