Count Rugen (Christopher Guest)

Character Analysis

His Fingers Go to Eleven

We don't know much about the Count, but what we do know, we don't love. We can add up his number of redeeming qualities on one hand.

And we don't need one with extra fingers to do it.

We know that he killed Inigo's father years ago. "Why," we have no clue. Who knows—maybe Mr. Montoya did something to deserve it. You know, murdered the entire Rugen clan in cold blood. Although we somehow doubt it.

We also know that Rugen's working on an experiment involving "The Machine," and is writing a book about pain. Clearly the guy has some Daddy issues. Not that we want to get all Freud about it, but you don't do those sorts of things when you have a happy childhood.

So what is the Count's deal? Why so serious?

Well, Rugen is Humperdinck's right-hand man (and what a right hand it is!). A prince doesn't surround himself with pushovers. He needs cold, brutal killers to protect him, and to do his ill-intentioned bidding without asking any questions. The Count may have developed into the glorious psychopath that he is today because he was simply, well, career-driven. He knew he wanted to achieve a place of authority alongside the most powerful man in the kingdom, and to get there he was going to have to strangle that small, plaintive voice in his head that begged him to be a moral human being, choosing instead to become ruthless to the max.

After all, it was probably Humperdinck who hooked him up with those sweet six-fingered gloves. They would've been pretty expensive on a baker's salary.