Episode 3.3, "His Last Vow"

[leanne_maybe]

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How did she know that the first words out of his mouth, when he woke up, wouldn't be "Mary did it"?

She didn't. Shooting Sherlock bought her time she simply didn't have in the office. Even that statement could be walked back by Sherlock if necessary. That is far different than John catching her in the act. At that point, CAM's damage is done to him.

 

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There is no reason to assume Sherlock intends to kill CAM after the cafe scene.

Not true. Sherlock asking to see CAM's vault rather than being given Mary's files is the reason.

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However much he loves her, maybe Sherlock has no intention of committing murder to keep her out of jail.

It is his love of John, not her, that leads him to kill (not murder) CAM.

 

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What he attempts is negotiation, and a plot to get CAM arrested for buying state secrets.

No. That was the bait he used to get to see the vault - ie to confirm no vault actually existed and thus no freedom could be obtained for Mary or John by a simple handing over of files.

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It is not until CAM suddenly ups the stakes that Sherlock is driven to kill to save her life.

Sherlock's purpose is to obtain their freedom from subjugation by CAM. The moment he suspects there are no physical files to hand over - and thus no way to obtain their freedom from enslavement to CAM, is the moment he realizes he may likely have to kill CAM to gain their freedom. That moment is far, far before CAM is flicking John's face.

That may well be the case, but I don't think it's definitively proved from what we see onscreen. I am leaning more towards the plot being between Mycroft and Sherlock, which Magnusson worked out anyway.There is enough 'evidence' reading between the lines for either.

[leanne_maybe]

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So, watched the episode for the second time.

Took me a bit, especially since the first time felt like a punch in the face.

Still can't understand why John thinks it's okay to forgive Mary her recent crimes. It's not good not to deal with the past, but alright. I buy the "letting that be" excuse. Her recent crimes, however, are as much his issue as her future. That's no privilege, mind you.

 

I agree with whoever stated hat a few posts before me: It is actually a fairly sad thing that Sherlock is able to forgive her that quickly. If we hadn't seen his parents, I'd surely wonder what kind of abuse he was used to if getting shot by your best friend's wife wasn't that much of a deal to him.

 

On another note since that discussion leads nowhere;

anybody any good guesses on season four?

 

Actually I wonder whether what we saw in HLV was what happened.

 

First of all things, Mycroft, despite his statement that "Magnussen is under his protection", seems to have been looking for an opportunity to get rid of him.

Magnussen himself tells Sherlock just that. I do not think Mycroft ever faced Magnussen before, not in an antagonistic way. Lady Smallwood awfully quick thought of Sherlock after stating that nobody ever tries to stand up to Magnussen. I suppose she was thinking of Mycroft; it would explain why her thoughts turned to Sherlock.

Here I go a bit "wild" with speculation: I don't believe she truly thinks Sherlock will stand up to Magnussen. He hasn't enough power to do that. She knows Magnussen and his modus operandi well, even investigates him - why would she assume he'd accept Sherlock as an intermediary?

I guess it wasn't her plan. Lady Smallwood used Sherlock. As an intermediary to get to Mycroft. Mycroft reacted almost horrified when Sherlock told him that he was on a case involving Magnussen. He did not know. In the episode, it seems to me like Lady Smallwood and Mycroft work rather close together, she even calls him by his first name. Why not go to Mycroft? Because he wouldn't agree to take the risk. So she went to Sherlock... I think she used him as leverafge, to get Mycroft into the game. To make him move from his comfy chair of blissful ignorance towards Magnussen's meddling. Lady Smallwood must have known that Sherlock does not possess enough power or connections to truly get to Magnussen but would take up the challenge. Sherlock even knows that he needs an official invitation, otherwise he'll never get into Appledore. His power isn't far-reaching enough. His first break-in depends on a lot of coincidences falling together. It's more desperate and a one time chance than anything else.

No. I think Lady Smallwood used him. This episode seems to center around Mycroft, at least when it's about Magnussen.

 

The second thing I found odd:

Mycroft calls Magnussen a necessary evil, not a dragon for Sherlock to slay.

Then he states that Sherlock has more utility at home (England) because here be dragons. I wonder, however, what Mycroft's referring to. Sure, normally you'd think he was talking about the assignment Sherlock just declined (unknown territory, dangerous). However, Sherlock reacts rather peculiar. He stops in his movement, then looks towards Mycroft. What if Mycroft means that Magnussen is a dragon, just simply not one for Sherlock to slay?

I also think Mycroft is calling Sherlock on his bluff; the "perhaps there was something in the punch" line could be interpreted as dramatic irony, I am less inclined to see it as suc, on a second viewing. It just fits too much with the heavy subtext conversation they are having. Always seems like smoking connects them, thinking of the morgue scene in ASiB. To me, it sounds like Mycroft tells Sherlock that he knows what going on. I can imagine that Mycroft is more than suspicious of the reason why Sherlock would bring Higgins to their family home. Let's not forget he's even more clever than Sherlock. And I believe Sherlock realizes that when he tells him to go have some more. So why does Mycroft go back in? I doubt he'd trust his brother to drug him with nothing more to go on than an educated guess what he's planning.

Which brings me to another speculation: What if Mycroft was in on the plan? What if the smoking scene is nothing more than Mycroft reminding Sherlock of the boundaries of their plan? That he is not to take on Magnussen on his own. That this is rather Mycroft's dragon to slay. There's a warning, in this dialogue. Mycroft tells Sherlock that he'd hate to lose him (which would happen if he were to do anything outside their plan to Magnussen, because then he couldn't protect him from the backlash).

 

Actually, Magnussen lays out exactly that; he tells Sherlock straight in the face that this is something Mycroft would stage. The laptop with the GPS tracker is in Magnussen's hands. It's Mycroft's carte blanche he's been waiting for.

I believe that Magnussen is quite right. This was staged, to a certain degree. I doubt Mycroft was aware of the leverage Magnussen has got on Mary. And this leads to Sherlock abandoning their plan.

 

I also think it's possible to pinpoint the moment Sherlock abandons the actual plan. It's when he realizes that he is running out of options to get Mary out of this affair. Mycroft's plan more than likely was to get a hold of Magnussen's archive. Which is not of material existence. Sherlock can't smuggle out Mary's file. If Mycroft takes Magnussen, there's no chance to get to him again. There must be a reason why Sherlock waited until Mycroft's arrival. It's clear that he came to the conclusion that he needs to kill Magnussen before he stepped outside. What has he got to gain from waiting for his brother's arrival? Mercy? No. Sherlock wanted to be seen. There mustn't be any doubt that it was him that killed Magnussen. I can only think of one reason: So that John wouldn't be suspected. If John were under suspicion, they'd probably screen Mary, too. No. Sherlock had to wait for witnesses otherwise his plan to get Mary out unscathed were to fail.

 

Mycroft definitely is shocked when Sherlock shoots Magnussen. I believe he thought their original plan to still be active. Why ask Sherlock and John to stand back? It's not the criminals you ask to stand back. Why not ask Magnussen to get away from them? The "innocent" is more likely to cooperate. I believe to this point Mycroft was acting upon the belief that this was the end of their plan. They found his laptop in Magnussen's possession. As Magnussen laid it out before, while iz would hit the news, Sherlock would be exonerated. There would be no lasting damage besidethe one to his image, and even that is uncertain. Magnussen would have been whisked away by M.I.6. I doubt Moriarty ever saw a lawyer during his stay with M.I.6. Why would Magnussen get the chance to tell people about Sherlock's part in the scheme?

The real problem arises when Sherlock strays from the plan.

Mycroft's first reaction: Shout twice not to shoot Sherlock. Twice. Why would he be this shocked about the shot and the further betrayel by his brother if he had been drugged against his knowledge, got his laptop stolen by Sherlock and thought that Sherlock had sold him out? The sort of panic he suddenly feels tells a different story. I'd like to think that he saw this plan already as "worked out" when Sherlock, seemingly without reason, shoots Magnussen.

His words are as following: "What have you done now?" His reaction to the shot. Now. Not "what have you done" referring to the entire day. It's the shot that Mycroft did not anticipate.

 

Yes, some might seem a bit more far-fetched but at least it's something to go on. And it makes him seem less harsh than the episode paints him. I always saw Mycroft as a very strict (to others and himself) and ruthless person whose one weakness was named Sherlock. He's not kind towards his brother but his eyes rarely stray from him.

 

I further like to believe that he sent Sherlock away to protect him. Sherlock killed somebody in front of lots of witnesses. Sent away in the name of queen and country means that he was exonerated and not to be further punished for his crime. Mycroft's efforts might not be to show Sherlock the errors of his ways, but to spare him from life-time imprisonment. If he was to be dragged in front of a jury, there's no chance he'd walk free. Mycroft essentially nipped that in the bud. Sherlock walks free. And I believe he was ready to call him back before these six months were up. Mycroft was awfully quick to phone Sherlock after Moriarty's message presented him with the opportunity to get him back. I believe Mycroft was playing with the odds that he'd get an opportunity sooner or later to call his brother back. If he had gone to prison, there'd be no easy way out. The short span between the message and the phone call tells me that Mycroft didn't even spare a minute or two to think about the pros and cons of calling Sherlock back. He saw the potential, and used it. There was no ill will in him that made him send Sherlock on that mission.

 

On a second viewing, I think this episode proves even more than every episode before that Mycroft would even risk his job to protect his younger brother.

I can't take much joy from the Watson solution but this at least gets me interested in the next season. I don't say everything will turn out the way I presented it. But I sincerely hope there was more to this case than met the eye.

 

I also think it could be interesting to give the third brother theory a go. Would have to rewatch the Sherlock/Mycroft interactions. If there was truly a third brother, apparently only Mycroft knows of his existence. Or Sherlock erased him, which would make for an interesting turnabout.

I have been thinking about that scene in the garden. Mycroft saying 'your loss would break my heart' is quite out of character, although it is clear he does care more about Sherlock than probably anyone else, he doesn't normally say it. If they are discussing a pre determined plan, perhaps this is Mycroft emphasising the stakes involved, warning him to keep to the plan. If we assume that Mycroft did understand about Magnusson's 'pressure points' and that his would be down as Sherlock, it makes sense that he warns him off and says 'if you go against Magnusson, you go against me' - you go against me because if you're that close to Magnusson, I will be hurt through you. If this is the case, however, Sherlock would have chosen to hurt Mycroft rather than hurt John, by going off the plan at the end and shooting Magnusson- poor Mycroft!

[BLS_Pro]

I am leaning more towards the plot being between Mycroft and Sherlock, which Magnusson worked out anyway.

 

Ummm...there was no "plot" between Mycroft and Sherlock. 

 

Mycroft was not in on anything - which is why Sherlock drugged him along with the rest.  There was the fact that the laptop had GPS in it for normal security purposes - which Mycroft would naturally track when he discovered it missing.  In fact Sherlock was using Mycroft himself to be a witness that John was not involved in the killing of CAM.  That is why he took Mycroft's actual case, rather than simply using a dummy version (as he did to Irene in SCANDAL).  Sherlock wanted Mycroft to be there.

[BLS_Pro]

 

His words are as following: "What have you done now?" His reaction to the shot. Now. Not "what have you done" referring to the entire day. It's the shot that Mycroft did not anticipate.

BTW - this is false.  Mycroft did not say "What have you done now?".  His reaction to the shot is: "Oh Sherlock.  What have you done?"

 

The word "now" is never uttered.

[leanne_maybe]

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I am leaning more towards the plot being between Mycroft and Sherlock, which Magnusson worked out anyway.

 

Ummm...there was no "plot" between Mycroft and Sherlock.

 

Mycroft was not in on anything - which is why Sherlock drugged him along with the rest. There was the fact that the laptop had GPS in it for normal security purposes - which Mycroft would naturally track when he discovered it missing. In fact Sherlock was using Mycroft himself to be a witness that John was not involved in the killing of CAM. That is why he took Mycroft's actual case, rather than simply using a dummy version (as he did to Irene in SCANDAL). Sherlock wanted Mycroft to be there.

There may have been. It is not explicit in the scenes seen, but it has been suggested on here as a possibility and it makes sense to me. As I said, it is not explicit, but nor are your ideas for Mary's motivation - we are reading between the lines here.

[BLS_Pro]

 

As I said, it is not explicit, but nor are your ideas for Mary's motivation

Actually Mary's motivations are explicitly stated.  More importantly, none of the actions taken contradict her claims.  This is not true of the notion of a "plot" between Mycroft and Sherlock.  Not only is there absolutely no explicit statements for such a plot, but in fact there are statements - and more importantly, actions - which contradict such a belief.

[Slithytove]

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How did she know that the first words out of his mouth, when he woke up, wouldn't be "Mary did it"?

She didn't. Shooting Sherlock bought her time she simply didn't have in the office. Even that statement could be walked back by Sherlock if necessary. That is far different than John catching her in the act. At that point, CAM's damage is done to him.

 

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There is no reason to assume Sherlock intends to kill CAM after the cafe scene.

Not true. Sherlock asking to see CAM's vault rather than being given Mary's files is the reason.

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However much he loves her, maybe Sherlock has no intention of committing murder to keep her out of jail.

It is his love of John, not her, that leads him to kill (not murder) CAM.

 

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What he attempts is negotiation, and a plot to get CAM arrested for buying state secrets.

No. That was the bait he used to get to see the vault - ie to confirm no vault actually existed and thus no freedom could be obtained for Mary or John by a simple handing over of files.

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It is not until CAM suddenly ups the stakes that Sherlock is driven to kill to save her life.

Sherlock's purpose is to obtain their freedom from subjugation by CAM. The moment he suspects there are no physical files to hand over - and thus no way to obtain their freedom from enslavement to CAM, is the moment he realizes he may likely have to kill CAM to gain their freedom. That moment is far, far before CAM is flicking John's face.

I think you are reading more into the script than is actually there in the lines spoken. There is no evidence that Sherlock's action is premeditated. It could be, of course, but all we know prior to the killing is that Sherlock and John knew CAM possessed evidence that put Mary's freedom at risk, that they were attempting a dangerous negotiation, and that part of that negotiation involved entrapment. We do not know that Sherlock intended to kill him and, in fact, the whole premise of bringing Mycroft etc along makes no sense if this was his intention. If he simply intended to kill CAM in front of witnesses, to establish John's innocence, he could have chosen a scenario which did not put him at risk of being shot by the security services. In fact, why bring along John in the first place? If he always intended to kill CAM, and take all the blame, why involve anyone else?

 

The non-existent vault puts S &J in jeopardy - though Mycroft would probably have got them off a charge of treason - but it is not a reason for killing CAM. It is an opportunity. Maybe Sherlock does decide, as soon as he realises, to take that opportunity. We do not know, as no such thought is spoken. All we know is that CAM threatens Mary's life, Sherlock checks with him that there is no tangible evidence of his knowledge, and kills him to keep Mary safe.

 

I will not quibble about his love for John. Of course, it is all about John - it always is. I think Sherlock also loves Mary because John loves her, but that's again my personal interpretation. Maybe he can't stand the sight of her but sacrifices himself to save her because of all that she means to John.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 And he did make that "vow" at the reception that he would do what ever it took to keep John, Mary and the baby safe. I really think he was hoping that Magnussen could be negotiated with. That there were letters and files that could be exchanged. But once Magnussen demonstrated that everything he had was committed to purely to memory, Sherlock realized for the first time, what a true danger Magnussen was to everyone in his clutches. Sherlock knew by experience that the only way to destroy a mind palace is to end the life of the person who held it.

 

  The decision came suddenly and painfully clear on the terrace when Magnussen started tormenting John and crowing how he could and did this same thing to whole countries.

[BLS_Pro]

 

I think you are reading more into the script than is actually there in the lines spoken. There is no evidence that Sherlock's action is premeditated.

Actually I've provided the evidence twice now.  For the third time, the proof is the fact Sherlock asked to see the vault upon learning of CAM's mental abilities.  If , as you claim, Sherlock's purpose is simply to get the files from CAM to free Mary, then there is no need to actually see the vault at all.  It is only if Sherlock suspects there is no vault that seeing it becomes important to him.

 

Notice that his brother is the price Sherlock offers to CAM to see the vault.  Mary isn't even MENTIONED.  Seeing the vault is what Sherlock is "negotiating".

 

 

in fact, the whole premise of bringing Mycroft etc along makes no sense if this was his intention. If he simply intended to kill CAM in front of witnesses, to establish John's innocence, he could have chosen a scenario which did not put him at risk of being shot by the security services.

This is not true.  Killing CAM was not Sherlock's purpose in going to CAM's residence.  Getting proof that the vault didn't exist was the purpose in going there.  He simply used the opportunity it created to wrap everything up.  And Sherlock had to bring John along for his ruse to work - just as he had to get Mycroft there as well.  For it is only in the presence of Mycroft's security service that Sherlock could be certain any of CAM's bodyguards would not interfere - ie kill John.

 

Sherlock is a lot smarter than you give him credit.

 

[T.o.b.y]

 

There is no evidence that Sherlock's action is premeditated. It could be, of course, but all we know prior to the killing is that Sherlock and John knew CAM possessed evidence that put Mary's freedom at risk, that they were attempting a dangerous negotiation, and that part of that negotiation involved entrapment. We do not know that Sherlock intended to kill him and, in fact, the whole premise of bringing Mycroft etc along makes no sense if this was his intention. If he simply intended to kill CAM in front of witnesses, to establish John's innocence, he could have chosen a scenario which did not put him at risk of being shot by the security services. In fact, why bring along John in the first place? If he always intended to kill CAM, and take all the blame, why involve anyone else?

 

Oh thank you. I was about to write one of my stupid "no, of course he didn't plan to shoot Magnussen in advance because I don't like the story that way" posts and here you have actually given me an argument. A very valid one, too. You are completely right, if Sherlock really wanted to keep John out of any murder charges, he would not have brought him along at all.

 

I don't think Sherlock understood what Magnussen's vaults really were beforehand. I think he believed in the actual files and he believed in the "google glasses". His original plan was in all probability exactly what Magnussen states: have Mycroft locate his laptop via GPS and arrive with a lot of backup just in time to find Sherlock, John and Magnussen inside a vast library of stolen information, the discovery of which would legitimize Sherlock's handing over the computer to Magnussen.

 

Why do I believe this? Because the whole point of Magnussen (as an adaptation of Milverton) is that he is in fact too much for Sherlock Holmes. He has the upper hand and a line has to be crossed to bring him down. Also, if everything that happens at "Appledore" (btw, what a stupid name - is Magnussen a Harry Potter fan?) was just what Sherlock planned, his attitude of utter defeat after Magnussen reveals the vaults only exist inside his head makes no sense.

 

(But then, I also thought that the way Sherlock acted in The Reichenbach Fall made no sense if he didn't really believe in the key code - and that turned out to be wrong. So maybe my interpretation of the character is just inaccurate or hugely biased by what I want to see. Or the directors deliberately tell the actors to behave in a way that is very misleading to the audience and devalues dramatic scenes in hindsight).

 

[Sherlock_luvr]

No.  Once Sherlock learned of CAM's mental powers in the cafe, Sherlock recognized the 'final solution' likely would have to be the killing of CAM.  That's why he demanded to see the vault - as opposed to simply demanding CAM's files on Mary.  Sherlock needed to confirm his suspicion - as well as give him the time and opportunity to plan on killing CAM.

 

In this case, the "deal with the devil" was literal - it was not a deal with CAM.  It was a deal Sherlock made with the devil himself - trading his own life for John's life.  And it was a deal he made far before "this point".

 

I have to agree totally with this. Sherlock even wanted to know that John had brought his gun and where it was before they got on that helicopter.

[BLS_Pro]

 And he did make that "vow" at the reception that he would do what ever it took to keep John, Mary and the baby safe. I really think he was hoping that Magnussen could be negotiated with. That there were letters and files that could be exchanged. But once Magnussen demonstrated that everything he had was committed to purely to memory, Sherlock realized for the first time, what a true danger Magnussen was to everyone in his clutches. Sherlock knew by experience that the only way to destroy a mind palace is to end the life of the person who held it.

 

  The decision came suddenly and painfully clear on the terrace when Magnussen started tormenting John and crowing how he could and did this same thing to whole countries.

 

I agree with everything you say except as to the "when" of it.  In the cafe, when CAM demonstrates he has no portable google glasses vault, but instead has everything committed to memory, Sherlock realizes that the only way to destroy the files is to destroy the memory which holds them.

 

That is why Sherlock stares so long at the glasses, slumping in his chair.  That is when he recognizes exactly what he will have to do.  Basically Sherlock's whole plan is finalized as he sits there - right down to the specific day he will execute it: Christmas - ie months later.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

That is when he recognizes exactly what he will have to do.  Basically Sherlock's whole plan is finalized as he sits there - right down to the fact that he will execute it on Christmas - ie months later.

 

   This may be right, but it was the look on Sherlock's face as Magnussen is demonstrating his own mental powers that leads me to believe that Sherlock hadn't decided until then that perhaps violence was going to be called for after all. Also, Sherlock asking Magnussen one last and final time on the terrace if there was no paper trail, before he shot him kind of cemented that for me.

[Sherlock_luvr]

 

Why do I believe this? Because the whole point of Magnussen (as an adaptation of Milverton) is that he is in fact too much for Sherlock Holmes. He has the upper hand and a line has to be crossed to bring him down. Also, if everything that happens at "Appledore" (btw, what a stupid name - is Magnussen a Harry Potter fan?) was just what Sherlock planned, his attitude of utter defeat after Magnussen reveals the vaults only exist inside his head makes no sense.

 

 

 

Appledore - I wonder if it is a callback to Isaac Newton. Similar to the word that opened the criptext (this providing a wealth of information) in Da Vinci Code was 'a.p.p.l.e'.

[BLS_Pro]

 

...if Sherlock really wanted to keep John out of any murder charges, he would not have brought him along at all.

No.  His purpose in visiting CAM's residence was to see if the vault existed or not.  To do so required his elaborate ruse, and that ruse required the presence of John.

 

That is why Sherlock then needed the impartial witnesses - to show John was not a party to the killing.

 

 

 

 I think he believed in the actual files and he believed in the "google glasses".

Indeed he did.  Which is why when he discovered the google glasses were but glasses and thus everything was inside CAM's memory, he realized where the vault actually was - his mind.  He had evidence for that conclusion literally in his hands.

 

 

Also, if everything that happens at "Appledore" (btw, what a stupid name - is Magnussen a Harry Potter fan?) was just what Sherlock planned, his attitude of utter defeat after Magnussen reveals the vaults only exist inside his head makes no sense.

No.  His attitude makes perfect sense.  It just wasn't one of utter defeat.  Nor was it of surprise.  It was of recognition of what he would now have to do - and what it would mean.  This is when the little boy recognized his 'final solution' was unavoidable - as was what it would cost him.

 

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Appledore is a village in Kent, England and does mean "apple orchard". Do we have an hints as to where the Holmes' home is situated? Or more importantly, Magnussen's estate? Or maybe Magnussen just likes apples or the word Appledore.

[leanne_maybe]

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As I said, it is not explicit, but nor are your ideas for Mary's motivation

Actually Mary's motivations are explicitly stated. More importantly, none of the actions taken contradict her claims. This is not true of the notion of a "plot" between Mycroft and Sherlock. Not only is there absolutely no explicit statements for such a plot, but in fact there are statements - and more importantly, actions - which contradict such a belief.

Not that explicit, obviously, or there wouldn't be pages of debate about it. What do you think directly contradicts the idea that Mycroft knew already? Him being drugged too doesn't contradict it - it just means he was not implicated directly. It would be hard for him to exonerate Sherlock if he was on trial for treason himself. Also,he wasn't more than about 20 minutes total behind Sherlock and John,so pretty quick recovery. Something to do with Billy's exact knowledge of doses, perhaps? Plus it isn't exactly unheard of in this programme that implicit things become explicit only later - was there any explicit information in the last series that would suggest Mycroft could 'call off' John's sniper? Also there is nothing explicit that would say Sherlock knew from the cafe that there were definitely no hard copies of anything that Magnusson had on anyone.

[BLS_Pro]

 

 

That is when he recognizes exactly what he will have to do.  Basically Sherlock's whole plan is finalized as he sits there - right down to the fact that he will execute it on Christmas - ie months later.

 

   This may be right, but it was the look on Sherlock's face as Magnussen is demonstrating his own mental powers that leads me to believe that Sherlock hadn't decided until then that perhaps violence was going to be called for after all. Also, Sherlock asking Magnussen one last and final time on the terrace if there was no paper trail, before he shot him kind of cemented that for me.

 

I am certain Sherlock hoped that violence wouldn't be necessary - that he was wrong and that a vault did exist.  But the look on Sherlock's face is not one of surprise or defeat.  It is one of unavoidable negative consequences.  And of course Sherlock confirmed that there was no paper trail.  But the question was simply a confirmation of what he had already concluded (just as seeing the vault was confirmation of what he already concluded).

 

Just as Sherlock was not surprised that no paper trail existed, neither was he surprised that no vault existed.  He had deduced these facts earlier - and simply wanted confirmation that his deduction was not flawed in any way.  He wanted to know there were no alternatives he hadn't considered.

 

Sherlock wanted to know he was right - as he always wants to know (a trait he demonstrates goes all the way back to PINK).

[T.o.b.y]

 This may be right, but it was the look on Sherlock's face as Magnussen is demonstrating his own mental powers that leads me to believe that Sherlock hadn't decided until then that perhaps violence was going to be called for after all. Also, Sherlock asking Magnussen one last and final time on the terrace if there was no paper trail, before he shot him kind of cemented that for me.

 

For me, too. And this time, I do hope they don't pick this up in the next episode and go "ha, ha fooled you, Mycroft and Sherlock had it all planned out, because no villain is ever a serious threat to them and nobody never dies anyway, so Magnussen is sill alive just like Moriarty".

 

I do wonder why Sherlock took John along to Magnussen's place. It would certainly make no sense if he had planned to kill the villain. If he had, he would have gone alone, shot Magnussen at some convenient moment when they were alone and then left unobserved -  he would have carried out Mary's original plan. If what Magnussen said, however, was correct, John would have been of use as a witness, for example to the fact that Sherlock might have handed over the laptop, but not given away the password. (Also, I guess Sherlock simply felt safer having him along - I sure would!)

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

Magnussen said, however, was correct, John would have been of use as a witness, for example to the fact that Sherlock might have handed over the laptop, but not given away the password. (Also, I guess Sherlock simply felt safer having him along - I sure would!)

 

   I think that's pretty much the reason. John is kind of Sherlock's security blanket and he trusts him, can count on him in tough spots and Sherlock told John that this wasn't going to be any kind of cake walk.

[T.o.b.y]

Maybe on the DVDs, they'll have audio commentary for the episodes. If so, I hope they will say when exactly they meant Sherlock to understand what Magnussen's vaults really were and that he was going to (have to) kill him. I also hope somebody else will watch it and then tell me if they did, because I hate audio commentary in general - it drives the fact that what I get so caught up in is totally unreal home rather brutally.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I'm sure there will be enough people clued to any commentaries, if there are any, and post their thoughts here.

[T.o.b.y]

 

I think that's pretty much the reason. John is kind of Sherlock's security blanket and he trusts him, can count on him in tough spots and Sherlock told John that this wasn't going to be any kind of cake walk.

 

He has changed. Remember how he walked off on his own, without notice or warning, to confront both the cabbie and Moriarty alone? Either Sherlock really is getting softer or Magnussen must have been truly formidable in his eyes if he chose to take a friend along. (Unlike the original story, where Watson had to threaten to go to the police if Holmes didn't let him come.)

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Mary shoots an innocent man, who trusts her not to hurt him, when he is not threatening her or anyone else but offering to help her.

 

I assume that is Sherlock's interpretation -- but from Mary's point of view, he does threaten her, by taking another step toward her after she has explicitly told him not to. And his idea of "help" may not be hers, either.  That's a lot of data to factor into a split-second decision.

 

I am getting the feeling that the writers of "Sherlock" increasingly think it our job as well to make sense of the sequences of dramatic moments they are pleased to call stories.

 

All too true at times! Though they are some damned good dramatic moments.

 

...there was no "plot" between Mycroft and Sherlock. 

 

Mycroft was not in on anything - which is why Sherlock drugged him along with the rest.

Maybe. But this wouldn't be the first story where someone is drugged (or whatever) along with others, just to make it look like they're not in on the plot. Sorry if that sounds paranoid, but I'm afraid Mycroft tends to have that effect on me!

 

[T.o.b.y]

 

All too true at times! Though they are some damned good dramatic moments.

 

You can say that again! I just wish they'd let those stand and not invalidate them a few episodes later (as in "ha, ha, Moriarty is back, so Sherlock sacrificed his reputation, his friendship and two years of his life taking down his network for absolutely nothing!")