The death of General Orlov in Octopussy brings a fitting end to one of the most complex plots of any Bond movie. In short, his plan to detonate a nuclear device on a U.S. base in West Germany is designed to frame NATO as careless and trigger unilateral nuclear disarmament across Europe, leaving the continent exposed to Soviet invasion. I actually enjoy the overall premise of the plot, though it does get somewhat lost among the movie’s many competing threads. Still, the idea itself is compelling.

The story ultimately becomes a portrait of a Soviet megalomaniac whose grand vision collapses under its own weight, something history has shown time and again. Even as his scheme unravels, Orlov clings to the conviction that history will vindicate him. In his mind, he’s a patriot and visionary, but to everyone else he’s a reckless fanatic whose ambition has spiraled into madness.