Q

Q is a scientific genius with endlessly inventiveness.  He supervises a division of the British Intelligence that can transform any ordinary item into a lethal weapon, any personal item into a remarkable tool, and make insignificant items into life-saving gadgets.  Q’s real name is Major Boothroyd and he is introduced into the series as the Armourer.  Q represents the superiority of British ingenuity and craftsmanship.  The letter Q really stands for Quartermaster and he is Bond’s Quartermaster.  Q is really more than just a gear dispenser employee.  He works for a branch of the secret service that researches and develops innovations to help spies like James Bond.  His department is a huge scale workshop which receives a budget that supports the operation.  Q may seem to be a slightly ecentric genius but he is serious about his inventions to the point that he gets irritated when Bond destroys his equipment even though deep down he knows that his destroyed equipment has kept Bond alive.  Q always makes joking remarks about his work even though Q tells Bond that “I never joke about my work.”

 

Q was involved in World War II and the office of Charles Frasier-Smith who was in charge of  providing inventive ways to conceal maps, compasses, and guns to agents moving behind enemy lines.  Ian Flemming was often in contact with Charles’ office and knew about the work carried out in secret.  Q obtained his character name from Glasgow gun expert Geoffrey Boothroyd who wrote a letter to Ian Flemming complaining that Bond’s use of a Beretta 0.25 in one of the first novels was a lady’s gun.  This comment on the gun choice ended up as a scene in the first Bond film where Bond’s gun was upgraded to the Walthers PPK 7.65mm.  Q is also one of the few continuous Bond characters to age and retire even as the Bond actors were renewed as they aged.   The character of Q acts as the placeholder of time in the numerous Bond films.  

Peter Burton is recognized as Q as he successfully played this role in 17 Bond films until he could not provide the role in the 18^th film.  Desmond Llewelyn was called to step quietly into that role at the last minute as they completed the film.  On film, Q turned his department over to his assistant dubbed by Bond as R.  Upon the original Q’s retirement, R took on the title of Q to continue the legacy.  Although it was portrayed that the new Q may not be as good as the original Q, the new Q moved into the role with even more cutting edge gadgetry and accompanying quips which have been improved upon with the addition of intense observations.  The role of Q as portrayed by John Cleese had the potential to move the role of Q to even greater status but the writers of the newest Bond film decided it was time to transform the character of Q and his support role for Bond.

A reintroduced Q showed up in the latest Bond film Skyfall.  Q changed to Ben Whishaw representing a slender, very young and a technological genius version of Q.  Q is now ready to support the experienced field agent Bond in a changed, intelligence based world.  Simplicity is the trademark of the new Q’s weapons and gadgets, yet he follows the legacy by expecting James Bond to return his equipment in one piece as a true quartermaster would expect of his troops.  As quoted in the film, Q states that “age is no guarantee of efficiency” while Bond returns the comment that “youth is no guarantee of innovation.”  Hopefully, Ben Whishaw will have as long a career in Bond films as Peter Burton to allow more development of the role of Q as the backbone support for Bond.