Who is James Bond?

This position holds that James Bond is an amazing character, popular for decades with good reason. It argues that Bond is a timeless cultural icon and classic hero — the ultimate masculine figure — who has also evolved to reflect social change across his long screen life.

This position holds that James Bond may simply be a villain rather than a hero. It argues that, stripped of his glamour, Bond is a cold-blooded assassin who kills on the state's orders — a figure whose conduct, examined plainly, is closer to that of a bad guy than a good one.

This position holds that James Bond is a problematic figure. It argues that, beneath the glamour, Bond is a symbol of sexism, xenophobia and imperialism, and of capitalist over-indulgence — a relic whose values sit uneasily with modern sensibilities.

This position holds that it scarcely matters who James Bond is. It argues that the character is no longer culturally relevant — that 'James Bond' is merely a code name passed between agents, and that the franchise persists chiefly as a commercial cash cow rather than a figure worth analysing.