Tyrone Rugen

Count Tyrone Rugen is the secondary antagonist of the book and the film.

A Count in the court of Prince Humperdinck, Rugen has a disturbing interest in the scientific study of pain and is a sadist, deriving pleasure from inflicting pain on others.

Biography
In the past, Tyrone approached Domingo Montoya, to create a sword for his unique six-fingered grip. After Domingo slaved over it for a year, Tyrone returned and offered only a tenth of the promised price. Domingo refused, saying the sword would pass to his son Inigo. In response, Rugen slashed him through the heart. Outraged, Inigo challenged him to a duel, which Tyrone bested him at, slashing the boy's cheeks as a reminder. Inigo spent the next 20 years planning his revenge and searching for Rugen, identifying him by the six fingers on his right hand.

For 11 years, Rugen created a machine to suck the life out of a person. As he tests it on Westley, he takes careful notes on its effect on him.

During a castle invasion, Inigo duels with Rugen while repeating his well-practiced phrase during the duel. At the end, Rugen bribes Inigo to let him live with the thought of money and power. Terrified for his life, Tyrone agrees to give him whatever he wants. Inigo stabs him through the chest, saying, "I want my father back, you son of a bitch".

Behind the scenes
He was portrayed by British-American actor Christopher Guest.

Trivia
It is possible that Rugen was born with postaxial polydactyly, giving him his memorable six fingers.


 * The five wounds suffered by Count Rugen at the hands of Inigo in the climactic duel — two slashes to the face, a stab in his upper right arm, a stab to his left shoulder, and the killing thrust through the abdomen — exactly correspond to the five wounds Rugen had earlier inflicted on Montoya:
 * two slashes to the face when he was eleven.
 * a wound to his stomach caused by a knife thrown by Rugen.
 * two stabs in his shoulder and upper arm after Rugen attempted to kill him.