I remember sitting on the floor in my family room in 1995, watching television with half an eye. In a moment, flashes of explosions, sexy woman, fast cars, enticing guitar themes and a man in a tuxedo appeared. I had never seen him before, and had no idea who he was. He motioned a gun to someone and said, "Do you know how to use one of these?" From that moment, I had to see whoever this was. It was James Bond. It was Pierce Brosnan.

In the nine years since GoldenEye's release, Bond and the Bond movies have become elements of pop culture again. As fans, it's our job to debate a films merits until we're blue in the face, but there is no denying the Bond movies are cool again. Bond movies and their premieres are events again, where people of all generations will flock, and Bond will once again be talked about in school with young kids, rather than just at office's lunch breaks. We have Pierce Brosnan to thank for this.

Pierce Brosnan always seemed a perfect fit for 007. He was born the same year Casino Royale was written (he now owns the typewriter), the first Bond movie he ever saw was Goldfinger, the only autograph he ever received was from Roger Moore, the scar he earned in TND isn't that different from the scar the Bond of the books has, and he even got his start in the Bond-like role on Remington Steele. Even after he lost the role in 1986, polls still preferred him over the man in the role at the time. There was a quality between Brosnan and the character that made the two connect. Without a doubt, Brosnan is known as a fan of the series as well. He has seen the films, knows the books, knows the trivia, and has a respect for the character that has always put him close to the top on my fans lists for "who do you want to portray 007?"

Pierce Brosnan's portrayal of Bond was modern yet classy, standard but unique, and filled with Fleming-esque nuances. Essentially, Brosnan created a 007 that appealed to the average cinema goer, the longtime fan, and young eight year olds who lined up with their father to see 007 for the first time. The classic Bond was still intact, with the action, adventure, intrigue, locations, women, and elegance. At the same time, through Brosnan, 007 found its appeal in a new era, when Bond wasn't the king, where there wasn't a tradition of films to follow, when the road had to be repaved to the top.

For this, GoldenEye was a success. It, and all the hype around it, including the first of many video games that would expand the Bond fan base, was classic Bond and awaited with enthusiasm. People cheered when Brosnan/Bond first appeared, and clapped at the end. Bond was back.

By the time Tomorrow Never Dies was released, the world's love affair with James Bond returned from a three-decade hiatus. In truth, it hasn't and probably won't surpass the 60's Bond-mania, but 007 is more popular now than he has been in decades. Video games have brought Bond, and in some cases Brosnan, to a whole new audience, remakes, parodies, and spin-offs of 60's spy movies have flooded cinemas, and Brosnan and 007 have become one in the same. For all of this new success, it has also brought light back on the series past, with TV marathons showing the films of Connery, Moore and Dalton, and fans writing books celebrating the series storied history. This is truly, in the words of John Cork, "The Return of the classic."

The World Is Not Enough is the crowning moment for his 007 where Brosnan, and the film's story complemented a 007 that would be the standard for the next century: a suave man driven by feelings hidden under his three-piece tuxedo, a man who calmly downed vodka martinis and bedded women for his country and to drown the hates. This Bond played so well to the public that many called Brosnan "The Best Bond Since Connery." Surely, in many fans' minds, this is how he would be remembered.

Die Another Day was an example of how much that had taken off. The hype surrounding the premiere was rivaled only by the days of Bond-mania, and once again Brosnan's Bond spread to a new generation of fans, and celebrated all that the series has been thus far.

That new generation was very apparent with DAD. I remember being in the theater in one of my viewings with an elderly couple that remembered Connery taking off his wet suit in Goldfinger, while sitting next to a group of kids who just beat Nightfire. This new era, and Brosnan's 007 has had to appeal to both these groups, and to say he simply "has" is an understatement.

I remember going to the video store on June 3rd to grab my copy of "DAD" and two little eight year olds running down the aisle, there eyes peering onto "DAD" with them whispering to each other "Is it here? Yes! They still have it!" I couldn't help but think that nearly a decade before, I remember my dad chasing after me as I ran to line up to go see GoldenEye. I couldn't help but think how much has changed this then, but that Brosnan was still Bond, and how much that was apart of my childhood.

As you can then imagine, news of Brosnan prematurely hanging up the tux left me dazed, confused, angry, and wanting more. Much like the generation that saw Connery as Bond, Brosnan is the only generation mine has ever known, so to see a new man in the role probably wont fit right at first. But ultimately, I take joy in a few things. One, I for one thought that after Connery's fourth film his last performances were demerits to his first four, and so perhaps its best to leave with us wanting more. Most importantly, thanks to Pierce Brosnan, I have learned to appreciate the James Bond character, and what the essence of it truly is, as that is what he always tried to explore. And, because of that, I know, if Bond is going to last, his character endure although the men who bring him to life can't. This is what's important, it's what keeps the series fresh, gives us something to talk about, and an enjoyment every two years as we sit in a darkened theater awaiting that famous gun barrel.

When I sat back and thought about it that way, my great respect for what Mr. Brosnan has done for the role was enhanced. He saved the series, and in spite of everything, made it the best series possible once again. Who would have thought that through six years of litigation, Dalton leaving, the Cold War ending, and producer Cubby Broccoli on the verge of selling the series that in just over a decade Bond would be a household name again? With those odds, it's clear that Brosnan is a savior of the series, and he is Bond to my generation, a generation that has never known or seen any other. And so with his end, I feel a coming of age almost, that apart of my childhood has been left in the sands of time.

It's for these reasons that Brosnan is not only my favorite 007, but also why I could never forget the smooth-operating and cool secret agent. I'd never forget putting one hand in my pocket as I walked, cutting my hair so it would part the way his did, even remembering some of his facial gestures with the ladies. Perhaps it may seem corny, but in these ways Brosnan was Bond to me, and it's how 007 became one of my heroes. It's a viewpoint many in my generation share and cherish as Bond continues to endure.

Mr. Brosnan, thanks for the memories.