Necros is a character and henchman in the James Bond film The Living Daylights. He was played by Andreas Wisniewski.

Andreas Wisniewski as Necros in ‘The Living Daylights’.

Biography: Necros, meaning ‘(the) dead’ or ‘corpse’ in Greek, was General Koskov’s highly trained and disciplined Soviet assassin with KGB affiliations, but ultimately loyal to Koskov. He is very tall (6 foot 4 ½ inch), blond and muscular with chiselled features in the Bond henchman stereotype based on the Red Grant model. His only vice seems to be an addiction to his personal Walkman playing The Pretenders, which he is rarely seen without. Necros uses a great number of disguises and many techniques of killing, although strangulation (many times with his own headphones) seems to be a preferred method.

His first priority is to see that Koskov is brought safely to Brad Whitaker’s Tangier estate from the safe house in England, where Koskov is being held by British Intelligence. He completes this mission by disguising himself as a milkman, whereby he gains access to the intelligence compound. Subsequently, he radios in a report of a major gas leak within the building. This causes security to order an immediate evacuation. In the confusion, he abducts Koskov and secures his escape with the help of explosive grenades that look like milk bottles, killing several Secret Service agents who attempt to apprehend him.

Disguised later as a balloon vendor, he kills Saunders, head of Station V in Vienna, which becomes part of the operation to make the British Secret Service believe the Soviets have instituted a “Smiert Spionam” or “Death to Spies” operation.

In Tangier Necros helps abduct 007 and takes him to a Soviet cargo plane, which delivers them and General Koskov to Colonel Fayador’s airbase in Afghanistan. Later, Necros aids in the Mujahadin opium smuggling back to the airbase. Bond, who is disguised as a Mujahadin fighter, is discovered and begins the rebels’ attack on the base. Necros, Feyador, and Koskov take cover under a truck. After Koskov spots Kara Milovy in a speeding army jeep headed for the cargo plane that 007 is piloting to escape, Necros and Koskov commandeer another vehicle with a machine gun turret mounted on it.

Necros fires at Milovy but is told to cease fire by his boss, as the gunfire would strike the cargo plane carrying the opium shipment. Just before the plane takes off, Necros leaps into the plane’s open hatch. Necros himself is killed after a midair fight with Bond on the holding net of a cargo plane. Necros is about to fall to the to the ground, but he grabs onto Bond’s boot just in time. Necros pleads for his life, but Bond uses a knife to cut the boot’s laces and therefore its hold on Bond’s foot. Necros, still holding onto the boot, plummets to his death.

Necros’ height and appearance make him look like Red Grant from From Russia with Love, Hans from You Only Live Twice, Erich Kriegler from For Your Eyes Only and Stamper from Tomorrow Never Dies.

See also:

• Bond henchmen