Inigo Montoya as the True Hero of "The Princess Bride" Anonymous College

“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

The Princess Bride is a cultural phenomenon at this point, as a loving satire of the fantasy genre. The movie catapulted this story to its popular culture status, and audiences fell in love with the heroic Westley saving the Princess Buttercup from the evil Prince Humperdinck. But is Westley truly the hero of this movie? The answer to this question draws some interesting parallels with another culturally significant movie, and points to the idea that while the movie is about the love between Westley and Buttercup, the truly heroic character in this movie is Inigo Montoya, the man who will stop at nothing to avenge his father. To provide basis for this claim, one must first look at Westley’s characteristics. Westley is most definitely the protagonist of this story, and the lead character. His suave demeanor, wit, and cleverness lend him an almost godlike stature. He is a better swordsman than Inigo, a better fighter than the giant Fezzik, and a smarter man than Vizzini. While Westley’s skill gives him the means to play the hero, the movie instead portrays him as a mysterious force, and someone who may not be wholly good.

In The Princess Bride, Westley is...