#lyutsifer safin & mathilde swann

[chieftyphoonchaos]

I never forgot your eyes,there in your beautiful garden before Safin...

...they needed me.

It is a shock to see them so many years later,

They still need me !!! ❤️

Mathilde...❤️

Hello dear, it's been a long time

Let's have tea to celebrate our reunion. ❤️

[safinsscars]

[swannbond]

FILE :// 1655428_007_MSB....ACCESSING....LEVEL 7 ACCESS GRANTED

Mathilde was born to Dr. Madeleine Swann in London on a rainy September day, beautiful and healthy and looking so much like her father. She was raised by her mother in a comfortable townhouse in London, enjoying the best education and all her mother's unconditional love. From a young age, Mathilde was aware that her father wasn't in her life and she asked her mother question upon question about him. Realising that secrets and lies would only hurt her daughter more than the truth, Madeleine told her the truth as best she could. And so Madeleine grew up believing her father to be dead.

Until one day when she was five years old, while on a trip to her mother's house in Norway, Mathilde saw her father for the first time, very much alive. Despite the whirlwind of confusion and fear in Mathilde's five year-old mind, she instantly felt a strong connection to this strange but so familiar man. And she promised herself she would never let anyone take her father away from her again.

However, this time, it was Mathilde who was taken. When Lyutsifer Safin kidnapped her, she tried to stay as strong and fearless as she knew her parents would be. Because there was no doubt in her mind that they would come for her.

And they did. Reunited with her parents once again, Mathilde was desperate to escape from Safin and that godforsaken island. She vividly remembers stepping into that boat and watching her father return inside the facility. She could feel the fear in her mother and Mathilde asked for her father, over and over again. Once at a safe distance, Mathilde searched the horizon for her father's boat. What happened next is still a blur in her memory.

She remembers hearing the rockets approach, the deafening explosions as the island was hit. She remembers screaming for her father. Helicopters arrived, agents sweeping her off her feet, her mother crying. And once again, Mathilde believed her father to be dead, and this time the image was burned into her mind.

The face of Lyutsifer Safin haunted Mathilde's nightmares for years to come, leaving her drenched in cold sweat and screaming her father's name in the middle of the night. Madeleine did her best to help her daughter, but the trauma of Safin's island never went away.

It wasn't until Mathilde was twelve years old that the awful, heartbreaking truth emerged from the shadows: James Bond wasn't dead. He had been infected with a modified version of Heracles, the nanotechnology that could kill with a single touch. Modified so that it would kill only Mathilde and Madeleine. Bond had survived the explosions, escaping the island just in time, and then chosen to go into voluntary isolation in a blacksite of MI6 until a way to disarm the nanotechnology could be found. It had taken seven years, but finally Q Branch had found a way to filter Heracles from Bond's blood.

But the trauma of the events on Safin's island and the years spent trying to process it all had taken a toll on Mathilde. She refused to see or speak to James for four more years, angry about the lies and the pain they made her suffer through. The first time Mathilde ever spoke to her father again was on her 16th birthday, when she told him he needed to sign off on her joining the Royal Navy if he ever wanted her back in his life again. And so he did.

Mathilde spent six years in the Royal Navy, earning a name for herself at a rapid pace: authority issues, impulsiveness, undying loyalty and a slight penchant for self-sacrifice. She showed extreme promise, excelling at almost every task given to her and eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

When the time came to sign on for four more years, Mathilde was approached by MI6, who had been keeping an eye on the Bond legacy for a long time. While Mathilde's goal had always been to outrank her father, she decided that in the end, joining MI6 was inevitable for her so why delay the process? She left the Navy and joined MI6 as an agent in training.

By this time, Mathilde's relationship with her father, despite being rocky at first, had improved greatly. He'd been offered the position of M a few years after being cured of the Heracles infection and had been running the department ever since. He supported her decision to join MI6, unlike Madeleine, and made sure to meddle in her training as little as possible, knowing that she was determined to succeed on her own strength instead of on her father's legacy.

And yet again, Mathilde proved herself beyond capable. Excelling at training, and causing trouble wherever she went, it was obvious from the start that the Bond legacy would continue with her. She began to specialise in honeypot missions, skillfully extracting information, assets and materials from targets through deception, seduction and a hint of intimidation. When she was 29, she was given her first kill mission: to kill a double agent in Moscow who was about to hand over top secret documents to the Kremlin. Despite an initial hiccup, she performed masterfully. Two years later, the second assassination followed: a SPECTRE infiltrator who had recently gotten engaged to a powerful politician within the EU. After completing this mission, Mathilde was officially given double-oh status and given her father's , infamous code number, 007, at her request. And thus breaking her father's record of youngest double-oh in MI6 history.

For two years now, Mathilde has been working as a double-oh, trying to leave her own mark on MI6 history while struggling with the weight of her father's legacy and her own past.

[cheenault]

[swannscroft]

I ONCE BELIEVED LOVE WOULD BE BURNING RED, BUT IT'S GOLDEN

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

“No Time to Die” review:

Short answer:

It was a fitting end to Daniel Craig’s era of James Bond, even with its shortcomings. 8/10. 

For the more detailed answer

What I liked:

1) While Madeleine Swann didn’t really stand out in “Spectre”, she definitely got her moment to shine in “No Time to Die”. At this point, she’s definitely the modern Tracy Bond and I’m fine with that. 

2) All the throwbacks to the classic Bond movies. Even though this is still the dark, gritty, modern Bond, this was also the closest the Craig movies have gotten to replicating the campy, classic Bond flicks. You have a secret island lair for the main villain, a plot to destroy the world, and supervillains with weird gimmicks (the eyeball guy). 

3) I actually liked Bond being a dad. It’s a logical plot development given how promiscuous Bond is and how he and Madeleine were madly in love.

4) Bond dying made sense for the story. Since a point was made about how 00 agents tend to have a short lifespan, it makes sense that at some point, Bond’s luck just simply ran out. It’s tough to accept since this is James Bond we’re talking about, but it makes sense within the context of the story.  

5) Out of the five Daniel Craig movies, I’ll say that this is the one where Craig’s performance really shines through. I think it’s because the material here is a lot more emotional, especially since this is Craig’s last outing as Bond. It definitely feels like the script was written with that in mind, as if the creators wanted Craig to really stretch his acting muscles out for this part one last time. 

6) Ana de Armas’ role was short, but fun. That’s all. 

7) Fight scenes were great, especially the staircase scene. 

What I’m mixed about:

1) Nomi was fine...as a side character. If she’s supposed to be the new 007, then I don’t think the movie did a good job setting her up as Bond’s successor. She spends most of the time whining about Bond and being petty. Then there’s the fact that there wasn’t a clear “passing of the torch” moment and that she gave James his 007 number back. So for now, I’m choosing to believe that Nomi isn’t the new 007 because if she is, then the movie failed in setting that plot point up. 

2) Q was cool, but underused. But it’s nice that it was confirmed he was LGBT and that the movie didn’t make a big deal out of it. Continuing with this point, Moneypenny and M were also pretty underused.

3) The plot was easy to follow, but there were definitely moments that left me scratching my head. My biggest gripe about the plot would have to be the jumps in what the villain plot was at the moment. At first, it’s Blofeld being petty. Then, it’s Safin being petty. Then, it’s Safin wanting to blow up the world because...why? The plot was fine overall, but there were still a few clunky sections.  

4) Billie Eilish’s Bond theme, which I heard for the first time in theaters. It’s definitely better than Sam Smith’s song but it’s not a “You Know My Name” or “Skyfall”. So...average Bond theme. 

What I didn’t like:

1) Rami Malek did great as Lyutsifer Safin but the character himself was...confusing? I feel like the creators weren’t sure what to do with Safin, so they just gave him all the possible villain motivations they could think of. He wants vengeance because of childhood trauma, he’s written to be James Bond’s dark mirror, and he wants to blow up the world just because he can. Like, it’s bad when I’m watching the movie and, instead of feeling threatened by the villain, I’m questioning why he’s acting this way. 

2) Since this is supposed to be Craig’s last outing, it feels wrong that the main villain wasn’t Blofeld. And yes, I know that Blofeld is in the movie, but he’s only the main threat for the first half. Given that I wasn’t a huge fan of how Safin was written, I feel like the creators should’ve just made Blofeld the main threat. There was literally no need for Safin, especially since Safin doesn’t have enough of a connection to Bond to make him a satisfying final rival. 

3) Safin kidnapped the daughter, made a big deal about how he could kill her and everything...then he just lets her go. And for no reason either, he didn’t have a trap or anything set up. So...why let the girl go? 

[teamcivilian]

Fear and Desire — Chapter 03

Fandom: James Bond

Rating: M

Warnings: Non-con in Ch01 and to a briefer extent in Ch03, graphic depictions of violence in Ch02 and Ch03, and major character death.

Summary: "If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?" — Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men)

[Ch01] [Ch02] [Ch03] [Ao3 Link]

This was originally going to be four chapters but I said, three is enough. It's been a hot minute since I saw NTtD and I tried to elaborate a bit on Safin's motives, since canon couldn't be bothered. — Dorminchu

03: RUINER

Growing up, Safin was always a smaller, sickly boy compared to his siblings. That was why his father had been so eager to share his knowledge of the garden. 

By the time he had awoken from the coma his body had betrayed him. Now every day was a fight to regain what had been stolen from him, travelling in and out of hospital. A dozen surgeries and therapeutic sessions. Physical therapy and medications. Access to his father's inheritance ensured he would have a fresh set of organs and whatever else he required. The nurses and doctors and psychotherapists all remarked on what a polite and reserved young man he was in the face of the awful tragedy that had befallen his family. How strong he was to persevere through all of that.

In-between operations and recuperations Safin had plenty of time to ruminate. To lament what had happened to him for the rest of his life would be futile. Instead of grief there was only hatred disguised as emptiness. Under threats of incarceration he had expressed his absence of feeling and been told it was no aberration. Grief took a lot of time to process. He had every right to be angry about his condition. Never illness.

Though his family had been slaughtered and the garden razed, many of the books remained intact. Over the next decade and a half, and with time and care, he was able to eliminate most traces of the dioxins from his body in ways most modern medicine could not. He could do little about his skin pitted over.

By the time he was eighteen he had established contacts with the same men his father had worked for and learnt the name of his family's killer. Over the course of his recovery he was able to whittle down his desire for vengeance from the absurd and theatrical into something more sensible.

Alone, he would raze those who had seen fit to ruin the lives of his family, and from there begin reinventing a new life for himself from the ashes. It began with Mr. White and ended with Madeleine Swann. A girl born from wealth, brought up in the shadow of her father's work and a dying, feckless mother. He looked down into the surface of the lake, into the black abyss, and saw his sister. He reached into that lake and withdrew an innocent child from death. He ensured she would survive in time for her father's return.

For the next eighteen years he was her silent confidant. He knew of her name and all of her pseudonyms. Passing details delivered by his loyal subordinates. Her interest in mental health and non-profit work for charity. Her lack of luck in friends and poorer taste in men. At any time, he could have ended her as her father had ended his entire family. When Mr. White was found with a bullet in his head in Altaussee. When Swann came into contact with SPECTRE's worst nightmare 007. When Blofeld was thrown in prison, and when Bond abandoned her for good in Matera.

Yet Safin did not intervene. Why should he enable the success of that syndicate which had taken everything from him? Despite her abhorrence of her father's methods she had accepted White's money and his protection. She attached herself just as naturally to 007. She was cunning enough to spite her own fear. And nine months after the incident in Matera she bore a child.

Only then did Safin begin to put together a procedure for her retrieval. She would need protection and MI6 could only offer a surface-level guarantee. So for the next four years as he amassed his resources he was also keeping an eye on Madeleine Swann and her infant.

When they met for the second time in her office, five years later, he was curious. Would she recognize him now? Did she pause because of his inflammatory words or some part of her mind that recoiled in unwilling recognition?

The same part slowly giving way from disbelief into understanding on some subconscious level. It was not clear until she grasped the memory box in her hands. The horror he had grasped in the eyes of the adolescent giving way to despair. To look at his face and know there were no outs, no bargaining chips.

Two days had passed since their initial arrival onto his base. In between consultations with Obruchev and the other bioengineers, Safin noticed the blank walls. The soldiers around every corner were necessary but a proper refurbishment was overdue.

Military intelligence anticipated that the MI6 agents 007 and 008 would arrive within the next twenty-four hours. Not enough time to intercept the release of Heracles into the atmosphere. There were enough forces on the ground and around the island to alert him to any further interceptions. Better yet to lower the guard around the subterranean complex and let MI6 come directly to him. After Bond was dealt with there would be time to create an environment more befitting of home.

For now his new guests must be kept comfortable.

That morning, Madeleine would not come out of her cell for breakfast. When Primo opened the door she was still laying in the bed provided, feigning sleep. Dressed in her own clothes from the day before.

Safin said, Playing dead won't help you.

The stillness to her body suggested childlike stubbornness. But there was nothing she could do to harm herself within her cell. The room had been checked before her arrival.

He said, Mathilde has asked me about you. Did you know that?

No response.

I would like you to accompany me for breakfast. You may go willingly, or I will have you dragged like a prisoner. Which will it be?

She finally raised her head. An ugly, violent emotion kept behind her eyes.

There is a change of clothes for you. He motioned over to the chest. You will dress first. Everything you will need is here.

She did not move. I'd like some privacy.

Safin said nothing.

The realization passed over her with a slight shudder. She averted her face. She got up and went over to the chest and opened it. She slipped out of her blouse with trembling hands but kept on her camisole.

Undress, please.

A sharp flinch of her shoulders that she disguised as reaching for a plain taupe dress that would come down to her ankles. Matching blouse and cardigan covered her wrists. If she were looking she would catch his cold, empty smile. She had nothing to fear from him.

As she redressed she did not look at him. She stood with her chin down. He walked over to her. Without anger she was a much simpler creature. A beautiful, fragile thing just as easily snapped in half. In a perfect world he would have plenty of time to correct her more clandestine tendencies.

He said, Now, I'm sure you feel better.

Madeleine said nothing. She was looking past him. Safin nodded to Primo.

In a little while the two of them were attending a quiet breakfast while Primo remained as wordless vigil. The female aide who brought the tray of tea caught Safin's attention.

Klava, he said, switching to Russian, a moment please.

The aide stiffened at the gesture. He brushed her sleeve aside and brandished her hand revealing a row of smaller teeth-marks that were not enough to pierce the skin. How did this happen?

Her stupid little shit, she hissed, wrenching her hand away. That's the last time I bring her food.

Madeleine grasped her own teacup tightly. She was watching them now, very closely.

Safin said, I think she would not retaliate without good reason.

Every time, she asks for her mother. I don't see why you insist on keeping them separate from each other. The aide glared at Madeleine.

Your orders were to make sure the girl was fed and rested. Not push that responsibility onto our guest.

Your guests, the aide said through her teeth, who will not eat or drink anything I offer them because they suspect it must be poison.

Madeleine's jaw was very tight.

I assumed you would be skilled enough to negotiate, Safin said. Perhaps I was mistaken. If you would prefer instead to work down in the garden, I will notify your team immediately.

Klava's face was very pale. No, of course not.

Very good. You may leave us.

Then he looked at Madeleine. If you wish to know, Mathilde is safe. The girl does not cry much. But she is listless. She misses you dearly. I see no reason to separate you indefinitely, as long as you remain obedient.

She wouldn't bite someone out of malice, Madeleine spat.

Safin allowed her a small smile.

Of course not. She is usually so well-behaved.

Listen to me, right now. I will do whatever you ask. But you will not involve her in this sick little game. If you ever think of harming her, or allowing harm to come to her—

—in what way have I harmed either of you?

Her eyes flashed.

I have given you a room to sleep where you will not be threatened or disturbed. I have provided your daughter similar accommodations. If I wanted to hurt you—he glanced at Primo with the barest of nods that went unreciprocated—there are much simpler ways to do so. He looked at Madeleine. You are the only woman on this base. 

Her jaw clenched. Each meeting would be the same as the first. Safin waved his hand.

If you still think I have harmed you, in any way, please speak. Whenever we are alone I will only ask for your honesty. 

Her grasp on the teacup was uneven. She had curled her fingers into a fist, white-knuckled. He reached across the table to take her wrist and she shrank back, displacing a little liquid onto the saucer. His mouth twisted.

Madeleine, there is no need to be nervous. We are having a civil discussion.

She looked him in the eyes and said, I am doing this for Mathilde. No one else.

Of course. You need not justify yourself to me. He said, But if you are still concerned, I will entrust you the responsibility of caring for Mathilde. In return you will remain here on the island.

Madeleine's facade of calm rippled. What are you saying?

I cannot send you back into a world that would just as soon devour the daughter of SPECTRE. You will be safer here with your daughter. Does this not suit you?

The same dangerous softness without a smile. One misplaced word was all it took. She swallowed dryly.

Yes, it—it suits me.

Safin nodded. Have some tea.

Madeleine glanced at the mess she'd made but did not move.

You saw Klava serve us both. I gain nothing from poisoning you.

She took a sip but her eyes shone with contempt. She said, For what purpose are you keeping me alive?

I knew that someday you would grow into my enemy. You have been living in the shadow of your father for so long, yet you forget you are still his daughter. When you offered yourself for the sake of Mathilde it was your choice. The first, selfless act you have ever wrought, and now you will live by it.

That's not what I asked.

Madeleine, we have each lost so much. We understand one other so naturally that there is no reason for me to eliminate you. As the daughter of SPECTRE, it would be a greater cruelty to leave you to fend for yourself. What I am offering is far more merciful.

You are confusing obsession for mercy.

He faltered. A wheezing scoff shook his frame and betrayed the frail body beneath the kimono.

I assured you that I would never let anything happen to Mathilde, he said. But when our business with MI6 is finished, if you truly wish to leave this place, I will hand over the girl to your lover. There are many who would pay good money to claim ownership over Bond's woman.

Now she was forcing herself to remain very still. Her face must be blank. Placid. An arrogant tilt of the chin or callous remark would be easier to stomach than his lack of sentiment. Without that tenuous thread of human connection all her sacrifices were for nothing. The sooner she understood this truth the easier her life would be.

Of course, he said, it doesn't have to be this way. You can start over. Repent for the sins of your family. He gestured to the vial tucked away against his breast. If you wish it, I will make sure no one else can touch you.

After breakfast he dismissed Madeleine to her room and ordered Primo to accompany him to visit Mathilde. She was sitting on the bed meant for an adult, clutching the stuffed rabbit to her. When the door opened she looked over sharply.

Mathilde, I would like to talk to you. Is that all right?

No response.

You are more comfortable with French? He switched. Your mother and I were just talking about you.

Mathilde said nothing, though she was looking at him closely. She had her mother's hair. The same nose. Safin approached slowly and she did not decry his actions. She was looking over at Primo. Her wide blue eyes a shade darker than her mother's.

He indicated the opposite corner of the bed and asked, May I sit here?

She glanced over at the stuffed rabbit. Clutching it tightly, she nodded.

I heard about what happened this morning, with Klava. I understand you miss your mother. But you cannot behave like this in my home.

She was a bad lady.

Bad? What did she do?

Mathilde's brow creased. She was saying mean things about maman. And me.

Hardy, like her mother. But she would need a little coaching.

I'm sorry, Mathilde. I didn't know. If you would rather see your mother from now on, that can be arranged. But you must behave yourself. Can you promise that much?

Mathilde was looking at him closely. To settle her nerves, Safin gestured to the stuffed animal. What is his name?

Doudou.

I see. That's a nice name.

Mathilde said, Why are you talking to me?

You are my guest. I want to know how you are feeling.

You only care about maman.

That isn't true. You are important to her, and so you are important to me.

Mathilde looked away from him, at her only friend. Deep in thought. You know my maman?

We met a long time ago. When she was a child I saved her life. Over the years I came to care for her.

Why do you care about her if she doesn't like you?

Safin stopped. Mathilde was looking at him, unbiased and frank. Unlike her mother she had not yet learned to hate. He chuckled.

Well, sometimes you care for someone, even when they do not understand why. It doesn't matter if they understand. You care for them all the same.

He touched her head as if to tousle her hair. She tensed immediately, and he removed his hand. Are you feeling well?

It's cold.

It's no good for you to be stuck in a room by yourself. I would like you to accompany me for a walk. Remember? We walked around the garden together.

He offered his hand. She did not take it. I want to see maman.

You will see her after we walk. You have my word. OK?

They rounded the circumference of the garden two times and did not speak. Mathilde kept Doudou under her arm.

Mathilde looked him up and down. Still tense. I'm not supposed to talk to you.

Safin knelt down so they were on the same level.

Your mother is going to be all right. Right now she needs a little time to think. I know that I said you will see her. But she needs to be alone. Have you ever felt like that?

Mathilde didn't speak. She looked steadily at Primo and walked up to him and offered Doudou. Give him to maman. So she's safe.

Primo blinked slowly. He took the stuffed animal and nodded.

Safin caught Primo's eye. Return her to the room afterwards. She will see her mother another time.

Madeleine had been sitting, thinking. When the staff spoke in front of her at all it was always in Russian. They would always avoid eye contact. The thin man with glasses looked over and expressed his condolences for the boss's woman. Primo was the only one who acknowledged her with a look.

Every one of them complicit in their leader's scheme.

Left on the verge of tears that wouldn't come. Until he was away from her family once and for all there would be no end. She could not fold.

The moment she saw her own face it would be her father staring back at her. Or her mother.

Primo opened the door, walked in, set Doudou on the armoire. The kid came up to me and insisted that you have this.

Madeleine looked up. The muscles in her face fighting a losing battle for indifference. Her composure finally broke into a light sob. Primo turned away, ready to leave.

You don't have to do this, she said thickly. You see this plan he has, the lack of one. How can you stand there and let him get away with it?

I have my orders. As do you. See to it you don't give him a reason to reconsider his mercy.

Madeleine sneered. This is not mercy. It is senseless.

What he could not communicate in words. Two souls entrapped in the same circumstance. 

He's sick, said Madeleine. And he isn't getting better. That is why he feels he must eradicate all of these people, isn't it?

Primo said nothing.

He has probably been sick for some time, I think. All the medicine in the world can't stop the inevitable. Your boss is no better than any of these heartless men and women he has slaughtered in the name of progress. Whatever ideology he wants to paint it as. If he succeeds, what else is left to conquer?

Primo said, I'll collect you when he calls for you.

Madeleine walked over to the armoire. She clutched the rabbit to her own body and wept into its soft fur.

Then stopped. Groped the seam along Doudour’s head until she found the foreign outline under soft fabric. There was a slit no bigger than an inch. Reaching in, she experienced a stab of pain along the pad of her finger. Drawing out a shard of china spanning the length of her palm to her ring finger.

Madeleine wiped her bloodied hand on the sheets. She stared at the shard for a long time. She used it to tear a strip from the sheet and bind her hand.

Each time Madeleine left the cell she paid close attention to her surroundings. In the garden, the steel gate was closed. Mathilde was nowhere to be seen. It was just Safin and Primo and a handful of soldiers in the garden, around the perimeter.

Where is Mathilde?

She was not feeling well, Safin said. Primo told me she hasn't been sleeping regularly. I offered to give her some tea but she refused. So we will let her sleep for a time.

Madeleine looked at Primo who gave her the slightest incline of the head.

Then Safin was right in front of her.

What happened to your hand?

I cut myself.

Safin took her hand in his, meticulous. His brow furrowed. How did you manage this?

I wasn't thinking. I dropped one of your plates and cut myself cleaning it up.

Safin looked at her closely. Why were you cleaning? That is for the help to do.

I thought it would be right. I did not intend to offend you, or your help.

Primo was coming up behind them.

Safin understood what was happening a second too late. Primo was the larger man and he grabbed Safin by the back of the collar, pinned his arms behind him with little effort.

Madeleine looked at Safin. His teeth bared. In her other hand she gripped the shard of china so tightly she'd drawn blood. He opened his mouth to speak.

She slashed at his naked throat in one jagged movement. Blood spattered down her chest and forearm. His mouth opened but all that came out was a congested gurgle. Madeleine shut her eyes.

For some reason the soldiers were not rushing to eliminate them.

Primo let him fall limp to the ground. Madeleine did not look.

These men answer to me, said Primo. Safin gave me that authority. I instructed the to give Mathilde a light sedative. Right now she is only sleeping. She will wake up in an hour or two none the wiser to this.

Just then, Bond and the other 007 rounded the corner. Madeleine looked at them and they looked at her and the woman said softly, Shit.

Madeleine, said Bond, but she was already with Primo.

It's over, said Madeleine.

Not yet. We have to shut this down. 008, with me.

Nomi glanced at Madeleine once before joining Bond up the stairs into the heart of the facility.

Hours later, when the island was disarmed and they were all on a helicopter back to Europe, Mathilde was sleeping in her mother's arms.

[honestmysteries]

He’s pretty. He’s so pretty. Why is he so pretty? 😍🥰🤤😈

[kanhatomame]

Safin and Mathilde scene (actually I’m not sure how the rabbit mascot was… is wearing clothes??)

[laniidae-passerine]

I made a post a few days ago about the idea that the NTTD villain, Safin, could have perhaps had a storyline that was based upon the Greek mythological tale of Medea and because I am insane and also avoiding work, I've decided to deep dive into that concept and try express it a little bit more coherently. This will be stupid long because I overthink and also I really really don't want to do work. Let's go!

TW: mention of death/murder of a child, plus general horrible villain actions like murder

There are going to be three parts to this and the third will likely contain multiple subheadings, so strap in for the wild ride that is me gripping onto a fleeting thought like a small dog with a chew toy, refusing to let go of it despite all reason.

1. Medea

Before I start talking about anything else, I think discussing who Medea was is probably the best move.

Medea was a figure who featured in multiple Greek storytellers' work, most notably that of Euripides where the most common version of her life is written down. Explaining her whole gig would take a very long time so I'm not going to do that but I am going to pick out the most relevant bullet points.

Medea was a high priestess and princess, and was arguably a divine being - literally, due to her blood connection to the Sun God, Helios

She was often depicted as a sorceress and proficient in magic

Jason, of the Argonauts fame, came to her family in order to take the Golden Fleece (which he needed to claim his throne from his uncle) and had to complete quests to do so

Falling madly in love with Jason, Medea promised to help him in any way she could, knowing her father would make the tasks impossible and that Jason would not survive without help

One of these ways was the brutal murder of her own kin (specifically her brother)

In exchange, Jason promised to be with her, amazed by her loyalty and also perhaps a little terrified by her violent capabilities

Escaping together, he kept his promise and they had two children together

Their romantic bliss did not last long though

Jason tactically chose to marry the Princess of Crete, abandoning Medea and breaking his vow to be hers forever

This drove Medea to violence of the most epic kind

First, she feigned happiness for the couple and presented the Princess with a dress and/or a crown

It was steeped in poison, which killed the young woman and in some versions was also cursed, setting her alight along with her father when he tried to rescue her

Then, for motive which ranges from desire to do Jason the most harm / a form of proxy suicide / knowledge that they would be enslaved due to her crimes, Medea murdered her two sons

This act struck her with grief and drove her even madder, but in her eyes was worth it for punishing Jason (and possibly to save her children from slavery)

She then fled in a golden chariot of light owned by her grandfather Helios, and took the bodies with her, so her ex-lover could not even gain the closure of burying their children

That's everything that's relevant about Medea's story which leads me to part two-

2. Safin

Now I have to coherently connect Medea's story to a Bond villain which. You ever just look at what you're doing and go, "wow, I've actually lost it"? Currently doing that but whatever, I'm right.

Here are all the parts of NTTD lore that I think are necessary for Safin to stay approximately the same kind of person, even if I want to edify his backstory and motives.

Poison was the family trade and a skill that he has picked up and cultivated into adulthood

He lost his family at some point before he was an adult and the incident in which this occurred was horrifying

His mother made some kind of sacrifice to keep him alive

He is obsessed with and is, or believes himself to be, in love with Madeleine

They have met before the plot of NTTD

She knows what he is capable of and fears that

He sees James Bond as an obstacle, one familiar but subpar to him

Mathilde is important to him to a certain degree, but lesser than the ideal of keeping Madeleine

I think there are clear connections that can be drawn from this list and the story of Medea and while there are also multiple differences, it is very possible to change his (and Madeleine's) history to create a villain with a story influenced by her.

3. Rewrite

Before I do this, I want to say that I actually really liked NTTD. The acting was amazing, the majority of the plot was great and the directing was superb. The first ten minutes, especially the flashback scene, were some of the best film I've seen in ages. I'm just obsessed with the concept of villains and their motivation, which I felt wasn't explored enough in the film, but I would 100% say that the film was a great viewing experience.

Anyway, back to me getting ridiculously invested in Greek mythology and Bond villains.

Pre-NTTD

A few things need to occur before the movie for a NTTD adjacent plot to happen and these are

His family is poisoned

His mother sacrifices herself for him

He kills Madeleine's mother

He meets Madeleine

He becomes consumed with thoughts of her

She learns to fear him

She escapes him

In order to fit the Medea myth, shuffling the occurrence of these events around will be necessary and some minor character changes. Ultimately, this is the overall idea I have for what his backstory could look like, although I may change my mind.

First, I'm changing their ages. Do your best, but you're never convincing me Rami Malek is over a decade older than Lea Seydoux. They're both movie stars so they already look younger than their real ages but not even the sorcery of a great make-up department can convince me that man is, what, like twelve years older than her? So this time around Madeleine is thirteen, he's fifteen - similar to their real age gap. Also makes him less of a nonce which is important. I'm willing to root for freaks and murderers but like hell I'm extending an inch of sympathy to a creep

They meet at some kind of Spectre event - if they can have dinners together, I'm sure their children can associate in vague terms

He grows enamoured with her, willing to do anything and everything for her and a distanced but obsessive kinship begins

Perhaps Madeleine knows that the whole family has to be killed in order to ensure her father's safety? something along these lines

She begs Safin to do something and upon her promise that they can be together (she's thirteen so she's an idiot and he's a fifteen year old boy raised by poisoners, he's a bigger idiot) he tentatively agrees

Two options - either he assists in the poisoning of his whole family or does it himself. Since he's so young, the latter may be less feasible but at the same time, eight year old Madeleine was body disposing, Spectre kids aren't really having normal childhoods

No matter which route they pick, I suspect his family might pick up on the fact that he's done something and make him eat dessert as well, after they've all already tucked in - if they're going down, they'll do it as a family

They begin to die and he's horrified (one thing to say you'll do something, another to do it) and then begins to succumb himself

His mother, who would be the one member of his family he truly adores and who adores him back, gives him the antidote to the family poison recipe - something she carries with her in one of those capsule necklaces or powder rings - saving his life at the cost of hers

Now he's lost everything and this encourages his unhealthy fixation with Madeleine, compounding her as the centre of his universe and as his - he earned her with the greatest sacrifice possible

She's thirteen with a deadbeat mother and father but it's unlikely that she's willing to keep her promise - so, in a fit of rage, he goes to her house and the whole flashback scene plays out, but instead of the motivation being "your husband killed my father, prepare to die", it's "you have what belongs to me and you're in my way"

After rescuing Madeleine from the ice, he takes her back to the island and keeps her as prisoner, likely using sedatives to keep her compliant (maybe his family used them on him when he was a child, just for that added family trauma flavour the Bond movies love so much). I can imagine this working for anywhere from two to five years, so let's go for a solid she's now 16, he's 18

However, he's a teenager. He may have already been shaped into a mass murdering maniac, but he's also human. He slips up - leaves the island to get something for her, miscalculates a dose, tricked with a kiss, whatever kind of idiocy love struck teenagers are susceptible to - and she makes her escape

She gets away and he is left there, abandoned and filled with rage and with a singular goal: to take back what is his, or watch it burn

Then he likely uses his family fortune and personal intellect to amass the power he has by the time of NTTD, while Madeleine runs, recreates herself and becomes the woman she is by NTTD

During NTTD

Biowarfare/genocide is not his real goal. Not entirely sure why it was his goal in the film but this time I think it's a front. He can lure Spectre out of hiding with Heracles and then murder them all as revenge for having played a part in his family's death/having hurt his darling Madeleine. It means that he can find the man who broke her heart and kill him for doing so, and also eliminate his rival in a brutal and horrible way. It's also just great collateral for MI6 to leave him alone for the rest of his life, seeing what he's capable of doing. The main aim of his, however, is to kidnap Madeleine and her child and then build a family unit. What he wants most is her, and everything and everyone else is secondary

The Blofeld poisoning would have to play out in a different way to the movie because obviously if Madeleine has been abducted by this guy, she'll recognise his face instantly. Therefore, Safin would send her the box with the mask and the perfume would be in a small sub compartment within it. He'd act as if he was a patient only willing to speak over the phone, seeing as the memories of voice fade quicker than facial recognition. Madeleine would probably subconsciously be aware of who he was but wouldn't actually recall until the box is opened. Instructions can be given over a phone call and also cinematography-wise, the majority of his face can be hidden until they get to the island/he abducts her again. I know we've seen it in the trailers, I just like drama <3

When he abducts Madeleine and Mathilde, he'd put them in nice quarters and perhaps attempt to force bonding - a family dinner or a lovely picnic in the garden. The garden is more flamboyant in my mind and a lot more colourful, so it's a romantic setting for something very unromantic, with the two of them having to play happy families or else

In this version I think he would Medea style lash out and hurt Mathilde when his version of Jason rips out his heart again - but before that, Mathilde would likely be spoiled and coddled. He sees her as the start of a family with the woman he 'loves' and so being negligent or cold to her wouldn't make a lot of sense. She may warm up to him despite her mother's best efforts and he’s genuinely fond of her even if she's someone else's biological child; Mathilde is young enough to start seeing him as her real father, provided she spends a few years growing up with him and that's what he wants

The room Bond and Nomi end up in is, among other things, filled with Safin’s main poisons of choice and also their antidotes. This links to his mother saving his life and also reinforces that his main skill is poisoning people - possessing poison and antidotes means that he can more effectively torture captives without killing them and also shows he's a genius of his craft. In the period where she's left alone, Nomi chooses to examine the cabinets and takes multiple vials of assorted antidotes, for safety's sake

Madeleine lashes out at Safin; she informs him that she doesn't love him, will never love him and will fight to the death to return her daughter and herself to their old lives, away from him. This is the tipping point. He has her dragged away like he did in the film but this time has built a decent rapport up with Mathilde, enough to soothe her. He apologises for what he did, offers her a drink and very tentatively, seeing as she's a smart girl, she drinks a small dose of it. Not a lot. After, he'd likely hug her, looking upset as he does so

When Bond is captured, I think that would go the same way except the discussion isn't about biowarfare and is instead him insulting Bond, angrily questioning who he thinks he is, taking his love away from him and trying to steal her back. When confronted about his crimes, he'd dismiss it as simply revenge against Spectre - that he'll kill Obruchev once Safin is assured that his plan has succeeded, rid himself of most of his staff and raise a family with his wife somewhere, keeping the Heracles bioweapon as incentive for the rest of the world to stay away. The tone of this talk is slightly subdued and depressed from his side though - he has the demeanour of a man who knows that not everything he speaks of can come true. Certain sacrifices must be made

He'd leave the same way as the film and take Mathilde with him. However, this time he'd seek out Madeleine and when she tries to bargain with him, Mathilde would start exhibiting symptoms. A small cough, a rash, something to indicate that she's been poisoned. Horrified, Madeleine would scream at him - hasn't he spent all day telling her how he wants her and Mathilde as his family? Doesn't he love his 'daughter'? Close to crying, he tells her that yes, he does love Mathilde, like she's his own - but killing her is worth the pain and anguish it would cause Madeleine and Bond, no matter the damage it does to him too. Mathilde will die within thirty minutes and he will bury her in the garden as a sign of love but also as it’s somewhere her mother can never see her again. He lays Mathilde on the ground carefully as her body is wracked with coughs or her limbs convulse or something equally awful. As he does so, Nomi (having murdered Obruchev and blown up the room by now) comes up behind him and knocks him out

When he wakes, Nomi has fled with Madeleine and Mathilde. Bond is in the act of opening the silo doors and so Safin, biding his time, closes them and then intercepts James in the garden. To Bond's shock, he expresses remorse for his actions and tells James that he has the antidote to the poison he infected Mathilde with. When Bond nears, he unfurls his hands to show a vial. Bond reaches out to take it - and then suddenly Safin lunges at him and breaks it across his face. He reveals what it is and through tears, shaken by the extent of his grief, he reiterates that any amount of his suffering makes up for destroying Madeleine, her heart and soul

Bond, of course, retaliates but this time Safin manages to crawl away as James realises he needs to focus on opening the silo doors. Everyone else has fled the island by now and when Safin manages to get outside and sees the sea, the horizon far away, he believes that he's achieved his goal - either he has Madeleine, or no one ever could. As nuclear weapons reign down, he perishes watching the setting sun

However. During his final goodbye with Madeleine, Bond has her repeat the symptoms of Mathilde's sickness to him and recognises that Safin did give him the correct name of the poison (he knows this due to double oh training) and lets her know what Mathilde has been poisoned with. Madeleine turns to Nomi, asking her if she knows what [the name of the poison] can be countered with - while 007 doesn't, the name sounds familiar and she searches her pockets. Among all the vials she took, one contains the antidote to Mathilde's sickness. They administer it to her and while she obviously doesn’t make a full recovery instantly, some colour comes back into her cheeks and her symptoms lessen ever so slightly. Regaining a little of her strength, Mathilde sits up in her mother’s lap and quietly thanks him through the receiver, with James finally getting to tell his daughter that he’s so proud of her before he dies

Does that make sense? Am I making sense? Anyway, I think from there the film would be the same - Madeleine and Mathilde go find a life of their own, while the remaining MI6 agents mourn the loss of a man who tried to do good and died saving the life of his only child.

No clue how to wrap this up, but I hope it illuminated the possible connection that could have been drawn between Safin and Medea as well as how it aligns decently with the plot of the film!

[chieftyphoonchaos]

A quiet and sunny Safin/Mathilde Sunday

🍵❤️🌞

We wish you from the Greek capital Athens, where we start our engagement trip through Greece and the whole of Europe…

a quiet and very sunny beautiful Sunday to all of you with nice tea time with your loved ones

Lots of kind regards from us

Lyutsifer and Mathilde 💞❤️❤️

@daughterofthesilmaril @esconognosia @thefluffiestseahorse @chevy2497 @ramicastiel @ellen-the-radiant @ellen-the-wise @moon-stars-soul @sakurasoulgeneral @ghoulsister1 @squidwujun @satanhauntedourfears @bearbruno14 @grumpyoutlaw @silverlambcaptain @neverendingstories00 @honestmysteries @one-boring-person @poptod @koshi-sama @padawansubscription @sapphicsandsupernatural @yagurlny @chieftyphoonchaos @villainworshiper @alessiathepirate @colourful-serendipity .

[safinsscars]

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[dorminchu]

Fear and Desire — Chapter 01

Fandom: James Bond Characters: Madeleine Swann, Primo, Lyutsifer Safin, Mathilde Relationships: Madeleine Swann & Mathilde, Madeleine Swann & Lyutsifer Safin, Madeleine Swann/Lyutsifer Safin, Madeleine Swann & Primo  Warnings: Misue of power, several threats of violence, and a brief scene of rape/non-con. Rating: M Genre: Family/Hurt/Comfort/Suspense

Summary: "If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?" — Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men)

[Ao3 Link]

Title lifted from the aptly-named Kubrick film from 1953. I based Safin's characterization primarily off of what I recall from No Time to Die but also took some cues from the character Colonel Klebb and her portrayal in Ian Fleming's novel From Russia With Love. On that note, Madeleine's POV is up next chapter.

01: STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

In the helicopter Madeleine kept the girl very close in the same way her daughter latched her own tiny arms around the small stuffed animal. Taken into the heart of the submarine pen, into the garden, Madeleine would not speak. Only when Mathilde was ripped from her arms did she relay a handful of words in French: Don't touch anything. I'll come back for you.

Now, Primo was the assigned guard. With an artificial eye there was less requisite for a general pat-down, but under Safin's orders he adhered to protocol. He worked coldly and efficiently and determined that she was clear. Then he walked her down the hall away from the passing soldiers and bioengineer Valdo Obruchev into a small subterranean cell that was about ten paces across in any direction. Heavy concrete walls broken up by a slit of sky. No furnishings beyond a simple bed and chair and toilet that stood out as anachronistic.

As soon as Primo released his grip Madeleine got away from him. She eyed the chair and toilet and bed but didn't engage with them. She didn't look him in the face either. Better to leave her with some dignity. He turned as if to walk to the door and she spoke,

Mathilde, where is she now? What has he done with her?

Her voice was tightly controlled. Without looking at her face the emotion was palpable.

You must let me see Mathilde, she said. You're the only one who can do so.

The boss is busy.

He's taken enough pains just to bring me here. He will listen, if it's to do with me.

If Safin just gave the order to shoot Swann in the head, they wouldn't have this problem. A mother's desperation couldn't be tempered by isolation and the child had no place within a military operation.

You understand, said Primo, facing the door, that even if I relay your message, there is no guarantee.

Yes. But you lose nothing by telling him.

What the boss did with his time and resources was really his business. To take Swann and the girl right from MI6 was no easy feat. Bringing them into closely disputed waters was just asking for more trouble. Pretty soon they'd have five different agencies breathing down their necks, all trying to earn the title of global peacemaker, and for what? It didn't matter. Primo wasn't paid for his opinions. He grit his jaw and went out into the hall and tapped his ear and said, in Russian: No 5 reporting.

No 1 listening.

Swann.

What of her?

She's asking about the girl.

A beat.

Bring her to me in an hour and we shall discuss the matter.

Primo relayed the message. Madeleine looked him in the eye but gave no indication that she'd understood. She turned around slowly, gracefully, to perch on the edge of the stiff bed. Primo said nothing. Her shoulders fell. Then her head bowed, and she said in a much quieter voice, Leave me alone, please.

Hello, Madeleine.

She was still wearing the clothes she had been captured in—practical taupe jacket and white trousers bespoke the transition into motherhood—but it was not possible to disguise her innate elegance.

Madeleine raised her chin slightly.

Where is Mathilde?

Elsewhere, said Safin. She is unharmed. Only resting. It has been a very long day for her, no?

Madeleine said nothing. There was a hollowness to the blue eyes, but no recent grief. She avoided direct eye-contact but did not turn her head away, studying him.

His own attire was closer to what he’d worn the day he stopped by her office in Belmarsh. Breathable, but much more practical than a kimono. In a drawstring pouch kept around his neck, tucked beneath his shirt, was a vial of insurance.

I know how much she means to you, he said. But what we discuss now is not appropriate for a child. I admit, although it brings me no pleasure, that I have made a significant error in judgement. In doing so it has cost me the lives of several trustworthy operatives. Your hesitation ensured Blofeld's death was achieved by chance. It is fortunate that things played out in the way they have. But I should never have entrusted you with such a responsibility.

Madeleine kept her arms at her sides so deliberately that it could not be natural or comfortable.

You understand, he said, that I cannot tolerate failure or indecision. I would never lay a hand on Mathilde, but there are others on this base who are less discerning of children. Perhaps that will—

—no, like a dam breaking, a sharp burst of emotion piercing through her well-crafted facade of control, bleeding through into the blue eyes before it was wrestled back down through clenched teeth, no, God, take me. Do not touch her. I will take her place.

Without so much as considering his terms, the mother's wrath was provoked to surface. Wretchedness twisted up the delicate face. Her hands balled up into fists, knuckles white. Any tighter and she'd breach the skin of her palms. After taking her primary source of hope away it was only natural she should become distressed. But give any intelligent animal enough leeway and you bred complacency instead of compliance. Options to correct this tendency were myriad.

Why did you call for me, Madeleine?

I just want to see her.

What would you do to convince me?

Anything, said Madeleine. But this was offered up too readily. She did not yet understand that groveling would get her nowhere. That clinging to even the smallest scrap of hope was fruitless. There was more than one way to break in an unruly horse.

Safin dismissed Primo from the room. He walked over, closing the door, clicked the lock and turned.

If you offer yourself in the girl's stead, no one else can take your place. Do you accept this?

Yes.

Madeleine's mouth was a thin line but the eyes even at a distance brimmed with resolve. Safin crossed the space between them in three easy steps.

You were searched when my associate first brought you in? Madeleine nodded. He caught her by the jaw, prying her head up. Speak.

Yes, I was searched.

Her expression set too tightly to be stoic. He let go her face and instead caught the back of her head, brushed her hair back the way his mother used to when he was a child. Without the sentiment it was just a mechanical act. Madeleine stifled a shudder. Her face briefly became his mother's twisted up in a death rattle, flesh eroding. The smell persisted. Safin did not flinch. Let go her head.

Remove your jacket.

Her shoulders set. Without breaking eye contact she reached up slowly and discarded the jacket. Safin raised both hands to her face. Parsing down her throat, shoulders. Naked arms bore the first signs of of gooseflesh. The soft brown shirt would not keep her warm. When his hands came to her waist she tensed.

Turn around.

She did so. He patted down her back, ribs. Crouching down to check the graceful legs, impartial. He stood up.

Face me.

She turned around, jaw tight. A dull smile twisted his lips but did not reach the eyes.

You may undress.

Something died at last behind the blue eyes. Breath faltering, her chin bowed. She had made her decision and she would see it through for the sake of the child who needed her more than anything in the world. She took a step back and he did not follow. Her hands were shaking but not to the point of any incapability to comply. As she disrobed down to underwear he did not follow suit for the same reason he did not allow himself the luxury of impatience or rashness.

She stood very still with the clothes pooling around her feet. She would not look him in the eyes. Anywhere else.

The rest, he said.

Madeleine flinched. There was no need for worry. The neurological injuries suffered in his youth already compromised him in several ways. Even with all the right herbs and a stringent life he could never reverse the damage dealt to his body, only slow its progress. But he could not perform in the same way as her lover. Without the distraction of a biological imperative there was only physicality.

When he took a step forward the blue eyes fluttered closed. He did not take his attention away from her face and parsed over the soft body now for the purpose of eliciting a physical response, like priming a machine. There was no excess of force. When his hand went between her legs Madeleine breathed out hard through her teeth. Suppressing the need to inhale until she could not. A guttural sound strangled in her throat as he entered, bracing for a violence that he would never inflict. Averting her face so he was close enough to place his mouth against the pulse under her jaw. Safin did not.

Retreating into her mind, there could've been any past lover. It made no difference to him and it would make no difference to her once they were through. She had asked for Mathilde but not once for Bond. He did not take his attention away from her face. A flush stained down her pale throat and below but her teeth gritted. Eyes screwed shut. She sounded pained but her body shuddered and reacted harmlessly. His hand came away slick and her legs were trembling. He braced her gently by the shoulders and she made a strangled noise, like a sob.

Safin reached into his shirt and produced the vial. He tapped her chin. Madeleine’s eyes snapped up.

This, he said very softly, is the girl’s insurance, and yours. And since we know now what you are willing to do, there is no sense in any disagreement between us.

Her mouth trembled. His face set.

Get yourself in order, he said. She will be waiting outside your cell.

In the hallway the girl stood clutching her stuffed animal, pensive. She saw Primo first and tensed. But when she locked eyes with her mother close behind, she chirped and began to run. Madeleine swept the girl into her arms without hesitation and kissed the top of her head, unable to speak.

You have fifteen minutes, said Primo. He wouldn't look her in the eye as the two walked into the cell.

He left them to their business. When the time was up he circled back into the cell. They were sitting together on the bed.

That's all for now, he said.

Mathilde's eyes were wide. Primo walked over, gripped her little forearm. Come along now.

Madeleine raised her head and the naked rage that Safin hadn't seen was directed towards him. For the first time Primo stopped and looked at her.

No harm will come to the girl, he said. Mathilde peered up at him. Primo was only looking at Madeleine. You have my word.

For a second Madeleine's composure faltered, on the verge of breaking but did not. She could barely whisper to the girl: It's going to be all right, I will see you very soon. Primo turned around. Mathilde held her stuffed animal very tightly and looked back to her mother, burying her face in her knees drawn up against her chest. The door closed behind them and the girl did not weep.

[cheenault]

Saving someone’s life connects you to them forever, the same as taking it. They belong to you.

[aion-rsa]

No Time to Die Ending Explained

https://ift.tt/3uUVVRY

Warning: This article contains massive spoilers for No Time to Die.

No Time to Die is the 25th film in the official James Bond canon, as well as the fifth and final to star Daniel Craig as 007, with the actor debuting in the role 15 years earlier in Casino Royale. Craig’s tenure in the series has been marked by a number of controversial decisions and bold moves for the series, not least of which was the choice to have his five films connect in one overarching continuity.

That continuity seemingly comes to a close in No Time to Die, with the movie bringing back a number of characters from the past as well as tying up several loose threads from the previous four films. But No Time to Die also has a few surprises up its sleeve, as Craig, the film’s writers, director Cary Joji Fukunaga, and 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson give this version of James Bond a send-off unlike any he’s ever had before.

Ready to dig into it? If not, here’s your last chance: there is nothing but spoilers past this point, including details about the film’s stunning climax. Proceed with caution from here.

The Story So Far

As No Time to Die races to its conclusion, Bond—now fully reinstated in MI6 after coming out of retirement—and fellow 00 agent Nomi (Lashana Lynch) are headed toward an island located between Russia and Japan. That is where the film’s villain Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek) has taken Bond’s love interest, Madeline Swann (Léa Seydoux) hostage. Also captured is Madeleine’s five-year-old daughter, Mathilde, who Madeleine swears isn’t Bond’s despite the fact that they were together five years earlier and she has James’ eyes.

That island is also where Safin is manufacturing massive quantities of a bioweapon known as Project Heracles, an undertaking originally sanctioned by MI6 head M (Ralph Fiennes), but now hijacked by Safin and a rogue scientist. Safin has been seeking revenge against the criminal organization SPECTRE for the murder of his parents and has used the bioweapon to wipe out most of SPECTRE’s leadership, including Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz). But now Safin wants to use his poison against millions of innocent people around the world, in a bizarre plan to purify the planet.

Before he can do so, however, Bond and Nomi invade the island and take on Safin and his army. They rescue Madeleine and Mathilde, and as Nomi gets them to safety in a boat, Bond returns inside the base with a two-fold mission: kill Safin and open the base’s blast doors so that British missiles can take out the base and the entire supply of Safin’s weapon. Unfortunately, Bond is shot several times by Safin, who does something even worse: he infects Bond with a very specific dose of the bioweapon. Realizing that he cannot leave the base, Bond kills Safin, opens the doors and resigns himself to his fate. He speaks one last time via radio with Madeleine, who confesses that Mathilde is in fact Bond’s child. Moved and happy with that knowledge, Bond is blown to bits as the missiles hit the island.

What the Poison in James Bond Was

What exactly is Project Heracles? Primarily used in liquid form, it contains nanobots that infect the victim upon contact and destroy the flesh, killing the target within moments. The twist is that it can be coded to an individual’s specific DNA, which means it can harmlessly enter one person’s system without any ill effects if that person’s DNA doesn’t match. But if that person touches someone that the virus is coded for, it will kill them instantly.

Earlier in the film, for example, Safin forces Madeleine to absorb some of the virus onto her skin before visiting Blofeld in prison, with the nanobots coded for the SPECTRE chief. But once there she decides not to go through wit hit. Still, she’s touched by Bond, who unknowingly takes some of the weapon into his own body. Horrified, Madeleine leaves and Bond proceeds to interrogate Blofeld, even grabbing the fiend at one point—and the virus immediately goes to work, killing Blofeld where he sits. Make no mistake, Heracles is nasty stuff.

Madeleine understands the scope of the weapon, which is why she is silently horrified when Safin reveals in the third act he has coded a special version of the poison for her—and her bloodline. Should it ever get under her skin it could kill her, and cause her to kill her daughter since they share the same genetic DNA. It’s messed up.

Why Bond Stayed for the Missiles

The memory of the nanobots passing from one person to another—from Bond to Blofeld—is brought to bear in the film’s closing moments. As Safin and Bond both slump wounded in a pool, Safin empties some of the weapon into the water, which allows it to seep into Bond’s skin and wounds. He even scratches bond on the face with it, to make sure it gets nice and deep into his bloodstream. And it’s all the same vial of poison he threatened Madeleine with earlier, which means the nanobots he’s deployed are programmed for Madeleine and Mathilde, and if Bond touches either one of them ever again, he will kill them.

Bond is even hesitant to accept that and asks Q (Ben Whishaw) via earpiece if there is any way to prevent that. Alas, Q points out the nanobots are now permanently in Bond’s system. “They’re eternal.”

After killing Safin and opening the base’s blast doors, Bond realizes that he cannot ever be with or even near Madeleine and Mathilde again, and doesn’t want to risk infecting and killing them. Badly wounded already, he instead decides to stay right where he is and meet death on his feet—but at least he goes out with the knowledge that he does have a daughter. One might say that knowledge prevented him from even considering living on as the James Bond we always have known.

As Blofeld said earlier in the film, “When [Madeleine’s] secret finds its way out, it’ll be the death of you.”

How It Echoes A Previous 007 Classic

In the classic 1969 Bond outing On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the only film to star George Lazenby as Bond, 007 falls deeply in love with a woman named Tracy (Diana Rigg) and decides to give up his career in the Secret Service and marry her. But as they drive off on their honeymoon, Tracy is murdered in cold blood by Blofeld (Telly Savalas) and Irma Bunt (Ilse Steppat), who fire on Bond’s car.

“It’s quite all right,” says a devastated Bond to a police officer who pulls up moments later, as he cradles Tracy’s head in his arms. “She’s having a rest…There’s no hurry, you see. We have all the time in the world.”

“All the Time in the World” is the name of a song, performed by the legendary Louis Armstrong, that plays in OHMSS over a montage of scenes showing Bond and Tracy falling in love. An instrumental version is played briefly at the end of the movie over the credits. That same song is also heard in No Time to Die, tying both—almost surely the two most emotional films of the Bond series—together.

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In OHMSS, Bond reexamines his life and priorities and decides to choose love and marriage over his identity as an assassin. He faces a similar existential question in No Time to Die—and, by extension, in the previous film, Spectre—wondering whether he should get back in the game and if he even wants to. The Bond of No Time to Die is not necessarily a happy man; he’s getting older, his body is still tough but showing the strain, and he’s forced to confront the fact that he may have let any semblance of a real life, a life that could include love and children, slip away.

But while the Bond at the end of OHMSS is left alone again, the ramifications of his work coming back to inflict unspeakable tragedy on him, the Bond at the end of No Time to Die has a slightly better outlook even as he himself is about to perish. He admits to letting love into his life and knows that he has left something of that love in the world, in the form of his little girl.

As No Time to Die ends, the rest of Bond’s team—M, Q, Moneypenny, Tanner, and Nomi—all raise a glass in his honor while Madeleine and Mathilde drive away, with Madeleine promising to tell her daughter about her father and who he was. They have all the time in the world.

And as the end credits play out, the last words on the screen are, of course, what they’ve been for the better part of 60 years:

“James Bond will return.”

No Time to Die is now playing in theaters everywhere.

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A young Madeleine Swann witnesses the murder of her mother by Lyutsifer Safin in a failed attempt to kill her father, Mr. White. Madeleine shoots Safin as he searches for her but he survives. Madeleine flees onto a nearby frozen lake and falls through the ice, but Safin rescues her.

After the capture of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Madeleine is in Matera with James Bond. Spectre assassins ambush Bond when he visits Vesper Lynd's tomb. Though Bond and Madeleine overcome the assassins, Bond believes that Madeleine has betrayed him despite her pleas and leaves her.

Five years later, MI6 scientist Valdo Obruchev is kidnapped from an MI6 laboratory. Approved by M, Obruchev had developed "Project Heracles", a bioweapon containing nanobots that infect like a virus upon touch and are coded to an individual's DNA, rendering it lethal to the target but harmless to others. Bond has retired to Jamaica, where he is contacted by CIA agent Felix Leiter with his colleague Logan Ash. Leiter asks for help in finding Obruchev but Bond declines. The same evening Bond encounters Nomi, an MI6 agent and his successor as the new 007. Being informed by Nomi about "Project Heracles", Bond subsequently agrees to help Leiter.

Bond goes to Cuba and meets Paloma, a CIA agent working with Leiter. Bond and Paloma infiltrate a Spectre meeting for Blofeld's birthday to retrieve Obruchev. Still imprisoned in Belmarsh, Blofeld uses a disembodied "bionic eye" to lead the meeting and order his members to kill Bond with a "nanobot mist". Instead, the mist kills all the Spectre members, as Obruchev had reprogrammed the nanobots to infect them on Safin's orders. Bond captures Obruchev before meeting Leiter and Ash, but Ash is revealed to be a double agent working for Safin as he kills Leiter and escapes with Obruchev.

Moneypenny and Q arrange a meeting between Bond and Blofeld in prison to try to locate Obruchev. Safin visits and coerces Madeleine to infect herself with a nanobot dose to kill Blofeld, as she has been in contact with him since his imprisonment. When Bond encounters Madeleine at Blofeld's prison cell, he touches her and unknowingly infects himself before she leaves. Blofeld confesses to Bond that he staged the ambush at Vesper's tomb to appear as if Madeleine had betrayed him. Bond reacts by attacking Blofeld, unintentionally causing the nanobots to infect and kill him.

Bond tracks Madeleine down to her childhood home in Norway and learns she has a five-year-old daughter named Mathilde, whom Madeleine claims is not his. Madeleine tells Bond that when Safin was a boy, his parents were murdered by her father on Blofeld's orders. Safin has since sought revenge. Having killed Blofeld and destroyed Spectre, Safin continues his rampage with Ash and their entourage in pursuit of Bond, Madeleine and Mathilde. Though Bond kills off Ash and his thugs, Safin captures Madeleine and Mathilde.

Q enables Bond and Nomi to infiltrate Safin's headquarters located in a Second World War base on an island between Japan and Russia. Inside they discover that the base has been converted into a nanobot factory, where Obruchev is mass-producing the technology, so Safin can unleash it globally to kill millions of people and establish a new world order. Bond kills many of Safin's men while Nomi kills Obruchev by pushing him into a nanobot vat. After rescuing Madeleine and Mathilde, Bond has them escape with Nomi from the island while he stays behind to open the island's blast-resistant silo doors, which would enable a missile strike from HMS Dragon to destroy the factory.

Bond kills Safin's remaining men before confronting Safin himself; they fight and Safin shoots Bond before infecting him with a vial containing nanobots programmed to kill Madeleine and Mathilde. Despite his injuries, Bond kills Safin and opens the silos. Speaking by radio with Madeleine, Bond tells her he loves her and encourages her to move on without him, and Madeleine confirms that Mathilde is his daughter as Bond says goodbye. Bond accepts his fate as the missiles hit the island, destroying the nanobot factory and killing him.

At MI6, M, Moneypenny, Q, Tanner and Nomi drink in Bond's memory. Madeleine takes Mathilde to Matera and starts to tell her about her father, James Bond.