Who Did Bond Love More?

Infernorhythm

This has more to do with the literary Bond than the film one, as Fleming certainly put more thought into this than EON did. I'm curious, who do you think, or who did Fleming seem to lean to as Bond's true love, Vesper or Tracy? He both considered giving up the life of a spy for each one, and fell deeply in love with them. Both died. Vesper's death left Bond with an annual pilgrimage to her death site to place flowers, and Tracy's death left Bond with a death wish and a promotion to a suicidal position. Did Fleming ever elaborate on who Bond seemed to care for the most?

hegottheboot

Vesper stuck with him because she was the first to wound him so deeply. That's what made Bond's mask come down. Tracy was something unplanned-Bond just completely fell for her. I have to conclude that he loved Tracy most and that she haunts him to this day.....although there was that girl in Philadelphia.

7289

The literary Bond went to pieces after Tracy's death. He was even removed from the "oo" section and nearly tossed out of the service. Instead in YOLT "M" gave him a last chance and sent Bond to Japan as agent 7777, at the end of that adventure he lost his memory.

Bond returns in TMWTGG, as a Soviet stooge. His memory has been restored, but to what extent the Russian "brainwashing" affected his feelings about Tracy is never addressed.

Tracy's death had a much greater effect on Bond than Vesper's.

j.blades

7289 wrote:

The literary Bond went to pieces after Tracy's death. He was even removed from the "oo" section and nearly tossed out of the service. Instead in YOLT "M" gave him a last chance and sent Bond to Japan as agent 7777, at the end of that adventure he lost his memory.

Bond returns in TMWTGG, as a Soviet stooge. His memory has been restored, but to what extent the Russian "brainwashing" affected his feelings about Tracy is never addressed.

Tracy's death had a much greater effect on Bond than Vesper's.

i concur in every aspect, tracy really sent bond over the edge, her death really stripped the life out of bond and really did send him on a route of despair.

- cheers -{

mrbond

ur ma an da

j.blades

pardon.

blofeld#1

I think it's gotta be Tracy.

Blood_Stone

Vesper was Bond's first love, but Tracy was his true love.

Peppermill

I think Tracy had the biggest impact on Bond.

perdogg

Infernorhythm wrote:

This has more to do with the literary Bond than the film one, as Fleming certainly put more thought into this than EON did. I'm curious, who do you think, or who did Fleming seem to lean to as Bond's true love, Vesper or Tracy? He both considered giving up the life of a spy for each one, and fell deeply in love with them. Both died. Vesper's death left Bond with an annual pilgrimage to her death site to place flowers, and Tracy's death left Bond with a death wish and a promotion to a suicidal position. Did Fleming ever elaborate on who Bond seemed to care for the most?

I don't remember Bond placing flowers on Vesper's grave in OHMSS. I thought he made the pilgrimage to Royale-les-Eaux in September to gamble. In OHMSS he just mentions her grave. Maybe I missed it.

MoreMorePowah

perdogg wrote:

Infernorhythm wrote:

This has more to do with the literary Bond than the film one, as Fleming certainly put more thought into this than EON did. I'm curious, who do you think, or who did Fleming seem to lean to as Bond's true love, Vesper or Tracy? He both considered giving up the life of a spy for each one, and fell deeply in love with them. Both died. Vesper's death left Bond with an annual pilgrimage to her death site to place flowers, and Tracy's death left Bond with a death wish and a promotion to a suicidal position. Did Fleming ever elaborate on who Bond seemed to care for the most?

I don't remember Bond placing flowers on Vesper's grave in OHMSS. I thought he made the pilgrimage to Royale-les-Eaux in September to gamble. In OHMSS he just mentions her grave. Maybe I missed it.

The quote from the book:

"He had come a long way since then, dodged many bullets and much death and loved many girls, but there had been a drama and a poignancy about that particular adventure that every year drew him back to Royale and its casino and to the small granite cross in the little churchyard that simply said 'Vesper Lynd, R.I.P.'"

The Domino Effect

I always felt that Bond loved Vesper more than Tracy while each romance was still flourishing. Tracy almost seemed like a marriage of convenience, a "Well, I'm going to get married one day, so it might as well be Tracy" sentiment. However, there is absolutely no questioning that Tracy's death devastated Bond infinitely more than Vesper's. To say that Bond was gutted would be a gross understatement. Also, I think Fleming's description of Tracy's death was just about as touching a line as I have read in any book. Very moving indeed. It brought a lump to my throat...but then again, I am an old softy.