Episode 3.3, "His Last Vow"

[Pamela]

Maybe have Andrew Scott.  Maybe just that annoying little GIF.  With Moftiss, who knows?

No, it's more than just the GIF.  The article says it was the plan all along!

 

These are the first paragraphs from the article I linked above:

 

It's been one of television's best-kept secrets, and it turns out Andrew Scott's had to remain tight lipped for, well, a very long time... 

According to the Sherlock actor, producers always had Moriarty's return in the pipeline and it wasn't much of a challenge to persuade the 37-year-old to reprise his Bafta-winning role as the psychopathic nemesis to Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock: 

"They didn't have to convince me to come back because we knew all along Jim Moriartywould return. That's what we always planned to do," he told the Daily Star Sunday.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

They may be bringing Andrew Scott back and may have been planning that all along, but Gatiss has said along that the person on Bart's roof who shoot himself was dead. John Watson, at the end of "His Last Vow" was brain dead. No one comes back from that. So either the person who shoot himself on Bart's was not the real Jim Moriarty, that has been theorized before, or it's another Moriarty or someone posing as Jim Moriarty. 

 

 It also said in the same article that they didn't want to over use Jim Moriarty.

[Pamela]

They may be bringing Andrew Scott back and may have been planning that all along, but Gatiss has said along that the person on Bart's roof who shoot himself was dead. John Watson, at the end of "His Last Vow" was brain dead. No one comes back from that. So either the person who shoot himself on Bart's was not the real Jim Moriarty, that has been theorized before, or it's another Moriarty or someone posing as Jim Moriarty. 

 

 It also said in the same article that they didn't want to over use Jim Moriarty.

Oh, I know!  The only thing I can possibly imagine is that there IS another "Jim Moriarty," remember?  Colonel James Moriarty, Professor James Moriarty's brother.  At least in the canon, there was.  (Yes, they were given the same Christian names.)

[Carol the Dabbler]

Right, so if we can believe anything that anybody tells us, it's basically Jim Moriarty is dead / Long live Jim Moriarty!

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

Right, so if we can believe anything that anybody tells us, it's basically Jim Moriarty is dead / Long live Jim Moriarty!

 

 

  Let's hope so, anyway.

[Pamela]

[Slithytove]

If Andrew Scott is going to play Colonel James Moriarty, he would have to be an identical twin. So.... Mummy & Daddy Moriarty had identical twin boys and called them both James? Life in the Moriarty household must have been very confusing.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Presumably they had different middle names, and that's what they were called as children, but then each decided to use his first name as an adult.

 

[miltk]

is it a spoiler if i mention the ending....so,,SPOILER ALERT

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if moriarty is still alive, i will feel cheated. you simply don't fool sh like that. and you can't stick a gun in your mouth, even blanks, and do what moriarty did and survive. i will be very disappointed if moriarty is still alive,,,,unless it's as postulated that sh and jm are gay lovers.

[Janie]

I don't think you have to worry about spoilers in this thread. 

 

About Moriarty, well, I don't want him to be alive either. I think at least one person should stay dead in this show and although I loved Moriarty and enjoyed every second he was on screen I don't see how he could fake his death. Unless it wasn't the real Moriarty, of course.

[sherlockandjohn]

As much as I love some of the epic scenes in this episode, it is pretty darn sad. Sad, sad, sad. Except for the first 25 minutes, of course, and some occasional bright moments. Not a complaint, well, not entirely, but more just an observation. I feel sad through most of it.

 

Sherlock discovers who Mary really is, and is deeply shocked. Then she shoots him, and we are deeply shocked.

The Reichenbach Fall music starts playing as Sherlock falls backwards.

Sherlock wakes up to remember what happened, all the while John is putting pieces of the puzzle together in his own head. Then there's the reveal at Leinster Gardens, in which Sherlock pulls the cover.

Awfully sad is the confrontation at Baker Street. Heartbreakingly so. It comes to light, not only how betrayed John feels by Mary, which is bad enough, but also that he's angry with Sherlock ("Is everyone I've ever known a psychopath?") - I'm presuming it's still some bitterness from what Sherlock put him through, when he pretended to be dead, but I admit that could be a reflection of my own feelings rather than John's. It is clear, though, that he holds some bitterness in his heart against Sherlock. Could also be because of Sherlock's general lack of empathy. Whatever the reason, that scene is painful to watch. Beautifully written and performed, by the way. It's a painful situation, which everyone portrayed incredibly well. The things Sherlock says, and the way John reacts... Gut-wrenching. Especially "Because you chose her." "Why is everything always my fault?!" as well as "That's all you are now, Mary, you're a client." (I'm completely on board with John's reaction, but that doesn't make it any less sad. The whole situation is sad.)

Sherlock sacrifices his own future (or would have done, if it hadn't been for big brother) for the safety of Mary and John. Again, very moving, but also very sad.

The goodbye scene just makes me cry. The thought of Sherlock and John being separated forever... no no no no no.

 

And then, that ridiculous scene with Moriarty (or who-ever-it-is) turns up and changes the mood entirely! I can only say, I hope Moriarty is dead, and that it's his brother - who is played by Andrew Scott, of course - but in any case I was pretty thrilled to end the episode on a more fun note.

 

This probably won't be an episode that I will keep watching as often as the rest, simply because it's so sad. That being said, I've already watched it seven times, but that's how much it took for me to (almost) come to terms with the whole Mary situation.

[sherlockandjohn]

There weren't any afaik - Sue Vertue had seen Benedict Cumberbatch in Atonement and suggested him, iirc, he came in and autitioned, and from there it was only the matter of finding the right John to fit his Sherlock.

 

Though remembering Atonement makes me kinda wonder why that one of all his previous roles convinced her

 

Mwa-ha-ha

He did play the role really well, but the character was creepy. Not Magnussen-creepy, but still.

[Caya]

Dunno, I found Magnussen just ... embarrassing is probably the best word. That "bite it" scene from Atonement , otoh, was creepy, agreed .

[T.o.b.y]

As much as I love some of the epic scenes in this episode, it is pretty darn sad. Sad, sad, sad. Except for the first 25 minutes, of course, and some occasional bright moments. Not a complaint, well, not entirely, but more just an observation. I feel sad through most of it.

 

For me, the whole series 3 felt sad. There was a lot of comedy on the surface of things, but underneath, there was this continual feeling that The Fall really was "the end of an era" and things will never, ever be the same again. I felt that Sherlock summed it all up when he said: "The game is never over, John. But there may be some new players now. It’s okay. The East Wind takes us all in the end."

 

... and that should go straight in my favorite quotes collection, too.

[Slithytove]

What do you think Sherlock was going to say to John at the airfield, before he turned it into a joke about his name?

 

Those of us who ship Johnlock happily imagine he was going to pour out his heart and confess his passionate love for John, but those involved creating the show apparently don't see that sort of relationship for S & J ( though they like to tease us with little hints....). So what was he going to say?

 

He could be going to tell John how much he values his friendship, how much John has helped him with the Work and what an all-round good guy he is. However, he says it is something he had always meant to say - well, he has already said all those things, as the wedding speech is a fulsome tribute to his best friend John.

 

So what would he have said, if he hadn't chickened out and gone for a laugh?

[SolitaryCyclist]

...

 

In "His Last Vow," both Mary and John fear that the information on the A.G.R.A. flash drive would destroy his love for her.  Only by destroying the gadget can their love be saved.  The main difference between the two versions is, I think, that in the original, the loss of the treasure is merely a stroke of good luck for Watson, whereas in "Last Vow," it's John's conscious choice.

 

I still wish he'd had enough faith in her to ask at least "why," but now I understand why he didn't.  It wasn't canon.

 

Carol, you articulate this very well, and it comes to the heart of what Watson does about the A.G.R.A thumbdrive and why.  Relating it to the original Sign of Four is  well spotted!

[sherlockandjohn]

 

As much as I love some of the epic scenes in this episode, it is pretty darn sad. Sad, sad, sad. Except for the first 25 minutes, of course, and some occasional bright moments. Not a complaint, well, not entirely, but more just an observation. I feel sad through most of it.

 

For me, the whole series 3 felt sad. There was a lot of comedy on the surface of things, but underneath, there was this continual feeling that The Fall really was "the end of an era" and things will never, ever be the same again. I felt that Sherlock summed it all up when he said: "The game is never over, John. But there may be some new players now. It’s okay. The East Wind takes us all in the end."

 

... and that should go straight in my favorite quotes collection, too.

 

 

Mm-hm, I feel a bit the same, yes.

 

Before the series aired, an official teaser said something like this: "Sherlock Holmes is back from the dead. But will things ever be the same?" I admit, after The Empty Hearse I was thinking that things pretty quickly returned somewhat to normal... but of course now I see that they never really did. In my opinion, things changed for both the better and for the worse at the same time. Some of the old, fun dynamic between our lead characters was lost, but they've got a closer friendship now... Or (now I come to think of it) do they? It was very close before, too. Anyway, Sherlock has certainly developed as a person. Perhaps that's the biggest change.

 

That quote is really good, but again - sad. It's saying that everything has an end.

[sherlockandjohn]

What do you think Sherlock was going to say to John at the airfield, before he turned it into a joke about his name?

 

Those of us who ship Johnlock happily imagine he was going to pour out his heart and confess his passionate love for John, but those involved creating the show apparently don't see that sort of relationship for S & J ( though they like to tease us with little hints....). So what was he going to say?

 

He could be going to tell John how much he values his friendship, how much John has helped him with the Work and what an all-round good guy he is. However, he says it is something he had always meant to say - well, he has already said all those things, as the wedding speech is a fulsome tribute to his best friend John.

 

So what would he have said, if he hadn't chickened out and gone for a laugh?

 

Difficult to say... The line about his name could have been pre-meditated. We know that Sherlock is good at keeping a straight face. However, I feel certain that something deeper is going on. What I think goes on beneath the surface is this: Sherlock feels the gravity, the deep sadness of the situation, and he's struggling for words that fit. He can't seem to find the words - he could of course tell John (again) how much he means to him, but how will that ever be enough? If he had any words in mind (and I don't think he did; I think he was struggling for them), he banished them before he spoke, because they would not suffice. For me, the way Sherlock joked about his name spoke volumes. The expression on his face afterwards (the almost-teary smile) and the tears in John's throat as he laughed spoke volumes. Words were not enough, and if they tried to say something profound and meaningful, knowing that it would not be enough, perhaps it would have caused more distress. Finally, Sherlock settles for a simple 'To the best of times, John'. That pretty much sums it up, anyway. And I think they both knew what they meant to each other at this point; as much as anyone can know.

 

I hope it's clear enough what I mean. I find myself in lack of words to express how I feel when I watch the scene. It's so sad, but beautiful. It was actually the only time during the episode that I cried, but that's what thinking about Sherlock and John being permanently parted will do to me.

[sherlockandjohn]

Dunno, I found Magnussen just ... embarrassing is probably the best word. That "bite it" scene from Atonement , otoh, was creepy, agreed .

 

That's interesting, actually. If you see him (Magnussen) as someone with power, I'd say he comes off as creepy. But if you look at the man, not his position, yes, he is just embarassing... and pathetic.

[Carol the Dabbler]

... that ridiculous scene with Moriarty (or who-ever-it-is) turns up and changes the mood entirely! I can only say, I hope Moriarty is dead, and that it's his brother - who is played by Andrew Scott, of course - but in any case I was pretty thrilled to end the episode on a more fun note.

... which is adequate justification for that ridiculous GIF, isn't it?  Thanks for pointing that out! Then John's subsequent "east wind" quote brings the episode back to reality with a powerful, optimistic ending.

 

I agree with you, this episode is so very, very sad, yet so very, very beautifully done. I'm starting to make a somewhat tenuous peace with it, finally.

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I especially liked the way John turned Sherlock's reference of the East Wind of being an end of all things. "The East Wind takes us all in the end." to a very strong and potent warning to who ever is behind this "Return of Moriarty" thing "Well, if he is he'd better wrap up warm. There's an East Wind coming. and it's Sherlock Holmes returning from his four minute exile. I also found Mycroft's admitting to the fact that "England needed Sherlock" quite touching as well.

[wildwoodflower]

The reason she gives for going after CAM is that he holds enough information on her to send her to jail for life. If she had a better reason, surely she would have offered it to John in mitigation.

 

It doesn't really matter whether she shoots Sherlock because he realises she is being blackmailed or because he is going to disarm her. Shooting an unarmed man who is not threatening you, either because he might discover your secrets or because he is going to stop you killing someone else, is the act of a cold blooded killer. It isn't a reflex action, either. She doesn't fire without thinking, an automatic reflex. She says she will do it and then she does it.

 

We don't know who Mary killed in the past, or why. CAM says she did jobs for the CIA, so that begs the question of whether you believe that all CIA-ordered killings can be justified. Even if you believe that it is okay to kill bad people instead of bringing them to trial - Mary & Sherlock both believe this regarding CAM, though her motives are selfish and his are not - history suggests that many of the murders carried out by the world's security organisations were politically-motivated rather than morally justifiable. However, even if every CIA job could be excused and did not harm any innocent bystanders, she also worked freelance. People who hire freelance killers are seldom nice. They tend to be terrorists, organised crime, etc. John needs to know this information but he wants to pretend it never happened.

 

That's not love, any more than it is love to keep someone by lying to them and killing anyone who finds out. Of course, Sherlock is a drama, not real life. In reality, John wouldn't be hugging Mrs Psychopath, he would be running for the hills.

 

Do we really believe a professional killer would store all the evidence against her on a flash drive? What would be the point? It would be a silly, reckless thing to do. It's more likely that it was a test. She told John that he would stop loving her if he read it. He didn't read it, thus proving, in Mary's mind, that he loved her. If he had read it, she would think he didn't love her. What would have happened to him if he failed the test? A bullet through the head?

 

Just speculation, but it seems likely to me.

 

You seem to be taking this quite personally, almost as if your beloved had turned out to be a killer for hire and shot your best friend. I'm assuming that hasn't actually happened on account of well, real life often having less melodrama than fictional life.  As Shelock himself pointed out (in words written for him by a writer)  -  these are the stories of two men and their frankly ridiculous adventures.  Mary is one of those adventures.

[sherlockandjohn]

Honestly, I find it hard not to take the show personally - especially when there's heavy emotional drama. It's a lot easier to let things slide when they're not made a big deal of in the show, but His Last Vow was held in a very serious tone. I've distanced myself a bit from this episode, though - I had to, in order to come to terms with some things.

[Slithytove]

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The reason she gives for going after CAM is that he holds enough information on her to send her to jail for life. If she had a better reason, surely she would have offered it to John in mitigation.

 

It doesn't really matter whether she shoots Sherlock because he realises she is being blackmailed or because he is going to disarm her. Shooting an unarmed man who is not threatening you, either because he might discover your secrets or because he is going to stop you killing someone else, is the act of a cold blooded killer. It isn't a reflex action, either. She doesn't fire without thinking, an automatic reflex. She says she will do it and then she does it.

 

We don't know who Mary killed in the past, or why. CAM says she did jobs for the CIA, so that begs the question of whether you believe that all CIA-ordered killings can be justified. Even if you believe that it is okay to kill bad people instead of bringing them to trial - Mary & Sherlock both believe this regarding CAM, though her motives are selfish and his are not - history suggests that many of the murders carried out by the world's security organisations were politically-motivated rather than morally justifiable. However, even if every CIA job could be excused and did not harm any innocent bystanders, she also worked freelance. People who hire freelance killers are seldom nice. They tend to be terrorists, organised crime, etc. John needs to know this information but he wants to pretend it never happened.

 

That's not love, any more than it is love to keep someone by lying to them and killing anyone who finds out. Of course, Sherlock is a drama, not real life. In reality, John wouldn't be hugging Mrs Psychopath, he would be running for the hills.

 

Do we really believe a professional killer would store all the evidence against her on a flash drive? What would be the point? It would be a silly, reckless thing to do. It's more likely that it was a test. She told John that he would stop loving her if he read it. He didn't read it, thus proving, in Mary's mind, that he loved her. If he had read it, she would think he didn't love her. What would have happened to him if he failed the test? A bullet through the head?

 

Just speculation, but it seems likely to me.

You seem to be taking this quite personally, almost as if your beloved had turned out to be a killer for hire and shot your best friend. I'm assuming that hasn't actually happened on account of well, real life often having less melodrama than fictional life. As Shelock himself pointed out (in words written for him by a writer) - these are the stories of two men and their frankly ridiculous adventures. Mary is one of those adventures.

Er, no.... That's the way I approach a work of fiction, and how I would hope my own work is read. (I have published commercial fiction, which is the unattractive name for stories in mass circulation magazines, and am lucky enough to have some small - tiny - experience of writing for tv and radio. Add to that an educational background in English Literature, and you can see where I am coming from.). I pay the writers the courtesy of taking their work seriously, even when it is comedy, because I know the effort that goes into creating well-rounded characters as compared to two-dimensional cardboard cut-outs. I also find it exciting when they manage to come up with a narrative arc that challenges us and stimulates debate, instead of going down the cliched route where every plot development is signalled long before it arrives.(Think of Downton Abbey as a prime example of the latter.)

 

So, no, I do not think it is real and I am not taking it personally. I like to consider subtext and to argue passionately for a particular interpretation, insofar as it can be justified by close reference to the text. Good writing (aided, of course, by superb acting) tackles moral issues and invites us to debate them within the context of the work. In the recent series, there have been many moral questions.... Can murder ever be justified? To whom do we owe the greatest loyalty? Is forgiveness always noble? Can love be a motive for evil? Yes, Sherlock is an enjoyable piece of entertainment and I love its energy, its imagination and its humour, but I also like to discuss all the nuances of plot and character. That is why I am on this forum. To me, it is fun.

 

With all due respect, I think your comment is quite patronising and somewhat offensive.

[T.o.b.y]

 

Do we really believe a professional killer would store all the evidence against her on a flash drive? What would be the point?

 

It does seem like an awfully stupid thing to do, doesn't it. Maybe she prepared that flash drive for the meeting with Sherlock? Sherlock knew what she was already, so maybe she wanted to let him know details about her past which she thought John would never understand, let alone pardon, but Sherlock might. She may have hoped to half convince, half threaten Sherlock to keep her secrets with her, and keep them from John to save their marriage. Sherlock would be more likely not to tell on her if he knew what the secrets were. He'd feel he had the situation under control then, and he's certainly not opposed in general to keeping John in the dark about important things...

 

I think the relationship between Sherlock and Mary is one of the most interesting on the show and I fervently hope it will be explored further. There is this bond between them from the first. It's not just Mary and John playing parents for Sherlock, there's also quite a lot of Sherlock and Mary winking at each other over John's head, so to speak. It's like they accepted from the start that if they fought over him, they would get nowhere, but if they used all they have in common (and that is far more than love for John Watson), they could really make something out of this interesting little threesome. And yet, there is antagonism somewhere in the mix, too. I guess no one entirely likes having that kind of a mirror in front of them all the time, and I can't imagine there isn't any jealousy at all on either side.