Ernst Stavro Blofeld Returns in Bond 25 as a New Character Becomes 007

It’s been a crazy last week for James Bond fans. Many are excited to see Ernst Stavro Blofeld return and not exactly surprised. He has been a presence in most Bond films and has always been the overarching villain our hero does battle with. However, while that was not surprising news, given Christoph Waltz denied returning, something that is always done by actors before they make a return appearance, something else came as more of a shock to the Bondian nervous system: 007 was no longer going to be Bond. Now, the numbers, 007, belong to Nomi, a new character that will be portrayed by Lashana Lynch. It’s unknown if this was part of the script before Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the creator, executive producer, and writer of Fleabag, came onboard at the behest of Daniel Craig, who portrays Bond in the films.

There is a scene where Nomi is given Bond’s license to kill and another, where M states for 007 to come in. The person who comes in is Nomi. It will be tough for fans to absorb this. While Lashana Lynch is not the new James Bond, the numbers, 007, are as identifiable to the character as is his actual name. It’s a major change that is taking place here nonetheless and something that seems to be diverting from the source material and the other films too. While Bond has worked with different MI6 agents before and other agents of other governments, no person has ever taken over those three numbers. He has not seemed to need cordless phones for hard of hearing.

It could very well be a male character receiving those numbers. It’s just very strange to see an iconic piece of the character given to a new character who has not been onscreen before. More than anything, it will be great to see Bond challenged by this though. His life will be completely turned upside down when he has to be called in from retirement and not be given his famous three numbers. Maybe, he gets them back in the end? However, this does seem to be the last run for Craig’s Bond before he is recast. That is the point of giving the 007 numbers to a new character more than anything: to show a post-Bond Bond. What is the character like when he has to be called back into duty by M?

Not only does it say something about the situation but it provides Bond a chance to be challenged one last time. It’s a threat that no one at MI6 can handle alone. This brings us back to Blofeld’s return. This writer was always expecting Blofeld to return since the first report years ago, where Waltz had signed an agreement to return as Blofeld for two films if Craig returned for them. We will likely see the character in a jail cell or he has returned in all his glory. Rami Malek, who is the major villain in Bond 25, is likely either linked to SPECTRE or was a former member of it. It could be that Malek’s character works for Blofeld and is instrumental in resurrecting SPECTRE from its ashes.

With Bond going into retirement and the 007 numbers being given to Nomi, this could be the perfect time for Blofeld to seize the day. It may be the opportunity he needs to come back to power. He might not need cordless phones for hard of hearing but he has always taken advantage of an opportunity. It will not be surprising one bit if all the machinations of this story come from Blofeld’s return when Bond retires. That being said, there’s still much we do not know about this film. It does not have a title and we are left to guess as to what more will be happening here. As the film goes about production, it can be hoped that we figure out what the story of the film is further. Perhaps, we could get a title too.

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