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"Still interested in hostile takeovers?"
― Wai Lin to James Bond[src]

Colonel Wai Lin (Chinese: 林慧) is a fictional Chinese agent from the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, portrayed by Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh. The character is later featured in Raymond Benson's accompanying novelization as well in his 1999 video game adaptation, voiced by Larissa Murray.

Biography[]

Wai Lin is an operative for the Chinese People's External Security Force. She has the rank of Colonel and is skilled in martial arts.

Wai Lin first encounters James Bond when she is sent (undercover as a New China News Agency reporter) to investigate the disappearance of stealth material from a People's Liberation Army base that is connected to media mogul Elliot Carver's plan to start a war between the People's Republic of China and the United Kingdom.

Wai Lin later learns that Bond was sent by MI6 to work on the same case. The two initially believe they have been ordered to kill each other, but eventually develop a wary mutual trust when they are both captured and imprisoned by Carver's secret partner, General Chang (who was in charge of the military base where the stolen stealth materials for Carver's stealth boat originated from). Bond especially grows to respect her when she playfully, but firmly, rejects his attempts at seduction.

Carver brings them both aboard his private ship to gloat that he will control the world's media after he gets exclusive coverage rights to the impending war, which will begin when the ship launches missiles at a British craft. At the last minute, however, Wai breaks free and creates a distraction that allows Bond to disable the missiles, kill Carver, and escape with her as the ship self-destructs. She and Bond then give in to the mutual attraction they had both been fighting during the mission, and become lovers.

Alternate Continuities[]

Tomorrow Never Dies (novelisation)[]

To be added

Tomorrow Never Dies (video game)[]

To be added

Personality[]

Wai Lin is a bright yet tough and resourceful young woman who takes her job very seriously and brilliantly manages to impose herself on her male colleagues and enemies. Conscientious, she favors stealth over action and is not afraid to kill people in cold blood to advance in her missions. Wai Lin likes to use her charms to extract information from targets and has likely had several romantic relationships in the past being aware that men find her elegant and attractive.

Behind the Scenes[]

Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge was rumored as cast in the lead Bond Girl role,[1] but eventually, Michelle Yeoh was confirmed in that role. Pierce Brosnan was impressed, describing her as a "wonderful actress" who was "serious and committed about her work".[2] She reportedly wanted to perform her own stunts, but was prevented because director Spottiswoode ruled it too dangerous and prohibited by insurance restrictions.[3][4]

In early scripts of the 2002 film, Die Another Day, Wai Lin was to make a return, but she was finally replaced by Mr. Chang.[5][6]

Reception[]

In 2008, Fandomania ranked her as the second best Bond girl, stating that she was "the right type of Bond Girl at the right point in action cinema’s evolution."[7] In 2010, Entertainment Weekly ranked her as the seventh best Bond girl, calling this "savvy Chinese agent" one of the few "wom[e]n of color to match wits with 007" and "the first one you could take seriously."[8] In 2011, MensXP.com also ranked her as the seventh top Bond girl of all time, who "took a Bond girl's hotness to a whole new level. Sexy and stern at the same time, this Bond girl almost outdid 007 in being a better fighter."[9]

In 2012, the International Business Times included Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin among the top ten "most stunning" Bond girls of all time.[10] LIFE named Wai Lin the 11th best Bond girl of all time.[11]

She was also included on the list of the 20 best Bond girls by Virgin Media, who called her "an equal match for Bond",[12] and on a similar list by 3MMM.[13] Rope of Silicon ranked her as 20th in 2007, calling her "fantastic" and stating that Yeoh "will never be forgotten as a one-time Bond girl."[14] UGO.com commented, "In fact, Bond actually grows to respect the Chinese agent after she playfully but firmly spurns his romantic advances - one of the very few Bond Girls to pull that off!"[15]

Gallery[]

Wai Lin/Gallery

References[]

External links[]

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