James Bond and Q have always had a conflicting relationship. Bond is always too impatient to wait for Q's detailed explanations of his devices, and Q is always trying to get Bond to pay closer attention to his instructions. Another source of irritation for Q is Bond's habit of damaging or destroying the gadgets Q worked so hard to create. However, Q also has a fatherly sense of affection for Bond, and is always willing to help him. In "License To Kill," Q goes into the field to aid Bond even though the agent is no longer part of MI6 at that point.
Spy films like those starring James Bond are full of special gadgets like lipstick guns, hubcap lasers, turbo hovercraft, cyanide cigarettes, missile launcher leg casts and rocket-launching radios. But which of these amazing tools actually have real-life counterparts, and which ones only exist in the realm of fictional spies like 007? You might be surprised.
Q Branch
In the James Bond films (and to a lesser extent, Ian Fleming's Bond novels), Agent 007 receives all of his arms and equipment, including various gadgetry and vehicles, from Q Branch. Q Branch is the research and development arm of MI6, the semi-fictional British espionage agency that employs Bond. Q stands for "quartermaster," and the head of the department uses codename Q, though the original Q's real name was Major Boothroyd. For many years, Q was played by Desmond Llewelyn in the Bond films. When Llewelyn died in 1999, Q's former assistant, R, got a promotion.
James Bond Works
With his dry wit and impeccable style, James Bond has been defying death and ruining the plans of megalomaniacal madmen in service of Queen and country for more than 50 years. From his first appearance in a 1953 novel to his leading role in one of the most successful franchises in film history, Bond has traveled to more exotic locations, romanced more women, escaped from more harrowing death traps and saved the world more times than any other secret agent, real or fictional.
Much about the early life of James Bond remains murky, befitting a secret agent. Even the date of his birth is in dispute early accounts suggest various dates in the 1920s, implying that modern-day chronicles of his exploits recount the events of decades past. His Scottish father worked for a British arms manufacturer and was killed while mountain climbing along with Bond's Swiss mother when James was eleven. The orphan attended several prestigious schools before enlisting in the Royal Navy during World War II, where he rose to the rank of commander. Following the War, he entered the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), also known as MI6, short for 6th Branch of the Military Intelligence Directorate. His first two assignments were assassinations, which led to his permanent designation as a "double-0" agent, one with a license to kill in the line of duty. As the seventh such agent, he was designated Agent 007.
Bond is no mere foot soldier. His undercover assignments have taken him to exotic locales that include volcanic islands, Las Vegas, Paris, India, Azerbaijan, Tokyo and even a space station in orbit. He usually operates under an alias, usually as a representative of Universal Exports. His charm and charisma are reinforced by his taste for fine suits, fast cars and his signature beverage: a dry martini, shaken, not stirred. Bond's missions bring him into contact with both sophisticated elites and shady underworld figures. In both situations, he has repeatedly demonstrated (and overcome) his one true weakness he can't resist a beautiful woman.
Although Bond is a gifted athlete and well-trained in martial arts, he doesn’t have to rely on his wits and physical prowess alone. The Q Branch of MI6 regularly outfits 007 with clever devices, usually in the form of a mundane object that hides an explosive, a gun or another key item. He also has access to heavily modified experimental vehicles, and often carries a hidden escape device or a means of communicating with his handlers in an emergency. When all else fails, he keeps a Walther PPK .32 caliber handgun tucked into a shoulder holster, though he also uses other weapons when needed.
Bond's missions have varied wildly, but one thing is always consistent: MI6 deploys him when nothing else matters more than getting the job done. Bond is considered a "blunt instrument" of the crown, a man who can accomplish difficult missions regardless of the political, financial or personal consequences. When the fate of the world is on the line, his superiors know that Bond can’t take time to worry about offending an ambassador or blowing up an embassy.
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