| “ | For England, James? | „ |
| ~ Trevelyan's most famous quote as well as his last words during the film's climax |
| “ | Closing time, James! Last call! | „ |
| ~ Trevelyan's vow to 007 mere moments after exposing himself |
| “ | Good luck with the floor, James. I set the timers for six minutes...the same six minutes you gave me. It was the least I can do for a friend. | „ |
| ~ Alec Trevelyan to James Bond. |
Alec Trevelyan, formerly known as 006 and now known as Janus, is the main antagonist of the 1995 live action film, GoldenEye.
He was an ex-MI6 agent turned cyber-terrorist and was formally James Bond's best friend, thus being practically unique amongst Bond's adversaries.
He was portrayed by Sean Bean who also played Sean Miller in Patriot Games, Patrick Koster in Don't Say a Word, Dr. Merrick in The Island, and John Ryder in The Hitcher.
History
Alec is seemingly captured.
In 1986, Trevelyan betrayed the British Secret Service during a mission with James Bond. The two friends and agents infiltrated an Arkhangelsk chemical weapons facility, with the orders to blow it up. The two agents managed to sneak into the main chamber of the facility, facing exceptionally small resistance. James was concerned but Alec claimed that half of everything was mere luck. Unfortunately for Bond, Alec triggered an alarm just moments later. With Russian soldiers advancing onto them, Alec provided cover while Bond set the explosives, with Alec telling Bond to set the timer to six minutes. After setting the charges, Bond did not hear anything from his colleague and peeked out of his cover, seeing that Alec had been captured by the Russian General Ourumov, who threatened to shoot Alec should Bond not surrender.
Alec however urged Bond to finish the job and blow them all to hell, knowing fully well that Bond would not leave his friend behind. After resetting the charges to three minutes instead of six, Bond left his cover, but Ourumov seemingly shot Alec nonetheless. The Russian soldiers opened fire at Bond, who swiftly took cover behind a gas tank. Unable to shoot at Bond due to the risk of hitting the gas tanks, the soldiers were forced to watch Bond leave the room, still dragging the gas canister with him. Bond eventually managed to escape the facility as it exploded, believing Trevelyan to be dead.
In truth, Alec had only staged his death together with Ourumov, intending to simply walk out of the facility after Bond's planned death. However, due to Bond resetting the charges, Trevelyan had much less time to leave than he expected and was caught in the explosion, burning the right side of his face.
After his "demise", Trevelyan formed a criminal organization and took on the alias Janus, named after the two-faced Greek god. In 1995 he sent his henchmen Xenia Onatopp and Ourumov to steal a Tiger helicopter and then a powerful satellite weapon called GoldenEye from a Russian military bunker facility with the help of computer programmer Boris Grishenko. They then destroy the facility so as not to leave any clues of the crime, unaware that another computer programmer Natalya Simonova had survived. Bond is then sent to investigate Janus' criminal organization.
Revealing himself to Bond
| “ | Back from the dead! No longer just an anonymous star on the memorial wall at MI6. What's the matter, James? No glib remark, no pithy comeback? (Bond: Why?) Hilarious question, particularly from you. Did you ever ask why? Why we toppled all those dictators, undermined all those regimes, only to come home: "Well done, good job, but sorry, old boy, everything you risked your life and limb for has changed." | „ |
| ~ Alec revealing his true colors to Bond. |
To find Janus, Bond meets crime boss Valentin Zukovsky in Russia. Although not knowing Janus' identity, Valentin reveals to Bond that Janus' is a Lienz Cossack. Through his criminal ties Zukovsky manages to reach out to Janus and tells him to meet Bond at the Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg. Janus sends Onatopp to dispose of Bond but Bond manages to overpower her and forces her to bring him to Janus.
Onatopp drives Bond out of the city, into a open field where all kinds of statues are stored. Spotting the Tiger helicopter amidst the statues Bond journeys towards it. While Bond walks through the ruins he is approached by Janus who reveals himself to be Alec Trevelyan. Not believing his eyes, Bond lowers his weapon. Trevelyan sarcastically asks whether Bond would like to make his typical witty comeback, but Bond is too shocked.
Janus reveals himself to Bond.
Calling Bond "Her Majesty's loyal terrier", Alec reveals that he had enough of risking his life, toppling dictators only to return home and find that everything he risked his life for had changed. Bond claims that this was the job they were chosen for but Alec disgustedly remarks that he knew Bond would say something like that. He then tells Bond to drop his gun, stating that he is insulted because Bond really thought that Alec had not expected Bond's every move.
Shocked, Bond lowers his gun. He tells Alec that he trusted him and asks how MI6 could miss that Alec's parents were Lienz Cossacks. Alec reveals that MI6 knew of his identity, explaining that while his parents survived the British betrayal and Stalin's execution squads, Alec's father couldn't let himself or his wife live with the shame of letting their people die, which lead him to committing murder-suicide. MI6 then took in Alec, expecting that the six year old boy would not remember his parent's deaths. Alec also blames Bond for his disfigured face, as Bond reset the timers. Bond claims that he did so to save Alec, but Alec responds that he didn't want Bond to save him but to die for him. He casually mentions that he initially wanted to ask for Bond to join him, but deep down he knew that Bond would be loyal to his country and not to his friend. Furious and disappointed, Bond then tries to shoot Alec but is shot with a sleeping dart by one of Alec's hidden henchmen.
Together with Natalya, Bond is then strapped inside the Tiger helicopter. Alec sets the helicopter to shoot it's missiles at itself but Bond is able to eject both of them out of the helicopter before it explodes.
Bond's Escape
Bond and Natalya are soon taken into custody by Russian soldiers. However, while Ourumov manages to flee with Natalya Bond escapes and enters a tank, driving it through St. Petersburg in pursuit of Ourumov. Ourumov eventually manages to enter Alec's converted missile train which drives off almost immediately. Inside, Alec thanks Ourumov for the "gift", as Natalya is now in his custody and unable to reveal his plans. However, he reveals his anger about Bonds escape. He then approaches Natalya, telling her that he and Bond shared everything. He attempts to rape her but Natalya breaks free and slaps him. They are then interrupted when Bond drives his tank on the rails, intending to derail the train. Alec orders a henchmen to keep the train at full speed, to ram Bond's tank. However, Bond uses the tank to shoot at the train, killing the driver as well as blasting the front cabin. The driver-less train crashes into the tank and derails, knocking everyone inside off their feet.
Alec shortly before escaping.
After a short moment of dizziness, Alec realizes what's going on. He crouches towards his gun but Bond steps on it, forcing him backwards. Although he is unarmed Alec is not impressed, stating that Bond has no way to escape and that Alec has the only bargaining chip, Natalya. He orders Ourumov to bring her to them and the general enters the cabin with Natalya at gunpoint.
Bond tries to drive a spike between Alec and Ourumov by revealing that Alec is a Lienz Cossack. Ourumov is startled and Bond uses this to swiftly turn around and shoot him in the head. This however gives Alec and Onatopp the second they need to flee from the train wreckage and and lock all doors. Alec and Onatopp then escape in a helicopter. While they fly off, Alec uses a walkie to contact Bond and tell him that he rigged the train with explosives. After gleefully telling Bond that he set the timer to the same six minutes Bond gave him, he cuts the connection, leaving Bond and Natalya behind.
After hacking the computer inside the train and finding the location of Alec's base, Natalya and Bond manage to leave the train before it explodes. They set out to Cuba to stop Alec's plot.
Base attacked
| “ | You know, James, I was always better! | „ |
| ~ Alec during his fight with Bond. |
While flying over a lake while searching for the base, Bond's plane is shot by a missile that comes straight out of the lake and crashes into the forest. After the crash, Alec sends Onatopp in a helicopter to search for survivors. She is defeated and killed by Bond, who now knows that Alec's base is located inside the lake.
Bond is brought before Alec.
At the base, Alec tells Boris to heave the base out of the lake in order to start the operation. Grishenko claims that the satellite would be in range in six minutes so it is too early to prepare the dish and he is not ready, but Alec angrily orders him to do it anyway. After the base has emerged, Alec hands Boris the GoldenEye, threateningly telling Boris that it better be working. While Boris makes the final preparations, Alec is handed a tablet by one of his henchmen and watches footage of Bond and Natalya sneaking onto the base. He sends his men to deal with Bond and orders Boris to have the GoldenEye satellite target London.
With the base at high alert, Bond is forced to shoot many of Alec's men while advancing to the main control room. Providing a distraction to allow Natalya to flee in order to hack into the system, Bond gives himself up after activating a hidden explosive charge near a gasoline tank. Bond is brought before Trevelyan who examines Bond's belongings. Remembering Q's tricks, he takes Bond's watch and examines it and deactivates the explosive charge Bond had planted. Being kept prisoner at the base's main chamber, Bond watches the nearby computer screens and realizes that Alec intends to hack into the Bank of England to transfer all the money electronically, moments before setting off the GoldenEye and thus erasing every trace of the transaction. Alec reveals that his plans are far greater than that, since the GoldenEye will also erase the banks financial records and destroy the United Kingdoms economy, all to satisfy his revenge for his family's demise.
Eventually, Natalya is also captured and brought before Alec. Boris is delighted to see Natalya but she furiously headbutts him, attacking him until she is restrained by guards. At that point Bond spots Boris' habit of spinning a pen when he is nervous. Alec then sends Boris back to his computer to check whether Natalya has done any harm hacking before she was captured. Big-mouthed, Boris brags that Natalya does not have his skills and would be unable to hack into the GoldenEye but is proven wrong when an alarm goes off, stating that GoldenEye is about to reenter earth's atmosphere which would cause the satellite burn up upon re-entry. Boris tries to hack back into the system while furiously clicking the pen. Unbeknownst to Boris, Bond had exchanged Boris' pen with his own explosive one and thus Boris accidentally arms the pen. Bond senses an opportunity and knocks down Boris, who drops the pen near the gasoline canister, causing it to blow up. Fueled by the gasoline and the explosive charge Bond set earlier, the explosion destroys almost the entire control room.
Alec, only held by Bond.
Alec dispatches a guard to kill Boris if he fails to decrypt Natalya's code, and then sets off to hunt down Bond, who has decided to sabotage the antenna hanging over the base. Their duel starts with a convoluted shootout, but eventually both men's rifles are empty. Bond pursues Trevelyan across the area above the antenna, when Trevelyan ambushes him and attacks in the confined space. A brutal fist fight erupts between them, and they both seem surprisingly evenly matched. Trevelyan narrowly wins. Breathlessly, he holds Bond at gunpoint, rasping to him that "he was always better". Before he can shoot however, Bond kicks open a trap door underneath him and drops down onto the antenna. Running out of bullets, Alec follows him and both men continue to fight, eventually leading to Alec hanging over the edge of the antenna with 007 grabbing his foot. Smugly, Trevelyan replies his catchphrase "For England, James?" but James responds "No, for me," before letting go of his former friend, knowing he was too dangerous to be left alive. Trevelyan fell screaming onto the dish a long way below, surviving but mortally wounded. Paralyzed from the fall, Trevelyan can do nothing to save himself as the antenna explodes and collapsed onto him, crushing him to death.
Personality and Abilities
Trevelyan is a calculating, manipulative, and surreptitious mastermind. He seems to have always been something of a vengeful sociopath, so much that even when he was six years old and recruited to MI6 his only desire was to destroy it as Trevelyan was the the son of Lienz Cossack parents who sided against the Soviets during World War II. After the war, the Cossacks attempted to surrender to the British, who then sent them back to Russia where Joseph Stalin had many of them executed. Trevelyan's parents survived the execution squads, but the survivors guilt proved too much, causing his father to kill his wife and himself. Alec blamed the British for his parents' deaths, and even in his adult years he still held to his grudge.
Despite this, Alec does seem to have a sort of friendship with James Bond, as the two had been on numerous missions together, shared everything and Trevelyan once considered inviting Bond on his plans. However after he disrupted Trevelyan's plans to stage his death by setting the explosive timers to three minutes instead of six, it left the right side of his face burned and disfigured, thus further fueling his vendetta.
He is intensively bitter, resentful, opprobrious, uncomplimentary, and vituperative; despite it being nine years since he received his scar, Trevelyan's anger did not settle. He is callous, sadistic, loathsome, and unpleasant, after capturing Natalya Simonova on-board his train Alec mocked Bond to choose between "the girl or the mission". And when leaving them to die in a train rigged with explosives Alec gives the two, "the same six minutes [Bond] gave [Alec]" (meaning they had three minutes. This resentment is further displayed by his alias Janus [the two faced God of war]. Trevelyan then quipped that "it was the least he could do for a friend," before laughing sarcastically.
Trevelyan was a master of psychological warfare, he delivers several cutting remarks to Bond during their brawl on top of the satellite dish and mocks him on how many men he has killed and how many women are deceased because of him, an uncomplimentary and opprobrious remark regarding Bond's wife Teresa who died in the previous movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It was particularly effective because very few people have such knowledge of Bond's personal life, and coming from a man Bond once considered a close friend, it allowed it to cut deep. Alec was also a capable marksman and a bloody brawler, able to hold his own against 007 and came close to actually killing him. Alec is a mastermind who was able to orchestrate the GoldenEye project, blackmail Boris Grishenko into serving him, and convincing a high ranking general in the Russian Military (General Ourumov) into betraying his country, displaying his skill in manipulation.
Despite his unscrupulous and egotistical psychopathy, Trevelyan was a sophisticated and intelligent man in his dress sense and lifestyle. Alec spoke with a broad vocabulary, and even when he was completely enraged and obstreperous, he remained calm, otherwise apathetic or cruel. However, he only truly lost his sensitive and enthusiastic nature at the climax of the film, where he finally pitted himself against James Bond.
As a former MI6 agent, Trevelyan was master in weaponry and hand to hand combat and had his own trademark weapon of a Davis Mp.4 k-9d Mk.9 automatic pistol in contrast to Bond's Walther PPK and was able to estimate and factor in his former friend's moves, as when he realized that Bond had rigged the control room with explosives and then deactivated them with Bond's watch which was actually a detonator. Even when he was at the mercy of an enraged Bond, Alec still didn't beg for his life and smugly repeated his line "for England, James?" Only for 007 to reply "No, for me" and simply let him fall to his death only for Trevelyan to survive by the skin of his teeth but when the satellite dish falls on Alec, it finally crushed the former MI6 agent to death.
Gallery
Images
.png "Alec Trevelyan (Video Game).png (66 KB)")
Boris:"Six minutes."
Alec:"Prepare the dish."
Boris:"No! It's too early, I am not ready."
Alec (furiously): "Do It!"
Videos
Trivia
- Trevelyan's death scene is considered the greatest death of a Sean Bean character in film.
- Alec Trevelyan is the first in a hugely developing series of villains in the James Bond franchise with proper motivations and genuine personalities as opposed to megalomaniacal lust and are considered the more modern and realistic than previous main antagonists.
- Trevelyan is featured as the main antagonist of Goldeneye 007, the 2010 video game that adapted Goldeneye into Daniel Craig's rebooted Bond universe, voiced by Elliot Cowen. As Trevelyan's original desire for revenge for the death of his Lienz Cossack parents was no longer feasible in the modern day (As he would have been considerably older than he was in the original film), his motivation was changed to being disgusted by the current economic system, feeling that the efforts of soldiers like him and are all done in the interest of bankers. It was also implied that Trevelyan had founded Janus during his time as an MI6 agent, rather than him establishing the organization after his supposed death.
