How many times has 007 saved the world?

Number24

People often talk about Bond saving the world, but how many times has it happened? I'm not counting the times the villain's plan might have ended with the end of the world, such as DAD where an US- North Korean war could have ended with nuclear war between China and the US. World destruction must be a direct result of the villain's plan.
Second question: should Craig's Bond save the world, and should the Bonds of the future save the world?


MR and TSWLM are obvious. I think OP counts too. Any more examples?

Manxman

You Only Live Twice.

DavidJones

Definitely OP. If Orlov had succeeded, Russia would have invaded England. And FYEO.

Certainly not TLD or LTK (which, now i think of it, both involved drugs) or TWINE, DN, GF, TH or DAF.

Number24

Do you think Danil Craig's Bond would fit in a plot about saving the world, or do you think it doesn't fit the gritty style?

caractacus potts

Number24 wrote:

I'm not counting the times the villain's plan might have ended with the end of the world, such as DAD where an US- North Korean war could have ended with nuclear war between China and the US... MR and TSWLM are obvious. I think OP counts too. Any more examples?

I don't think Octopussy counts any more than Die Another Day does. In either case, had the villains scheme worked there would be a destabilization in the balance of power which could increase the possibility of an imminent nuclear war. The steps might be quicker in Octopussy, but in neither case is nuclear war the direct result of the villain's efforts, but rather a statistically probable contingency.
I think that's the closest we come in most of the films, except those two Roger Moore films. Stromberg is personally starting the war. Drax is using biological methods to poison the atmosphere and end human life.

In You Only Live Twice, is Blofeld trying to start a nuclear war? I forget, but in all other films his goal is to blackmail the world leaders, isn't the setup for a war just his threat this time round, but his goal is to receive one … million … dollars? I don't remember him having a plan to personally survive the end of the world, as Stromberg and Drax both did, so why would he want it to actually happen?

The question does invite speculation as to what would have happened next had any of these villains' plans succeeded. Like if Goldfinger had irradiated Fort Knox, rendering the USAs gold reserves worthless, or Zorin destroyed Silicon Valley just as the personal computer revolution was taking off, or Trevelyan erased all Britain's banking data … any one of these economic blows would have so destabilised the balance of power, some rival might try something previously unthinkable in the power vacuum and once again, nuclear war would result.

DavidJones

Number24 wrote:

Do you think Danil Craig's Bond would fit in a plot about saving the world, or do you think it doesn't fit the gritty style?

I don't think it fits the gritty style, no. I this it's more believable that the threat is smaller.

TWINE had a threat which wasn't global destruction, but still disturbing: only having one source of oil and being at the mercy of its provider.

Number24

caractacus potts wrote:

Number24 wrote:

I'm not counting the times the villain's plan might have ended with the end of the world, such as DAD where an US- North Korean war could have ended with nuclear war between China and the US... MR and TSWLM are obvious. I think OP counts too. Any more examples?

I don't think Octopussy counts any more than Die Another Day does. In either case, had the villains scheme worked there would be a destabilization in the balance of power which could increase the possibility of an imminent nuclear war. The steps might be quicker in Octopussy, but in neither case is nuclear war the direct result of the villain's efforts, but rather a statistically probable contingency.
I think that's the closest we come in most of the films, except those two Roger Moore films. Stromberg is personally starting the war. Drax is using biological methods to poison the atmosphere and end human life.

In You Only Live Twice, is Blofeld trying to start a nuclear war? I forget, but in all other films his goal is to blackmail the world leaders, isn't the setup for a war just his threat this time round, but his goal is to receive one … million … dollars? I don't remember him having a plan to personally survive the end of the world, as Stromberg and Drax both did, so why would he want it to actually happen?

The question does invite speculation as to what would have happened next had any of these villains' plans succeeded. Like if Goldfinger had irradiated Fort Knox, rendering the USAs gold reserves worthless, or Zorin destroyed Silicon Valley just as the personal computer revolution was taking off, or Trevelyan erased all Britain's banking data … any one of these economic blows would have so destabilised the balance of power, some rival might try something previously unthinkable in the power vacuum and once again, nuclear war would result.

Good Points, but I think OP is clearly closer to a world ending plot. The villain in OP wanted to trigger a nuclear war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, something that was highly likely to end in the destruction of the world. The villain's plan in DAD was to trigger a war between North Korea and South Korea/USA. That war would have a good chance to stay local. Even if nuclear weapons were used it could be "just" limited use. There is a risk it could involve China and nuclear war with the US, but there was a reasonable chance it wouldn't.