Countdown to 'SPECTRE': The 10 toughest Bond women

Carole Bouquet in For Your Eyes Only

As SPECTRE approaches and Bond fever grips the nation, I thought it was about time for another obligatory 007 post, which will be my last on the subject -- for one day!

I'm seeing the 24th official Bond feature on Friday and although the reviews are good, but not great, virtually nothing can dampen my excitement for this film.

 I've come to realize I love Bond more than any other movie series, even Star Wars.

Three out of six Star Wars films are good in my opinion, about 15 to 16 of the 23 Bond films released so far are great.

Much has been made over the years of how sexist the Bond series has historically been. There's no doubt about that. Still, almost from the very beginning, there have also been a number of strong, capable and compelling women in the canon as well.

The reigning James Bond, Daniel Craig, has taken pride in the fact that his iteration of the character is less misogynistic than his predecessors, and while that is almost certainly true, the series has almost always portrayed Bond's mistreatment of women as a flaw, not a virtue.

And although the Sean Connery and Roger Moore versions of Bond engaged in some behavior that is undeniably reprehensible, by the time Pierce Brosnan took over the part in the '90s, the tide had turned. His boss, M, was a strong woman played by a formidable actress (Dame Judi Dench) and the leading ladies were almost always more three-dimensional going forward.Still, Denise Richards remains quite possibly the worst female character in the history of the series.

Here are my picks for the top 10 toughest Bond women in no particular order:

Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me

Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) in Goldfinger: The first so-called "Bond girl" who was not a damsel in distress, Galore is an experienced pilot who leads a team of female flyers, and she isn't the least bit seduced by Bond's charms (at first). Sure, Connery's 007 essentially assaults her on a pile of hay, but at this point in the series she was an advance.

May Day (Grace Jones) in A View to a Kill: Definitely one of the most unconventional women to appear in the series, Jones' character is portrayed as having both superhuman strength and relentless sexual appetite. Although she is a villain for the majority of the film, she does get to show her humanity in the last act.

Octopussy (Maud Adams) in Octopussy: Despite being saddled with one of the most ridiculous names in Bond history, the title character of this film is a formidable figure -- a successful woman with her own palace guarded by an army of gorgeous, trained ninjas. Her dynamic with Bond is more of a partnership than a male-dominated fantasy.

Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) in The Spy Who Loved Me: Barbara Bach is often ranked among the most beautiful Bond leading ladies, and she is -- but what is often forgotten is that she played a ruthless Russian agent who is 007's competitor long before she becomes his ally and his lover. She also gets an intriguing subplot -- she discovers Bond killed a fellow agent she loved and swears to seek revenge. Naturally, she doesn't, but she definitely gets more to do than a lot of other women in the series.

Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen) in Goldeneye: One of the most unforgettable women in Bond history, Janssen became a breakout star after her campy and vampy role here as a Russian baddie who kills men by suffocating them with her legs. The whole role would be ridiculous if she didn't imbue it with such infectious, devilish glee. She is not afraid of Bond and never gets seduced by his charms. She is just lethal and badass until the very end.

Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) in Skyfall: For decades Moneypenny was in many ways the most retrograde Bond woman. Although the classic version of the character (played by Lois Maxwell) was lovable and feisty, she essentially served no function other than to swoon over 007. Harris gives her a backstory and a backbone, she's at the center of the action and no pushover. Her inclusion in Skyfall was a pleasant surprise and it really helped revitalize the franchise.

Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) in Casino Royale: Even though she eventually ends up (SPOILER ALERT) betraying James Bond, few women in the series have been given as much depth and detail as Vesper Lynd, the woman who stole Bond's heart and almost domesticated him. She is never less than his equal and matches him barb for bard throughout. They have terrific chemistry, so much so that you actually think they're going to live happily ever after, until you realize it's a Bond film.

Elektra King (Sophie Marceau) in The World Is Not Enough: Although this is a deeply flawed 007 film (hello, Denise Richards) it does have a gem of a performance from the underrated Marceau as a complex and, in the end, downright creepy woman. In fact, she may be the true lead villain of this movie, although Robert Carlyle gets to do all the punching. She totally manipulates Brosnan's Bond and almost comes across as someone parodying the stereotypical helpless female archetype.

Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet) in For Your Eyes Only: One of my favorites -- this Greek, crossbow-toting beauty has one of the best plot threads of any woman in the Bond series. She is on a mission of revenge after a brutal smuggler murders her parents in cold blood. Although she ends up teaming up with Bond, she is a capable heroine in her own right and more than adept at fighting.

Countess Tracy di Vincenzo (Diana Rigg) in On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Audiences may know Rigg best for her iconic turn in the '60s-era series The Avengers or for her delicious supporting role on Game of Thrones, but she was also the only leading lady (SPOILER ALERT) to marry James Bond. She seems to genuinely intimidate Bond, which is a fresh departure for the series, and her fate is one of the most powerful 007 moments of all time.