In Skyfall, Tanner casually drops this detail while discussing the person behind the attack on M’s laptop. It’s a small line, but it hints at an entire prior chapter of M’s career. It’s yet another example of a compelling tidbit of a past mission or time period in MI6, but would I want to see a flashback? I’m not sure, since it’d risk distracting the overall plot, but if done right there’s no denying it’d be worthwhile to explore.

But it does makes me wonder if Bond 26 could navigate a similar angle with a younger Bond where he works under a regional MI6 superior before earning his double-O status. Instead of constantly reporting to London, Bond could operate under a local handler and only check in with headquarters when absolutely necessary. After all, MI6 is a government bureaucracy with multiple layers and plenty of other compelling scenarios for Bond.