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| “ | There's no point in living if you can't feel alive. | „ |
| ~ Elektra King's most famous quote |
Elektra Vavra King is the main antagonist of the 1999 James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.
Elektra was a wealthy oil heiress who was kidnapped by Renard, but eventually became his cohort due to a perceived betrayal by her father when he refused to pay her ransom fee at the advice of M, resulting in her growing embittered and cynical with a desire of vengeance against those who have wronged her.
She was portrayed by Sophie Marceau.
Biography[]
Beginnings[]
Elektra is the daughter of Robert King, who's mother's side of the family is of Azeri descent and fled the country immediately after the Soviet Union was established. As Elektra's maternal grandfather had no sons, Robert became the male heir when he had married into the family. It is for this reason that Elektra believes that her father "stole" the oil reserves that rightfully belonged to her mother.
Conspiring with Renard[]
Eventually, Elektra was kidnapped by the terrorist Renard and held for ransom, which her father refused to pay on the advice of family friend M (the chief of MI6). Embittered by what she saw as her father's betrayal, Elektra was able to seduce Renard into falling in love with her and get him to aid her in a scheme to milk money from her father, going so far as to mutilate her ear (despite Renard's refusal) so Renard could send it to Sir Robert as a warning.
After surviving her "kidnapping", Elektra secretly collaborates with Renard to blow up her family's oil pipeline. She intends to murder her father for ruining her life and seize his oil business, which she believes is rightfully hers. She also holds a personal grudge towards M for influencing Robert's decision not to pay the ransom demands.
Elektra and Renard arrange an attack on MI6's London office hoping; to kill her father and M. The attack is only partly successful, as M survives.
True plot[]
| “ | Elektra: I could have given you the world. Bond: The world is not enough. Elektra: Foolish sentiment. Bond: Family motto. |
„ |
| ~ Elektra King reveals her true plot to James Bond |
Bond decides to offer his services to protect Elektra, believing that Renard will target her next. To throw off suspicion, Elektra accepts Bond's offer and even becomes his lover; when Renard publicly threatens to destroy the pipeline in an attempt that (apparently) culminates in the deaths of Bond and his new ally, Christmas Jones, but she shows her true colours and kidnaps M.
The pipeline destruction proves to be a diversion to further throw off suspicion to Elektra's real plan; contaminating the Bosporus with a nuclear meltdown, forcing oil traders to use her family's pipeline to transport fossil fuel as any other route would require tanker transport across the Bosporus.
With Elektra's plan minutes away from completion, she places Bond in a torture device designed to break his neck by forcing a metal rod against his spine. She straps his hands, feet and neck down, but Bond frees himself with the help of Valentin Zukovsky, who sacrifices his own life in order to save Bond.
Death[]
| “ | Bond: I won't ask again: Call him off. CALL HIM OFF! Elektra: (on radio) Renard! (to Bond) You wouldn't kill me. You'd miss me. Renard: Yes. Elektra: Dive...! Bond: (shoots Elektra dead) I never miss... |
„ |
| ~ Elektra's demise |
Bond then chases after Elektra and corners her in her bedroom. He angrily demands she call Renard off, threatening to kill her if she does not cooperate, but Elektra (arrogantly, delusionally and seductively) insists that Bond loves her too much to ever harm her - and gives Renard the order to dive. Without hesitation, he shoots her dead at point-blank range, but as he cradles her body, it is implied that her death has deeply affected him.
Trivia[]
- Elektra King is the only true female main villain in the series; while Rosa Klebb is the main antagonist that drives the plot of From Russia with Love, she still answers to Blofeld.
- Garbage's "The World is Not Enough" theme song, which is used as the movie's main theme, is told from the perspective of Elektra King talking to Renard.
- Elektra is the first Bond villain who sought revenge upon M. The second who actually succeeded in gaining his revenge upon her was Raoul Silva.
- Elektra was originally intended to survive the events of the film, with the planned ending having Bond visit her in a mental hospital where she was being treated for her Stockholm Syndrome. This ending was ultimately scrapped as it was considered too downbeat.
External Links[]
- Elektra King on the James Bond Wiki
