Double-O Section

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Lore & Background

The origins of the Double-O title are deeply rooted in Ian Fleming's wartime experiences. Historian Damien Lewis notes that Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents received a '0' prefix upon becoming 'zero-rated' after training in how to kill; Fleming served as a liaison to the SOE while assisting Rear Admiral John Godfrey, the inspiration for M. Alternatively, Fleming may have drawn inspiration from the 007 bus route running between Canterbury and Dover, which he observed from his home in St Margarets Bay. In the literary canon, earning the number requires two confirmed cold-blooded killings; Bond received 007 after fulfilling assignments twice. Initially, the number designated a past killing in Live and Let Die, but by Moonraker, it formally signified an active licence to kill. Fleming's novels mention only five specific agents: Bond (007), alongside 008, 0011, 009 (Thunderball), and 006 (On Her Majesty's Secret Service). These three men in Moonraker share an office and a secretary named Loelia Ponsonby. The novels also establish mandatory retirement at age 45, a rule later contradicted by author John Gardner who depicted a Double-O in his fifties.

In Their Own Story

In the film Thunderball, the scale of the section is visualized through a briefing room containing nine chairs for 00 agents. Moneypenny clarifies that every 00 agent in Europe has been recalled, though not necessarily those worldwide, and behind-the-scenes photos reveal at least one female agent occupying a chair. This cinematic depiction contrasts with the novels where Bond is described as the most senior of three men. The film series further explores the section's dynamics: The World Is Not Enough introduces a special insignia for the 00 Section and shows another woman among the briefings. In GoldenEye, the alias 006 belongs to Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean), while No Time to Die sees Nomi (Lashana Lynch) assume the 007 codename following Bond's retirement from MI6. As of 2021, Trevelyan and Nomi remain the only non-Bond 00 agents to play major roles in Eon Productions films, with other appearances limited to brief cameos or dialogue references.

Reader's Guide

The Double-O Section operates as a discrete area within MI6 where agents report directly to M. They are dispatched for special assignments and troubleshooting missions, often involving rogue agents from Britain or abroad, or situations where ordinary intelligence operations uncover terrorist or criminal activity too sensitive for standard legal measures. The discretionary 'licence to kill' is deemed necessary in these high-stakes scenarios to rectify the situation. While other authors have expanded the roster of 00 agents beyond Fleming's original five, specific details about most remain scarce. In the 1967 spoof film Casino Royale, Sir James Bond (David Niven) mandates that all MI6 agents be renamed 'James Bond 007' to confuse enemy agents of SMERSH, a false designation distinct from the canonical continuity.

Did You Know?

• The 'Double-O' prefix may originate from SOE agents becoming 'zero-rated' after training in how to kill.
• Ian Fleming may have been inspired by the real-life 007 bus route running between Canterbury and Dover.
• In the novel Moonraker, the three active Double-O agents (Bond, 008, 0011) share an office and a secretary named Loelia Ponsonby.
• The film Thunderball depicts nine chairs for Double-O agents, with behind-the-scenes photos confirming one occupant is female.
• As of 2021, only Alec Trevelyan (GoldenEye) and Nomi (No Time to Die) have played major roles as non-Bond Double-O agents in Eon films.