Few things are as iconic in pop culture as the golden eye of James Bond. The eye, which is actually a blue contact lens with a yellow center, has been a part of the movies since the very first film in the franchise, Dr. No.
In each movie, the eye serves as a reminder of Bond's mission, as well as a symbol of his inhumanity. But how did the eye come to be associated with Bond?
The answer lies in the books. In Ian Fleming's original novels, Bond is described as having "very cold blue eyes" that "looked indifferently out from under long lashes."
However, in order for the audience to see this emotionlessness, Fleming decided that Bond would need to have some sort of physical characteristic that would set him apart from other characters. And so, the author gave Bond a pair of blue-gray contact lenses that made his eyes appear "much larger and brighter."
While Fleming's descriptions might not seem all that different from what we see on screen today, there is one key detail that he included in his books that never made it into the movies: The contact lenses were supposed to be gold-colored.
This was likely due to the fact that, at the time, yellow was one of the most popular colors for contact lenses. It wasn't until years later, when Timothy Dalton took over the role of Bond, that the character's eyes were changed to blue in order to make him appear more menacing.
It wasn't until Pierce Brosnan took over the role in 1995's GoldenEye that audiences finally saw a return to Bond's original eye color. In the film, we learn that Brosnan's character had been fitted with blue-gray contact lenses after losing his sight in an accident. However, after enduring months of painful rehabilitation, he is finally able to ditch the glasses and show off his now-iconic golden eyes.
While it might seem like a small detail, the change in Bond's eye color has had a big impact on how audiences perceive him. Fleming's original choice of gold was likely meant to convey Bond's inhumanity, but it wasn't until Dalton's interpretation of the character that this trait became truly apparent.
And though Brosnan's return to Fleming's original vision might seem like a step backward at first glance, it ultimately allows audiences to see Bond as more than just a cold-hearted killer; we see him as a human being who has been through a great deal of pain and loss.