Every Main James Bond Villain Ranked Worst To Best

3. Alec Trevelyan (GoldenEye, 1995)

As a former double-oh agent, Alec Trevelyan earns immediate respect and legitimacy as an equal to Bond from the second he’s introduced. The opening scene of GoldenEye in which he first appears is a classic in itself, and cements Trevelyan as the type of elite, highly skilled operative that we’ve come to expect from those who possess a licence to kill. His apparent death in that scene is quite a shocker for the audience, having only just met the fearless, fearsome 006.

Lo and behold, Sean Bean’s character lives to die another day, resurfacing as the scarred villain under the alias of “Janus”, seeking retribution for the crimes of his country. With his survival, the danger to Bond is apparent.

Double ohs have been established in the franchise as Her Majesty’s finest, and for one to face off against 007 himself poses an unprecedented threat. Trevelyan doesn’t disappoint, with a criminal plot that aims to plunge the United Kingdom into the dark ages, one which comes within minutes of succeeding, if not for the interference of one man. “Only Bond.”

Best Moment: A direct confrontation between 006 and 007 is teased for the duration of the film, and the climax finally delivers in some absolutely vicious hand to hand combat atop the GoldenEye’s satellite control station in which both give as good as they get. It’s probably the best fight scene since Bond defeated Red Grant in From Russia With Love.

Worst Moment: That he could somehow survive his plummet from the antenna only to watch and scream as the debris of the satellite finally crushes him strains credibility to its breaking point.