Why are Bond's girlfriends dying lately?

Frankly, I find the current Bond to be the first even vaguely likable character because he is capable of feelings love, rage, betrayal, and joy. But ultimately, a Bond in a happy and committed relationship is a neutered Bond – boring. Ergo, the woman must die.

He didn’t even have a girlfriend in the latest movie. So it was hard for her to die.

I’m not sure I like a more realistic Bond compared to a fun Bond. The movies are supposed to be gee whiz thrillers. We are not talking Smiley here.

I don’t think Bond movies really affect the larger culture. They may reflect it somewhat, but even that is something I’m skeptical about. You’d have to do a study to prove that to me, and it would have to be a lot more sophisticated than the violence counting.

Sorry wundy

(spoiler!)

His mom is dead and his surrogate mom dies.

But not a girlfriend, right? @Imadethisupwithnoforethought

So you didn’t read the questions details wundy?

@Imadethisupwithnoforethought It has happened on and off all throughout. Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo dies at the end of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, for example. This isn’t to say, however, that these deaths aren’t indicative of a trend. In fact, the trend has a name and a website: Women in Refrigerators. The site was started by comic book writer Gail Simone as a response to female characters being disproportionately injured, killed, or disempowered as a plot device in her medium. As you have noticed, the trend continues beyond superhero comics.

@syz They don’t have to die, and only a few of them have. In most cases, they just aren’t written into the next film and we assume that the relationship fizzled out. It’s not like Bond professes true love to each and every one of them (though the ones to whom he does profess true love always end up dying for the reason you mention).

Thx @SavoirFaire. I am going to nerd out on that page for awhile.

@Imadethisupwithnoforethought Title trumps details wherever they conflict. If you wanted me to talk about “important women,” you should have put that in the title, not “girlfriends.” Perhaps you should have proofread a little better.

Yeah, I can piss further than you can, so nyeh! ;-)

@wundayatta Maybe you should learn to read the entire text before you answer.

@wundayatta Absurd. Even the Fluther guidelines disagree with you.

Let’s see, betrayed (in a manner) by the woman he loved, possibly distancing himself from the more “dangerous” one’s of the fair sex to prevent leaving himself so… vulnerable both in heart and physical wellbeing (which is amusing as that’s precisely the kind of woman he gets stirred by). That’s why he’s okay and actually friends with Miss Moneypenny now since she’s stuck at a desk and not out in the field where she might shoot him. Again.

@SavoirFaire You should know better. If a document contradicts itself, which holds more power, small text or big text? Anyway, this shouldn’t be taken so seriously. It’s a fluffy question. I’m just fooling around. Ya’ll can have your soapboxes all to yourselves now.

@wundayatta What an odd response. For one thing, it seems to me that the details clarify the title. And that’s what they are there for, which is why Fluther emphasizes their importance. Second, we all know that the “small print” can override the large print (or what we think the large print says). Since you suggest that I specifically should know better, I will also point out that titles do not carry content in my line of work (whereas footnotes often do). In any case, I would suggest that one should read the totality of something and then ask for clarification if contradictions seem to remain even after careful and charitable analysis.

As for the “soapboxes” comment, you’re the one who seems to be going flamboyantly off-topic. You made a mistake, and someone pointed it out. You tried to cover it up with bravado, and you lost again. Tough luck. Put on your big boy pants and move on.

I recall Bond Girl deaths in Goldfinger, You Only Live twice, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and Diamonds Are Forever. That’s 4 of the first 7, and in the first book, Casino Royale, the Bond Girl’s death is pivotal throughout all the books.

Yeah, Bond girls have always been expendable, in the good old sexist traditions that the films are famed for.