Secret agents are eponymously secretive by design, and not just in their working lives. Their personal lives are also cloaked in levels of mystery and secrecy that are almost impossible to dig through. And when it comes to a mysterious backstory, few come as close as James Bond. Incredibly little is known about his life before joining MI6 as 007.
Before the Daniel Craig era, the Bond series made it clear that Bond's current adventures were the most important aspect of the films, not his past escapades. However, the movies have given fans some information about Bond's pre-agent years, even if it's sparing.
7 He Got Around Before Becoming A Secret Agent
It's no secret that James Bond is a bit of a ladies' man, which is a polite way of saying he sleeps with a lot of women. In the old days, there was usually one love interest who died partway through the movie, then another who Bond was in a more "permanent" relationship with by the end of the film. Thankfully, the modern era of Bond films has treated female leads more kindly.
What's interesting is that some of the Bond Girls implied a previous relationship with 007 before the movie's timeline. This was the case in Tomorrow Never Dies when Paris Carver, the wife of the film's villain, turned out to be an ex-girlfriend of Bonds. Sadly, she was one of the love interests who died partway through the movie.
6 Commander In The Royal Navy
It's never clear what kind of training James had before joining MI6. He certainly didn't just appear in the agency, get some training, and go to work. Much like Will Smith joining the MIB, Bond would have had to excel in another field or department before getting the big callup.
The Royal Navy has been a big part of James Bond's world since the early days of the franchise. They are the United Kingdom's elite group of naval warfare specialists, and it has been established that James Bond was one of them, likely reaching the rank of Commander. He has been referred to as Commander Bond on more than one occasion, though the full breadth of his military service has never been discussed.
5 The Bond Family Motto
James is largely tight-lipped about his family history. Given the few details fans know about his childhood, it's not hard to understand why. For a long time, there was a theory that James Bond wasn't even his real name. There were more than a few fans who believed that "James Bond 007" was an identity given to him by MI6 to protect the friends and family he was leaving behind on every mission.
After a while, it became evident there was a larger Bond family. The film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service revealed the Bond family motto, "Orbis non sufficit," which is Latin for "the world is not enough." This phrase also serves as the title for one of Pierce Brosnan's Bond films.
4 Bond's Ancestral Home Is Skyfall Lodge
The Daniel Craig era provided a relative wealth of information about Bond's pre-movie life. That being said, it didn't reveal that much about the world's greatest secret agent himself. However, compared to the other films, it was a veritable encyclopedia about Bond's origins.
As the attacks on M and MI6 intensified in Skyfall, Bond stepped in to protect his friend and mentor. To protect her, he took her to his family's ancestral home in Scotland, known as Skyfall Lodge. The mansion had long since fallen into disrepair after James abandoned it and moved on with his life. But it was interesting to see a place that was such a huge part of his family history.
3 The Names Of His Parents
Very little is known about James as a child. It's not hard to imagine him as a rambunctious youngster who got into a lot of trouble. As an adult, Bond is a stubborn fountain of bad ideas who rarely looks before he leaps. With the energy and lack of life experience that comes with being young, the amount of chaos he caused would have been legendary.
Skyfall added two critical details about Bond's childhood backstory, specifically the names of his parents. His father was Andrew Bond and his mother was Monique Delacroix Bond. Unfortunately, fans got that information off their tombstones.
2 James Was Orphaned At A Young Age
Growing up as an orphan has long been a part of the James Bond mythology. And once again, it was Skyfall that confirmed this truth. Apparently, Bond hadn't set foot in Skyfall Lodge since the death of his parents. He wanted to leave that painful part of his life behind.
No details about how his parents died were mentioned in the movie. But the impression left by Bond's conversation with M at Skyfall clearly indicates that the situation was abrupt and traumatic, leaving James to grow up on his own. It was also made clear that M knew all of the details about Bond's pre-MI6 life, which made sense considering she was his boss. Those were secrets she ultimately took to her grave.
1 Kincade Is The Only Person Who Really Knows James
Outside of the occasional ex-girlfriend or work colleague, it's a rare thing to meet a character in a Bond film who knew him before the movies. These films normally make a point of emphasizing the adventures that happen in the present instead of dwelling on the past. However, Skyfall broke that mold by introducing a man named Kincade, who is possibly the only character in a Bond film who knew James as a child.
The long-time gamekeeper of Skyfall Lodge, Kincade was the only resident left after James abandoned the mansion. He helped James and M defeat Silva's forces, then faded into the background once again. Kincade could be an incredible resource for fans who need to know more.