Desmond Llewelyn

During the making of "Goldeneye" and "Tomorrow Never Dies," there were a handful of conversations between producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and Desmond and me about coming up with a strategy for the character's dignified exit from the series.

It became sort of a running joke: Whenever we left a restaurant, he'd stuff a 10- or 12-page handwritten sequence into my pocket, each one detailing a new, ever more elaborate exit for his character.

"Desmond," I would reply, "these are 45-minute sequences. I know you're beloved, but --"

"You've got to figure out a way to write me out," he'd laugh. "You know, I'm not going to last forever."

"Don't be silly," Barbara and Michael would respond. "You've got a contract through 2015. We intend to hold you to it."

But as we began this most recent film, "The World Is Not Enough," a decision was made that Q, as well as Desmond, should have the option of retiring gracefully.

When I went back to my hotel room in London to write the scene, I spent a fair amount of time thinking about who Q was. Why did he touch a nerve with so many people? What archetype did Desmond correspond to that resonated with so many different people all over the world?

This is what appears in the script, dated June 16, 1999:

Q and Bond look at the balloon, rolling away. Then, as the noise fades, Q and Bond share a moment. Both men know that after all these years, all these missions, this might -- possibly -- be time for goodbye. They look upon each other: Q's Merlin to Bond's Arthur. Bond fights the sentimentality:

BOND

You're not planning to retire anytime soon, are you?

Q (ignoring this)

Pay attention, 007. There are two things I've always tried to teach you. First: Never let them see you bleed.

BOND

And second?

Q

Always have an escape plan.

POOF!!! There's a flash of powder, and Q disappears behind a secret door. Bond nods, a fond salute farewell.

When Desmond Llewelyn died in a car accident on Sunday, Dec. 19, the world lost an icon, and I lost a friend. Yet, as I sit here, writing this 24 hours later, I am left with two visions of Desmond.

The first was six months ago, as we shot that last scene on Stage 3 at Pinewood studios. Looking around the room, I saw dozens of young English schoolboys staring -- eyes wide open, mouths agape, barely breathing -- as Q and Bond ran their lines. I realized that for those boys, as for me at that age, Santa may not have existed anymore, but Q still did.

My second and last vision of Desmond took place barely a month ago, at the party following the premiere of "The World Is Not Enough" in Santa Monica, Calif.

At 1 o'clock in the morning, in a room filled with movie stars, beautiful women and handsome men, Desmond Llewelyn, 85 years old, sat at a long banquet table, alone under a blue light, besieged by young fans, merrily signing autographs into the night.

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