Editing 549: Westley's a Dick

{{comic
| number    =549
| date      =February 27, 2009
| title     =Westley's a Dick
| image     =westleys_a_dick.png
| titletext =Inigo/Buttercup 4eva <3
}}

==Explanation==
This is an alternate take on the 1973 fantasy romance novel ''{{w|The Princess Bride (novel)|The Princess Bride}}'' written by {{w|William Goldman}} which became a {{w|The Princess Bride (film)|film in 1987}}. 

In the movie the main character, Buttercup, believes she has lost her first love to the Dread Pirate Roberts years ago. In the present she is considered one of the most beautiful women of the land and so is being married off to a prince. To provoke a war she has been kidnapped by mercenaries, one of whom is a very honorable Spanish swordsman named Inigo Montoya. A man claiming to be the Dread Pirate Roberts rescues her. On verifying his identity as Roberts, she attacks him by pushing him down a hill. While tumbling down the hill he shouts back "as you wish" identifying him as her first love. She tumbles after, landing on top of him as in the start of this comic.

There are, however, several "dick moves" Westley must have made in order for the film's narrative to make sense.
# He took over as the Dread Pirate Roberts becoming a pirate and therefore not respectable, killing people, sacking ports, and looting ships for a living. 
# Over the last five years, Westley has allowed Buttercup to believe that he'd been murdered, preventing her getting on with the rest of her life.

Westley breaks the fourth wall and claims he did all of these things for the sake of the {{w|narrative}}. In other words, he did it to make the story better. 
In the comic Buttercup realizes that Westley has behaved like a dick and chooses to give her love to Inigo Montoya. But in the movie, Westley and Buttercup end up together in spite of this behavior!

The title text shows what looks like a message she and Inigo have written together, for instance in a heart on a tree. Inigo is the Spaniard referred to by Buttercup. Their names, then forever (4eva) and a heart (smiley heart = "<3"), implying they did end up together according to this version of the story.  Alternatively, it could simply be the narrator expressing his wish that this will come to pass.

It is not the first time [[Randall]] has referenced this movie, as the Dread Pirate was referenced in [[345: 1337: Part 5]], and a quote from this movie is in the title text of [[1427: iOS Keyboard]]. So it seems like a film that has some meaning for Randall.

Note: It's quite possible Westley hasn't been killing people as a pirate at all.  People had been surrendering to The Dread Pirate Roberts without a fight for years before he took over the role, due to the terror of his name. Of course, there may be a few people who needed to be killed, over the years, but the implication in the book (and movie) is that at least most surrender without a fight and are presumably unharmed.

If you haven't seen the movie or read the book, you may find it helpful to read the synopsis of the book {{w|The_Princess_Bride#Plot_summary|here}}.

===Westley===
Westley, having no money for marriage to Buttercup, his love, goes away to seek his fortune across the sea. Westley was apprentice under a Dread Pirate Roberts, before later becoming one himself, “Dread Pirate Roberts” actually being a title, not a specific dread pirate. He hears of Buttercups wedding to Prince Humperdinck and witnesses her capture by a trio of mercenaries.

Westley, wearing the outfit of a "Man in Black" catches up to the trio, defeats Inigo in fencing, Fezzik in hand-to-hand combat (rendering the two of them unconscious), and then kills Vizzini in a battle of wits. After explaining who he is to Buttercup, Buttercup and Westley escape through the dangerous Fire Swamp. Upon reaching the other side they are captured by Prince Humperdinck and the six fingered man.

Buttercup negotiates for Westley's release in exchange for returning with Prince Humperdinck and getting married. Prince Humperdinck orders the six fingered man not to free Westley but to torture Westley, as the prince is jealous that Buttercup will always prefer Westley to him. Later, on the wedding day, enraged by Buttercups rejection of him Humperdinck tortures Westley to death. 

Westley is revived by Miracle Max thanks to the help of Inigo and Fezzik, though Westley remains partially paralyzed and weak. Westley devises a plan to invade the castle during the wedding. Still partially paralyzed, he bluffs his way out of a sword fight with Prince Humperdinck, who shows himself to be a coward. Instead of killing Prince Humperdinck, Westley decides to leave him alive, miserable with his cowardice and escapes the castle with Buttercup, Inigo, and Fezzik.

===Inigo Montoya===
Inigo's father was commissioned to make a sword for a nobleman with a six-fingered right hand. When the payment was to be made the six-fingered man tried to lower the price. He refused to sell the six-fingered man the sword as he felt the six-fingered man could not appreciate the sword. The six-fingered man killed Inigo's father in front of Inigo. Inigo challenged the six-fingered man to a fight and promptly lost. The six-fingered man spared Inigo's life and allowed him to keep the sword, but marks his face with two cuts, one on each cheek. Afterwords Inigo devoted himself to becoming a great swordsman to avenge his father. 

After his training was complete he was unable to find the six-fingered man. Inigo becomes a drunk and he joins a group of mercenaries lead by Vizzini. Vizzini, Inigo, and a Turk named Fezzik are hired by an unknown man to kidnap and kill the "princess bride", Buttercup. While rescuing Buttercup, Westley defeats Inigo, but spares his life. Inigo falls back into drunkenness. Eventually, Fezzik finds him and helps him regain his health. They rescue Westley after discovering he was captured by the six-fingered man. Inigo joins Westley to fight Humperdinck and find the six-fingered man.

While storming Humperdinck's castle, Inigo confronts the six-fingered man reciting the words he has practiced for this day since he was a child: "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." He chases the six-fingered man until the man throws a knife, delivering what would be a mortal wound to any lesser man. The six-fingered man, while preparing to deliver the fatal blow, mocks Inigo's quest to revenge his fathers death. At the last second, Inigo recovers his strength by repeating his mantra "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."  Inigo duels the six-fingered man, continuously repeating the fateful words. Inigo marks the face of the six-fingered man, as the six-fingered man had done to him. Finally the six-fingered man begs for his life, offering to give Inigo anything he wants. Inigo replies, "I want my father back, you son of a bitch," and kills him.

At the end of the film, having avenged his father and thus no longer in "the revenge business,"  Inigo ponders what he will do with the rest of his life. In response, Westley offers Inigo the position of his successor as "The Dread Pirate Roberts."  The novel ends with Inigo's wounds reopening while he is on the run from the Brute Squad, leaving his future in doubt.

==Transcript==
:[A girl (Buttercup) with long hair and a man (Westley) looking like Cueball but with a bandana lies at the foot of a high cliff. There is a forest in the background]
:Buttercup: Oh, my sweet Westley!

:[Buttercup sits on her knees, Westley takes off his bandana.]
:Buttercup: Why did you let me think you were dead?
:Westley: You shacked up with the prince!
:Buttercup: After years of mourning! The worst pain of my life!

:[Buttercup stands up looking down on Westley who still sits with the bandana in his hand.]
:Buttercup: And now you ... kill people?
:Westley: I'd hardly be a dread pirate if I didn't.
:Buttercup: How lovable.

:[Westley stands with the bandana in hand while Buttercup walks away from him.]

:Westley: It was for the sake of the narrative!
:Buttercup: Fuck the narrative. I'm going to go see if that Spaniard's single.
:Westley: ...As you wish.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Romance]]