Ragnar Dannesjköld tells Rearden that he's out to destroy Robin Hood, the man who, according to legend, stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Ragnar, by contrast, steals from the poor to give to the rich. To be exact, he steals from the parasites to give goods back to the men who produced them. Ragnar seizes U.S. relief vessels bound for various Peoples' States around the globe and converts the pirated goods into gold for men like Rearden.
Ragnar is a powerful force for justice in the story. He risks his life every day in his battle to ensure that looters don't benefit from the goods they extort and that productive men receive restitution. His character embodies irony; in order to fight for justice, he's compelled to become a criminal. After talking with Ragnar, Rearden starts to understand that when the law is engaged in robbery, people who want to return stolen goods to their rightful owners must become outlaws.
