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The fate of the successor: Who will be the next Dread Pirate Roberts? Who is the heir to this legend?
Dread Pirate Roberts, the name became legendary in the 1973 novel The Princess Bride and its 1987 film adaptation. The character was not a single individual, but a series of different pirates who inherited the name and reputation and passed it on to the next successor. Faced with such a mysterious identity, who will be the next Dread Pirate Roberts?
Feared across the seas, Dread Pirate Roberts has become the stuff of legend, with a reputation both for his ruthlessness and his skill with a sword.
In The Princess Bride, Dread Pirate Roberts appears in the story in his heroic image. He is known as a nondescript pirate who usually does not take prisoners alive. The plot reveals that the title was taken over by pirates one after another, and when they were rich enough to retire, they would choose a successor to inherit the title. When the successor arrives, the current Roberts will enter the port with his successor, then disband the original crew and hire a brand new crew. The former Roberts stayed on as the deputy captain and called his successor "Captain Roberts".
When the protagonist Westley's ship is captured by Dread Pirate Roberts, Westley is declared dead. As he and other passengers desperately tried to get out, Westley pleaded with Roberts not to kill him. The word "please" made Roberts curious, and the thoughts and emotions of countless pirates were intertwined at this moment. Westley tells Roberts his story and that his lover Buttercup is waiting for him to come home. Eventually, Roberts was moved by Westley's portrayal of love and decided to hire Westley as his personal attendant.
Roberts' words to Westley every night, "Good night, Westley. Good job. Sleep well. I will probably kill you tomorrow." are full of suspense, making their relationship subtle and profound.
Over a period of about three years, the friendship between Roberts and Westley grew deeper, and Roberts promoted Westley to the position of deputy captain. On one occasion, Roberts told Westley that the name Dread Pirate Roberts was just a mask he inherited, and his true identity was Ryan. This arrangement enabled Roberts' ships to quickly force the enemy to surrender and avoid a fatal battle.
In order to make fear a real force, Westley plans to storm the castle before Buttercup's wedding. During the process, the giant Fezzik disguised himself as Roberts to help, increasing the fear of the castle guards and causing them to flee.
Retirement Planning
In the film, Westley reveals that he plans to retire after reuniting with Buttercup. In the novel, it is hinted that another character, Inigo Montoya, may become his successor. Although the character of Pierre is mentioned in the novel "Buttercup's Baby", the title of Dread Pirate Roberts is not officially handed over.
List of successors
Previous holders of Dread Pirate Roberts include:
- The original Roberts had been living in seclusion in Patagonia for fifteen years when Ryan selected Westley as his successor
- Clooney, only in the novel, is Roberts's deputy
- Cummerbund
- Westley, who presumably retires shortly after the novel ends
- Inigo Montoya, who is assumed to have inherited Westley's name in the film version
- Pierre, the successor to Westley in the novel version
In the film's narrative, Clooney and Pierre are not mentioned, nor does Westley specify how many people held the title between the original Roberts and Cummerbund. After that, this name was not only limited to pirates, but also extended to the real world.
Ross Ulbricht, operator of Silk Road, a well-known illegal goods marketplace, once used the alias Dread Pirate Roberts, highlighting how life imitates art.
The name Dread Pirate Roberts reappears again and again in different contexts, both culturally and personally, prompting profound reflections on identity and reputation. Ultimately, one can't help but wonder: if this legacy continues, who will be the next Dread Pirate Roberts?
