Who is 009 in 007 First Light? The Rogue Agent Explained | BgRemovit
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Who is 009 in 007 First Light? The Rogue Agent Explained
Wondering who is 009 in 007 First Light? Discover the truth behind Rhys Beckett, his betrayal by THEIA, and how his death sparks James Bond's first mission.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains full story spoilers for IO Interactive’s 2026 video game, 007 First Light.
If you have just started IO Interactive’s 2026 espionage masterpiece, you are likely asking: who is 009 in 007 First Light? To answer simply: 009 is Rhys Beckett, a veteran MI6 operative who is falsely accused of treason by a quantum AI known as THEIA. He serves as the game’s initial antagonist, hunted by a young James Bond and handler John Greenway. However, his murder by the Murto twins in Aleph reveals he was a red herring, shifting the plot toward the true villains: Sir Nicholas Webb and the remnants of SPECTRE.
When IO Interactive, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Hitman reboot trilogy, announced they were taking on the James Bond license, fans knew to expect intricate level design and deep lore. What they didn't expect was a narrative that completely deconstructs the mythos of the double-0 agent. After a 14-year hiatus following the dismal 007 Legends, 007 First Light delivers a prestige espionage thriller that relies heavily on its supporting cast to elevate the stakes. At the center of this narrative web sits 009. While the marketing heavily teased Rhys Beckett as a master manipulator who betrayed the crown, the actual in-game reality is far more tragic.
To understand the full scope of IO Interactive’s narrative, we have to break down exactly how 009’s supposed defection acts as the catalyst for Bond’s ascension to 00 status, the collapse of the original 00 program, and the terrifying rise of Webb Industries.
The Hunt for Rhys Beckett: Answering Who is 009 in 007 First Light
Before James Bond (voiced by Patrick Gibson) can earn his license to kill, he has to clean up MI6’s biggest mess. The game opens with a disastrous SAS retrieval operation in Iceland, where Bond defies direct orders to rescue scientists from Arrowhead mercenaries. This reckless but effective initiative catches the eye of M (Priyanga Burford), who recruits the 26-year-old into the newly revived 00 program.
The game's opening hours brilliantly weaponize the player's assumptions. As Bond, you are equipped with prototypes from Q (Alastair Mackenzie) and guided by the steady voice of Miss Moneypenny (Kiera Lester) over the comms. Everything feels like a traditional Bond adventure. The objective is clear: neutralize the traitor. The narrative paints Beckett as a mastermind who orchestrated the downfall of his own colleagues.
During the Slovakia infiltration, the game shifts from a traditional stealth mission into a survival horror sequence. Bond tracks Beckett to the Grand Carpathian Hotel, a luxurious environment that quickly becomes a death trap. The operation goes catastrophically wrong when the Murto twins—assassins protecting the conspiracy—detonate a bomb that kills fellow recruit Monroe and leaves Cressida paralyzed. The sheer brutality of this moment cements the danger of the mission. It establishes 009 not just as a target, but as a phantom. He is always one step ahead, leaving a trail of collateral damage that forces Bond to question the morality of the intelligence community. But the destruction in Slovakia is merely a smokescreen. The Murto twins aren't working for 009; they are hunting him, just like Bond is.
The Aleph Hideout: The Truth Behind Who is 009 in 007 First Light
The globetrotting pursuit eventually leads Bond from Mauritania to the dangerous black market of Aleph. This mid-game sequence is where the narrative flips on its head. Aleph is a neon-drenched, claustrophobic maze of mercenaries and black-market dealers. The tension peaks during an exclusive auction hosted by Bawma (voiced by Lenny Kravitz), a flamboyant underworld figure who holds the keys to the city's hidden docks. Bond must navigate this social stealth encounter—a signature IO Interactive mechanic—before slipping away to the harbor.
He finally breaches 009’s hideout on a rusted ship, expecting a massive boss fight. Instead, he finds a crime scene. Rhys Beckett is dead in a chair, a glinting diamond on the floor nearby. The environmental storytelling here is phenomenal. A nearby telescope is fixed on a ship labeled 'HYPERION', and Bond uncovers a biometric evidence box coded specifically for John Greenway. The player realizes, alongside Bond, that they have been chasing a ghost.
When Bond and Greenway decrypt the drive inside, the truth spills out. Rhys Beckett didn't betray MI6. He discovered a conspiracy so vast that the perpetrators used a quantum computer AI to fabricate his treason, burning his identity to the ground so no one would believe his findings. The Blonde Assassins (the Murto twins) were sent to silence him before he could hand his evidence over to Greenway.
009’s Connection to Greenway and the 00 Program
Lennie James delivers a powerhouse performance as John Greenway, anchoring the game's emotional core. The revelation of 009's innocence shatters him. As Beckett's former handler and comrade, Greenway carried the guilt of 009's supposed betrayal for years. He believed he had trained a traitor. It was the reason Greenway became such a hardline, cynical instructor to the new recruits—he was terrified of creating another 009.
When M refuses to reopen the case—declaring Beckett the culprit to neatly close the file and avoid a political scandal—Greenway temporarily resigns from the 00 program in disgust. He realizes that MI6 is more interested in optics than the truth. However, the bond forged between mentor and student brings him back. Greenway returns to save Bond during the brutal Vietnam mission, a rain-slicked tactical infiltration where they attempt to intercept the true villains at a remote compound.
Tragically, this loyalty costs him his life when he is killed by Damien Webb. The cinematic framing of Greenway's death is one of the game's most poignant moments. Greenway's death mirrors 009's fate: both were veteran agents chewed up and spat out by a system that failed to protect them from a technologically superior enemy. Bond's decision to eventually take the 007 designation is a direct homage to the sacrifices of both 009 and Greenway, honoring the agents who died to expose the truth.
The True Villains: Why Was 009 Framed?
The narrative pivot from a rogue agent thriller to a cyber-terrorism plot is handled masterfully. If 009 wasn't the villain, who was? The evidence left in Aleph points directly to Webb Industries. Sir Nicholas Webb and his son Damien Webb used the THEIA quantum computer to frame 009, buying time to develop the HYPERION core.
Sir Nicholas Webb needed a scapegoat. By fabricating digital evidence through THEIA, he convinced MI6 that 009 was selling secrets, forcing the agency to hunt its own man. While Bond is busy chasing ghosts in Slovakia and Mauritania, Webb is quietly finalizing HYPERION in Antarctica. The HYPERION core isn't just a weapon; it's a quantum-linked satellite array capable of burning entire cities from orbit. Webb uses it to hold the UK government hostage, demanding total immunity.
This is where Charlotte Roth (also known as Isola Vale) enters the picture to complicate matters. Portrayed by French-Japanese actress Noémie Nakai, Roth is a DGSE agent who has been independently investigating 009. Her loyalties constantly shift throughout the campaign. She acts as a foil to Bond—where he is blunt force, she is surgical manipulation. Their uneasy alliance culminates in the Antarctica facility raid, where she ultimately kills Nicholas Webb. But rather than securing the facility for the authorities, Roth attempts to flee with the HYPERION core, proving that while 009 was loyal to the end, the world of espionage is still populated by opportunists.
FAQ: People Also Ask About Who is 009 in 007 First Light
To clear up any lingering confusion about the lore, here are the answers to the most common questions players have after rolling the credits.
Does 009 die in 007 First Light?
Yes. By the time Bond reaches the hideout ship in Aleph during Mission 4, 009 is already dead. He is killed off-screen by the Murto twins (the Blonde Assassins) to prevent him from exposing the HYPERION project.
Who voices 009 in the game?
Rhys Beckett is voiced by Anthony Howell. In a brilliant piece of casting, Howell also pulls double duty voicing the game's true mastermind, Sir Nicholas Webb. This dual casting subtly hints at how Webb has entirely co-opted 009's identity and narrative.
Was 009 a traitor?
No. He was a loyal MI6 operative who uncovered the truth about Webb Industries. He was framed by the THEIA quantum computer to cover up Webb Industries’ illegal development of the HYPERION weapon.
Why did 009 leave the box for Greenway?
Greenway was 009's former handler and the only person in MI6 he still trusted. The biometric lock ensured that even if MI6 intercepted the box, only Greenway could open it and see the truth about THEIA.
Is Daniel Craig in 007 First Light?
No. 007 First Light features a completely original cast and continuity. Patrick Gibson plays a 26-year-old James Bond, offering a fresh, younger take on the character before he becomes the polished veteran seen in the films.
Will there be a sequel to 007 First Light?
While IO Interactive has not officially announced a sequel, the game's ending leaves several massive narrative threads unresolved. Damien Webb survives a fall during the Vietnam mission, setting him up as a recurring antagonist, and Charlotte Roth's escape with the HYPERION data strongly hints at the formation of SPECTRE in this new gaming universe.
The legacy of 009 in 007 First Light is a masterclass in subverted expectations. IO Interactive used the trope of the "rogue agent" to lure players into a false sense of security, only to pull the rug out and deliver a harrowing commentary on artificial intelligence, surveillance, and the human cost of espionage.
Sources
007 First Light (IO Interactive, 2026) - In-game lore, character bios, and mission debriefs.
Official IO Interactive Developer Diaries: Beyond the Light Episode 3 - Story.
Escapist Magazine: 007 First Light Voice Actors and Cast List.
ScreenRant: 007 First Light: Who Isola Really Is & Sequel Setup Explained.
