Von Herder (フォン・ヘルダー Fon Herudā) is an inventor for MI6 specializing in firearms also known as "Q".
Appearance[]
Von Herder is a tall 6'4"(193 cm), adult man from Germany with light blonde hair, who is always blindfolded. Compared to the other characters, he is shown to be particularly pale.
He is typically seen wearing a blue three-piece suit, with a navy waistcoat and maroon tie, accompanied by his signature black blindfold. He appears to have a gold chain linked to his waistcoat, and carries around a partially mechanized silver and black cane.
Personality[]
Von Herder comes off as a knowledgeable man, and speaks fluently about weapons. He seems to have a keen interest in solving issues and puzzles. All of these factors make it clear that Von Herder is a genius engineer.
Described as a "gun freak" by Moran, it is evident that Herder is extremely passionate about the weapons he makes. He checks up on them even in the midst of battle, and expresses frustration if prototypes are broken.
Herder also has a humorous side, joking about his own blindness by commenting that the darkness of his laboratory doesn't annoy him. However, it is implied in a bonus comic at the end of Chapter 12 that he may, in fact, be able to see in some capacity. In the comic, Moran removes Herder's blindfold, revealing a flower-patterned on underneath. Herder is quoted to say "Ooh... I can see through a simple pattern like this!".
Due to his passion and extensive knowledge, he has somewhat of a tendency to ramble about the specific details of his newest creations, regardless of whether his audience is capable of understanding what he's talking about. He gets mildly annoyed, however, when the audience in question fails to keep up with the conversation.
Abilities[]
Herder is extremely knowledgeable about weapons, being a leading expert in regards to both their manufacturing and those who make them (i.e. which makers or factories specialize in certain materials or builds). In addition to his expertise, he himself is a skilled gunsmith and engineer, handling custom rifle orders for Moran and MI6.
As part of his weapon-making, Herder likes to question his customers on how they're handling previous guns he's crafted for them, such as whether any adjustments are required. If possible, he likes to accompany them directly into the field to observe the weapons in action, as seen during the Jack the Ripper incident.
However, he seems to be capable of discerning certain details about the weapons and their efficacy in combat just from examining the gun itself. As seen when he urgently reminded Moran not to damage the new silent rifle he made for him so that Herder could collect "data" after the mission was complete.
Origin[]
Von Herder is based off of Van Herder, who was referenced as the "blind German mechanic" who built Moran's air-rifle in "The Adventure of the Empty House" as well as Q from the James Bond films and film-novelizations.
Trivia[]
- Herder came twelfth in the first character popularity poll and eighth in the second poll.
- His only listed like is inventing, while his only dislike is stagnating.[1]
- Herder's current worry is that although he's mass-producing some of the most innovative inventions of the century, they're too advanced to be of much use for most people.[1]
- Herder himself also features in the current worry of Miss Moneypenny; she's kept awake at night by the weird noises coming from his bedroom (the room above hers) at night. He also features on her dislike list, apparently she's not a fan of his lectures.[1]
Links[]
- Von Herder at Baker Street Wiki