Warning: spoilers ahead for The Rings of Power episode 4The Nazgûl are coming in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - here's every character Sauron might corrupt into his dark service. In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, the Nazgûl - known to their friends as Ringwraiths - are an elite group of nine ghostly villains doing Sauron's bidding, and their existence dates back to Middle-earth's Second Age when the One Ring was initially forged. As part of Sauron's insidious plan for domination, he gave nine of the magic rings created in Eregion to mortal Men, who gladly accepted. Over time, these gifts sapped away their owners' souls until they became Ringwraiths, walking between the mortal realm and shadow. Ringwraiths are bestowed with long lives and fearsome strength, but are absolutely subservient to Sauron.
Tolkien never explains whom the Nazgûl were before transforming. Three are supposed to be Númenórean in origin and one was an Easterling, but nothing is said of the other four, and none are named save the Witch-king of Angmar (which probably wasn't his pre-Ringwraith moniker) and Khamûl the Easterling. Amazon's The Rings of Power begins during the Second Age shortly before the Rings of Power are forged. The Nazgûl have not yet been created, but because the TV adaptation's timeline condenses Tolkien's lore, it's very likely that characters currently appearing in The Rings of Power season 1 could be among Sauron's Nine.
As speculation mounts as to who may or may not be fated to dress in black for the next 3000 years, there are actually more Ringwraith candidates in The Rings of Power than meets the eye. These are the most convincing speculative servants of Sauron.
Halbrand
By far the most conspicuous Ringwraith candidate in The Rings of Power is Charlie Vickers' Halbrand. Discovered on the Sundering Seas by Galadriel before being whisked to Númenor, Halbrand is revealed as the rightful ruler of the Southlands, so he immediately satisfies the high-status entry requirement for Sauron's spooky club (although not all Nazgûl were actually kings). Halbrand also harbors a darker side, as evidenced when letting his fellow raft-riders die, beating up some Númenóreans who probably had it coming, and playing Galadriel off against Pharazôn.
As a would-be king with very loose morals, Halbrand is already halfway to earning his Ringwraith credentials, but also significant is that the Southlands - the area he's supposedly in charge of - are destined to become Mordor, and the town's ancestors swore a blood oath to Morgoth's service. Halbrand certainly seems desperate and arrogant enough to accept a Ring of Power from a charming stranger, and maybe Sauron will see his corruption as the Southlands' oath faithfully kept...
Anárion
Anárion, brother of Isildur, remains a mystery in The Rings of Power. J.R.R. Tolkien's source material sees Anárion accompany his father and brother to Middle-earth after Númenor's downfall and help establish the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor before dying during the Last Alliance of Elves & Men. In The Rings of Power, Anárion is mysteriously estranged from his family and apparently has a preoccupation with western Númenor that upsets Elendil greatly.
The Nazgûl are created many centuries before Isildur and Anárion are even born according to Tolkien's original chronology, but because The Rings of Power is squeezing Middle-earth's timeline from a subway sandwich into a pancake, Anárion immediately becomes a potential Ringwraith. He's not as critical to the Last Alliance as Elendil and Isildur, so could feasibly die beforehand, and Sauron might corrupt Anárion by exploiting the ill-feeling within his family. Tolkien writes that the three Númenórean Ringwraiths were all lords - as Elendil's son, that's another box Anárion can tick on the Nazgûl application form.
Eärien
Created specifically for The Rings of Power, Hermione Granger Eärien is Isildur and Anárion's sister, and often finds herself playing peacekeeper between Elendil and his troublesome sons. Since Eärien has no role in J.R.R. Tolkien's lore whatsoever, she's one of few characters who could find themselves removed from The Rings of Power's board at any time, making her a perfect future Ringwraith. Having Eärien inherit a Ring of Power and transform into a corrupted Nazgûl would also spice up the Last Alliance of Elves & Men by giving Elendil, Isildur (and Anárion if he shows up) a more personal motivation to despise Sauron. Although Tolkien does specify that the trio of Númenórean Ringwraiths are all lords rather than lords and ladies, The Rings of Power is proudly making Middle-earth a more inclusive landscape. There's no reason that attitude shouldn't extend to Sauron's minions.
Theo
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Moving away from Númenórean shores, young Theo (played by Tyroe Muhafidin) is already marking himself as a prime Ringwraith candidate. Although Peter Jackson suggests otherwise, the Nazgûl were not all kings of Men when they accepted Sauron's magical jewelry. Though most - if not all - probably held high status of some kind, Tolkien writes more on how the nine lucky winners became powerful, wealthy and glorious after receiving their Rings of Power. Theo has already unearthed a dark blade forged by Sauron and offered it his blood, and while potentially just a hallmark of teenage angst, the weapon seems to be nurturing an inner darkness within Bronwyn's son. As reward for reawakening Sauron's blade, Theo might receive a Ring of Power from his new master, and fail to see the danger just as he failed to see the danger in a black, blood-drinking sword hilt hidden beneath a barn. Theo could then go on to become a great warrior (as per Tolkien's Ringwraith lore) before falling under Sauron's spell.
Kemen
The Rings of Power episode 4 introduces Leon Wadham as Kemen - a witty, likable noble and the son of witty, unlikable Pharazôn. Though seemingly added mainly as a love interest for Eärien, The Rings of Power surely doesn't have time for youthful romance between two non-canon characters, suggesting Kemen was added for a different reason entirely. As Pharazôn's child, the robed joker fits J.R.R. Tolkien's statement that Númenórean Ringwraiths were originally lords, but having such sinister blood running through his veins surely also means Kemen is susceptible to magical manipulation. Sauron ultimately turns Pharazôn into his favorite acolyte in Tolkien's source material, so for the kinder, more down-to-earth Kemen to become a loyal Ringwraith as a means of the fates punishing Pharazôn has a certain poetic justice. The Rings of Power has also teased Kemen feeling inferior to his popular and powerful father. A Ring of Power could help the young apprentice redress that balance.
Bronwyn
All the above Ringwraith wannabes possess a weakness or flaw that could explain why they'd accept a Ring of Power from a mysterious stranger - Halbrand's troubled past, Eärien and Anárion's family woes, Theo's growing rage, Kemen's daddy issues, etc. Nazanin Boniadi's Bronwyn has no such chink in her moral armor, presenting an ethical bastion of goodness throughout The Rings of Power's early episodes. Believing in her fellow Southlanders and optimistic to a fault, it's impossible to envision a scenario whereby Bronwyn might wear a Ring of Power and become one of Sauron's Nazgûl... almost. Bronwyn would go to any lengths in the name of her son Theo, and once she realizes a dark, magical sword is already munching on his soul, she'd surely do anything to lift that curse. A Ring of Power might be the only weapon in Middle-earth capable of such a feat.
With all obvious signs pointing toward Theo breaking bad, what a switcheroo it would be if the wholesome Bronwyn took his place instead. Making that theory even more likely, Bronwyn has assumed control of the Southlanders in The Rings of Power (making her a leader among Men) and is skilled as a healer (Tolkien wrote that some future-Ringwraiths used their newfound power to become great sorcerers).
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues Thursday/Friday on Prime Video.