The Robin Masters theory

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MagnumFan
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The Robin Masters theory

#1 Post by MagnumFan »

I've been thinking a lot about the Higgins = Robin Masters theory, and I have my $0.02, for what it's worth...
I don't believe Higgins is Robin Masters. I believe they are two separate individuals. That said, I do believe that the Robin Masters character is just that - a character made up by Higgins, perhaps in collusion with some rich jet set playboy, to fund his lifestyle. Higgins writes the trashy pulp novels, because they're easy; Robin gets to live the high life, while Higgins enjoys anonymity, a large estate, money from the novels and time to work on his memoirs in peace.

Think about it. Higgins is not some ordinary British World War II veteran. He is a Baron by birth, so I imagine he has an immense amount of money. He served in the military for nearly 40 years in very important roles, and possibly in intelligence work as well. Why would a Baron, by birth, probably a man with a great deal of money himself, work for a jet set playboy?

Consider how stiff and proper Higgins is. From what we understand of Robin, he's your typical '80s playboy, probably a partier, who writes trite cheap fiction. Do you really see Higgins answering to someone like that? I mean, look at the way Higgins in the first few years looked down on Magnum, who was actually much more similar to himself than Robin would be: Both decorated war veterans, brave guys who served their countries. If Higgins could look down on a bonafide war hero like Magnum, and sometimes almost loathes having him working for him, how could he stomach working for a jet set trashy pulp writer like Robin Masters? I do not see Higgins as greedy, so I do not think the paycheck would enter into it; Higgins does have honor and pride.

I believe that Higgins was basically an Ian Fleming who chose to live in quiet anonymity, instead letting Robin Masters take the credit and enjoy the lifestyle, basically as a front.

What do you think?

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KingKC
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#2 Post by KingKC »

Wow MagnumFan, I have to admire you thought process even I though I cannot agree with you.

I just took the presentation of the Robin Masters character for what it was. A wealthy pulp fiction/dime romance writer whose path crossed with Higgins and Magnum somehow, somewhere in the past and Robin convinced them to work for him. That is all part of the fantasy of television. I really did not see the peerage or lineage of Higgins to be all that royal and fruitful as far as money goes. I don't remember him having an estate or a manor in England when they visited in Deja Vu. I cannot recite the levels of royalty but only imagine that Higgins was not really all that high and there were probably a lot more of equal position who traced their heritage to some remote connection with a former queen or king. For all we know this was a step up for Higgins from the way he would have lived in England.

I also cannot see the Higgins character writing all the tawdry stuff a "Robin Masters" novel would have in it.

Sometimes I just like to sit back and enjoy the ride and not worry about how it works. This is one of them.

KingKC

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308GUY
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#3 Post by 308GUY »

I've entertained the same theory MagnumFan presents here.

Then I caught something (among many others, but this one stood out.) that shoots the theory down.

In "Italian Ice" after Katrina is brought back to the estate and is having breakfast in the courtyard she is talking to Higgins. During the conversation she mentions remembering watching her father and Higgins and Robin while they played chess when she was a young girl. Higgins doesn't correct her in any way, so we can assume the memory is correct. This one scene establishes Higgins and Robin as two separate individuals, at least in my mind.

There are many other instances that would also suggest they are two people.

Seems like the concept is just something that Bellisario or one of the other writers interjected in a single episode, then it was "juggled" for the rest of the series, sometimes given credence, other times scoffed at. Higgins seemed to play with it just to irritate Magnum at times.

Anyway, there's a couple more thoughts since the question was posed "what do you think"? 8)
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#4 Post by MagnumFan »

308GUY wrote:I've entertained the same theory MagnumFan presents here.

Then I caught something (among many others, but this one stood out.) that shoots the theory down.

In "Italian Ice" after Katrina is brought back to the estate and is having breakfast in the courtyard she is talking to Higgins. During the conversation she mentions remembering watching her father and Higgins and Robin while they played chess when she was a young girl. Higgins doesn't correct her in any way, so we can assume the memory is correct. This one scene establishes Higgins and Robin as two separate individuals, at least in my mind.

There are many other instances that would also suggest they are two people.

Seems like the concept is just something that Bellisario or one of the other writers interjected in a single episode, then it was "juggled" for the rest of the series, sometimes given credence, other times scoffed at. Higgins seemed to play with it just to irritate Magnum at times.

Anyway, there's a couple more thoughts since the question was posed "what do you think"? 8)
My theory suggests that Higgins and Robin are indeed two separate individuals. That Robin exists, for appearance's sake. Which would not contradict them playing chess.

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308GUY
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#5 Post by 308GUY »

MagnumFan wrote:
My theory suggests that Higgins and Robin are indeed two separate individuals. That Robin exists, for appearance's sake. Which would not contradict them playing chess.
Well...ok...I see where that could apply, and again, it goes along with my take on the same theory.

It's just that the lengths that JQH would have to have gone to in order to keep the guise intact are unfathomable!

It means that he (Higgins) would have to have been paying for the lifestyle of "Jethro" (sophisticated international playboy (AND author!)) for decades which in itself is not unimaginable, but the man "playing" Robin Masters would have to become Robin Masters to be believable around the globe in all social circles, which I suppose is also "possible", then there's the presented premise in one episode of Higgins officially "resigning" (actually happened a couple times as I recall) and the presentation of the previous majordomo (Jamison in The Red Faced Thespian) etc., etc., etc..

This has been discussed at length elsewhere on the forum, and I'm sure we are not going to come to an "absolute" conclusion.

I think it boils down to whatever the individual wants to believe, as with most things in life.


Again, it seems Higgins just liked to use it to antagonize Magnum, as seen especially in the last episode. JQH...."I lied." 8)

The elevator scene in "Paper War" is one of my all time favorites of the show.

Fun to discuss different view points, I think it's at least in part, what a forum is for! :magnum:
"C'mon TC...nothing can go wrong!"

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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#6 Post by steveadl »

I don't think the theory that Higgins had secret wealth holds water. Yes he was of noble background, however his father is still alive (visited in the London episode), so he has not yet inherited the family's wealth. Being estranged from his father, I also doubt he had passed any onto Higgins before either.

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Styles Bitchley
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#7 Post by Styles Bitchley »

I think the matter of pride and honour is something that ensures that Higgins could indeed be a Majordomo and execute his job the way it is supposed to be done. I doubt he had much wealth to speak of; nobility itself doesn't bring in much money. Can't help thinking of Carson from Downton Abbey.

Here's the main thread for discussion on the Higgins/Masers theory: http://magnum-mania.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2345

It should probably be a sticky.
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#8 Post by bobrobertsxxx »

I've always pondered the "Robin Masters Theory". There were many inconsistencies that would lead you to believe he is not Robin Masters for the duration of the show. However, few reasons I believe that Higgins IS Robin Masters...

1. Robin is a writer and Higgins is a writer - weak evidence but why would a caretaker of the estate be so involved in writing? Of course I have to acknowledge that this was pre-internet and why exactly am I writing right now? As a means of expression that probably is innate in every person.

2. Higgins took extreme interest in Robin's stuff - odd. A less personally-involved caretaker would just add it to the bill unless it was irreplaceable. Even the Ferrari is replaceable (as it must have been after accidents in the show...high-end cars are basically unfixable past a point).

3. Magnum's little voice - greatest indicator to me. How often was his little voice correct? What about the cases that led to dead-ends (yes I understand it would make for a boring show).

4. Higgins education/life experience - as another poster mentioned he was of lower rank on the British royalty system. So he had to work to support himself. However creating an alias that made him a lot of money + allowed him to not ruffle the royalty ranking system that he took pride in would be strongly supportive that he and Robin are one.

And lastly...

5. It fits - There really is no reason to even mention Robin Masters name unless it was integral to the core characters of the show. For example, what if the estate was owned by a limited liability corporation? There would never be a reason to mention it other than for accounting purposes. Robin Masters may as well have been an LLC but his constant mention would lead me to believe that "his presence" was for a reason. In this case to bind the themes of the show and make a convenient showending dovetail.

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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#9 Post by Kwai Bridge »

Hello guys, sorry for being absent for so long, a lot of stuff has happened since I last posted here. Hope everyone's doing fine! :wink:

I just wanted to provide my insight into "Higgins = Robin" theory from when I first joined:
Kwai Bridge wrote:If we take into consideration Magnum's theory that Higgins is Robin Masters, and that he has all the resources, while hiring some random guy to pose as Robin Masters, it would make no sense for Higgins (who is supposedly Robin in this case) to phone the guy who's posing as Robin to phone Magnum to construct Higgins (Robin) himself a birthday present, while missing the date entirely! If it was Higgins' doing all along, you would've guessed that he would tell Magnum the correct date of his own birthday!

That would either mean:
  • That Higgins did it on purpose, for some unknown reason
  • That the guy who's posing as Robin told Magnum to build the castle for Higgins on his own accord and gave him the resources to keep Magnum thinking he is the real Robin, and that he simply forgot the date, but then it contradicts the theory that Higgins pulls all the strings and has all the resources
  • That the guy who's posing as Robin actually IS Robin and he simply forgot the date
Higgins himself in this very episode said: "Mr. Masters is frightfully absent-minded about dates." If Higgins isn't Robin then it would makes perfect sense. But if he is, that would mean he's simply lying, since we all know Higgins remembers his entire history by dates, and that he threw himself a fake birthday party for some unknown, selfish reason.

Beside this and other small confusing things, Magnum's theory would work perfectly. In "Resolutions" he even asked Higgins why does he call a guy posing as Robin "Mr. Masters" even when two of them are alone, to which Higgins gave him an explanation, but then at the end of the episode he said that he lied about being Robin. Apparently Higgins likes to lie, but we never know if he's actually lying or not. Ugh, my head hurts so MUCH!

Another thing that boggles my mind is how no one of the invited Higgins' friends didn't know that Higgins actually didn't have a birthday on that date.
Despite so many contradictions and evidence to the contrary, I still like to have my own headcanon in which Higgins in fact is Robin because I thought that ever since I was a kid, when I first saw Higgins appear on screen. But that's just me. What do you think?


P.S: I have a little something coming up, I will post it real soon. :wink:
Last edited by Kwai Bridge on Tue Mar 29, 2016 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

KENJI
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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#10 Post by KENJI »

Welcome back Kwai Bridge!

We are all entitled to our opinions and theories..........I still think Higgins is Higgins and Robin is Robin.
Donald Bellisario even states that Higgins isn't Robin and his opinion carries a lot of weight!

Looking forward to hearing about your P.S. comment!

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Re: The Robin Masters theory

#11 Post by MagnumILWU »

KENJI wrote:Welcome back Kwai Bridge!

We are all entitled to our opinions and theories..........I still think Higgins is Higgins and Robin is Robin.
Donald Bellisario even states that Higgins isn't Robin and his opinion carries a lot of weight!

Looking forward to hearing about your P.S. comment!
I agree! I have never thought they were the same person!
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