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Was M Bond's Mother?

CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
edited December 2012 in Skyfall Posts: 7
There is some debate with my colleagues, but I feel it was rather obvious that M, or "Mom", was the Monique on the headstone, and that, after several subtle clues, it was revealed that she was his biological Mother. Is this so obvious that it is not a topic, or has anyone else made this discovery?
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Comments

  • BondBond
    edited December 2012 Posts: 503
    What was it about the continually-repeated "his parents died in a skiing accident" part that you didn't understand? What subtle clues?
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    Bond wrote:
    What was it about the continually-repeated "his parents died in a skiing accident" part that you didn't understand? What subtle clues?

    It's hilarious, at the point where M even asks him 'how did it happen' in reference to his parents' deaths and he says 'you already know'. That showed the film makers felt they didn't have to explain to the audience and drill it into our heads that his parents are dead.

    Maybe they should have.

    But yes, both his parents were dead long before he ever met Judi's M.

    Kincade even told a story about how he hid in the tunnels after their deaths, and came out a man after two days.

    M wasn't Silva's nor Bond's mother. If it wasn't for the one line in CR I'd say she didn't even have kids.
  • CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
    Posts: 7
    An easy diversion, such as the fact that Bond and everyone else called her "Mom". It began as a hunch, when the plot put the two of them together, the way she seemed to "mother" and protect him, approve him for service against better judgement, and so on. The tombstone was curious. It could have represented an irony, but otherwise, it was not necessary. The second came when I saw how he cried for her. It was out of his character to cry that way for his superior. The final solidification came when she said "he was the one thing she got right".

    In the world of espionage, you create a persona, or a "lie". I think they counteracted this with things to allow you to think that his parents truly are dead, but that could be espionage, and the intentional misleading of facts, much in the same way I feel the story has used to diversionary tactics. I feel it was a cleverly written story about a boy and his mother. I would love to hear what the writer and director would have to say.
  • LicenceRevokedLicenceRevoked
    Posts: 204
    I'd strongly doubt that 'M' was Bond's mother. Firstly, what mother would let her son do all that running and jumping? It's exhausting! ;)

    Secondly Silva called M 'mother' as well when he took his jaw out and said "Look upon your handywork, mother".

    Thirdly Bond is half-Scottish, half-Swiss, which is why his mother's name on the tombstone is Monique Delacroix-Bond.

    It's really just an opportunity afforded by having a female 'M' that the two of them enjoy a somewhat maternal relationship, with Bond being the favourite of her agents and being an orphan and such.

    Also, if M was Bond's mother, then was she the mother to the Brosnan-Era Bond? What would happen now that M is played by Ralph Fiennes, does that make M Bond's dad now?

    No, M is not Bond's mom, they are just professionally fond of each other I guess!
  • CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
    Posts: 7
    Mallory became "M" due to the first letter in his name, just the same as his predecessor was "M" because of Monique. And they all called her "Mom", not just Bond. I think it was a tactic to make it not that apparent. I don't feel that they are trying to tie the Brosnan Bond with the Craig films. There is the chance I am off base, but as I said, I would love to have a chat with the writer and director.
  • Dalton12Dalton12
    Posts: 1,107
    You post a funny question :D Bond's mother is six feet underground so I think M is not Bond's mom.
  • CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
    Posts: 7
    I am thinking a bit out of the box. As I said, not everything is face value in the world of espionage.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited December 2012 Posts: 14,680
    In this case, thinking outside the box is irrelevant. His biological parents are dead. Enough said.
  • CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
    Posts: 7
    Why?
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    edited December 2012 Posts: 5,767
    I thought it wasn´t Mom but Ma´am, the military short form for Madam?!? But it´s true that Silva calls M Mommy and Mother, so that for a moment there I had the notion that he was indeed her physical son.
    Admittedly I was a bit put off that Bond wasn´t allowed to cry for gorgeous Tracy, but cried for that bitch M, but not for a split second did I get the idea she could be his Mom. In fact, they should have saved the line, ´The bitch is dead´ for the end of Skyfall ;-).
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited December 2012 Posts: 14,680
    Exactly. Bond never says 'Mom', it is indeed 'Ma'am'.
  • LicenceRevokedLicenceRevoked
    Posts: 204
    I see where you're going Captain Chambers, and it's an entertaining thread of thought, however chronologically and narratively, it just wouldn't work. A mother would have to be a psychopath to let her son do a job like being a 00 Agent. Then telling Eve to 'take the bloody shot' as it were? Possible, but highly, highly unlikely!
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    Posts: 5,767
    It would have been one sick mother-son relationship...

    Anyhow, Silva saying, ´Mommy was very bad´ implies that he refers to her as mother of both of them, which is clearly irony, unless one were to conclude that Silva is Bond´s physical brother.
  • CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
    Posts: 7
    LicenceRevoked wrote:
    I see where you're going Captain Chambers, and it's an entertaining thread of thought, however chronologically and narratively, it just wouldn't work. A mother would have to be a psychopath to let her son do a job like being a 00 Agent. Then telling Eve to 'take the bloody shot' as it were? Possible, but highly, highly unlikely!

    Thank you for a more stimulating response, and for your thoughts. I could be wrong, and I have no problem with that. Still...

    I see where it could go either way. I will leave it at that. It is damn fine movie that I think is well done. Mendes directed well, and I am happy to see a return to form. Looking forward to the next!

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited December 2012 Posts: 28,694
    Ha, is this actually a thread? Any Bond fan worth their custom fitted PPK patterned pajamas knows that Monique is Bond's mother, and no other. M is his "mother" only in a figurative sense.
  • CaptainChambersCaptainChambers
    Posts: 7
    Wow.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,022
    Dialogue from QOS:

    "Your mother ?"

    Bond: "She likes to think so."

    I think this settles the question once and for all. No, M is not Bond's mother. Bond's mother, Monique Delacroix, is six feet under. Besides, I doubt the british secret service would have accepted as its head somebody coming from beyond the Channel.

    As I said before, maybe M stands for Mother, but it might be the same kind of code name the head of whatever intelligence service Steed and King worked for used.
  • battleshipgreygtbattleshipgreygt
    Posts: 1,220
    There's a huge misunderstanding with the "Mom" thing. They're saying "ma'am" with a British accent. Do people actually think agents and politicians are going around calling the head of MI6 "Mom"?
  • ThepastykidThepastykid
    Posts: 553
    The Now Playing team made the same mistake, it can only be the accent and how it sounds to some not from the UK
  • LicenceRevokedLicenceRevoked
    edited December 2012 Posts: 204
    The 'mom' thing really is just meant with a sense of sarcasm...

    We do say 'ma'am' which in UK is still quite formal, but the whole premise of the 'Mom' thing in Skyfall is the course of events which combine to form somebody like Bond or someone like Silva. Those actions that send a person into 'the shadows' which M did to Bond and to Silva, in a way she created how they became, creating a pseudo-sibling relationship between them and in that way that makes them their 'mom' - I'm not sure I'm explaining it too well though...!

    Also I read somewhere that Dench's M's name was in fact Marjorie
  • VolanteVolante
    Posts: 774
    Not even going to dignify this with a response other than to say this:

    No, M was not Bond's mother.
  • myworldisenoughmyworldisenough
    edited December 2012 Posts: 1,143
    CaptainChambers wrote:
    Mallory became "M" due to the first letter in his name, just the same as his predecessor was "M" because of Monique. And they all called her "Mom", not just Bond. I think it was a tactic to make it not that apparent. I don't feel that they are trying to tie the Brosnan Bond with the Craig films. There is the chance I am off base, but as I said, I would love to have a chat with the writer and director.

    Way off base I'm afraid. Mallory became M due to the first letter in his name? I can see it now, "Richardson and Saunders want to know why they can't be head of Mi6? "We'll Isn't it obvious? Their surnames don't begin with M"

    As to Dench's M, she was a mother figure, no less, no more. Bond referred to her as Ma'am as one would out of respect to ones female senior in the service. Silva's reference 'mom' is a form of mockery towards her based on his previous loyalty and respect for her and the hurt and betrayal he subsequently feels towards
    her.
  • 00Zenon00Zenon Perth, Australia
    Posts: 44
    YOU SIR!!!
    DO NOT belong in a forum of true Bond fans!!!
    YOU ARE BANISHED!!!!

    I BID YOU GOOD DAY!!!!
    :P

    Seriously though, come on dude, do your research, read the book, watch Goldeneye, even google it on wikipedia...
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    CaptainChambers wrote:
    There is some debate with my colleagues, but I feel it was rather obvious that M, or "Mom", was the Monique on the headstone, and that, after several subtle clues, it was revealed that she was his biological Mother. Is this so obvious that it is not a topic, or has anyone else made this discovery?

    Absurdity
  • UmustbjockingUmustbjocking
    Posts: 83
    Some of you have no idea about the 007 character. Please do your homework, see past films educate yourself before posting absurd questions. (Or tell us what you smoked!)
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    edited December 2012 Posts: 3,327
    CaptainChambers wrote:
    I would love to hear what the writer and director would have to say.
    I can answer you here and now, assuming this is not a wind-up thread and you are actually being deadly serious with your question. =))

    The writer and director have been on record many times stating they went back to the Fleming novels for the background story, including the death of Bond's parents which is briefly mentioned in the books.

    Not once is there any mention anywhere on the internet, in the Bond novels, anywhere on planet earth (other than in your brain cells) that the intention was to have Bond's mother really being M all along, and Bond's mother's gravestone in Scotland was just a hoax.

    If you are going to read into the films, at least try to be intelligent about it.......


    =))
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,022
    Besides, if M had been Bond's mother, you might think that she would have known about the secret passage in the lodge, or that Kincade would have recognized her. No ?
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    edited December 2012 Posts: 14,680
    Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
  • jetsetwillyjetsetwilly
    edited December 2012 Posts: 3,327
    Gerard wrote:
    Besides, if M had been Bond's mother, you might think that she would have known about the secret passage in the lodge, or that Kincade would have recognized her. No ?
    Don't spoil it for the kid, Gerard. Let him have his fantasy.......

    :))
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,169
    As you can see @CaptainChambers, M is not Bonds mother.
    As this question has been answered, and this is likely going to become a spam filled waste of space. I think it's safe to lock it up before that happens.

    That's all folks.
This discussion has been closed.