No Time to Die confirms Q is gay
James Bond might not spring to mind when people say ‘gay icon’, but thanks to No Time to Die – the latest entry in Daniel Craig’s Bond series of films – the reveal of a certain character (starting and ending with Q) might just change everyone’s minds.
Ben Whishaw as Q, the tech and gadgets experts that constantly helps Bond out whenever the going gets tough, has been a breath of fresh air for many fans. He is charming and is one of the more relatable characters in the series and, thanks to No Time to Die, Q is also gay.
In a series that has previously fuelled a male power fantasy with women as props, Craig’s era of films with Q being confirmed as queer and more active, kickass female characters has been refreshing to witness.
The confirmation of Q’s queerness was revealed during a short scene in the film where Bond and Eve Moneypenny disturb Q just as he is in the middle of preparing a loving meal for what looks to be a dinner date. It looks pretty romantic, and if you’re the kind of person who wants proof that it isn’t just a friendly get-together then Q himself shatters the heteronormativity quite brilliantly. He tells both Bond and Moneypenny that he is waiting for his date. But he doesn’t stop there, either. While Bond and Moneypenny get to business, Q tells them both that ‘he’ – his date – will be there at any moment. Yup, Q is gay. Nobody cares. It’s beautiful.
Fans of the Q character have mostly reacted positively to the news.
“My favourite quote from No Time to Die comes from Q and it’s “he’ll be here in 20 minutes”.” Tweeted one fan. “Without context it’s fine, but the actual context is he’s preparing for a date and historically James Bond’s gay characters have not been cool (looking at Mr Wint and Mr Kid), so that’s nice.”
However, some fans aren’t all that convinced that Q being gay is something to be celebrated, calling the whole thing ‘performative’.
Regardless of what your opinion is, it’s clear that Q has been a pivotal character for a lot of LGBTQ+ James Bond fans and this is a monumental moment in the series history.
What are your thoughts on Q being gay and how it has been handled? Let us know in the comments below!
About The Author
