In my opinion, GoldenEye‘s concealed satellite dish is a more convincing hidden crater base than the rocket launch facility in You Only Live Twice. A hijacked, hidden satellite installation simply has a much smaller physical footprint and seems like a more feasible premise than an entire space program tucked inside a volcano. The logistics of the volcano lair also seem overwhelming to comprehend.

The satellite finale also gives GoldenEye a distinctive climax that thrills but still feels grounded, if that makes sense. In the end, Bond lends even more credibility to the setup with the above understated remark, giving credit to the Janus Syndicate’s remarkably effective deception.