What really happened during Westley's five-year absence from Florin?
Hasn't anyone ever realized how suspicious Westley's explanation to Buttercup sounded? Hasn't anyone ever thought that maybe not all was being told? Well, now all those questions have been answered, because you are about to discover the true tale of Westley.
Strange as it may seem, Westley owned a time machine. It is unknown where he got it, but chances are he inherited it from his father, who probably invented it. However, he never told anyone about the time machine, because he didn't want anyone else using it. He must have been very greedy. Anyway, when Westley fell in love with Buttercup, he didn't have any money because he lived on a farm, so he told his love that he was going to seek his fortune in America. The fool didn't realize that he could have just sold the time machine, but again, he must have been very greedy. Or very stupid. He set sail on a ship, and was supposedly reported to have been killed by the dread pirate Roberts. However, that was all a lie, because Westley did go down to the harbor and did rent out a boat, but as soon as he sailed far enough away from Florin, he hopped into his time machine and took a trip into the future. There was no crew with him, so nobody saw him go. Later, there was a storm, and Westley's ship was destroyed. However, it did manage to wash up on the beach of Florin, and everyone assumed he was dead.
Now about Westley. When he said he was going to America, he was telling the truth…. Except he traveled seven hundred years later, into the Civil War. Westley landed in front of the Shaw mansion, and when he got out of his time machine, he discovered that Robert Gould Shaw had witnessed his arrival. Shaw began hammering Westley with questions; until Westley got so tired of it that he took out his brainwashing device and used it on Shaw, convincing him that they were friends. He even changed his name to Cabot Forbes, which he made up off the top of his head while being interrogated by Shaw. Yes, Westley's father invented that too. It was a good thing he did, because everyone Westley met that was a close friend of Shaw's had to be brainwashed into thinking that they knew him. Anyway, Westley spent the next two years with Shaw, helping him prepare a Union army to fight the southern Confederate soldiers. He knew there was a high profit involved, so that's why he agreed to assist Shaw in the first place. In addition, Shaw had been made a colonel, and Westley had to serve him. Westley was also made a major, which was not as good, but he was glad he had some power. This also meant that Shaw handed out the pay that the soldiers received for their service. Westley thought that if he were extremely loyal, he would be paid extra. This did not happen, because Shaw refused to accept pay if the black soldiers refused, because they were given ten dollars instead of thirteen. Westley was very disappointed. Anyway, come the war, Westley led the troops into battle several times, and along the way, learned many techniques: fencing, wrestling, man hunting, and better aim at his target.
Below are two different endings to Westley's story. One sad, and one not so sad, but still sad.
Ending one: Colonel Shaw presented his men to lead the next battle, even when they hadn't slept for two days, and Westley had not received his fortune. Still, he had no choice, and supported Shaw. They started out as friends but Shaw was beginning to grow on Westley. Shaw had even offered to let Westley play The Princess Bride's theme music, or some thing very similar, on the day of the battle. Therefore, when Shaw was killed, Westley was very upset. He didn't know what to do, until someone suggested they charge. Westley did so, angry that his friend had died. He wanted revenge. However, when he saw the soldier running next to him fall, he realized that he still needed his fortune. Luckily, there was a giant explosion, and Westley ran for it, without anyone noticing him. He had to get back to the time machine, which he had safely hidden back at the Shaw mansion. However, on his way there, he came across the place where the men had refused to accept their pay. He suddenly remembered that they had thrown their paychecks away into a trashcan. Westley found the trash can and began searching through it. When he had fished out all the torn up pieces, he decided to glue them back together, so they would still be worth something. Satisfied, Westley returned to his time machine. On his way back, he came up with a story to tell Buttercup, because if he had told her that he had a time machine, she would have thought he was crazy. Either that or she would have wanted a ride, and Westley would never let her use it.
When he finally did return, he was dressed in black, because he was mourning the death of his friends. He would always remember them. However, he would need the new skills he had learned during the war sooner than he thought, because he would have to again fight for his life. Because he was so quick and smart and strong compared to the others, Westley appeared to be talented. As for the iocane powder? Well, Westley was secretly wearing the brainwashing machine under his mask, because it was very small. He convinced Vissini that both drinks were poisoned, so Vissini actually drank regular wine. The brainwashing machine convinced Vissini to pass out, and when he woke up, he would remember nothing, and would become a servant for many years in a fancy old mansion. But the worse was yet to come. Westley had come to terms that his American money was not worth anything in Florin, and he became so depressed that he resolved never to do any good ever again. He took his time machine and traveled into another land, where he studied dark magic. No one liked him. They thought he was evil. Therefore, Westley decided to get rid of his enemies. He poisoned a crown, the crown worn by one of his foes. If it worked correctly, the poison would kill him. However, he happened to overhear a conversation outside, and discovered that his time machine had been found. He became delusional, and without thinking, put the crown on his own head, which led to his ultimate demise.
Ending two: Doctor Emitt Brown was taking a trip back to the year of 1885, when his time machine malfunctioned. Instead, he came to the time of the Civil War, and coincidentally, met up with Westley and Colonel Shaw. Brown was treated as a guest, and had great stories to tell. However, he made Westley nervous, because the Doctor too, mentioned something about time travel. He began thinking aloud, and Doc Brown, who had no doubt overheard him, decided he needed Westley's time machine to fix his old one. He befriended Westley, telling him that he had never met such a bright young man before. Although Westley had first been suspicious, he began to rethink his opinion of Doc Brown, particularly because he loved flattery. When Brown asked to see the time machine, Westley didn't hesitate to show him. As soon as Brown saw it, he pushed Westley against one of the tents, and took off in the machine. Westley tried to stop him, saying that he had to return to Florin, but it was too late. Now Doc Brown could return to his lab, and rebuild his machine, while Westley was doomed to remain in the middle of the Civil War. Sadly, this is where he died, although it does appear that he did survive, and reunite with Buttercup. Well that's not true at all, because the Westley she reunited with was not Westley at all. When Doc Brown took Westley's time machine, he was interested to know why Westley wanted to return to his homeland so much. So he decided to travel to Florin, where he met Buttercup. He asked her if she knew Westley, and she replied yes, but he had died. Doc Brown felt bad for her, so he told her that he had known Westley, who did not want to die by choice. However, he fell in love with her, so when he returned to his lab, he took some strands of Westley's hair that he had brought back, and made a polyjuice potion so that he would look exactly like Westley. Afterwards, he returned to Florin, and convinced Buttercup that he was Westley, as well as making up a story about the dread pirate Roberts.