The Bond girls are an integral part of the 007 franchise. While in the earlier movies it was clear that the Bond girl was solely intended to be a love interest for the spy protagonist, the importance of Bond girls to the plots has only became greater in recent films, with the No Time to Die trailers hinting that Madeline Swann will play a vital role in the film’s (and Daniel Craig’s) endgame.
While some people still think that Bond girls are just there for their sex appeal, it is important to remember that they often play integral roles in the plot, with several even completing the mission on Bond’s behalf. This article will rank the 10 most intelligent Bond girls.
Natalya Simonova
GoldenEye’s Natalya Simonova isn’t only one of the most memorable Bond girls, but she is also one of the most intelligent. Simonova was a computer programmer who was working on the GoldenEye satellite system before Trevalyan’s forces stormed the building to take the GoldenEye launch hardware and information.
After the attack, Simonova went on to join forces with Bond, and ultimately saved the day by reprogramming the GoldenEye satellites.
Jinx
It’s a shame that Die Another Day wasn’t a better movie because Halle Berry’s portrayal of NSA operative Jinx deserved more. After meeting Bond in Cuba, Jinx then meets him again in Iceland as the two are both investigating Gustav Graves.
Jinx shows just how skilled she is as she helped bring down Gustav Graves’ Icarus satellite operation, defeating Miranda Frost, and matching Bond in many respects during the movie.
Tatiana Romanova
Tatiana Romanova was a Soviet intelligence officer who was sent on a mission to seduce James Bond in order to help instigate a new evil plan from SPECTRE. However, Bond is able to turn her to the good side, and helps free her from the clutches of the nefarious organization.
While Tatiana appears to be too sweet to succeed in the spy business, there is a clear intelligence to the character that has gone under the radar among some fans of James Bond.
Anya Amasova
Major Anya Amasova starred in The Spy Who Loved Me, and was set up to be the female counterpart to James Bond. Amasova has the same mission as Bond, to discover who has been stealing nuclear submarines. While the two bump into each other on their respective missions, they quickly learn that they have the same goal and begin to work together.
Amasova is one of the most capable and impressive Bond girls of all time, showing that she is more than tough enough to fight villains on her own.
Elektra King
Elektra King is one of the most underrated Bond girls and villains of all time. Originally believed to be a simple kidnapping victim, Elektra King eventually outs herself as the mastermind behind the evil scheme in The World Is Not Enough, revealing that she had manipulated Renard, James Bond, and MI6.
It is due to this manipulation that Elektra King has to be ranked so high on this list. She was able to transform her original kidnapping into a position of strength, and manipulate one of the most respected secret agents of all time.
Wai Lin
Wai Lin is easily one of the greatest Bond girls of all time. Played masterfully by the legendary Michelle Yeoh, Wai Lin is a Chinese secret agent who was investigating the Carver Media Group in Tomorrow Never Dies. As Bond is also investigating Elliot Carver, the two eventually cross paths and team up to bring down the villainous media tycoon.
Wai Lin isn’t only a highly-skilled secret agent whose hand-to-hand combat skills outmatch even James Bond’s, but she is also a master manipulator, easily able to infiltrate Elliot Carver’s party and gain his trust.
Vesper Lynd
Vesper Lynd may have only known Bond for a short time, but she certainly left an impression on the secret agent. While they initially dislike one another, the two grow close and form a touching romantic bond that has become an iconic part of Casino Royale.
As an agent for the UK treasury, Vesper’s intelligence is clear on paper, but she also shows intelligence through her witty discussions with Bond. While she may have been pressured into working with the villains, she ultimately showed that she cared for Bond as she committed the ultimate sacrifice to save his life.
Madeleine Swann
After her initial appearance in Spectre, Madeleine Swann is set to reappear in No Time To Die, complete with a mysterious secret that is sure to tie into Rami Malek’s character. Madeleine’s intelligence is clear for us to see due to the fact that she is a successful and talented psychiatrist.
However, aside from her psychiatric skill, Madeleine Swann also shows her intelligence through her adaptability as she is more than capable of helping Bond on his mission despite being deeply out of her comfort zone.
Holly Goodhead
Despite the laughable name, Holly Goodhead is one of the most intelligent and skilled Bond girls to accompany the iconic British agent on a mission. Goodhead is a CIA operative who, while first appearing to be a potential villain, is revealed to be investigating Hugo Drax.
Goodhead is one of the most capable and skilled Bond Girls of all time; she is the one with the ability to pilot the Moonraker shuttle. Without her, Bond wouldn’t have been able to stop Hugo Drax.
Christmas Jones
This one may be controversial due to Denise Richards’ performance as the character, but on paper, Dr. Christmas Jones is the most intelligent Bond girl. She is a nuclear scientist who helps Bond on his mission to topple Elektra King’s plans in The World is not Enough.
That being said, while the character is the most intelligent Bond girl on paper, Christmas Jones could have been a much better character if a more talented actress was chosen to her. Critics were dismissive of Richards’ performance, with many suggesting that she wasn’t believable in the role.
