| “ | The name's Bond, James Bond. | „ |
| ~ James Bond |
| “ | I never miss. | „ |
| ~ James Bond. |
| “ | Alec: For England, James? James: No... For me. |
„ |
| ~ Alec Trevelyan and James Bond in GoldenEye. |
Commander James Bond (born 10th Nov, 1953) is the protagonist of GoldenEye, Tommorow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, and Die Another Day, being the fifth iteration of the character. An MI6 and 00 agent, Bond is tasked by the agency to stop terrorist threats across the globe.
He was portrayed by Pierce Brosnan in the four films. In the video games, he was voiced by Tim Bentinck (The World Is Not Enough), Andrew Bicknell (Agent Under Fire), Maxwell Caulfield (Nightfire), and Pierce Brosnan (Everything or Nothing). He had no voice actor in GoldenEye 007.
Biography[]
Background[]
Not much is known about this iteration of Bond's background, but it can be assumed that much of his past history is correlated from the novels or previous iterations. According to Alec Trevelyan in GoldenEye, Bond's parents died during a climb accident, presumably leaving him an orphan. He would then join the Royal Navy, managing to reach the rank of commander and receiving the Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Cross, General Service Medal, United Nations Medal, and South Atlantic Medal. This implies that Bond served during the Falklands War in the 1980s, but would presumably leave or be transferred to MI6.
At the agency, Bond become one of their top spies and was given the title of "007", serving under "M" to stop terrorist threats against England and other countries. He would become friends with fellow 00 agent, Alec Trevelyan, and the two developed a close bond and would complete missions together.
GoldenEye[]
While infiltrating a Soviet facility with Alec, they set off the alarm which leads to General Arkady Ouromov capturing Trevelyan and shooting him. Bond manages to escape via a plane after setting the bombs for three minutes, having changed them from six minutes when Alec was shot. According to M's comments, Bond appeared to have remorse for failing to save Alec from Ouromov, and still felt the guilt years later. Nine years later, Bond follows Xenia Onatopp, a ex-Soviet pilot who is working for a crime syndicate called "Janus". After following her trail from killing an admiral on a yacht, Bond attempts to stop her from stealing a Tiger helicopter that is being presented. He is stopped by the guards, and returns to M where they learn that the syndicate stole "Goldeneye", which gives out an electric pulse that takes out all electromagnetic equipment in the area.
Bond then travels to Russia with the assistance of CIA agent Jack Wade, where he manages to persuade Valentine Zukovsky to get him to meet Janus. He then battles Onatopp, and forces her at gunpoint to take him to Janus' location, which is at a graveyard of Soviet statues. At the graveyard, Bond is greeted by Alec, revealing he faked his death and wants to get revenge against the British for having his family suffer for being Lienz Cossacks. He is knocked unconscious by a sleep dart, and is trapped into a helicopter along with computer programmer Natalya Simonova. The two managed to escape, but are arrested by the Russian military and are confronted by Dimitri Mishkin. Natalya reveals to Dimitri that General Ouromov was behind the massacre, but he is killed by the general with Bond's handgun. Bond escapes and tracks down Ouromov, Alec, and Onatopp with a Russian tank across the country, and manages to hold the three villains at gunpoint. Alec and Onatopp escape when Bond kills Ouromov, and with the help of Natalya, tracks down Alec's location to Cuba.
Bond begins a romantic relationship with Natalya, and the two travel to Cuba where Jack provides them with aircraft to reach their destination. The two are forced to crash land after a missile hits their wing, and Bond manages to kill Onatopp by having her be crushed with a tree from the cable of a helicopter. Afterward, Bond and Natalya infiltrate Janus' base and are captured by his henchmen, but James managed to plant explosives before being caught. Alec reveals that he is going to steal money from the British bank and other files before having Goldeneye erase the theft before its noticed. Natalya manages to re-aim the satellite and Boris Grishenko unknowingly activates Q's pen, causing an explosion. Bond then battles Alec for the final time, and lets him go after defeating him in combat. Bond then escapes from the facility with the assistance and Natalya, and the two leave Cuba with the marines Jack provided.
Agent Under Fire[]
While investigating the Identicon Corporation in Hong Kong, a botanical research firm and a possible front for a weapons-smuggling ring, CIA agent Zoe Nightshade is discovered and captured. James Bond infiltrates the facility in an attempt to rescue her and retrieve a suspicious courier case. After freeing Nightshade from a submarine set to launch, the pair flee the facility with the courier case. Nigel Bloch, the head of Identicon, has his operatives chase the agents through the streets of Hong Kong. The two steal a second case of vials from a nearby Identicon factory. They then rendezvous with Q Branch liaison R, who provides Bond with a gadget-laden BMW Z8. As they inspect the vehicle, a limousine pulls up alongside and an assassin inside launches an RPG, killing Zoe, and steals the case. The vials are transferred to an armored van and Bond gives chase, eventually stopping it.
The vials contain nine blood samples, eight of which contained blood of world leaders. One contains the blood of British diplomat Reginald Griffin, serving in Romania, who is obsessed with protecting a room, outside of his jurisdiction, in the embassy. Bond covertly investigates the embassy, finding Griffin dead, before a man of identical appearance attacks him. After overcoming the doppelganger, Bond finds a message from Bloch on Griffin's computer that mentions Malprave Industries, based in Switzerland. Bond takes the information from the computer and escapes.
At Malprave Industries, Bond, posing as a journalist, sees that the CEO is a woman he met at the embassy, Adrian Malprave. After collecting evidence, he makes his escape from the facility. Analysis of the computer message from Romania mentions "Defective Merchandise", believed to be a codename for Dr. Natalya Damescu, formerly in the employ of Malprave, now under protection at the British embassy in Bucharest. She also has inside information to offer. Carla the Jackal, the infamous assassin who earlier killed Zoe, leads a raid on the embassy. Bond fights the terrorists before running into Damescu. After a confrontation with the Jackal, Bond picks up a data chip on something known as Poseidon, and delivers it to R for analysis. The chip leads Bond to an oil rig in the South China Sea. After running into Bloch, Bond follows him into Poseidon, an underwater base devoted to human cloning.
After destroying the lab, he climbs onto a submarine bound for a Royal Navy aircraft carrier in Mediterranean. On-board, Bond finds Zoe, who reveals that the woman he "saved" from the Identicon facility in Hong Kong was a clone meant to infiltrate the CIA, and that the Jackal had intended to kill Bond. Arriving at the carrier, the pair investigate the ship. It is discovered that eight world leaders have been cloned, and are to be replaced by the clones. 007 destroys the craft carrying the clones, and the pair make their escape. They travel to Malprave's base in the Swiss Alps, where Bond rescues the eight world leaders. Before he can escape from the base, however, he encounters Malprave, who has set the base to self-destruct. She reveals Bloch is still alive, and that Bond had killed his clone. After an encounter with him, Bond follows him into the main office and kills him. Just as he manages to leap free of the base before it explodes, Malprave appears and tries to jump clear too, but she is consumed and dies in the blast.
Personality[]
Pierce Brosnan's portrayal of James Bond has become one of the most iconic and beloved versions of the suave British spy. With his charm, wit, and undeniable charisma, Brosnan's Bond captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. But beyond the dashing suits and smooth one-liners, there is a complex personality that makes Bond a compelling and intriguing character.
One of the most notable aspects of Brosnan's Bond is his inner turmoil regarding the people he has killed and the women he has loved. While he may be the epitome of a cold-hearted assassin on the surface, underneath it all, there is a lingering guilt and regret that haunts him. Brosnan portrays this internal conflict with subtle gestures and expressions, giving Bond a depth and vulnerability rarely seen in previous versions of the character.
In addition, Bond's fear of commitment is another defining feature of Brosnan's portrayal. Despite his reputation as a suave ladies' man, Bond often finds himself struggling with the idea of a long-term relationship. This fear is rooted in his dangerous lifestyle and the constant threat of losing someone he cares about. Brosnan brings a sense of playfulness and childlike charm to Bond's interactions with Q and his gadgets, reflecting his reluctance to grow up and fully commit to anything or anyone.
But despite these flaws, Brosnan's Bond remains a courageous and selfless hero. He may not always have the perfect plan or make the best decisions, but he always puts himself in harm's way to protect others. Brosnan portrays Bond as a man with a strong moral compass and a desire to do what's right, even if it means going against his superiors or risking his own life.
Underneath the smooth exterior, there is also a deeply loyal and compassionate side to Bond. Brosnan's portrayal shows us a man who is willing to risk everything for the people he cares about. Whether it's his friendships with M and Q, or his romantic relationships, Bond's loyalty knows no bounds.
Overall, Pierce Brosnan's James Bond is a complex and multi-dimensional character. He may have his flaws and internal conflicts, but at his core, he is a courageous and good-hearted man. Brosnan's performance brings a depth and humanity to the iconic spy, making him not just a heartthrob, but a relatable and admirable hero.
Behind the Scenes[]
In 1986, with Roger Moore's retirement from the role, Timothy Dalton was offered the role of James Bond once again after previously having turned it down when Sean Connery vacated the role in 1967. The 1986 film adaptation of Brenda Starr, however, kept Dalton from being able to immediately accept the role. A number of actors were then screen-tested for the role, notably Sam Neill, but ultimately were passed over by Cubby Broccoli. Brosnan (whose Remington Steele series had just ended), was offered the role, but publicity revived the Remington Steele programmer and forced Brosnan to back out of the role due to his contract with the show.
Dalton then became available and accepted the role. Dalton's second turn as 007 Licence to Kill (1989), was a disappointment at the American box office, and legal squabbles about ownership of the film franchise resulted in cancellation of a proposed third Dalton film in 1991 (rumoured title: The Property of a Lady) and would put the series in a six-year hiatus. During that time, Dalton acted upon a clause in his contract and resigned, which left the door open for Brosnan, in 1994.
Brosnan's appointment as Bond brought things full circle for the actor, who stated in interviews that the very first movie he ever saw was Goldfinger and that Sean Connery's performance as Bond inspired him to enter show business. Aware of the danger of being typecast as James Bond, Brosnan asked EON Productions, when accepting the role, to be allowed to work in other projects between Bond series films. The request was granted, and for every Bond series film, Brosnan appeared in at least two mainstream films, including several he had produced. Brosnan played a wide range of roles in-between his Bond film appearances, ranging from a nerdy scientist in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! to Canadian conservationist Grey Owl, in the biopic of the same name.
Brosnan was signed for a four-film deal and first appeared as agent 007 in 1995's GoldenEye to much critical praise. It more than doubled the gross of Dalton's previous film in worldwide ticket box office sales. Pierce returned as Bond in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies and 1999's The World Is Not Enough to virtually the same success. In 2002 Brosnan appeared for his fourth and final time as the super suave secret agent in Die Another Day; while controversial to fans as being perhaps one of the weaker entries in the series, the movie shattered all previous Bond films in terms of worldwide box office gross and is currently the highest grossing Bond film ever (excluding inflation).
In early 2004, Brosnan starred in the James Bond video game Everything or Nothing, generously allowing his likeness to be used as well as doing the voice work for the character.
Shortly after, the media began questioning whether or not Brosnan would reprise the role for a fifth and final time. Brosnan kept in mind that aficionados and critics both were unhappy with Moore playing the role well into his 50s, but he received popular support from both critics and the franchise fanbase for a fifth. For this reason, he remained enthusiastic about reprising his role after his initial contract expired, despite earlier reservations about doing so. Throughout 2004, Brosnan was rumoured numerous times to have been "fired" from the role to make way for a new and younger actor. This was denied by MGM, EON Productions, and even Brosnan himself.
In October 2004, however, Brosnan had been quoted as saying "it's absolutely over" and that he considered himself fired from the role. Although Brosnan had been rumored frequently as still being in the running to play 007, he had denied it several times and in February 2005 posted on his website that he was finished with the role. In spite of this, rumours continued to circulate that he was in negotiations with the producers up until Daniel Craig was signed and announced on October 14, 2005. After the announcement of Craig as the next 007, Brosnan's Bond wax figures at all Madame Tussauds — including London, New York City, and Las Vegas — were removed.
Brosnan was the first James Bond actor to be born after the April 13, 1953 publication of the first Bond novel, Casino Royale.
Quotes[]
| “ | What, no small talk? No chit-chat? That's the trouble with the world today, no-one takes the time to do a really sinister interrogation anymore. | „ |
| ~ Bond to Dimitri Mishkin. |
| “ | You forgot the first rule of mass media, Elliot! Give the people what they want! | „ |
| ~ Bond to Elliot Carver before the latter's demise. |
| “ | I usually hate killing an unarmed man. Cold-blooded murder is a filthy business... but in your case, I feel nothing. Just like you. | „ |
| ~ Bond to Renard. |
Gallery[]
Images[]
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Trivia[]
- Although his appearance in Agent Under Fire (voiced by Andrew Bicknell) is otherwise part of the Pierce Brosnan timeline, Bond's face was re-imagined in that specific game.
- Brosnan's first wife, Cassandra, always told him that she would like to see him play Bond rather than just be an assistant on the films, but she died of cancer before this could become a reality. Brosnan accepted the role of James Bond as a tribute to her.
