Nathan D. Muir

Nathan D. Muir is a fictional character appearing in the 2001 film Spy Game, from which he serves as the protagonist. He is a CIA case officer who learns that his friend, Tom Bishop, is incarcerated in China so he takes it upon himself to free him from the Chinese enslavers.
He is portrayed by Robert Redford.
==Biography==
Nathan D. Muir, a seasoned veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, finds himself at a crossroads as a critical moment in 1991 unfolds. With the United States and China on the verge of a significant trade agreement, the CIA is facing a grave predicament. His mentee, Tom Bishop, is detained in a People's Liberation Army prison, and time is running out as Bishop's execution looms just 24 hours away. The CIA executives call upon Muir, who is on the brink of retirement, ostensibly to glean insights about his history with Bishop. However, the real agenda is to find reasons to avoid intervening in Bishop's dire situation. Unbeknownst to them, Muir was alerted about Bishop's capture by fellow CIA veteran Harry Duncan in Hong Kong.
Muir takes matters into his own hands, leaking Bishop's plight to CNN through an MI6 contact, Digby 'Digger' Gibson. His hope is that public pressure will compel the U.S. government to intervene and secure Bishop's release. Yet, his efforts are momentarily thwarted when Deputy Director for Operations Charles Harker compels CNN to retract the story as a hoax. Muir's connection with Bishop goes back to 1975 when Bishop was a Marine Corps Scout Sniper in Vietnam, tasked with eliminating a high-ranking North Vietnamese military officer. Their collaboration continued as Bishop became a CIA asset, with missions in Berlin and Beirut, notably during the War of the Camps in 1985.
These missions reveal a growing tension between Muir and Bishop, with Muir's unwavering commitment to the "greater good" at odds with Bishop's concern for civilian "assets." After a disagreement over a mission, Muir makes it clear that he won't tolerate dissent and wouldn't rescue Bishop if he strayed from the mission parameters. In Lebanon, Bishop meets relief worker Elizabeth Hadley, leading to a romantic entanglement. However, their relationship strains as Muir sacrifices Hadley for the mission's sake, leaving Bishop disillusioned and cutting ties with his mentor.
In the present, Muir learns that Bishop ventured to China to rescue Hadley. Using his resourcefulness and a forged directive, he initiates "Operation Dinner Out," a SEAL team mission that Bishop had initially devised as a backup plan. Muir works with Duncan to bribe a Chinese energy official to cut power to the prison briefly. The SEAL team successfully rescues Bishop and Hadley. Upon hearing the mission's codename, Bishop realizes that it was Muir who orchestrated his salvation. As the CIA officials belatedly discover the rescue, Muir has already vanished, driving into the countryside, leaving behind a career marked by a complex mix of loyalty, sacrifice, and intrigue.
==Appearances==
*Spy Game (2001)
Category:Characters
Category:Male characters
Category:Spy Game characters
Category:Characters portrayed by Robert Redford