James Bond rarely concerns himself with what happens after the shooting stops, which makes this small detail in The Living Daylights stand out. By tossing Kara Milovy’s rifle into the river (which is done off-screen, but is mentioned by Bond), he quietly removes the evidence that could link her to the attempted assassination of Georgi Koskov. It’s a practical decision, but it’s also an unexpectedly considerate one that protects an innocent bystander from the inevitable investigation. Little moments like this reminds me that the work doesn’t end when the mission ends.

Somewhere back at MI6, Bond is probably facing enough paperwork to rival the mission itself. The movies wisely leave those administrative headaches to the imagination, but they have to exist in a profession built on accountability and intelligence gathering. I wonder if some of his occasional resignations have less to do with danger and more to do with the mountain of bureaucracy waiting for him back in London.