Quantum (James Bond)

Infobox fictional secret organisation
organisation_name = Quantum
organisation_logo =
organisation_type = Terrorist organization
universe = James Bond series
foundation = Unknown
location = Unknown
key_people = Dominic Greene
Mr. White
purpose = Terrorism
technologies =
powers =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
affiliations =
subsid =
homepage =
footnotes =

Quantum is a fictional terrorist organization, featured as the antagonist group in the 2006 and 2008 James Bond films "Casino Royale" and "Quantum of Solace", though its name is not revealed until the latter. [cite news|title=James Bond series takes a 'Quantum' leap |publisher =USA Today |date=4 April 2008 |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-04-03-bond-quantum_N.htm |accessyear=2008|accessdate=12 June] The organization's goals and philosophy are unknown, but they prefer to remain in the shadows, letting individual terrorists carry out attacks without implicating them. Their existence is not public knowledge, in contrast to most terrorist groups whose existence and goals are widely publicized.

Concept and creation

Quantum filled in for SMERSH from the "Casino Royale" novel. Their name derives from the "Quantum of Solace" short story published in "For Your Eyes Only", which was also used as the film's title to represent Bond's emotional turmoil.cite news |title=New Bond film title is confirmed |publisher=BBC News Online |date=24 January 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7206997.stm |accessyear=2008|accessdate=24 January]

Appearances

In "Casino Royale", Quantum is featured in the background but not named; it is represented only through its middleman, Mr. White. The film's main villain, Le Chiffre, is a private banker for international terrorists with connections to the organisation. At the beginning of the movie, Mr. White introduces Le Chiffre to Steven Obanno, a feared leader in the Lord's Resistance Army, who entrusts him with his money. Le Chiffre then loses the money while playing the stock market; Mr. White hears of this and executes him towards the end of the movie, stating Quantum's philosophy that "money's not as valuable to our organisation as knowing who to trust."

However, these events in the movie alert the American CIA and British Secret Intelligence Service to Quantum's existence. One of the organisation's moles inside the British government, Vesper Lynd, falls in love with Bond and gives him information on Mr. White before killing herself. At the end of the movie, Bond tracks down and captures Mr. White. In the trailer for "Quantum of Solace", Mr. White states to Bond and his superiors during interrogation, "The first thing you should know about us is that... we have people everywhere."

"Quantum of Solace" features Bond tracking down the mysterious organization based on information extracted from Mr. White; this time he is chasing Dominic Greene, one of the organisation's leaders. Greene plans to restore an exiled Bolivian dictator, General Medrano, to power,creating a coup-de-etat in Bolivia using the money that Mr. White stole from Bond at the end of Casino Royale to finance Medrano and his minions, in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land which will allow Quantum access to the nation's water supply.

Known members and associates

*Dominic Greene
*Mr. White
*Le Chiffre

See also

*List of James Bond villains

References