Kingdom of the Crossovers: The Princess Bride and Star Wars

The Princess Bride and Star Wars

The best thing about this crossover is that it provides a consistent alternate explanation for the origin of Darth Vader which works just as well - if not better - than the one we're being subjected to in Star Wars: Episodes I to III.

Quite simply, Darth Vader, aka Anakin Skywalker, is Westley, also known as the Dread Pirate Roberts. Consider:

Vader is famous for his abilities as a pilot - Westley is capable of performing all the tasks of sailing a small ship through treacherous waters alone, when it would normally take at least two men.
Vader dresses in black and goes masked, as does the Dread Pirate Roberts.
Vader and Westley are the only two characters in modern cinema to be famous for the line "As you wish." Westley says it to Buttercup, his true love, while Vader says it to his much-loved master, the Emperor.
Vader and Westley are the two finest swordsman of their respective films. (Luke never defeats Vader in a lightsaber duel, and Westley defeats the awesomely skilled Inigo Montoya.)
At one point in The Princess Bride, Inigo speculates that Westley is using a different wind to push his ship than they are to push theirs. Inconceivable - unless one were using the Force to generate such a wind.
Westley performs feats of acrobatic derring-do and superhuman stamina that rival those of Luke Skywalker and utterly befuddle Inigo. Likewise inconceivable, for one who is not a user of the Force.
Likewise, Westley's immunity to deadly poisons and rapid healing ability could well be gifts of the Force.
Finally, Westley has the 'life' drained out of him at one point, which is quite, quite impossible. Unless what Rogan calls 'life' is actually Force energy (and Miracle Max's pills somehow restore it - is Max a retired Jedi Knight?).

But (I hear you cry) Westley's a good guy, isn't he?

Is he? Is he really? I'm not so sure. He is, after all, a pirate who is famed for both his cruelty and for never taking prisoners. His vengeance on Humperdinck is both subtle and sadistic, though not as cruel as the fate he threatens. And he is quite willing to lie and deceive to get that which is his.

So, no, I'm not so convinced that Westley is a good guy. And after having the "life" sucked out of him, he may well have found it quicker and easier to turn to the Dark Side of the Force to speed his recovery. Perhaps Buttercup, now fearing the man she loves, decided to hide away his twin children.

So picture it: Inigo, Buttercup and Fezzik on the run with the infant Luke and Leia. They'd need a miracle to escape the talented Westley, and naturally, they go to Miracle Max to get one. Unknown to them, Max is a Jedi Knight - possibly even a Jedi Master. He summons Ben Kenobi to help hide away the children, and Ben does. But then Ben's ego gets the better of him. He comes to believe that Westley can be redeemed, so he seeks out the former pirate and trains him to become a Jedi Knight.

But Westley is cunning and strong. He takes what he needs from Kenobi, and learns still more from the ancient teachings of the Sith Lords. And, reasoning that Kenobi will have hidden the children with other Jedi, he hunts down and kills them, one by one, until only Kenobi and Yoda remain. Somewhere in here, he also kills Fezzik, and possibly Buttercup as well. Westley swiftly spirals down into evil and cyborghood, until finally, Westley becomes Darth Vader, "more machine than man... twisted and evil," the second most powerful and evil man in the Empire.

But there is one Jedi Knight that Westley/Vader has forgotten in his arrogance. One well-accustomed to long hunts and vengeance, one whose healing and sword-fighting abilities rival his own: his one-time companion in arms, Inigo Montoya...

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