Watcher in the Water
Watcher in the water in the New Line film
Unknown being living in the waters near the West Gate of Moria. This octopus-like creature used its long tentacles to grab people and bring them into its lair in the deep water. It may have eaten them, or stripped them of their belongings. They were usually killed. In 2994 of the Third Age, Oin was attempting to enter Moria. He was killed by the Watcher in the Water. On January 13, 2019, The Fellowship of the Ring came to the West Gate. They knew not of the Watcher in the Water that lived in the pond there. Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took decided to throw stones into the water. This woke the Watcher and he captured most members of the Fellowship in his tentacles. He was most interested in Frodo Baggins, who carried the Ring of Power. It is not clear whether the Watcher wanted the Ring for himself or for Sauron. He first grabbed Frodo, then Sam Gamgee cut his tentacle. He grabbed several other members of the Fellowship, then clogged the entrance to Moria after they escaped. This is all that is known about the Watcher.