In a New MI6 Chief’s Name, a Striking Blend of Fact and Fiction

“Condor” author James Grady finds joy in Blaise Metreweli’s appointment as “C”—and more blending of current facts & conspiracy fiction.

Are we sure which one is real?

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S CHOICE of a former career spy by the name of Blaise Metreweli to run MI6 climaxes a symphony of espionage facts & fiction that goes back decades.

Its most obvious chord made The New York Times and other major news outlets, and thus probably resonated with those who follow actual news not alternative facts — aka “lies” — flooding social media. 

“Bond, James Bond,” the most famous spy for everyone, was inevitably invoked. 

The Bond novels and movies rocketed to fame starting with author—and former British spy—Ian Fleming’s first novel in 1953, Casino Royale. The ensuing Bond movies’ opening segment is perhaps the cinematic world’s most famous movie clip: 

The audience peers through a moving, rifled barrel of a gun. The movie’s lead actor steps into sight circled by that firearm bore, whirls—and shoots the audience!  

Usually early in the Bond movies, our 007 license-to-kill hero links up with “Q,”  Her Majesty’s espionage armorer and tech support guru.

MI6’s new head, the Times said, “was most recently the director of technology and innovation, a position commonly referred to as Q.”

Fact meets fiction with a bang.  

And there’s this: The name of MI6’s new “C” ( not “M” as in the Bond sagas) is her name: Blaise Metreweli.

Blaise. As in Modesty Blaise, a spy character created by author Peter O’Donnell.  As they say, you can’t make this shit up.