4. Q (James Bond & Star Trek)
Q is the name given to characters in two long-standing and beloved franchises - James Bond and Star Trek. Firstly, Q (which stands for Quartermaster in this case) is the name of a character in the James Bond films and film novels. Rather like M, it's a job title rather than an actual name and the character has been played by numerous actors (including John Cleese and Peter Burton), much like Bond himself, but it is what Bond and company refer to him as. The character is the head of "Q Branch", which is the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service and is generally responsible for the handing over of gadgets to the titular secret agent. Star Trek's Q was a highly powerful entity from a race of omnipotent, godlike beings also known as the Q (which was also a name given to any individual who was part of the Q Continuum). He started off as something of a villain, before coming to be an anti-hero and ended up being a fully-fledged good guy after having sought refuge on the Enterprise when he was stripped of his powers. He had a very notable and comedic relationship with Patrick Stewart's Picard which ultimately endeared him to fans of the show.