Whew! The meta continues to gallop forward at an astonishing pace. (And a number of people—like emmagrant, valeria, destinationtoast, and reticentobsessive—have made lovely observations about the special role it seems to be playing for fans this time round.) This Meta Roundup focuses on general reactions to His Last Vow, explores the characters of Mary, John, and Sherlock, and takes up some other issues (like Redbeard, Janine, drug use, and predictions for the future).
It’s impossible to keep up with everything, though I’m storing as much as I can (minimally sorted for the time being) on my main Sherlock Meta page. As the pace of meta production slows down, I’ll do more to sort those out and send out additional Round Ups. (Keep your eyes peeled for a Roundup on Mummy, Mycroft, and Molly in the next few days.)
As always, I welcome your suggestions for additional metas to include (and categories to organize it by). Go forth and think your thinky thoughts—and let us be good to one another even (especially!) when we disagree with one another.
Reactions to His Last Vow
- A very brief squee post for HLV, drinkingcocoa.
- HLV braindump, mildredbobbin
- The Final Reckoning: In Which I Relate My Thought Process While Watching His Last Vow, mydwynter
- His Last Vow reaction, earlgreytea. (Note: contains a lot of critique, particularly of Mary. If you don’t want that, don’t click.) And a response from extranightlycow. With an additional reflection from trescontinentwatson on Mary. And another pretty long exchange between EGT and onefinedayback4good.
- On John’s supposed emotional disconnect in HLV, ivyblossom.
- Love and Breadcrumbs (focused solely on HLV), xistentialangst
- HLV Rewatch: Continuity / logic. The gloves are off, marsdaydream. Includes critique (as the title suggests). A response from olderandfaraway. And a response to the response from marsdaydream
- HLV: Episode reaction, frytha. ”OMG! I’ve got my SHOW back!”
- A general reaction from AfroGeekGoddess
- JohnLock in HLV (a Socratic approach), loudest-subtext-in-television
- First Blush, HLV and JohnLock, xistentialangst. With further conversation between loudest-subtext and XA.
- How does a straight guy write two men in love? (Spoiler alert: He doesn’t), professorfangirl. Quotable quote: From “love best” to a joke and a handshake: this scene, and the whole episode, reinstate the homophobic prohibition and the misogyny with which it goes hand-in-hand.” Some of the reactions
- Bow, The Three Patch Podcast.
- Gut reaction (and likely unpopular), marsdaydream
- HLV: They Lied, mars daydream
- HLV: Are you wearing any pants?, mars daydream
- Missed opportunities in HLV, xistentialangst
- I don’t understand: Thoughts on HLV, pennswoods
- This is where they sit, thewincestercave, the-sherlocked-avatar, moonblossom, prettyarbitrary and others “This is the show. Encapsulated flawlessly in four gifs and three lines”
- His Last Vow spoiler-free review, cultfix.co.uk.
On Janine
- On Sherlock and Janine (and jealous!John), ivyblossom.
- On Janine and Sherlock and sex, mildredbobbin
- Did Sherlock sleep with Janine? a conversation with xistentialangst, denverchick, and 221beemine. More?
- Sherlock didn’t have sex with Janine? Sorry—what did I miss? a conversation with mazarin221b, drinkingcocoa, and bertikslady And another thread with angiefsutton, maz, and dc
- Sherlock’s relationship with Janine, emmagrant, drinkingcocoa, foxestacado
- Why do you think Sherlock and Janine never had sex? an answer from mazarin221b
- Janine and sex: What’s the more productive reading?, professorfangirl
- Janine, Sherlock, and asexuality, xistentialangst and yolatirra
- Sherlock and John, the elevator scene in HLV, doitforasgard
- On the proposal to Janine, namara-ashina
- John finally understood the pain of seeing his soulmate marry someone else, (John’s expression in the elevator scene) many folks
- Janine’s revenge, cumberqueen, mazarin221b, and frytha
- Janine as Moriarty’s sister? a boatload of people
On Redbeard
- Redbeard, prettyarbitrary
- Redbeard (post HLV), pretty arbitrary and desukelove
- Mycroft compares Sherlock losing John to Mary to the feelings Sherlock had when he lost his only other best friend, Redbeard, mid0nz
- Redbeard, riveralwaysknew and ivy blossom. ”All the allusions to Redbeard aren’t just to a beloved childhood pet, but to what must have been a pretty serious emotional breakdown Sherlock had as a child when Redbeard died. Serious enough that the mention of Redbeard evokes a pretty strong response in the adult Sherlock.”
On the end of HLV (with lots of JohnLock thoughts)
- First thoughts on the ending of HLV, shekillscacti. In a sentence: “He knows he is going to die and he is already distancing himself from the people he loves.”
- “He was going to say he loved him at the plane, in HLV, a-broken-chameleon-circuit, earlgreytea, and others.
- Why the end of HLV bothers me, prettyarbitary. What happens when Sherlock becomes so much about Sherlock?
- Saving John Watson, earlgreytea “John doesn’t tell Sherlock thank you, or anything emotional at all, in that tarmac scene, because John has finally, finally, *finally* realized that Sherlock Holmes is in love with him….And when you realize that somebody loves you like that, and you’ve essentially chosen someone else, you’ve essentially *let him do it,* how can you possibly let yourself acknowledge that out loud? If you did that, how could you ever keep *living*? ”
- How there is no pining!Sherlock, prettyarbitrary. With a special focus on the tarmac scene in HLV. Quotable quote: “It’s not just Sherlock, and it’s not hopeless pining!Sherlock, and it’s not uncaring John or John picking Mary over Sherlock or any of that. Sherlock and John adore the fuck out of each other mutually, and now they both have a thorough understanding of just how deep it goes.” And some elaboration, also from PA. And a bit more.
- You know, John looks as taken aback by the formality of that handshake as I was. professorfangirl, mildredbobbin, anotherwellkeptsecret and others.
- On goodbyes, mildredbobbin And an addition from allyonthego
- Okay, I just rewatched that goodbye scene and…, madlori
- Okay, i just thought about this, amygloriouspond
- The last goodbye, mildredbobbin
- The goodbye, pretty arbitrary and loriliesong. Okay, and another point about John at the end: He doesn’t know this is goodbye, prettyabritrary
- So basically everything is Sherlock’s fault then?, pretty arbitrary
- John, Sherlock, and Forgiveness, prettyarbitrary and theawilford
- A handshake though they were never going to see each other again, mid0nz
- The handshake, professorfangirl. With elaboratoration from claro3 And a different read from Sherlock-happiness
- One more post about the handshake with a quick comment about cinematography, professorfangirl
- Sherlock season endings, destination toast
- Operation JohnLock is still go, loudest-subtext-in-television
- I think we’ve embarked on John’s Reichenbach, ivyblossom
- Why does Sherlock think John is better off with Mary, xistentialangst and loudest-subtext
On Mary (with a focus on HLV)
- Mary: She wasn’t supposed to be this way, marsdaydream.
- Mary and Sherlock: I have no idea whatsoever what just happened there, ivy blossom: Mary meant to kill Sherlock, Sherlock and Mary are gaslighting John, and more.”I genuinely don’t know what to make of all this. If Mary is Sherlock’s secret nemesis, I will be dead chuffed. Because that would be awesome. But I really don’t know. I just can’t square the facts with the story Sherlock spins, and I’m not used to that.”
- It’s all about Mary, threadsofamber. In brief: An analysis of Mary’s significance in HLV, as well as a defense.
- okay, so here’s my problem with the way this episode handled Mary and her storyline, wingsoutstretched. Quotable quote: “the problem is what happens starting from the very moment mary pulls the trigger and shoots sherlock holmes. at that moment her story — and her redemption — is lifted out of her hands and placed into the hands of the men around her, and she never gets it back” With an extra bonus prize for this observation: “this is not a critique of john or sherlock’s reactions, but of the frame within which mary’s story was constructed and presented to the audience. i’m saying that mary’s power in the process of her redemption was completely stripped away, that the story arc told us that all we need to know is whether john and sherlock forgive her. her character is reduced to signifiers and objects while she stands by and waits to be absolved. her story is all flash and no substance, and to me, she deserves a hell of a lot better.”
- Theses on HLV, sylviatiejens. ”The woman we know as Mary Morstan was in cahoots with Moriarty. Sherlock was lying about trusting her. Mycroft saved Sherlock’s life.”
- Mary (after HLV), pennypaperbrain
- Mary and questions of empathy, acafanmom “If Mary can’t be true in her feelings – if we won’t be able to hold on to her (apparent? seeming?) love for John (for a certain definition of love; hers is rather possessive, it seems to me), then I would kind of love to see her reject motherhood and maternity altogether. Given the holy awe in which Moffat seems to hold motherhood, I am not holding my breath for this.” Followup exchange with violethuntress
- Yeah, I think she deliberately missed, prettyarbitrary and violet huntress
- Do you know why Mary wanted Sherlock dead?, violet huntress
- HLV: Mary takes the shot, mars daydream
- Why Mary’s shooting of Sherlock is probably justified, anon with response from earlgreytea
- On Mary shooting Sherlock in HLV, prettyarbitrary and ivorylungs. Also a response from violet huntress.
- Why Mary shot Sherlock, corneliapornelia and violethuntress. Mary did NOT shoot to kill, professorfangirl
- Okay, but everything else aside, Assassin!Mary was pretty hot, yah? madlori, amiasmatics, and others.
- How could Sherlock not know about Mary’s past? destination toast
- How could Sherlock know known about Mary from thescienceofobsession and mojoflower
- As far as why Sherlock didn’t know Mary was an assassin, mars daydream
- It’s crystal clear they don’t want you to understand what happened when Mary shot Sherlock, grace books. ” i don’t think there can really be any question that mary did, in fact, intend to kill sherlock. this sets up another reveal scene to john, and will hopefully someday give us the satisfaction of seeing john righteously furious at her on sherlock’s behalf. ”
- Understanding John’s forgiveness of Mary, anotherwellkeptsecret. “I know people are upset about John taking Mary back. I understand why. But the fact remains that we have no idea how Sherlock influenced him or why Sherlock vouches for Mary despite the fact that she
nearlykills him. Sherlock is ridden with guilt. He loves John Watson more than he loves himself. And he mistakenly believes that John Watson’s love for him is a human error, regardless of how much he’s moved by John’s affection. He’s coming to terms with letting John go. Letting him go to Mary.”- More on John’s forgiveness of Mary, earlgreytea
- For those who were wondering where the hell John was, prettyarbitrary, violethuntress, and many others
- Here’s the thing about Mrs. Watson, onthelosingside. “Mary had all that time with John before Sherlock came back to get to know John, to read him. I’m betting she knows how easily she could lose John to Sherlock and she’s doing everything – anything – she can to prevent that,”
- Mary and Moriarty, xistentialangst
- Why the Watsons can’t make it to happily ever after, bbcatemysoul
- Why does Mary continue to threaten Sherlock? anon with response from earlgreytea
- A theory on the end of HLV, amygloriouspond. ”Moriarity isn’t coming back, it was (yet another) plan pulled by Sherlock with Mycroft’s and John’s help to distract Mary. Why distract her? Because she’d take John leaving her badly, she doesnt’ want him to leave her and she would do anything to make him stay with her, that’s why.”
- On the color of her clothes in HLV, 221beemine.
- But what about the baby? (speculation), 221beemine.
- How do you think they will deal with baby in S4? xistentiangst
- The baby. It’s bugging me, shineysherlock and earlgreytea
- Do we hate Mary debate (post HLV), johnlockeveryday. ” What a lot of people are ignoring with John forgiving Mary is how it will hurt their future child. You can dsagree, but I’m sure a lot of the reason John is staying with Mary is because she’s going to have a kid.”
- Is Mary a “strong woman?” madlori
- AGRA is a canon reference, marsdaydream responds to others
On Sherlock (focused on HLV)
- Starring Sherlock Holmes as Irene Adler, drinkingcocoa. Quotable quote: “I saw Steven Moffat rewriting his story, a remix designed to accept the charges of sexism and draft the story anew, this time casting Sherlock Holmes in Adler’s role to see if it would work with a male character.”
- Penance, Sherlock in Series 3, xistentialangst
- Coming to terms with Sherlock shooting Magnusun, vaginal-diabetus. Also an elaboration.
- I know Sherlock murdered Magnussen for John and everything, but…, xistentialangst and mysticaltea
- Sherlock’s backstory: a theory of the third brother, ournewoverlords
- Of course he’s using again, professorfangirl.
- Addiction and Sherlock, thescienceofobsession With a response from prettyarbitary
- But didn’t she say he was clean?, pretty arbitrary
- What drug was Sherlock on? thecutteralicia, laxlune, professorfangirl, mars daydream
- Sherlock vs. CAM, prettyarbitrary. With additional post on face flicking, pretty arbitrary
- Why does Sherlock allow the flicking? acafanmom, esterbrook, and violet huntress
- What’s in a name, mid0nz.
- Sherlock’s pressure points, mid0nz
- Sherlock as a pressure point for John?, drwholocked.
- Sherlock’s sexual identity and Season 3, xistentialangst.”Because TSoT is about Sherlock realizing his sexual identity, which is an enormous character shift, many meta readers have deduced that this means johnlock (as in a sexual/romantic relationship) will eventually happen. Otherwise, there is no reason to have Sherlock discover his sexuality—unless it’s just to torment him and then shut it away again—and that would be very unsatisfying as story goes.”
- John and Sherlock’s mindpalace in HLV, cosmoglaut and dramatisecho
- I wish you weren’t whatever you are, a conversation about Sherlock’s sexuality with achray, decadentwallpaper and others.
- Sherlock as uncle (mostly in relation to TSoT) professorfangirl and pennypaperbrain
- Is Sherlock asexual?, earlgreytea
- Perhaps the train scene in TEH is what gets Sherlock invested in John with Mary, anon with reply from earlgretea
- On why he doesn’t stop Molly Hooper in HLV, cloudywithachanceofbuckbeak.
- Why is Moriarty chained in Sherlock’s mind?, drinking cocoa, andwooscott, bakerstreetbabes, and others.
On John (with a focus on HLV)
- John Watson in Series 3, indyfalcon. ”With the focus this season being so largely on Sherlock I think it’s easy for us to overlook something that is tragically wrong with John Watson”
- So very fucked up, prettyarbitrary. Quotable quote: “John does his best not to be a dick, but. Honestly I am SO FUCKING THRILLED at John’s characterization at this point. He IS a good person (better than the people he loves most), but he’s also an addict. And when he can’t get his fix, bad things happen to his personality. ”
- Everybody hates John, mildredbobbin. With replies from philosophical burlesque, intellectualfangirl, chosenofashurha, and carolyn-claire And more here, here, and here
- A defense of John in HLV, traumachu. ”Mary and Sherlock, the two people who he loves most in all the world, the two people who are meant to love him most, have both deceived him, manipulated him, and lied to him for the majority of their relationships with him. And Sherlock tells him that it’s his own fault. And John just accepts it. He accepts both of them, exactly as they are“
- Perhaps a defense of John in HLV, pretty arbitrary
- I am equal parts pissed at John Watson and protective of him (post HLV), anotherwellkeptsecret. With another thread of development here.
- How John’s feelings for Sherlock have changed in S3, chuuface, mildredbobbin, and vaginal-diabetus
- Is everyone I’ve ever met a…., lbmisscharlie, roane72, pretty arbitrary
- Where is John living during HLV?, pretty arbitrary
- Damsels in distress, prettyarbitrary
- When he smiles, (not sure of the source here: sorry!)
- John acting like Sherlock in HLV, uber-chunks. Analysis of the scene with the neighbor.
- Middlenames and the hidden self, oldgrimalkin.
- John and child abandonment issues in HLV (also TSoT), loriliesong, earlgreytea, and anon
- The problems of your future are my priviledge (in HLV), queeentauriel
- Two Halves of the Same John (in HLV), anon with reply from earlgreytea. With more notes.
- The cruelty of John’s choice, norwegianpornefaerie “What the memory stick does is make John’s situation his own fault, yet again.”
Random (and Fantastic!) Observations and Connections
- Can we talk about the HLV music?, callieariane
- HLV / ASiP parallels, in gif form. (Not sure of original poster.)
- Parallels to Casablanca, a conversation with mazarin221b, martinfreeman, aurora-boreali, and bewarethesmirk
- Visual mindpalace parallels between ASiP and HLV: the staircase and the hallway
- Moriarity’s role in Sherlock’s mindpalace, loudest-subtext-in-television
- Moffat’s recreation of Paradise (Lost), violet huntress
- Fists Full of Love? “HisLast Vow” traction, Thoughts on violence enacted on Sherlock in HLV
- Oh yes, Jim honey, I did miss you, professorfangirl
- you known what happened to the other one, cosmoglaut, blakewyatt, ibelieveinmyscroft
- Contextualizing perceptions of fandom negativity towards HLV, madlori
Guys, Knackercroft is amazing.