Q (James Bond)

Q is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and movies. Q (standing for Quartermaster), like M, is a job title rather than a name. He is the head of Q branch, the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service. The Q character actually appears only fleetingly in Ian Fleming's novels, but comes into his own in the successful Bond movie series. The character of Q (although not always identified as such) has appeared in each of the 007 films except for Live and Let Die.

Other Q's

In the 1983 unofficial (non-EON Productions) film Never Say Never Again, Q Branch is headed by a man referred to as both "Algernon" and "Q". It is unclear whether he is intended to be a successor to the EON Q (like the film's M is said to be).

Related Topics:
1983 - EON Productions - Never Say Never Again - M

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In the (non-canon) 1991 animated TV series James Bond Jr., Q's adolescent grandson, Horace (aka "I.Q.") attends the same high security secondary school as James Bond's supposed nephew.

Related Topics:
1991 - TV series - James Bond Jr.

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Q'ute

John Gardner, in his James Bond novels, introduced the character of Ann Reilly, a young female assistant to Q whose co-workers as well as Bond nicknamed Q'ute. Major Boothroyd himself was only mentioned a couple of times. During Gardner's first novel, Licence Renewed, Q'ute and Bond had a brief romantic relationship. By the time Gardner left the book series, Q'ute had taken over the running of Q Branch, but when Raymond Benson took over the literary series, he ignored much of Gardner's continuum and gave Q Branch back to Major Boothroyd with no explanation and no further references to Ann Reilly.

Related Topics:
John Gardner - Licence Renewed - Raymond Benson

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Parody

• A comedic version of Q appears in the unofficial 1967 spoof, Casino Royale, played by Geoffrey Bayldon.
• Mortadelo y Filemón's Professor Bacterio is a mad scientist providing the TIA agents with gadgets that always work the opposite of what's intended.
• In Terry Pratchett's novel Thief of Time, one of the History Monks is an innovative weapons designer named Qu; he also appears in Pratchett's Night Watch.