Gustav Graves
Encyclopedia
Sir Gustav Graves is a fictional character and the main antagonist
in the James Bond
film Die Another Day
, played by Toby Stephens
. He is loosely inspired by the original version of Hugo Drax
in Ian Fleming
's Moonraker, a villain who changed his appearance to infiltrate the society he intended to destroy.
(Sangchwa
) in the Korean People's Army
. He studied at Oxford
and Harvard
and was intended to become a bridge between the South and North Korea. Instead, he became a radical and a weapons smuggler, exchanging state of the art hovercraft
weapons (that he developed for use in the mine-infested DMZ, the hovercrafts being able to pass over the mines where all other vehicles would be destroyed) for conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone
, intent on the invasion and conquest of South Korea
. MI6 becomes aware of his activities, however, and dispatches three agents, including James Bond
, to shut him down. The mission is a success, and Moon is believed to have died when his hovercraft falls off a cliff.
Moon survives, however, and flees to Cuba
, where he undergoes DNA
replacement therapy to alter his appearance to make him appear to be of European descent. He then reinvents himself as Gustav Graves, a British
billionaire adventurer who works in diamond
mines in Argentina
and later discovers a great mine of diamonds in Iceland
. In reality, the mine is just a laundering
front for conflict diamonds, which he had been dealing with originally. He assumes a new personality modeled on James Bond due to the distinct impression the other man made on him during their brief confrontation: sophisticated, suave and, by Graves' own admission, arrogant. The DNA alteration was not without side effects, as Graves was plagued with permanent insomnia and has to use a special "dream machine" for an hour each day to rest and preserve his sanity, although in the novelisation he acknowledges that even this is only a temporary measure as he can almost feel his sanity slipping away.
With his new wealth, he builds the Icarus, a huge artificial satellite
capable of harnessing solar energy and focusing it on any part of the world in the form of a laser
. Graves' official reasons for the construction of Icarus are ending weather inconvenience and poverty
and helping the harvests. His real reasons are more sinister, however; he is still intent on conquest of South Korea
, and plans to use Icarus to create a pathway in the mined demilitarized zone
between North and South Korea, then use Icarus to destroy any ballistic missiles or nuclear warheads launched against North Korea, so that the North Koreans could cross the DMZ and easily invade South Korea and the next step, Japan
. Graves has the controls for Icarus built into an armored suit with an additional electroshock weapon for self-defense. Before he flies back to North Korea
, Bond finds out that Graves' true identity is actually Colonel Tan-Sun Moon when he discovers the dream machine in Graves' headquarters.
Moon puts his plan into action when he and some his fellow North Korean hard-liners stage a coup to take control of the country, as he accompanies his father to use Icarus in the DMZ. He takes off in an Antonov An-124
with General Moon, and unbeknownst to him, James Bond along with Jinx, onboard to watch the scene. When General Moon immediately pulls out one of his officers' Makarovs to threaten Graves, trying to stop the plan, Graves murders his own father, and takes his medal. Bond then attempts to kill Graves, but a North Korean guard finds him and manages to wrestle him. Due to the guard, the shot misses and breaks a window in the plane, sending all other passengers except himself and Graves in the room flying out. The two fight until Bond uses Graves' parachute and the electroshock function of his suit to forcibly eject him, and Graves is sucked into the blades of the plane's jet engine
, killing him and destroying his suit, rendering the Icarus harmless.
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
, played by Toby Stephens
Toby Stephens
Toby Stephens is an English stage, television and film actor who has appeared in films in both Hollywood and Bollywood. He is best known for playing megavillain Gustav Graves in the James Bond film Die Another Day , Edward Fairfax Rochester in the BBC television adaptation of Jane Eyre and Philip...
. He is loosely inspired by the original version of Hugo Drax
Hugo Drax
Sir Hugo Drax is a fictional character created by author Ian Fleming for the James Bond novel Moonraker. Fleming named him after his friend, Sir Reginald Drax. For the later film and its novelization, Drax was largely transformed by screenwriter Christopher Wood. In the film, Drax is portrayed by...
in Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's Moonraker, a villain who changed his appearance to infiltrate the society he intended to destroy.
Biography
Graves was born Tan-Sun Moon, son of General Moon. When first seen, he is a ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
(Sangchwa
Sangchwa
Sangchwa is a Korean military rank used by the armed forces of North Korea. The insignia for a Sangchwa is a shoulder board containing two stripes and three stars. This is influenced by the former Colonel insignia of the Soviet Union....
) in the Korean People's Army
Korean People's Army
The Korean People's Army , also known as the Inmin Gun, are the military forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Jong-il is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission...
. He studied at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and was intended to become a bridge between the South and North Korea. Instead, he became a radical and a weapons smuggler, exchanging state of the art hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
weapons (that he developed for use in the mine-infested DMZ, the hovercrafts being able to pass over the mines where all other vehicles would be destroyed) for conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, intent on the invasion and conquest of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. MI6 becomes aware of his activities, however, and dispatches three agents, including James Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
, to shut him down. The mission is a success, and Moon is believed to have died when his hovercraft falls off a cliff.
Moon survives, however, and flees to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where he undergoes DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
replacement therapy to alter his appearance to make him appear to be of European descent. He then reinvents himself as Gustav Graves, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
billionaire adventurer who works in diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
mines in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and later discovers a great mine of diamonds in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. In reality, the mine is just a laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
front for conflict diamonds, which he had been dealing with originally. He assumes a new personality modeled on James Bond due to the distinct impression the other man made on him during their brief confrontation: sophisticated, suave and, by Graves' own admission, arrogant. The DNA alteration was not without side effects, as Graves was plagued with permanent insomnia and has to use a special "dream machine" for an hour each day to rest and preserve his sanity, although in the novelisation he acknowledges that even this is only a temporary measure as he can almost feel his sanity slipping away.
With his new wealth, he builds the Icarus, a huge artificial satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
capable of harnessing solar energy and focusing it on any part of the world in the form of a laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
. Graves' official reasons for the construction of Icarus are ending weather inconvenience and poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and helping the harvests. His real reasons are more sinister, however; he is still intent on conquest of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and plans to use Icarus to create a pathway in the mined demilitarized zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
between North and South Korea, then use Icarus to destroy any ballistic missiles or nuclear warheads launched against North Korea, so that the North Koreans could cross the DMZ and easily invade South Korea and the next step, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Graves has the controls for Icarus built into an armored suit with an additional electroshock weapon for self-defense. Before he flies back to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, Bond finds out that Graves' true identity is actually Colonel Tan-Sun Moon when he discovers the dream machine in Graves' headquarters.
Moon puts his plan into action when he and some his fellow North Korean hard-liners stage a coup to take control of the country, as he accompanies his father to use Icarus in the DMZ. He takes off in an Antonov An-124
Antonov An-124
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft...
with General Moon, and unbeknownst to him, James Bond along with Jinx, onboard to watch the scene. When General Moon immediately pulls out one of his officers' Makarovs to threaten Graves, trying to stop the plan, Graves murders his own father, and takes his medal. Bond then attempts to kill Graves, but a North Korean guard finds him and manages to wrestle him. Due to the guard, the shot misses and breaks a window in the plane, sending all other passengers except himself and Graves in the room flying out. The two fight until Bond uses Graves' parachute and the electroshock function of his suit to forcibly eject him, and Graves is sucked into the blades of the plane's jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
, killing him and destroying his suit, rendering the Icarus harmless.
Henchmen
- Vladimir Popov
- Mr. Kil
- Zao
- Miranda Frost
- Dr. Alvarez
See also
- Colonel SunColonel SunColonel Sun , by Kingsley Amis, is the first James Bond continuation novel published after Ian Fleming's death in 1964; Glidrose Productions used the collective pseudonym "Robert Markham", for British novelist Kingsley Amis, with the intent of so publishing other novels by different writers...
(novel) - The name Colonel Tan-Sun Moon is an homage to the first official James Bond novel written after Ian FlemingIan FlemingIan Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's death.