Here's why Nomi could be the most important character in No Time To Die. As the first major victim of the coronavirus cinematic shuffle, there's still no telling when Daniel Craig's final James Bond film could come out, or, indeed, how it'll come out. Nevertheless, excitement remains high for Bond's big screen return. No Time To Die rounds off the entire Daniel Craig era, bringing together plot threads from 2005's Casino Royale to 2015's Spectre. Bond himself is a man of leisure when the final chapter begins, but the past soon catches up on the ex-007 in the form of Rami Malek's Safin.
Daniel Craig will have no time to waste in No Time To Die, with plenty of lingering stories to resolve. From Madeleine Swann's secret to the glorious return of Blofeld, the twenty-fifth James Bond movie will be an action-packed affair full of big reveals, with some speculating that 007 might die for the very first time. Whatever his fate, Bond won't be facing Safin alone. Alongside familiar faces M (Ralph Fiennes), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), Q (Ben Whishaw) and Felix (Jeffrey Wright), Ana de Armas will be joining the fun as Paloma. But undoubtedly the most important new ally in James Bond's contact list is Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch.
A young, fresh agent in the 00 program, Nomi made a strong first impression in No Time To Die's trailers, proving herself a formidable spy with a witty retort always at the ready. While the full extent of Nomi's role in No Time To Die remains to be seen, the success, or otherwise, of the character could be incredibly important to the future of the James Bond franchise.
What We Know About Nomi In No Time To Die
Lashana Lynch's Nomi is Bond's MI6 replacement - younger, fitter and sharper than her aging counterpart. More importantly, she also assumes the traditional "Bond" character role in No Time To Die, rolling up in a high-end, jet black Aston Martin, ruthlessly ribbing Bond over his creaking body, and smoothly operating at extravagant social events. Where Bond has historically been the "stylish but deadly" jewel in the British Secret Service's crown, that position has been ably filled by Nomi, leaving Daniel Craig to play the grizzled and grubby veteran. Naturally Bond and Nomi don't get along, at least initially, and it's clear that both would rather work in solitude, but after James finds himself drafted back into the MI6 fold, he has no choice but to pull alongside his younger counterpart. Nomi is also just as reckless as Bond, piloting a nifty folding plane despite having zero experience in the matter and, crucially, looks set to accompany her predecessor on at least part of his crusade against Safin.
Although the No Time To Die trailer doesn't reveal Nomi's designation, reports widely suggest she has taken over Bond's "007" code name, offering a unique dynamic between the old and new, and the intriguing premise of a James Bond movie where Bond himself isn't 007.
No Time To Die Will Develop Its Female Characters
Needless to say, the James Bond franchise hasn't always been a bastion of cinematic feminism. In the classic movies, it wasn't unusual to see a butt-pat, a face-slap, or a condescending remark - scenes that prove uncomfortable viewing in 2020. While the culture of the era is at least partially to blame, James Bond has largely restricted its female characters to stereotypical roles, whether that be the femme fatale, the bookish secretary, or the damsel in distress. Attempts have been made to rectify this failing over the years. Diana Rigg is a breath of fresh air in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, for example, but James Bond has maintained its reputation for testosterone-fueled machismo nonetheless.
The Daniel Craig era rebooted the entire Bond formula, including the depiction of female characters. While some stereotypes remained, Skyfall's focus on M and Naomie Harris' vastly improved Moneypenny demonstrate clear progression. With Craig's time coming to an end, Bond's producers remain committed to this direction. According to Lashana Lynch herself, the latest James Bond effort addresses the stereotypes of years gone by, while Naomie Harris claims the film breaks new ground with a plot driven by "strong, intelligent women." Long-serving Bond custodian, Barbara Broccoli, has stated her intention to create new, substantial roles for women within the James Bond world, as well as acknowledging that Bond's attitude towards women must move with the times. It's also telling that Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag fame was drafted in to improve the script - only the second woman to be credited with writing a James Bond movie.
Why Nomi Is A Different Type Of Bond Character
As Naomie Harris points out, Nomi isn't the only significant female character in No Time To Die. Madeleine Swann will provide more than a mere love interest (she's managed to stick around between films, for a start) and Moneypenny looks to continue her pivotal role as one of Daniel Craig's most trusted allies. Meanwhile, Ana de Armas' Paloma featured prominently in the second No Time To Die trailer and seems far more useful than Bond's usual one-time allies. But Nomi is special, representing an entirely new brand of female character in James Bond. As mentioned previously, all of the attributes one would usually expect from Bond himself are now present in Nomi. The new 007 is not a feisty love interest or a fleeting fellow secret agent - she's a main player right up alongside Bond in the midst of the main plot. Naturally, every James Bond effort puts the title character front and center, and rightly so. But while most stories in 007's canon boil down to a two-way dance between Bond and an arch antagonist, Nomi escapes the confines of MI6's supporting cast and shares in the spotlight usually reserved for Bond alone.
Nomi Can Set The Tone For James Bond's Future
No Time To Die's cast and producers have talked up the film as a new dawn for female characters in James Bond, but whether or not that mission is successful depends entirely on Nomi, the bright new figurehead leading the charge. If Nomi is presented as a strong spy and a well-rounded character, while being afforded plenty of screen time, then she could instigate the revolution James Bond has needed for decades. A single character can't wipe away years of misogyny, but Nomi could certainly trigger a cultural shift where James Bond becomes known as a progressive, forward-thinking franchise, rather than the old "women want him, men want to be him" cliche. Barbara Broccoli remains steadfast that Bond will never be played by a woman, but even so, 007's female contingent needn't be as shallow and two-dimensional as they have been in the past. Nomi can elevate the progress made during the Daniel Craig era to the next level.
But just as Nomi's role in No Time To Die could vastly improve the perception of female James Bond characters, so too could she prove that a secret agent never changes his spots. If Lashana Lynch's character is killed off within the first act, No Time To Die will be seen to have reverted to type - introducing a promising, tough female only to dispose of her early and leave the heavy lifting to the men-folk. Likewise, if Nomi is kidnapped by Safin and James Bond rides to the rescue, the usual tired stereotypes would have taken root once again. After all that has been said about Nomi and No Time To Die, failing Nomi would prove once and for all that Bond will always be slightly behind the times.
A character with huge potential, all signs point to Nomi revolutionizing the standard James Bond formula, and if presented in the correct way, she could fundamentally alter the franchise forever. But with high risk comes high reward, and No Time To Die will dictate the future of Bond's female characters, one way or the other.
