Episode 3.3, "His Last Vow"

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think there is an enormous gulf between "understandable" and "forgivable".  For instance, "He found out the truth, so I killed him" is certainly understandable but it isn't in any way excusable....

 

I agree about that gulf, and even if I were able to understand why Moriarty or CAM did what they did, I doubt I'd be particularly charitable toward them.

 

But as Fox mentioned, the reason why Mary shot Sherlock was apparently not that he learned her secret, but rather that in the moment, she felt threatened by him. She warns him to stay put, but he takes another step and reaches for her gun.  It seems to me the simplest, most obvious explanation for her reaction is that she doesn't want him to disarm her.  And that's also consistent with Amanda Abbington's take:

 

She didn’t mean it. She just did it because she was really scared.

 

 

[sfmpco]

You know, Sherlock really takes Mary to task as she's walking down the street in Leinster Gardens.  He doesn't let her get away with anything and lets her know right then and there that he knows she's a LIAR and that he's got her figured out.  And then the big showdown comes inside the Leinster Gardens facade where she is like the villain with the gun on the wild west street and Sherlock is the good Sheriff, and John is the deputy waiting in hiding.  Wonder if John had his gun on him there.  If Mary had shot Sherlock again, would he have killed her?

[Slithytove]

Even if there is another exit from the penthouse, "the way she came in" must pass through the area where Janine and the guard are, or how did she attack them? And that is the area where John is, when she leaves.

 

From an ethical point of view, there isn't a huge difference between "I killed him" and "I inflicted a life-threatening injury on him.". Fundamentally, you have no justification for harming someone unless there is a direct threat to your own or someone else's life. Shooting someone because you think you might get caught and go to prison, and your husband might find out the truth, doesn't fall into that category.

 

It's interesting that Amanda thinks that Mary's fear gives her an excuse, but I think actors probably want their characters to be popular with the audiences anyway. Not necessarily good - Moriarty is obviously evil and insane, but a strong character with a lot of fans - but popular, and presumably she was glad the writers gave Mary the "surgery" excuse, even though it's ridiculous. I suspect there will also be a sob story in S4 about how and why she became an assassin. Personally, I don't care if she has had a heart-breaking past, or if she is a saint in the future - you can't get round the fact that she shot an unarmed, defenceless man.

[Schlauer Fuchs]

Even if there is another exit from the penthouse, "the way she came in" must pass through the area where Janine and the guard are, or how did she attack them? And that is the area where John is, when she leaves.

 

That's what I mean. Of course she could (even would) have gotten in another way, but she sure was downstairs, and I can't imagine that she entered the penthouse upstairs, then went down to knock out Magnussen's PA and security man and went up again to shoot Magnussen himsel -- oh, wait, now there is new thought: She might have entered the penthouse upstairs and then actually went down, because as Sherlock says Magnussen had been sitting in his chair downstairs just a minute or so before he arrived, so she had to go downstairs to get him, and that's when (and why) she also had to knock out Janine and the bodyguard. Then I just don't understand why she forced Magnussen to go upstairs instead of just shooting him on the spot, but well... it seems not really important to me.

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

oh, wait, now there is new thought: She might have entered the penthouse upstairs and then actually went down, because as Sherlock says Magnussen had been sitting in his chair downstairs just a minute or so before he arrived, so she had to go downstairs to get him, and that's when (and why) she also had to knock out Janine and the bodyguard.

 

  Yeah, that was always my impression too. That she came down the stairs from that secondary entrance. As for why she took him upstairs......he was kneeling.....I would have to watch that again....but maybe she thought he had a wall safe or something?  Something....but it's kind of fuzzy.

[Carol the Dabbler]

It's interesting that Amanda thinks that Mary's fear gives her an excuse....

Not an excuse, just a reason. She was in an untenable situation where she had to do something immediately, so that wasn't her carefully-thought-out decision, it was her gut reaction.  Bad choice, but I can understand why she'd react that way.

 

[Slithytove]

 

It's interesting that Amanda thinks that Mary's fear gives her an excuse....

Not an excuse, just a reason. She was in an untenable situation where she had to do something immediately, so that wasn't her carefully-thought-out decision, it was her gut reaction.  Bad choice, but I can understand why she'd react that way.

 

 

To be honest, I can't.  You'd have to be a completely ruthless person - which is fine, because her character is a professional killer and therefore would be ruthless, but I can't understand how John could forgive her.  In fact, I can't really understand how he can carry on loving her.

 

[Zain]

 

 

  Yeah, that was always my impression too. That she came down the stairs from that secondary entrance. As for why she took him upstairs......he was kneeling.....I would have to watch that again....but maybe she thought he had a wall safe or something?  Something....but it's kind of fuzzy.

 

 

 

 

Well, she had him on his knees, presumably to have more control of the situation. Takes more time to get up, and it secures the person. Less freedom of movement, makes it easier to shoot them (less chance of the person reeling backwards or sidewards to avoid the first bullet, which would make it "messier." I think that's why it is often chosen as the "execution position" but I may be wrong), and too, it enables her to ensure he sticks to the ground. If he were to defend  himself from her, it would take him precious seconds to get into a position from which he could use his strength to act in his favor. She'd get him before he had a chance to truly put up a resistance.

 

Then there's the phone next to him, probably because she had him put it down before having him kneel down. It's possible he lost it while struggling, but I am more inclined to see him forced to put it down. It's far enough for him not to be able to reach it without severely bending over. If Sherlock had not intervened, Mary would have kept her focus on him, and any such movement is in the category of movements which cost Magnussen the "precious seconds" from his position that a surprise attack would usually buy him. On the other hand, she didn't allow Magnussen to put it down somewhere close to the furniture, in case he would use it to his advantage. That's why the phone is still in the middle of the room. Far enough from possible weapons or objects Magnussen could use to protect himself, but not close enough for him to reach it without moving quite noticeably..

 

I do not think the writers thought of a particular reason why Mary brought Magnussen to that room (or why he led her there). It just makes it easier for Sherlock to encounter Mary on his own.

 

But if I had to pick a plausible reason (and yes, I am not very concerned with finding a reason which makes Mary look innocent) then there's the fact that it is farther away from other possible inhabitants. Even a silenced gun makes a lot of noise. If she intended to kill Magnussen, then it would be detrimental to her plan if somebody called the police because they heard a gun shot. Or if somebody rushed to the apartment. We do know that John doesn't rush to Sherlock's side because he heard a noise. The gun shot apparently couldn't be heard in the floor beneath the room. That way, the distance was also great enough to prevent other people from hearing a possible gun shot.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Yup, makes sense.

[Zain]

.... God, I should not contemplate "how to shoot someone without anybody noticing before you escape" quite as much as I did lately... By the way, copyright by me, just in case

[sfmpco]

Interesting.

[jesskayding]

 

 

 

 

 

When you think about it, CAM's security arrangements are seriously flawed. Given his wealth, power and the fact that he must have many bitter enemies, you'd think he would be better protected. Strangers are able to access his private lift, from a public floor of his office building and in full view of his employees, without being questioned. An assassin breaks into his penthouse, somehow, and gets past his PA and security guard to threaten him with murder. An armed man (John) is allowed into his home without being searched. And does he have no security cameras, either at his office or his home? Wouldn't the police want to see the footage of Sherlock's shooting, even if Mycroft managed to prevent an investigation of CAM's murder? In real life, the newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell was so obsessed with security that he even bugged his own home, so he could find out what his wife and kids were saying about him! You'd think CAM would want that level of security too....

If he was a sensible man, maybe. But he wasn't. And he thought he was untouchable. People wouldn't dare to try and harm him, because he was so powerful and knew so much about everybody and had them all in his grip. I think that's what Magnussen believed. That was his weak spot. He expected nothing less than for Sherlock Holmes or anybody to just shoot him.

 

I think a lot of the plot holes people see in fiction (any fiction, not just Sherlock) stem from us expecting fictional people to act in a much more rational manner than people do in real life.

 

 

 

Not to mention, trained assassins seem to be able to penetrate governments of armed countries, soooooooo I don't see how Magnussen's office would be a challenge to Mary.

Well, the assassin costume would be a bit of a giveaway if she walked in the front door, so presumably she broke in. How? Climbed up the sheer walls of a modern office block, up to the penthouse, and somehow got inside? Not to mention that she was in the early stages of pregnancy, a time when you can feel nauseous just walking across a room, let alone climbing up a building!

 

I think Moftiss couldn't work out how she got in, which is why Sherlock never explained it but referred vaguely to her leaving by the same way that she had entered.

 

 

 

Mark & Steve have often commented in the Special Features how they admired how Sherlock could get out of impossible situations in the original Doyle stories. So I don't see it being a stretch that they would feel no need to explain exactly how pregnant, trained assassin Mary got into Magnussen's highly secured offices. They have only been allotted 90 mins per show. I appreciated that they focused on some pretty awesome camera effects & that wonderful Mind Palace scene. And the introduction and explanation of super creepy Magnussen and Billy Wiggins.

 

Uhm also my very own mother is a testament to not having any issue during her pregnancies. I've been told she was quite adventurous while pregnant. When she was giving birth to me she simply thought she had to go to the bathroom. Yes people I was almost born in a toilet. Thank goodness sometime during child birth she realized she couldn't be that constipated. 

 

 

Just for you Slithytove:

 

 

 

Mwah ha ha ha ha ha !!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

My sister walked close to 14 miles a day when she was pregnant and she was carrying twins. On her last visit the doctor decided to induce labor he said that the kids were so small and she was in such good shape that he was concerned that she would not experience labor pains and that she would simply deliver the two along side the road....no joke. True story..

[Carol the Dabbler]

... I can't understand how John could forgive her.  In fact, I can't really understand how he can carry on loving her.

I don't really understand that myself, except that Sherlock apparently had something to do with it. All I can figure is that Sherlock reasoned that he'd put Mary in an untenable position by trying to confiscate her gun, and therefore (since he's just as pragmatic as she is) he partly blamed himself for her reaction. This could explain why he made up that "surgery" nonsense -- as a smoke screen to baffle John sufficiently that he'll take Sherlock's word that Mary's trustworthy. I just hope Sherlock's right about that!

 

Uhm also my very own mother is a testament to not having any issue during her pregnancies. I've been told she was quite adventurous while pregnant. When she was giving birth to me she simply thought she had to go to the bathroom. Yes people I was almost born in a toilet. Thank goodness sometime during child birth she realized she couldn't be that constipated.

I would have hit the Like button if you hadn't spoilt your post with that p-i-c-t-u-r-e.    Anyhow, that is certainly an interesting story!  (And I shall refrain from trying to make anything out of it.  )

 

My sister walked close to 14 miles a day when she was pregnant and she was carrying twins. On her last visit the doctor decided to induce labor he said that the kids were so small and she was in such good shape that he was concerned that she would not experience labor pains and that she would simply deliver the two along side the road....no joke. True story..

Trying to decide whether that was a wise doctor or just a control freak!

 

[Slithytove]

Some women are stalwarts during pregnancy though, to be fair, the sickness is usually worst during the earlier months.  I wasn't too bad but I don't think I would have wanted to scale the side of a building or knock out a security guard....and I speak as the mum of two daughters who both suffered awful morning sickness with each of our six grandkids.  To balance the stories of women who went through pregnancy without batting an eye, I'll just mention my poor daughter who was mortified when, four months pregnant, she was stuck in traffic and had to be sick in a plastic bag in front of a bus queue of schoolchildren and a restaurant full of diners.....

[Arcadia]

I was going to "like" that until I got to the last sentence, at which point it didn't seem quite appropriate!

[jesskayding]

I think I'll train in assasintry ( Totally made up word ), get pregnant & scale a really tall building, and knock out a few people & shoot a beloved hero. I'll keep you all updated with my progress.  

[Carol the Dabbler]

I was going to "like" that until I got to the last sentence, at which point it didn't seem quite appropriate!

 

Having already clicked Like specifically for that last sentence, I shall point out that mine is a "sympathy Like." 

 

[Arcadia]

I think I'll train in assasintry ( Totally made up word ), get pregnant & scale a really tall building, and knock out a few people & shoot a beloved hero. I'll keep you all updated with my progress.  

Can I watch?

[jesskayding]

Well I googled assassin training...

 

I'm so kidding, the US is so high on terrorist watch, I fear my front door would get kicked in & S.W.A.T. will come crashing through my windows. So I guess I'll have to consult local gangstas instead.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Oh shoot, and I was going to hold the stop watch to see how fast you could do all that. Maybe if we alert the S.W.A.T team and tell them it's all for a special training program they'll let you go through with it.

[Arcadia]

 

I think Moftiss couldn't work out how she got in, which is why Sherlock never explained it but referred vaguely to her leaving by the same way that she had entered.

 

When in doubt, never explain things clearly.

 

After all, "only lies have detail."

[jesskayding]

Ok, so I've got a hold of an AK47 from one of my gansta friends, they led me to this underground assassin camp right here in Montgomery county. The very first thing they teach you is how to scale a 60 foot building with no ledges.

[jesskayding]

You know now that I think about it this could possibly make a good RP thing. Hmmm I wonder how I could make that happen.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Ok, so I've got a hold of an AK47 from one of my gansta friends, they led me to this underground assassin camp right here in Montgomery county. The very first thing they teach you is how to scale a 60 foot building with no ledges.

 

 

Do they give you the ninja outfit, or do you have to supply your own?