Daniel Craig brought his own potent charisma to the character of James Bond, but also made him a cold and sometimes brutal character helping there to be a number of notable deaths in his tenure as James Bond. Violence is, of course, a key part of the Bond mystique, for beneath his suave exterior he is a man who is more than willing to use brute force to achieve his mission. Like other iterations of the character, Daniel Craig’s James Bond has left quite a trail of bodies behind him.
At the same time, death in the Daniel Craig James Bond movies isn’t just intended to shock. The major deaths that occur in these movies often have a larger purpose. Craig’s Bond may not always be the most emotive man, but it’s clear that he is capable of developing feelings for people, both his romantic interests and his friends. It is, however, the deaths of the villains which often occupy the center of the climax, demonstrating that in the world of James Bond that evil does have its consequences.
Le Chiffre (Casino Royale)
At first, it seems as if Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre is going to be the major villain of Casino Royale, and he takes a great deal of pleasure in physically torturing Bond. However, cunning and subtle though he might be, he is ultimately a pawn in the hands of others. Le Chiffre is interrupted in his plans by the character known as Mr. White, who shoots him for his failures. His death is all the more surprising in that it takes place so much before the movie’s conclusion.
Vesper Lynd (Casino Royale)
Every Bond movie has its femme fatale figure, and Vesper Lynd fills this role in the ever-popular Casino Royale. At first, it truly seems as if she is going to be able to build a life with Bond, and they attain a measure of peace in Venice. However, she double-crosses him and, torn with grief, ultimately takes her own life by shutting herself in an elevator that then sinks into the waters of Venice. Her death is a tragic one, as it’s ultimately revealed that she was blackmailed into betraying Bond and ultimately gave him valuable information he needed.
General Medrano (Quantum Of Solace)
General Medrano is one of the most brutal Quantum of Solace appearance. He is truly sadistic, seeming to take pleasure in inflicting pain for its own sake. He is, furthermore, quite ambitious, and he yearns for power. His death is notable for being one of the most satisfying in the Daniel Craig Bond movies, as he is shot by Camille as he tries to kill her. Given that he had been responsible for the rape and murder of her family, his death seems like fitting punishment.
Dominic Greene (Quantum Of Solace)
The main villain of Craig’s second Bond film is Dominic Greene, a man purporting to be in of environmental causes but really a mastermind who wants to seize control of the natural resources of Bolivia. After Bond defeats him in Quantum of Solace, 007 leaves him in the desert with a can of oil. It is subsequently revealed that he was found with oil in his stomach and two gunshots in his head. He was executed by Quantum, the very organization he was supposed to serve.
Raoul Silva (Skyfall)
Javier Bardem made a memorable appearance in Skyfall as Raoul Silva, a former MI6 agent who has decided to seek out vengeance against his old employer, particularly M. He proves to be one of the most formidable villains that Daniel Craig’s Bond faces, since he is absolutely ruthless and remorseless in his pursuit of vengeance. In fact, he seems to have an obsession with M. that borders on pathological love. He ultimately perishes when Craig’s Bond throws a knife into his back.
M (Skyfall)
Bond is famous for being played by many different characters, but M was a little more constant, portrayed by Judi Dench since the 1990s. Before M’s death in Skyfall, it is revealed there is much more to her than meets the eye, and it also demonstrates that she is quite willing to sacrifice her own agents if she believes doing so is necessary for a larger goal. She is shot by Silva’s men and later succumbs to her wounds, a major death that clearly has a significant impact on Bond and on the franchise as a whole.
Mr. Hinx (Spectre)
Portrayed by Dave Bautista, Spectre, he shows himself to be a formidable opponent for Bond, particularly since he is both capable and willing to kill a man with his bare hands. He meets his death by falling from a train. His death is a particularly notable one in that it also features his only line of dialogue in Spectre, as he is a silent menace during the rest of the movie’s runtime.
Mr. White (Spectre)
Mr. White is a character who exerts a malevolent influence from the beginning of the Daniel Craig era, so it is fitting that he would re-emerge as a villain in Spectre. By the time this movie begins, he is already dying as a result of poisoning. However, even as death approaches, he shows that he is one of those rare Bond villains with a measure of good in him, as he gives his old adversary information in exchange for protection for his daughter. He then takes his own life by gunshot.
Max Denbigh (Spectre)
Max Denbigh is one of the more sinister Bond villains. Unlike many of the others who appear in the Daniel Craig canon, he actually manages to infiltrate MI5 and MI6 themselves in Spectre, becoming their leader. He comes perilously close to achieving Spectre's aims before his attempts are thwarted. As he is being escorted by M he tries to break free, only to end up falling from a platform, plunging to his death and bringing all of his ambitions to a similar end.
Lyutsifer Safin (No Time To Die)
As the Daniel Craig Bond series reaches its conclusion, it continues to create compelling and dangerous villains. In the case of No Time to Die, that role is filled by Rami Malek, who plays the character Lyutsifer Safin. He is incredibly dangerous to both Bond and the world, because he manages to meld together both plans for global dominion with a sharp mind and dangerous cunning. Bond kills him in a particularly brutal fashion-shooting him several times in the face-but not before Safin manages to infect Bond with nanobots.
