Characters
You seem a decent fellow, I hate to kill you.
— Inigo Montoya · The Princess Bride
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker offers a courteous compliment to someone they intend to kill, saying regret comes from liking the person. The civility makes the threat chillingly polite: the killing is not in doubt, only their reluctance about it, which they voice as a kind of respect.
Context reviewed