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Bernard-lee I want you to clean up this mess, 007

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"My knee aches every single day, twice as bad when it is cold. Have you any idea how long the winter lasts in this country?"
― Valentin Zukovsky to James Bond[src]

Valentin Dmitryovich Zukovsky (Russian; Валентин Дмитриевич Жуковский) is a fictional ex-KGB intelligence officer turned Russian mafia head who runs a bar, a casino, and a caviar factory. A recurring ally portrayed by the late Robbie Coltrane, he first appeared in the 1995 James Bond film, GoldenEye and was later seen in the 1999 film, The World is Not Enough, as well as their respective novelisations and video games' adaptations.

Biography[]

Background[]

"Walther PPK, 7.65 Millimeter, Only three men I know use such a gun... I believe I've killed two of them."
― Valentin Zukovsky to James Bond[src]

When he was younger and a KGB intelligence officer, a conflict with James Bond ended with Valentin being shot in the leg, as well as Bond stealing his car and "his girl".

GoldenEye (film)[]

"What has he done to deserve you?"
"Stole a helicopter."
"I have six."
"Three. None that fly."
"Who's counting?
"
― Valentin Zukovsky and James Bond[src]
ValentinZukovskyFirstScene

Zukovsky is threatened by James Bond

Years later while in search of Janus, Bond seeks out Zukovsky at his nightclub in St. Petersburg wanting him to set up a meeting for Bond with Janus. Zukovsky initially scoffs at the suggestion of doing Bond a favour, since his knee aches every single day from being shot and is especially unbearable in cold weather. He shoots the sofa Bond was sitting on, trying to get revenge for his knee. However he was persuaded to after being bribed with military equipment and the revelation that when Bond shot Valentin in the leg, he actually had a kill shot.

After leaving the KGB, Zukovsky initially held a grudge against James Bond, but this disappeared when dealing with Bond could make him a profit.

The World Is Not Enough (film)[]

Twine casino8

Zukovsky has a drink with James Bond

In 1999[1], Zukovsky is now an owner of a casino in Baku, Azerbaijan. Bond seeks him out for information on terrorist Renard. Later, 007 sees Elektra King lose a simple card game at the casino, sacrificing her $1 million bet to Zukovsky. Bond and Christmas Jones later visit the Russian businessman at his caviar factory and after it is destroyed Zukovsky finally reveals the money is to pay his nephew Nikolai for bringing a submarine to Istanbul.

Zukovsky brings Bond, Christmas and his henchman and driver Mister Bullion to a former KGB, now FSB safehouse in Istanbul. M while locked up, using a clock battery to activate the tracker Bond found and gave to her. One FSB radio analyst detected the signal and gave the group the location. Just as Bond and the others were about to leave, Bullion left his suitcase in the safehouse and the explosion apparently kill everyone, except Bond and Christmas. The pair were later captured by Gabor and his henchmen.

VZukovskyAimsWalkingStickGun

Zukovsky prepares to save James Bond

However, Zukovsky survives the IED attack and leads and attack on Maiden's Tower where Bond is, killing Mister Bullion on his way through the tower. Entering the room, he tells Elektra King to give him Nikolai's officer hat by saying "I'm looking for a submarine, it's big, black, and the driver is a very good friend of mine! Bring it to me!", but instead, she shoots Valentin through the hat. However, he lives long enough after being shot to execute a trick shot using a secret gun hidden within his own cane that allows Bond to escape Elektra's Antique Torture Chair.

Alternate continuities[]

GoldenEye (novelisation)[]

Valentin's career in the KGB, during which he became famous for using intricate locks and security systems, was ended by SIS Agent 007 shooting him in the knee, giving him a limp. Years later, Valentin runs a successful club called Valentin's outside of a twenty-four hour black market, in a building disguised as a ruin. In 1995, 007 pays Valentin a visit. Zukovsky is not at all pleased to see him and has him incapacitated by one of his guards. He takes the spy to his office where he asks him who was strangling the cat in reference to his mistress Irina's singing in the lounge which prompts Valentin to fire a shot into Bond's chair in between his legs. Bond then begins to explain that he needs a favor from him which Zukovsky laughs off and brings up the pain in his knee which Bond counters by revealing that he had purposely hit his knee to avoid killing him, which put him in his debt. Valentin then tries to get even by shooting Bond's knee but misses. Bond then informs Zukovsky that a shipment of C-4 explosives from one of his front companies is going to be intercepted, but Bond could arrange for the driver to escape with the money in exchange for information on Janus. Zukovsky tells him that Janus was a Linez Cossack, and that the Government had little information on him because knowing about him would be the same as admitting that you knew him which would not be good for one's reputation.

Other Appearances[]

Zukovsky appears in the classic 007 game, GoldenEye. In it, he arranges for Bond to have a meeting with Janus (later to be revealed as Alec Trevelyan) in the Statue Park level. Zukovsky appears again a few missions later in a timed level, Mission 6 Part III: Streets. Natalya Simonova has been kidnapped by Janus and is being taken to the Janus Base, meanwhile Bond is in hot pursuit of the villain and his love interest. Bond contacts Zukovsky, who offers to help Bond by calling associates of his and having them slow Janus down. After meeting with Zukovsky, the player is given extra time to complete the level. He can be played in multiplayer mode.

He also appears in The World Is Not Enough Video game also an ally to Bond, and a multiplayer character. During their encounter at the caviar factory, Bond helped Zukovsky with some assistance of his henchmen to apprehend the hired killers in return to give information about Elektra's plans. He was last seen at the Maiden's Tower incident, where he was looking for the stolen Submarine and, in contrasts with the film, was shot directly by Elektra. He managed to release Bond from captivity and said with his last breath "Avenge the death of Nikolai" and dropped limb.

Henchmen & Associates[]

Behind the scenes[]

There was a deleted scene in which Bond later checks Valentin's pulse. Another scene cut out from the movie, is when Dr. Warmflash takes Valentin in and finds out he was shot in the ribs, and she eventually gets the bullet out.

Trivia[]

  • Despite sharing no screen time together in The World Is Not Enough, Robbie Coltrane and Robert Carlyle, who portrays Renard, had previously appeared together on the British television series, Cracker.
  • Prior to the Daniel Craig era, Valentin was the first recurring Bond ally to be killed on-screen.

Gallery[]

Valentin Zukovsky (Robbie Coltrane)/Gallery

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 (1999). The World Is Not Enough (Blu-Ray). 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Event occurs at 00:23:53. "Receipt dated 15th November 1999"

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