The mission turns personal
Image: TMDBMi Wai subsequently dies in an attack that Bond survives. His colleagues believe he has been killed too, before an emotional reunion with Q reveals otherwise.
That is a crucial change of temperature.
The gadgets may be elaborate, but the story still makes room for loss and for the affection beneath Q's professional irritation. Imagining Dalton and Desmond Llewelyn playing that reunion is enough to make the missing film feel like a real deprivation.
A third outing could have developed their relationship further. Q's exasperation works best when we understand just how much he cares whether the troublesome customer comes back.
