This is a list of henchmen from the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day.

Zao

Zao is a North Korean secret-agent played by Rick Yune. Yune described his character as one of the most "extreme" looking Bond villains in these. Yune's makeup, which included the implantation of real diamonds, required three hours.

Biography

He was originally a North Korean operative under the command of Colonel Tan-Sun Moon as the Colonel illegally dealt in arms in the Demilitarized Zone of North Korea. Bond, posing as a diamond smuggler called Van Bierk infiltrated Moon's base as part of an MI6 operation, hoping to exchange diamonds for arms and expose Moon. The case of diamonds was rigged with explosives and blew up, embedding several stones in Zao's face. Moon was supposedly killed in the assault. Zao went rogue, killed three Chinese agents, and was later found and arrested by the UN forces in Korea. Bond was held captive by Moon's father.

14 months later, MI6 received intelligence that Bond may soon crack under the pressure and reveal vital information, so a trade was arranged - Zao for Bond. Following Moon, Zao traveled to Cuba, planning to receive gene therapy to alter his appearance. However, Bond found the lab and halted the procedure before it was completed, leaving Zao further disfigured. His features altered into an albino-esque profile with the diamonds still embedded under his skin. Zao fought Bond to a draw and escaped again. During his escape, Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson attempted to shoot Zao, but failed.

Zao caught up with Moon, who, through a course of gene therapy, was now Sir Gustav Graves, in Iceland. Bond, however, had figured out Graves' true identity. Ordered to kill Bond, Zao got in his modified Jaguar XKR, activated thermal imaging and chased Bond and his Aston Martin Vanquish across the ice plains using a number of deadly weapon emplacements installed in the Jaguar, such as a Gattling gun that rose from the rear section of the car. The chase led back to the melting ice palace, where Bond used the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish's adaptive camouflage to fool Zao into driving into the melted ice while the latter attempted to ram the Vanquish with the Jaguar's front retractable battering ram. Bond shot down a chandelier which landed on Zao as he treaded the freezing water, impaling him. The chandelier was, fittingly, made from diamonds.

Trivia

Despite the character being a North Korean, Zao cannot be written in Korean since the language has no "z" sound.

Miranda Frost

Miranda Frost is a spy and Bond girl in the James Bond film Die Another Day. She is played by Rosamund Pike. Frost is a double agent working for MI6; however, her allegiance lies with Gustav Graves, the main villain of the film.

Biography

Miranda Frost is a Harvard-educated, gold medal-winning Olympic fencer (trained by Madonna's character, Verity) posing as Graves' publicist and fencing partner. She won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics by default, after Graves organized the real gold medalist's death by steroids overdose. She is sent by M to work alongside Bond, but does not approve of Bond's methods. When Bond is caught by Mr. Kil and his minions, Frost helps Bond keep incognito by kissing him. They later go to Bond's room and have sex. James awakens and goes after Graves. Frost pleads for him not to go, but he insists. Unbeknownst to 007, Miranda secretly emptied the magazine of Bond's Walther P99. Later when she pulls a gun on Graves, it is revealed that she was the one who betrayed Bond in North Korea, which led to 14 months of torture for him, as well as framing him for revealing the identity of the head American agent which led to his execution at the hands of the North Korean Army. At this point she reveals that she is still a traitor, and turns the gun on Bond. Bond escapes with the ring that Q gave him- which shatters the glass floor that he is currently on-, and Frost and Bond fall into the jungle environment part of the Ice Palace. Frost and Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson have a climactic fight aboard the descending plane. Frost narrowly slices Jinx in the stomach, but Jinx grabs a dagger-impaled copy of The Art of War and stabs Miranda in the heart, killing her.

Quotes(to Bond)"I know everything about you, 007: sex for dinner and death for breakfast."

(to Jinx about her leather suit)"I hope it doesn't shrink when it gets wet."

Last Words -"I can read your every move."- Jinx: "Read this, bitch!" [stabs her with a dagger concealed behind a book]

• Frost was originally going to be named Gala Brand, after the Bond girl in the novel Moonraker.

General Moon

General Moon is a fictional character in the James Bond film Die Another Day, played by Kenneth Tsang. Father to Colonel Moon, General Moon is a wise moderate man who assists in Bond's release back to the West. The North Korean general wishes for a peaceful reunification of Korea, whereas his son is bent on war.

When Bond seemingly assassinates Colonel Moon, the general has him imprisoned and tortured for months to find out who made his son turn traitor. He eventually releases him in exchange for the release of Zao, who had been captured by the West for terrorism.

Towards the end of the movie, he is placed under arrest by Gustav Graves and the hard-liners intent on using the new Icarus weapon against South Korea. He learns that Graves is actually the new identity of his still living son, Colonel Moon, hiding behind a new face thanks to gene therapy. Graves hoped his demonstration of power would impress his father, but instead Moon realizes that his son is insane and threatens to kill him with one of the officers' Makarov, saying his real son died long ago. Graves disarms his father and, stating his disappointment in him, shoots him in the chest, killing him. Graves then coldly removed his Medal of Honor, provoking Bond, who's enraged at seeing the death of the general who spared his life back in North Korea, to try and kill Graves on the spot.

Vladimir Popov

Vladimir Popov (played by Michael Gorevoy) is a scientist who works for Gustav Graves.

Role

Vladimir Popov works as Gustav Graves' personal scientist. He makes his first appearance in the film when timing Graves, who is attempting to beat his best time across the ice in an ice dragster.

Popov reveals his role as a sort of mad scientist when he invents for Graves a remote control for the Icarus satellite which doubles as a laser weapon. Popov is mainly seen throughout the rest of the film following Graves, but doing nothing of major importance. He annoys Graves when he reveals that Bond has beaten his speed record while escaping from Icarus.

The mad scientist's demise occurs when James Bond inadvertently shoots a hole in one of the windows of Graves' airborne jet, causing the cabin to depressurize; Popov is sucked out of the plane to his death.

Mr. Kil

Mr. Kil is a henchman of the main villain, Gustav Graves. In the film he was portrayed by New Zealand actor Lawrence Makoare. Kil is first introduced alongside his partner Pertant when Bond arrives in Iceland: "I am Mr Kil". Bond quips back: "Well, there's a name to die for." He tortures Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson and straps down her hands and feet. He is later killed by Jinx with a laser which impales him through the back of the head and out of the top of his mouth while fighting with Bond. After his demise, Bond and Jinx use the laser to cut Kil's hand off and use its pattern to gain access to Graves's personal quarters.

References