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M and Q are mainstay of theJames Bondfranchise , but the import of their codenames is never fully explored . James Bond was create by British generator Ian Fleming , who wrote a dozen novel detailing Bond ’s exploit , drawing from his own career in naval intelligence . These function as the fundament for the James Bond film serial , which has become one of the highest - gross pic series of all time . With Daniel Craig as the title of respect role , thenewest iteration of Bond is a gritty reimaginingof the storey , with few of the over - the - top chemical element of former decades ' installment .
Owing to his elite condition as a 00 agent , James Bond often interact with the top brass of MI6 , most notably M , the stern mind of the organization as a whole , and Q , the humorless head of research and growing . Although neither theatrical role makes a spot of engaging in the kind of participating fieldwork that Bond is screw for , both appear in nearly all of the motion-picture show . Bond ’s family relationship with MI6 in the novel Daniel Craig pic is more remote , with him renounce in one way or another inCasino Royale , Skyfall , andSpectre . The organisation remains important , however , and M and Q finally both reappear in the novel continuity .
Related : James Bond : Why Moneypenny & Q Are n’t In Casino Royale & Quantum Of Solace
Much like how James Bond is given the code number of 007 , the initial M and Q are title , bestowed upon unlike individuals over the course of the series . There are a few historical case law for this , most notably the first director of MI6 , Sir Mansfield Smith - Cumming , who used a sole " hundred " as his theme song , creating the tradition of certain high up - ranking MI6 staff office being referred to by an initial . In the character of Q , his statute title specifically fend for " Quartermaster , " a role in some military hierarchies which distributes supply , although they are usually not as eccentric or fashionable as thegadgets seen in James Bond films . Q was not present in Fleming ’s novel and is advert to as either Major Boothroyd or the equipment officer in his first flick appearances . It was not untilGoldfingerthat his codename was used , recalling the novels ' Q Branch .
The nature of M ’s codename is a fleck more difficult to specify . Earlier Bond films presented M as a title as well , but the M ’s of the new Daniel Craig serial publication , namedOlivia Mansfieldand Gareth Mallory , seem to have redefine it as an abbreviation of their surname , much like Smith - Cumming ’s touch . There is a precedent for this in the novels , as Fleming finally revealed his M to be named Sir Miles Messervy . However , it has been proposed that Robert Brown ’s M is named Hargreaves , as the worker played an admiral with that name in an earlier appearance , which would sabotage the retroactive applicability of the possibility .
As characters primarily significant for holding a sure job , when someone like Q orM is recastnecessarily , a major welfare is that the tale can merely explicate it as another individual literally take over the purpose . This modulation has sometimes even been shown , as M role player Ralph Fiennes and Robert Brown both played other characters prior to becoming Head of MI6 , and John Cleese of Monty Python fame act as an assistant jokingly referred to as R before being call Q. Reintroducing the idea of M being a personal initial imposes a minor but notable confinement on the assignment of recast M ’s in the future .
maintain ordered characters in on - pass stories as histrion move on to different projects is a dilemma that will be faced by an increasingly large number of extended cinematic universes in the near future . And while Marvel and DC have both introduced multiverses that may better some of the difficulty , theJames Bondseries may have receive the most elegant result : much like thepassing of Captain America ’s shieldinAvengers : Endgame , Bond ’s fictionalized MI6 has for decade been using titles to hand down iconic cinematic role in a way of life that does n’t filter the interview ’s hiatus of disbelief ( perhaps knowing they ’ll call for it for all of the dissimilar Bonds , which are n’t given a standardised account ) .
Next : How James Bond Became 007 ( & How Its Meaning Has Changed )
