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So exactly how does the Double O career scale works?

j7wildj7wild Suspended
edited August 2011 in Bond Movies Posts: 823
First, I have to presume there are only 9 Double O agents?

Does having a higher number like 008 versus 004 makes you a better agent?

Are the numbers assigned based on performance, length of time on the job, age, etc?

Does having a higher Double O designation gives more seniority in the benefits department (Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, IRA, Vacation Time, Sick Time, Comp Time, Personal Time)?

Does having a bigger number also means having more kills on your records?

Do Double O agents receive a bonus on each kill they perform and is it also based on the person they kills?

For instance, 200 GBP for killing a henchman but if you kill a drug lord or someone like Largo or Blofeld, you get a bigger bonus?

When a Double O is killed or retires, who gets that number?

I would think the logical thing to do is for example, when 006 is killed, 005 and everyone below him down to 001 should move up by 1 number.

Except for Bond, who will always be 007, of course.

Do they have women as Double O?

Does the Double O department has a don't tell, don't ask policy; i.e. if you are Gay/Bi, can you still be a Double O?

That would be cool, after all, it is the 21st Century, Equal Rights, Equal Opportunity, being Gay/BI is Okay, etc etc

Finally, do every Double O agent knows the identity of the other Double O agents and do all 9 of them get together once a month and have a staff meeting with M?

Comments

  • DiscoVolanteDiscoVolante Stockholm, Sweden
    Posts: 1,347
    This ain't news...

    Moved to Bond Movies
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited August 2011 Posts: 13,978
    If i'm not mistaken, the 007 digits are assinged randomly. And i'd imagine each 00 is aware of the identity of the others, remember the briefing in TB?
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited August 2011 Posts: 15,718
    And i'd imagine each 00 is aware of the identity of the others, remember the briefing in TB?
    Doubt it - Imagine a 00 being captured and he cracks under torture and gives the identity of all the other 00 agents ? No, I think each 00 is unaware of the identity and wereabouts of the other 00's. MI6 wouldn't risk having all of their 00 agents' identities being given everytime a 00 gets captured.
  • thelordflasheartthelordflasheart
    Posts: 1,370
    IIRC in the early books there were only 3 double-0 agents, one of whose number was 0011 (I think there was a 0014 but in a continuation novel). There were roughly ten agents in the briefing room in TB, and there was a female agent in TWINE.

    I thought I read that the numbers were randomly generated, but I can't remember if that was in a Fleming book...
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    To add to initial post, have all the changes of the actor for Bond simply been new 007's, and "James Bond" is a cover name assigned to the call sign "007"? That's always what I've kind of assumed.

    And when a 00 dies, do they already have 00's in training, or once one dies do they look for a replacement. Or are there no replacements and they simply assign a new person a new 00 call sign?
  • VirageVirage
    Posts: 1,856
    001 isn't always the best agent as M has referred to bond as there best man.

    I think bond got .007 because that number was available.
    To add to initial post, have all the changes of the actor for Bond simply been new 007's, and "James Bond" is a cover name assigned to the call sign "007"? That's always what I've kind of assumed.
    Really, Really?,Really?!?!
  • j7wildj7wild Suspended
    edited August 2011 Posts: 823
    And i'd imagine each 00 is aware of the identity of the others, remember the briefing in TB?
    Doubt it - Imagine a 00 being captured and he cracks under torture and gives the identity of all the other 00 agents ? No, I think each 00 is unaware of the identity and wereabouts of the other 00's. MI6 wouldn't risk having all of their 00 agents' identities being given everytime a 00 gets captured.
    but at the beginning of TLD, Bond was with two others Double O so then he knows who the other 2 were.

    In the beginning of GE, he knew 006 real well already and it wasn't the first time they worked together, remember? Also, 006 did say later that he and Bond, they shared everything!

  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    I believe the structure of the Double-Oh Section was never really explored in the books.
  • DoubleOhhSevenDoubleOhhSeven
    Posts: 1,778
    Im certain I heard M mention 0011 in one of the films. So there aren't just nine.
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    I've never really given this much thought to be honest

    from what I can remember 009 was killed in Octopussy, 006 was Alec Trevelyan, 008 I don't think was ever seen, maybe mentioned a few times, 003 was in a View To A Kill, 002 was shot by Scaramanga in the Middle East, 004 was killed by a rogue agent in The Living Daylights, I haven't seen Thunderball in eons, so don't fully recall the M16 conference. Furthermore I was led to believe that a 0012 agent was killed before the beginning of The World is not enough and Bond went to Bilbao to get information.

    as James Bond 007 seems to be immortal or beyond the reaches of the Grim reaper, we can't really discuss what would occur if he was taken out, but for arguments sake, if he were to retire or the franchise ends then we must assume that someone else would take his number and so forth
  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    I always figured the numbers were assigned sequentially - Bond is 007 because he was the seventh agent to join the Double-Oh Section. When a Double-Oh agent is killed, his or her number is retired, and the replacement takes the next available number. So, if Bond were to die, the agent who replaced him would be 008. But if there was already a 008, Bond's replacement would become 009. There would only ever be two or three active Double-Ohs at any one time, because they would only be needed in extreme circumstances.
  • j7wildj7wild Suspended
    Posts: 823
    there is a listing of all the Double O in the books and the films

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/00_Agent
  • OHMSS69OHMSS69
    Posts: 2,341
    In the books MI6 only had three 00's. 007, 008, 0011 and Bond was the more senior of the three. They shared one office space with one secretary. The movies have 00's all over the place. This makes no sense as to why they would have so many with the license to kill. I wish the movies had stayed truer to the books in this aspect. Maybe the newer ones with Craig will do just that.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    And i'd imagine each 00 is aware of the identity of the others, remember the briefing in TB?
    Doubt it - Imagine a 00 being captured and he cracks under torture and gives the identity of all the other 00 agents ? No, I think each 00 is unaware of the identity and wereabouts of the other 00's. MI6 wouldn't risk having all of their 00 agents' identities being given everytime a 00 gets captured.
    in Thunderball Bond is in a conference with all the other 00's

    in The Living Daylights Bond is a part of a training exercise with 2 other 00 agents.

    in Goldeneye it's set up that Bond and Trevelyan were friends

    in The World Is Not Enough not only does Bond present a picture of a slain 00 agent to a random Swiss Banker, but he is also in conference with other agents - presumably - when details about how King was killed.


    i think it's safe to say, they know who eachother are.

  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266

    And when a 00 dies, do they already have 00's in training, or once one dies do they look for a replacement. Or are there no replacements and they simply assign a new person a new 00 call sign?
    Somehow I doubt MI6 plan the killing of their people, so as to be sure another one is ready in time.
    First, I have to presume there are only 9 Double O agents?
    You gave the answer yourself: no, there are numers above 10, so it says nothing about how many double-oh's are on active service.

    Does having a higher number like 008 versus 004 makes you a better agent?
    Highly unlikely. You'd first need a way to measure their respective ' good'-ness, and then weigh in special capabilities. Is better shooting more important then running faster?

    Are the numbers assigned based on performance, length of time on the job, age, etc?
    again, unlikely. The most spyish thing would be to randomly assign the numbers, just so nobody can deduct them.

    Does having a higher Double O designation gives more seniority in the benefits department (Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, IRA, Vacation Time, Sick Time, Comp Time, Personal Time)?
    Again highly unlikely. They are civil servants after all.

    Does having a bigger number also means having more kills on your records?
    No. Then by now James Bond would be double-oh a hundred or something.

    Do Double O agents receive a bonus on each kill they perform and is it also based on the person they kills? For instance, 200 GBP for killing a henchman but if you kill a drug lord or someone like Largo or Blofeld, you get a bigger bonus?
    No, they're civil servants. They don't get bonusses. Neither do the military (MI6=Military Intelligence section 6).

    When a Double O is killed or retires, who gets that number?
    maybe somebody, maybe nobady. It's the 'random' that does it.

    I would think the logical thing to do is for example, when 006 is killed, 005 and everyone below him down to 001 should move up by 1 number.

    Except for Bond, who will always be 007, of course.
    Why would that be logical? Do you get your dads name after he dies?

    Do they have women as Double O?
    You answered that yourself with that list.
    Does the Double O department has a don't tell, don't ask policy; i.e. if you are Gay/Bi, can you still be a Double O?


    That would be cool, after all, it is the 21st Century, Equal Rights, Equal Opportunity, being Gay/BI is Okay, etc etc
    I would guess that, since double-ohs are selected from the military, the same rules apply. What those are in the British armed forces I don't know.
    Finally, do every Double O agent knows the identity of the other Double O agents and do all 9 of them get together once a month and have a staff meeting with M?
    Highly unlikely. How would they impart that in their missions, and why would thay anyway?

  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745

    And when a 00 dies, do they already have 00's in training, or once one dies do they look for a replacement. Or are there no replacements and they simply assign a new person a new 00 call sign?
    Somehow I doubt MI6 plan the killing of their people, so as to be sure another one is ready in time.

    Not how I meant. To clarify, is there a 00 basic training. Not is there a layaway 007 waiting for this one to kick the bucket.

    Like a training school for 00's without assigned call signs yet. You know, like when you train in the Secret Service, CIA, FBI, Interpol, or military, you don't exactly know where you'll be, but your training.

  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    It's a bit difficult to define how the "Double-Oh career scale" works because no details are ever given about it.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    To add to initial post, have all the changes of the actor for Bond simply been new 007's, and "James Bond" is a cover name assigned to the call sign "007"? That's always what I've kind of assumed.
    No. Starting with OHMSS (Lanzby) Bond gets married and his wife dies. In FYEO (Moore) Bond visits her grave and finally gets revenge for her death. In LTK (Dalton) Felix mentions Bond was once married.

  • shadowonthesunshadowonthesun Banned
    Posts: 1,894
    And in TWINE, Bond pointedly ignores a question from Elektra about whether he has lost a loved one. It can refer to eitehr Tracy or Paris Carver. It's less obvious than Moore's and Dalton's references, but it is there.

    There are no references to Tracy in the Age of Craig because if Tracy exists in the new timeline, she has not met Bond yet.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266

    And when a 00 dies, do they already have 00's in training, or once one dies do they look for a replacement. Or are there no replacements and they simply assign a new person a new 00 call sign?
    Somehow I doubt MI6 plan the killing of their people, so as to be sure another one is ready in time.

    Not how I meant. To clarify, is there a 00 basic training. Not is there a layaway 007 waiting for this one to kick the bucket.

    Like a training school for 00's without assigned call signs yet. You know, like when you train in the Secret Service, CIA, FBI, Interpol, or military, you don't exactly know where you'll be, but your training.

    As 00's are recruited from other services and their number is fairly small, I wouldn't think so. To keep their skills up however they probably have some sort of training program where they make use of facillities of other services, or even their own. We know Bond often goes to the shooting range and is supposed to learn about all the latest intelligence stuff, including newly developed weapon systems etc. (all in the books).

  • Mac1534Mac1534 London
    Posts: 1
    JWESTBROOK wrote: »
    To add to initial post, have all the changes of the actor for Bond simply been new 007's, and "James Bond" is a cover name assigned to the call sign "007"? That's always what I've kind of assumed.

    And when a 00 dies, do they already have 00's in training, or once one dies do they look for a replacement. Or are there no replacements and they simply assign a new person a new 00 call sign?

    In the movie spyfall is confirmed that james bond is not cover name but his actual name because when they go to his old parents house. It shows his parents have the last name bond as well.
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