James Bond

Context

This is a gisted profile for James Bond as he appears in the movies (as opposed to novels or video games). It thus covers all eras and actors up to 2012 and Die Another Day.

James Bond being reportedly one of the most famous modern fictional characters, we’ll assume that further context isn’t necessary.

Advertisement

Background

Powers & Abilities

James Bond is the finest agent of the British Secret Service. He is skilled in armed and unarmed combat, vehicle driving, art, espionage work, engineering, and military techniques from his Navy service. He has an extensive knowledge and appreciation of fine culture and is very suave in interactions at every social level.

As the series has progressed, Bond’s physical prowess has shifted from a relatively realistic depiction to a more cinematic one.

In the “Secret Agent” era of Connery and Lazenby, Bond can handle a single henchman easily enough but will struggle to defeat more than one mook or even a single well-trained opponent. His stunts during this period are within the means of any capable driver or pilot.

Advertisement

During the “Spy” era of Moore and Dalton, Bond can handle 2 or 3 henchmen with some effort and can hold his own even against highly-trained foes. The stunts are generally realistic though some are at the edge of belief, such as jumping a gap with a makeshift ramp that Bond manages to land adroitly while doing an aerial twist or 9-wheeling an 18-wheel semi truck to dodge a missile.

(Both of these examples were filmed as practical stunts that did not use special rigging or vehicles, though considerable preparation was of course made for them).

In the “Superspy” era of Brosnan. Bond can easily subdue multiple henchmen in a few phases or disrupt an entire terrorist camp with a single-handed sneak attack. He will only be daunted by the most highly trained opponents or a group of heavily armed mooks getting the drop on him.

His stunts tend toward the ridiculous, such as free-falling after a dropping plane to commit a mid-air takeover – or escaping a massive wave with a makeshift wind-surfing device. Bond has even learned the esoteric ability to fake a cardiac arrest via biofeedback. (Author’s Note: The Brosnan era was intended by the producers as a “soft reboot “.)

The famous devices given to Bond by the Q Branch of MI6 have also evolved throughout the series. In the beginning they tended to be fairly realistic gadgets such as bugs and homing devices. These basic spy items are still available in later years, but often supplanted by cinematic devices such as miniature lasers and X-ray glasses.

The special upgrades on his vehicles have likewise increased in sophistication from smoke screens to invisibility cloaks, though all models are bulletproof and sport machine guns and, later on, rockets.

Years of globetrotting adventures has left Bond with friends and acquaintances across the world (in DC Heroes terms, Omni-Connection). He even acquired contacts in Soviet intelligence due to cooperative missions with the USSR to foil non-aligned terrorist organizations in the later part of his career.

After the Soviet Union collapsed many of these agents went freelance and became useful connections for Bond throughout eastern Europe.

While Bond is not a trained engineer, he has an impressive ability to assess the fundamental workings of high-tech devices with minimal examination (Gadgetry). He can casually discuss basic operating principles, estimate technical stats and abilities, and even anticipate how alterations to the design enhance a device’s effectiveness.

This has proven invaluable over the years due to the number of exotic scientific items Bond’s enemies have employed.

Soundtrack

I like the Moby version of the cinematic theme.

History

With a Swiss mother and a Scottish father who frequently brought the family along on his international representative work for Vickers, James Bond enjoyed a cosmopolitan childhood. He was orphaned at the age of 12 when his parents were killed in a climbing accident.

James was subsequently raised by his aunt, who ensured that he got an excellent education. This remained true even though he often had to change schools due to various mischievous acts, many of which were with members of the opposite sex.

When he reached adulthood, he joined the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve in WWII. He served with great distinction, earning the rank of Commander. He was then recruited for the British Secret Service, eventually earning a place in the 00 (’double-Oh’) section as 007.

The 00-section is comprised of the finest secret agents, all of whom have a license to kill and are entrusted with the toughest missions.

Bond’s early career in the 00-section involved intrigue with the Soviet Union, as it was during the height of the Cold War. This became entwined with the terrorist organization SPECTRE due to its ties with Soviet intelligence and other spy agencies. Bond’s most prominent missions during that time thus resulted in him facing SPECTRE directly.

He eventually destroyed SPECTRE through sheer attrition as he terminated most of its top executives in the course of his work. This came at a high personal price as one of SPECTRE’s attempts to assassinate Bond in retaliation resulted in his wife’s murder on the day of their wedding.

As the Cold War cooled, Bond became increasingly tasked with foiling plots by international cartels and terrorist organizations. In later years this was his primary task. Many of the groups he foiled had plans that were world-spanning in scope, potentially altering the course of nations if not the whole of humanity.

Bond halted plots that would have resulted in nuclear wars, the fall of countries to aggressively expansive neighbors, and the genocide of most of the human race by brilliant madmen who planned to reestablish the population from their chosen people sheltered in underwater cities or massive space stations.

Description

Bond is a handsome white male, quite tall but not unusually so and with a fit but not overly muscular built. He is always clad in the finest suits and gives the impression of being a real gentleman.

Personality

The Personality section also includes some alternate approaches to interpreting Bond and integrating him into a campaign, whether you’re looking for a different angle on the character or if his standard presentation just isn’t your cup of tea.

Bond is very British in his manners and feels a strong sense of patriotism. He always maintains his cool, even while bullets are ricocheting inches away from his face. He’ll even trade banter with an enemy while being tortured.

When a mission has a strong personal stake such as avenging a friend, Bond won’t lose his temper but is more likely to use excessive measures. Bond has a very dry wit and frequently engages in word play and puns, often with more than a hint of sexual innuendo when speaking to an attractive woman.

He is very quick thinking and imaginative. By the latter part of his career he frequently puts plans together on the fly so swiftly and adeptly that it looks like he had it planned out that way from the beginning. Bond tends to meet challenges with subterfuge and trickery more than with direct force, though he certainly has excellent combat skills.

He also acts with extreme daring. A classic example is skydiving after an out-of-control plane hoping to board it and take control in time to keep it from crashing (a task at which he succeeded admirably).

While Bond presents himself in a very suave and charming manner, he can be utterly ruthless. He generally won’t harm others unless they present a threat, but once they do so he will kill them without remorse even after they have been rendered harmless for the moment.

In later years he begins to consider cold-blooded murder a filthy business, but still won’t hesitate to do it if he feels it is necessary.

“I might as well ask if all those vodka martinis ever silence the screams of all the men you’ve killed. Or if you find forgiveness in the arms of all those willing women for all the dead ones you failed to protect.” – Alec Trevelyan

Bond’s only notable weakness is beautiful women. He often gets involved with them during missions even when it’s inadvisable to do so for both them and himself. He will continue such liaisons even when it puts him in immediate danger, such as meeting with a lady he has charmed rather than sensibly departing the vicinity of a recent operation that has attracted his enemies’ attention.

The unfortunate tendency of many of the women he beds during missions to be subsequently killed due to their involvement with him has not dissuaded Bond from continuing to indulge in these trysts.

Bond is inclined to give attractive women the benefit of the doubt even under extremely suspicious circumstances. He is also much more hesitant to kill such women in situations where he would gun down a man without a second thought. He may also underestimate the professional competence of a beautiful woman, though this last blind spot has greatly lessened over the years due to the number of capable women he has worked with.

The loss of his wife is something that Bond has never really gotten over. Being reminded of his marriage is one of the few things that truly disturbs his calm. He becomes melancholy with friends and terse with others.

It may have been part of the impetus for his unusually violent revenge against those who hurt his friend Felix Leiter and killed Leiter’s wife. Leiter was newly wed, which had brought back Bond’s own memories of losing Tracy Bond on his wedding day.

Though he doesn’t take it to excess, Bond’s recreational activities that don’t involve women tend to embrace risk-taking. He likes to indulge in dangerous sports such as rock-climbing, challenges the odds at the casino, and pushes vehicles to their limits (though he doesn’t engage in formal racing events).

He also greatly enjoys fine dining and drinking. While he usually avoids doing the latter to the point of becoming drunk, he still imbibes enough to have a noticeable effect on his liver according to various physicians’ examinations even though he is in otherwise astounding condition for a man of his age and medical history.

Secret Agent Man

Even though he is a secret agent, he engages in a number of identifiable behaviors that are uncharacteristic of that profession. He always uses his real name (’the name’s Bond. James Bond.’), he almost always has the same drink (’vodka martini. Shaken, not stirred.’) and he always carries the same kind of sidearm (Walther PPK automatic pistol).

Still, he usually introduces himself as a banker or representative for Universal Exports (a front company for MI-6), so his cover usually withstands superficial scrutiny.

Indeed, while his actual status is often easily discerned from background checks this in itself has proven advantageous as it draws enemy agents to him, simplifying his investigations. Bond’s relative fame can become a drawback, and he has faked his death on at least one occasion simply in order to evade the sheer number of assassins seeking him out.

“…I think you’re a sexist, misogynist dinosaur.” – M

Critics over the years have noted that the Bond films have some problematic elements, most notably sexism. Many of these have more to do with the way the films depict the world around Bond and can be easily elided without effecting the character.

Bond himself can be notoriously sexist, especially in the early films, but as noted above this tapers off quite a bit in later movies. He is still a womanizer but this can be dealt with in-character by using subtle elements to explain his behavior without excusing it – a character may have distasteful traits but still be relatable or interesting.

His predilection for thrills and avoidance of long-term relationships are classic behaviors for someone with his troubled childhood, particularly with abandonment issues brought on from his parents’ sudden death in his youth.

These traits contribute to his effectiveness as a secret agent, giving him a willingness to embrace danger and an ability to emotionally distance himself from others when necessary, but they can also make it difficult for him to show proper regard for others.

He seeks out the companionship of women for the excitement it brings, but fears the vulnerability of letting himself care for them. This was undoubtedly exacerbated by the murder of his wife, the first person in his adult life he had allowed to become close to him.

If one is willing to shift Bond’s character a bit, other options present themselves. A lighter campaign can go for the farcical, as seen in Bond pastiches like the animated series Archer. In this case Bond positively revels in his attitudes but is often called on it by others.

He is still a competent enough agent that his hijinks are tolerated unless he goes over the line, in which case his fellow operatives smack him down as needed. A darker campaign can emphasize the sociopathic, manipulative aspects of Bond’s personality, akin to Pierce Brosnan’s role as an opportunistic, amoral spy in The Tailor of Panama.

Quotes

James Bond, Secret Agent (Connery/Lazenby Era)

(After an assassin attempts one last shot with his revolver) “It’s a Smith & Wesson, and you’ve had your 6.” (Guns down his would-be killer)

“My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ‘53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.”

Goldfinger: “Welcome to Auric Stud, Mr. Bond. Lovely animal, isn’t she ?”
Bond: “Certainly better bred than the owner.”

Largo: “Do you lose as gracefully as you win ?”
Bond: “I don’t know, I’ve never lost.”

Draco: “My apologies for the way you were brought here. I wasn’t sure you’d accept a formal invitation.”
Bond: “There’s always something formal about the point of a pistol.”

James Bond, Spy (Moore/Dalton Era)

Bond: (Examining Scaramanga’s golden bullet) “Charming trinket. Even has my number on it.”
M: “Precisely.”
Bond: “Well, obviously it’s useless as a bullet. I mean, sir, who would pay a million dollars to have me killed ?”
M: “Jealous husbands, outraged chefs, humiliated tailors. The list is endless.”

Francisco Scaramanga: “You get as much pleasure out of killing as I do, so why don’t you admit it?”
James Bond: “I admit killing you would be a pleasure.”
Francisco Scaramanga: “Then you should have done that when you first saw me. On the other hand, the English don’t consider it sporting to kill in cold blood, do they ?”
James Bond: “Don’t count on that.”

Bond: “I am now aiming precisely at your groin. So speak, or forever hold your piece.”

Kamal Khan: “You seem to have this nasty habit of surviving.”
Bond: “You know what they say about the fittest.”

Bond: “Well, my dear, I take it you spend quite a lot of time in the saddle.”
Jenny Flex: “Yes, I love an early morning ride.”
Bond: “Well, I’m an early riser myself.”

Saunders: “I’m telling M you deliberately missed. Your orders were to kill that sniper.”
Bond: “Stuff my orders. I only kill professionals. That girl didn’t know one end of a rifle from the other. Go ahead, tell him what you want. He fires me, I’ll thank him for it.”

James Bond, Superspy (Brosnan Era)

Xenia Onatopp: “Enjoy it while it lasts.”
Bond: “Those are the words I live by.”

Dr. Kaufman: (After killing Paris Carver) “Wait ! I’m just a professional doing a job !”
Bond: “Me, too.” (shoots him dead)

Bond: “You were pretty good with that hook.”
Wai Lin: “Thanks. It comes from growing up in a rough neighborhood. You were pretty good on that bike.”
Bond: “Thank you. It comes from not growing up at all.”

Elektra King: “I could have given you the world.”
Bond: “The world is not enough.”
Elektra King: “Foolish sentiment.”
Bond: “Family motto.”

Elektra King: “You wouldn’t kill me, James. You’d miss me.”
Bond: (Shoots King) “I never miss.”

DC Universe History

One superspy, shaken, not stirred.

“This never happened to the other fellow.”

Or better yet, you can engage in some hijinks with Bond’s numerous cinematic depictions, even if they are all treated as the same person in the movies. One possibility is that ‘James Bond’ is an identity attached to the 007 number, and each agent who takes on that number also assumes that identity, including his contacts.

A scene that was cut from Goldeneye would have had the previous Bonds meeting the latest man to assume the role and wishing him well.

Or maybe James Bond is a singular individual who has to undergo surgical alteration periodically due to cumulative serious injuries. It couldn’t be simply to disguise his identity or he’d change his name, too.

This might explain why Bond and Blofeld, whose appearance had been altered surgically, did not immediately recognize one another in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, despite having met face to face in the previous movie.

(Author’s note: This was actually a continuity error in the script, carried over from Fleming’s novels which took place in a different order than the movies. In this case, Bond returned to his previous appearance after OHMSS as a way of coping with the grief of his wife’s death and to make sure that Blofeld knew who was coming for him.)

Bond may also have some form of longevity treatment, à la Nick Fury’s Infinity Formula. It could reshape Bond’s body like the regenerations of another famous British hero, the Doctor from Doctor Who. Bond could have been exposed to such a serum during one of his missions, which often pit him against villains who are either superscientists themselves or who employ them.

This could also be tied into his notably robust health despite the considerable abuse he has suffered over the years and his somehow remaining at the roughly the same apparent age over the decades.

If you want to create a Marvel universe amalgamation, Bond was given the Infinity Formula by Professor Sternberg just as Nick Fury was, and was likewise blackmailed by Sternberg over the years. Bond and Fury eventually worked together to foil Steel Harris when he murdered the professor and stole the formula.

Afterward, Bond discovered that like Fury years of exposure had caused his body to naturally produce the Infinity Formula and he now naturally benefitted from slowed aging.

“We have all the time in the world.”

In a DCU twist, perhaps James Bond suffers from the whims of Hypertime. The fact that he still remains more or less consistent in ability, his personal history, and in his role in world events would seem to indicate some unusual circumstances in his origin, much like Bart Allen a.k.a. Impulse.

As with the longevity treatment above, this could be the result of an encounter with some item of weird science on an early mission.

If you want to embed Bond even more firmly in the DCU here is another idea: Bond was almost certainly assigned to accompany the JSA during their battle with Ian Karkull in the early ’40s. He, like the JSAers and their significant others, would have been imbued with massive amounts of temporal energy when Karkull exploded, sustaining him well beyond his years.

This can also tie into the Hypertime idea above. He would not have been remotely involved with the Zero Hour incident and so would have survived Extant’s assault on the JSAers at the time.

By Dr. Peter S Piispanen and Roy Cowan.

Source of Character: MGM’s James Bond movies (Dr. No through Die Another Day), character played by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, and Pierce Brosnan.

Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet, John Colagioia, Phil Dixon, Adam Fuqua, The James Bond Wiki, KalEl el Vigilante, Mark — and George Lazenby for his involuntary encouragement.

Writeup completed on the 15^th of November, 2012.