Daniel Craig’s take on James Bond was distinctive, and one of his character’s unique qualities was a death wish that changed his destiny. No time to die better. Despite his success as 007, the actor was not always thrilled with the role and reportedly had to convince him to accept the performance altogether. At one of the premiere events for Casino royale in 2006, Craig said he wanted his Bond killed — a desire that, though unplanned, became a sort of continuous line of his version of the character.
This is especially evident in Craig’s portrayal of Bond as often tired and disrespectful of his own life, even making use of his own “death” in skyfall to retire, all of which gave the character a darker, moodier aesthetic than previous images. But this thematic link between Craig’s films means his final demise in No time to die is even better, making it a culmination of both dramatic intent and thematic storytelling.
Why James Bond had to die in no time
In addition to Daniel Craig’s desire to kill his character, No time to die provided the perfect time for James Bond to leave the role and his life. After all, Craig’s Bond’s “M” (Judi Dench) had also died and been replaced, as had several of his critical love interests. When it is rightly combined with the faked death of James Bond in skyfall, it was only a matter of time before he was actually killed. But No time to die made the character’s fate a natural part of the growth and forward momentum for the series by giving Craig’s Bond a legacy, both in his child, Mathilde (Lisa-Dorah Sonnet), and in Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), a love interest who does not die or betray him and with whom he is on good terms. With his memory cemented in his surviving family, Craig’s Bond arch — which focused on recklessness, fatigue, and the dangers of the job to those close to him — was poised to close.
Why Bond’s No Time To Die Death Was A Perfect Ending For Craig
Not only was the death of James Bond in No time to die perfect for Craig’s version of the character, but it was also a fitting goodbye for the role the actor portrayed. With the framing of Vesper’s (Eva Green) grave at the beginning of No time to die At Bond’s sacrifice to ensure the end of the murderous nanobots at the end of the film, Craig’s Bond was allowed to finish his series as a hero while calling back to his first movie as the character. The final film in Craig’s run as James Bond also books the actor’s contribution to the franchise, delivering a satisfying ending that fulfilled his wishes.
The changing of the guard is never an easy process, but Craig’s death wish for the character bore unexpected fruit in his portrayal of 007 and his fate in No time to die. With the ending of Craig’s James Bond movies treated in such a way that it seems in line with the character, the series is now free to move forward with a new direction and tone. Meanwhile, Craig’s Bond can rest easy knowing that his stories have reached a satisfying ending.
