31 replies to this topic

[Colossus]

I'd always assumed that he was just another regular MI6 agent and that's how awesome they ALL were, all were womanizers and loved the fine life because of that whole short life expectancy. But then i don't remember the movies but in some of them, they make some comments about 007 being their best, WHY? Don't all MI6 agents generally go after big fish like world domination? Like when he was trying to stop Dr. No i'm willing to bet another MI6 agent was also trying to stop something extraordinary happening in Africa or whatever. Or is Bond pretty much given the top of the top like 004 would be doing some routine thing and then say "Oh 007 is trying to stop WW3 in Japan, wow i wish i could be there! or maybe i'll just continue to pick the crust off my dong from the whore house near my boring station."

[Righty007]

All 00 agents are elite agents working on cases involving hazards to Her Majesty's Government but James Bond, 007, is the best, most likely due to the fact that he always seems to outlive his colleagues.

[DAN LIGHTER]

All 00 agents are elite agents working on cases involving hazards to Her Majesty's Government but James Bond, 007, is the best, most likely due to the fact that he always seems to outlive his colleagues.

True. Non of the other agents were good enough to have books written about them.

[00Twelve]

He didn't get to be labeled as the "top" 00 until the Broz era, if memory serves. And that was just 'cause he was an icon by then. Of course.

I rather like your thought, Colossus. Bond was always known as the senior 00 in the service, but that didn't mean the others were any less skilled or important. I miss M's threats of reassigning 008 to take Bond's missions (why Trevelyan was made 006 and not 008 I'll never know). And yeah, Fleming did mention that they were all generally womanizers, especially with married women; a detail nicely woven into CR '06. Wouldn't mind seeing a little glimpse of another 00 or two next time around.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

After being shot at so many times, attacked with weapons ranging from a poisoned shoe to a deadly bowler hat, been locked in a pool with sharks and stranded on an island surrounded by crocodiles...AND SURVIVED, it would be hard to deny you weren't the best at what you do!

[Judo chop]

He didn't get to be labeled as the "top" 00 until the Broz era, if memory serves.

Am I totally missing the question here?

As if we couldn't already infer that Bond was the best in DR. NO from his awesomeness alone, the SPECTRE gang explicitly talks about how MI6 will assign their "best agent, 007", to try to obtain the Lektor in FRWL. That very assumption is the key to getting their fiendish plot off the ground!

But if that's going too far back for your old, withered mind, 0012, I'm sure you can struggle to remember Dalton's Bond referred to as "The Best™" at the beginning of TLD, when he's setting up for the sniper shot (even if it is meant to be a snide remark).

How did that hit tune in '77 go again?

Somebody does it better?

Habib does it better?

Yo'mama does it better?

No. It's NOBODY does it better.

Bond has always been the best. Since continuity within the series has long been rendered irrelevant, and timelines are blown up and recreated on an almost film-to-film basis, there is no asking "when" Bond became the best. Whether explicitly stated, or inferred, he's ALWAYS been the best, safe to say.

But that doesn't mean that other 00 agents aren't also very, very good. Which I why I agree with 0012 that I...

Wouldn't mind seeing a little glimpse of another 00 or two next time around.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I'd always assumed that he was just another regular MI6 agent and that's how awesome they ALL were, all were womanizers and loved the fine life because of that whole short life expectancy. But then i don't remember the movies but in some of them, they make some comments about 007 being their best, WHY? Don't all MI6 agents generally go after big fish like world domination? Like when he was trying to stop Dr. No i'm willing to bet another MI6 agent was also trying to stop something extraordinary happening in Africa or whatever. Or is Bond pretty much given the top of the top like 004 would be doing some routine thing and then say "Oh 007 is trying to stop WW3 in Japan, wow i wish i could be there! or maybe i'll just continue to pick the crust off my dong from the whore house near my boring station."

But MI6 agents don't need to pay for it...they are the best...at everything, including picking up chics.

I always thought Bond became their finest agent during the latter end of Connery's career when he had proved himself...and since Roger was older than dirt I'd say he was pretty successful. But there were always other 00s with similair talents and training...but these films are about *James Bond*.

[Loomis]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

[Judo chop]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Awesome! Then Dench can reprise her line (more or less) in every film!

CR: “I knew it was too soon to promote you.”

QOS: “Welcome back, Bond. I hope, after all that, you’re finally ready.”

B23: “Dammit, I KNEW you weren’t ready!”

B24: “WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING PROMOTING YOU!”

And eventually, the notion will become so much another piece of Bond iconography that it won’t even have to be explicitly stated.

B25 “.”

[FlemingBond]

In DAF Tiffany Case says, "you just don't kill James Bond." Acting as if he's world famous.
In the Fleming novels, at least at the beginning, there were only 3 OO's, so that alone would make him pretty special.

[CasinoKiller]

Well actually, in the books, it was always assumed that Bond was among the best agents in the Service. In Casino Royale itself, Bond mentions how he quickly acquired a reputation of being a tough agent shortly after getting his Double O number (this reputation is one of the reasons WHY M assigns him to the Casino Royale job in the first place).

Whereas, in the films, during the Connery years, Bond is no doubt one of the best agents, but there is no mention made to his being THE best. I agree with an earlier poster that the notion of Bond being the best first came up in the Moore era, specifically I think in TSWLM where M explicitly refers to Bond as being his 'best man'.

I guess by that point, since Bond had single-handedly brought down the entire SPECTRE organisation (not to mention Goldfinger, Mr. Big, Scaramanga and whatever other baddies he'd rounded up prior to the events of Dr. No) he had earned that distinction

[Sark2.0]

In DAF Tiffany Case says, "you just don't kill James Bond." Acting as if he's world famous.
In the Fleming novels, at least at the beginning, there were only 3 OO's, so that alone would make him pretty special.

I prefer to forget that moment. It makes the Roadhouse conceit that someone could be famous for being a bouncer look realistic.

[David Schofield]

Hey, considering that most British agents of Bond's eras were either e, disillusioned, double agents or would-be defectors, it can't have taken much effort for Bond to become No.1, could it?

[Judo chop]

Quoting myself now.

the SPECTRE gang explicitly talks about how MI6 will assign their "best agent, 007", to try to obtain the Lektor in FRWL. That very assumption is the key to getting their fiendish plot off the ground!

For the record, this is what Blofeld actually says:

"Because the man the British will almost certainly use on a mission of this sort would be their agent James Bond."

So... saying he's the best agent for 'a mission of this sort' is not exactly the same as saying he's the best agent overall, but I think that's still the gist of it. When he says "a mission of this sort", he likely means "a mission of this importance". And obviously the highest priorty missions get assigned the best agents.

The earliest evidence that Bond is The Cream of the Double-Oh-Crop™ dates back to 1963.

[Joe Bond]

Quoting myself now.

the SPECTRE gang explicitly talks about how MI6 will assign their "best agent, 007", to try to obtain the Lektor in FRWL. That very assumption is the key to getting their fiendish plot off the ground!

For the record, this is what Blofeld actually says:

"Because the man the British will almost certainly use on a mission of this sort would be their agent James Bond."

So... saying he's the best agent for 'a mission of this sort' is not exactly the same as saying he's the best agent overall, but I think that's still the gist of it. When he says "a mission of this sort", he likely means "a mission of this importance". And obviously the highest priorty missions get assigned the best agents.

The earliest evidence that Bond is The Cream of the Double-Oh-Crop™ dates back to 1963.

I believe you got it right and FRWL is the first film where we sort of know indirectly the Bond is one of the better OO's or even the best from the line you mentioned.

[Tybre]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

Bond is quite clueless in FRWL too, before Grant pretty much sums up the plot for him.

[Bucky]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

Bond is quite clueless in FRWL too, before Grant pretty much sums up the plot for him.

I feel like in From Russia With Love Bond is ignorant while in Goldfinger he is just incompetent.

[DaveBond21]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

Bond is quite clueless in FRWL too, before Grant pretty much sums up the plot for him.

I feel like in From Russia With Love Bond is ignorant while in Goldfinger he is just incompetent.

Well, to be fair, in FRWL, Kerim Bey suggests to him that he should stay a few days and then go home. But Bond decides to stick it out.

[jaguar007]

To add to the list about Bond being the best references: The Living Daylights.

Bond: Why me?
Saunders: He's under the impression your the best.


Koskov:They will send their best man, James Bond

[DaveBond21]

I am assuming that at the moment, Daniel Craig's Bond is not yet the best agent at MI6, although he certainly is the most volatile.

However, we've already heard him described as the best card player in the service (in Casino Royale).

[Turn]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

As does Zorin in AVTAK:
Bond: "When I don't report, my department will retaliate."
Zorin: "If you're the best they've got, they're more likely to cover up your embarassing incompetence."

[Tybre]

So there we have it then! Bond is actually just a bumbler who, through sheer luck, manages to save the day enough times to make the less-informed public believe he's the best.

[Bucky]

in which movie is bond at his most competent? off the top of my head i would probably say thunderball or licence to kill

[00Twelve]

Quoting myself now.

the SPECTRE gang explicitly talks about how MI6 will assign their "best agent, 007", to try to obtain the Lektor in FRWL. That very assumption is the key to getting their fiendish plot off the ground!

For the record, this is what Blofeld actually says:

"Because the man the British will almost certainly use on a mission of this sort would be their agent James Bond."

So... saying he's the best agent for 'a mission of this sort' is not exactly the same as saying he's the best agent overall, but I think that's still the gist of it. When he says "a mission of this sort", he likely means "a mission of this importance". And obviously the highest priorty missions get assigned the best agents.

The earliest evidence that Bond is The Cream of the Double-Oh-Crop™ dates back to 1963.

I believe you got it right and FRWL is the first film where we sort of know indirectly the Bond is one of the better OO's or even the best from the line you mentioned.

Playing devil's advocate, "a mission of this sort" meant a seduction mission to me, not a generally important one. I don't necessarily think it's assumed that Bond's the best (I mean, he's obviously very good, he's our hero!), just the best target for SPECTRE at the time (and he's already in their sights since killing Dr. No).

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

GF at least negates the thought that there's no 00-agent that's on Bond's level at that point.

By the way, when I mentioned the Broz era, I meant that it was the first time that M admits it.

[Cruiserweight]

in which movie is bond at his most competent? off the top of my head i would probably say licence to kill

I would agree with LTK.

[JimmyBond]

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Turn the Bond series into the Police Academy series? I'd go for that

[Double-Oh Agent]

Quoting myself now.

the SPECTRE gang explicitly talks about how MI6 will assign their "best agent, 007", to try to obtain the Lektor in FRWL. That very assumption is the key to getting their fiendish plot off the ground!

For the record, this is what Blofeld actually says:

"Because the man the British will almost certainly use on a mission of this sort would be their agent James Bond."

So... saying he's the best agent for 'a mission of this sort' is not exactly the same as saying he's the best agent overall, but I think that's still the gist of it. When he says "a mission of this sort", he likely means "a mission of this importance". And obviously the highest priorty missions get assigned the best agents.

The earliest evidence that Bond is The Cream of the Double-Oh-Crop™ dates back to 1963.

I believe you got it right and FRWL is the first film where we sort of know indirectly the Bond is one of the better OO's or even the best from the line you mentioned.

Playing devil's advocate, "a mission of this sort" meant a seduction mission to me, not a generally important one. I don't necessarily think it's assumed that Bond's the best (I mean, he's obviously very good, he's our hero!), just the best target for SPECTRE at the time (and he's already in their sights since killing Dr. No).

It'd be quite amusing if Bond were actually the worst of the Double-Os.

Goldfinger certainly supports that theory.

GF at least negates the thought that there's no 00-agent that's on Bond's level at that point.

By the way, when I mentioned the Broz era, I meant that it was the first time that M admits it.

Actually, in The Spy Who Loved Me or Moonraker (off the top of my head I can't remember which) I believe M says over the phone something like "Yes, Minister, I'll get my best man on it at once." He then goes and asks Moneypenny where 007 is.

[Colossus]

Lotta good points here. Although not really a Bond movie the one that stars Connery's brother Operation Double 007 (1967), Bernard Lee plays an M like figure also and says "brother of our top agent" at one point, so even in other popculture like this he was seen as that. So i agree with the assessments it started early on unfortunately, even though i did like him as not really distinguishable from any other 00 agents which makes all of MI6 seem more grand. But in movie terms it does go along with the superhero aspect they like, i'm not familiar with the books too much (just read Moonraker). It kind of reminds me of Captain Kirk from Star Trek when later on they made him out to be the youngest Captain of the fleet.

In FRWL when SPECTRE knows they'll use James Bond for a "mission of this sort" i thought it might've had more to do with his looks to make the girl fall in love with him more plausible not for any other special qualities. And in GF like mentioned already he's obviously shown to be expendable by M and he states himself later.

[double o ego]

All 00 agents are elite agents working on cases involving hazards to Her Majesty's Government but James Bond, 007, is the best, most likely due to the fact that he always seems to outlive his colleagues.

That's it in a nut shell.

All 00s are elite agents. It's what separates them from standard operatives. However, in Bond's case, as much as M may hate to admit it to himself/her self much more so to Bond, 007 is the best agent they have. With regards to Dr.No. Strangways I'm sure was a double o agent but he as we all know ended up taking a dirt nap so Bond was then sent in to not only find out what happened to strangways but to continue the assignment he was working on.

In FRWL when SPECTRE knows they'll use James Bond for a "mission of this sort" i thought it might've had more to do with his looks to make the girl fall in love with him more plausible not for any other special qualities.

In the film, Bond's looks aren't key for him being chosen. Bond is chosen because he is the best and given the nature of what spectre's plan was, Bond was best suited for the job. Even if M didn't want to use Bond, Spectre would have ensured that Bond would be selected primarily because spectre wanted rvenge on Bond for killing Dr.No and his scheme. Tanya was the one who contacted Kerim and kerim was the one passing intel on to MI6. Tanya's instructions to kerim would have stated a mandate that Bond be used.