Who’s your vote for the next James Bond?

[Ruin Explorer]

I thought Pierce did great, but it was the writing that let him down.

That said, Bond is essentially sociopath. Its kind of required for the job isnt it?

Not really? Other James Bonds have shown that. Jason Bourne has shown that (Bourne is absolutely not a sociopath, indeed he practically has a panic attack about some of the stuff he has to do). Even the other JB, Jack Bauer isn't a sociopath (there's literally one season that ends with him weeping openly in his giant black SUV, and not tears of joy, because of the horrible stuff he's gone through).

Sociopath-as-spy is a particular and peculiar take, it's essential or inherent. Betraying and tricking people isn't inherently sociopathic or psychopathic. Feeling nothing at all about doing it, or enjoying it... that might be. Brosnan's Bond definitely really loved his job (until he got captured by the Koreans at least) in a way that other Bonds haven't always (particularly Moore and Dalton and actually Lazenby had some significant "regret" as part of their portrayal of Bond - hell as does Craig).

 

[payn]

Not really? Other James Bonds have shown that. Jason Bourne has shown that (Bourne is absolutely not a sociopath, indeed he practically has a panic attack about some of the stuff he has to do). Even the other JB, Jack Bauer isn't a sociopath (there's literally one season that ends with him weeping openly in his giant black SUV, and not tears of joy, because of the horrible stuff he's gone through).

Well, I think the point is Bond brand spy is sociopath spy. You mess with that formula at your own risk.

Sociopath-as-spy is a particular and peculiar take, it's essential or inherent. Betraying and tricking people isn't inherently sociopathic or psychopathic. Feeling nothing at all about doing it, or enjoying it... that might be. Brosnan's Bond definitely really loved his job (until he got captured by the Koreans at least) in a way that other Bonds haven't always (particularly Moore and Dalton and actually Lazenby had some significant "regret" as part of their portrayal of Bond - hell as does Craig).

I think you are indicating more psychopath. Sociopaths have feelings and guilt, but its not enough for them to stop their behaviors.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Well, I think the point is Bond brand spy is sociopath spy. You mess with that formula at your own risk.

So, Moore, Dalton, and Craig were "messing with the formula" huh? Ok.

 

[Ryujin]

Well, I think the point is Bond brand spy is sociopath spy. You mess with that formula at your own risk.

I think you are indicating more psychopath. Sociopaths have feelings and guilt, but its not enough for them to stop their behaviors.

I was about to say the same thing. Psychopaths don't feel the full range of emotions, or empathy, but are able to mimic them quite well in order to manipulate people. They tend to be coldly calculation, intelligent, and manipulative. Sociopaths are similar, but aren't as controlled or calculating as a psychopath. That's my layman's breakdown, anyway.

Bond might be a psychopath, but a sociopath would be someone more like Amos* from "The Expanse."

(*I've played two RPG characters like Amos, over the years. Both were based on the low Empathy score definition from Space Opera regarding someone who has no real empathic ability and might just be looking for a "personal god" to lead them. Amos fits the description almost perfectly.)

 

[payn]

So, Moore, Dalton, and Craig were "messing with the formula" huh? Ok.

Craig era Bond was a total sociopath.

 

[jian]

I thought Pierce did great, but it was the writing that let him down.

That said, Bond is essentially sociopath. Its kind of required for the job isnt it?

No, I really don’t think it is. I’d much prefer a Bond with morals and ethics.

Heck, I’ve talked so much about what I do and don’t want so I might as well put out my own pitch for Next Bond.

Title: On His Majesty’s Secret Service (hey, it’s not technically the same title as the previous; I do think you need to use a Bond title to make a reboot work, but it should be where the previous version wasn’t very good).

Actor: Rege-Jean Page.

Act 1: Commander James Bond is a decorated naval officer who has served in several combat deployments such as Operation Shader (joint actions against ISIL in the Gulf). Most recently, he has served in the Special Boat Service, the Royal Navy’s special forces unit. After his unit is ordered to engage what he is told are terrorists on an oil tanker off the Isle of Wight, but who turn out to be Nigerian asylum seekers. Bond refuses to shoot and kill; after the incident is covered up, he resigns his commission in guilt and disgust.

Act 2: A few years later, Bond is reluctantly recruited into the Special Intelligence Service, the UK’s external intelligence agency. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t see how my skills and experience contribute to His Majesty’s Secret Service”. His new boss, codenamed M, persuades him with arguments about duty and the need for a moral decision-maker when things go south. Bond goes undercover in Switzerland along with actual SIS intelligence officer Eve Moneypenny to investigate Teresa di Vincenzo and Balthasar Bleuville, wellness influencers who have been curing people of their allergic conditions.

Act 3: After a certain amount of skiing, sneaking, and shooting, Bleuville and di Vincenzo turn out to be FSB agents planning to release biological agents that will kill crops and livestock across Europe, crippling EU economies and making EU countries more vulnerable to Russian influence and invasion. It turns out that Bond is actually quite good at subterfuge, but he’s even better at blowing things up; while he and di Vincenzo fall in love, she doesn’t betray her side and survives to Catwoman another day. Bleuville is inevitably scarred in an explosion but also survives. Moneypenny and Bond destroy the viruses and foil the plot.

Epilogue: Moneypenny returns to London and recommends to M that Bond be retained as part of reactivating the Double Zero program, a select group of SIS agents to be deployed in the most dangerous situations, with her as his handler. M opens the old Double Zero files and remarks that Bond would be the seventh such agent; the file contains photos of the previous six, portrayed by Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig.

Bleuville, now using the name Blofeld, reports to his superiors that a more flexible approach is needed to undermine the EU in future; he unveils a plan for an international cell-based organisation codenamed SPECTRE.

 

[payn]

No, I really don’t think it is. I’d much prefer a Bond with morals and ethics.

Heck, I’ve talked so much about what I do and don’t want so I might as well put out my own pitch for Next Bond.

Title: On His Majesty’s Secret Service (hey, it’s not technically the same title as the previous; I do think you need to use a Bond title to make a reboot work, but it should be where the previous version wasn’t very good).

Actor: Rege-Jean Page.

Act 1: Commander James Bond is a decorated naval officer who has served in several combat deployments such as Operation Shader (joint actions against ISIL in the Gulf). Most recently, he has served in the Special Boat Service, the Royal Navy’s special forces unit. After his unit is ordered to engage what he is told are terrorists on an oil tanker off the Isle of Wight, but who turn out to be Nigerian asylum seekers. Bond refuses to shoot and kill; after the incident is covered up, he resigns his commission in guilt and disgust.

Act 2: A few years later, Bond is reluctantly recruited into the Special Intelligence Service, the UK’s external intelligence agency. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t see how my skills and experience contribute to His Majesty’s Secret Service”. His new boss, codenamed M, persuades him with arguments about duty and the need for a moral decision-maker when things go south. Bond goes undercover in Switzerland along with actual SIS intelligence officer Eve Moneypenny to investigate Teresa di Vincenzo and Balthasar Bleuville, wellness influencers who have been curing people of their allergic conditions.

Act 3: After a certain amount of skiing, sneaking, and shooting, Bleuville and di Vincenzo turn out to be FSB agents planning to release biological agents that will kill crops and livestock across Europe, crippling EU economies and making EU countries more vulnerable to Russian influence and invasion. It turns out that Bond is actually quite good at subterfuge, but he’s even better at blowing things up; while he and di Vincenzo fall in love, she doesn’t betray her side and survives to Catwoman another day. Bleuville is inevitably scarred in an explosion but also survives. Moneypenny and Bond destroy the viruses and foil the plot.

Epilogue: Moneypenny returns to London and recommends to M that Bond be retained as part of reactivating the Double Zero program, a select group of SIS agents to be deployed in the most dangerous situations, with her as his handler. M opens the old Double Zero files and remarks that Bond would be the seventh such agent; the file contains photos of the previous six, portrayed by Connery, Lazenby, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, and Craig.

Bleuville, now using the name Blofeld, reports to his superiors that a more flexible approach is needed to undermine the EU in future; he unveils a plan for an international cell-based organisation codenamed SPECTRE.

Sounds too American, too Reacher, but it could work.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Craig era Bond was a total sociopath.

No?

I mean, this is what sociopath means: Antisocial personality disorder - Wikipedia

If you're using it some other way, that's slang, and you need to explain precisely and exactly what you mean by it. Someone with ASPD would not be likely to be an effective spy in the longer-term, nor able to keep it together as well as Bond does.

 

[jian]

Sounds too American, too Reacher, but it could work.

How is a Royal Navy officer and SBS commando who refuses to fire on asylum seekers more American than English?

 

[payn]

No?

I mean, this is what sociopath means: Antisocial personality disorder - Wikipedia

If you're using it some other way, that's slang, and you need to explain precisely and exactly what you mean by it. Someone with ASPD would not be likely to be an effective spy in the longer-term, nor able to keep it together as well as Bond does.

Yeap, read it all before. Not once did it not sound like Bond to me. I mean, even his handlers know he is problematic, but thats the thing about sociopaths, they can useful. Best part is, if they dont come back from the assignment you barely feel bad about it.