Episode 3.3, "His Last Vow"

[mangopony]

Oh crikey! Is that the time!!??? Wish I didn't have to work tomorrow. I agree with whoever said Sherlock should be on on a Friday night. Let's get on at the BBC for next series!

 

Night night everyone.

 

[Zain]

You know, I've been thinking these past minutes. Maybe that's what the writers were after. This feeling of unfairness.

Because everything it boils down to is that: Caring is not an advantage.

 

It certainly isn't for Sherlock. We fans like to see them happy. Sure, there needs to be action, and a good case, and maybe some shouting and Sherlock behaving well... Sherlockian. But in the end, we like to see Sherlock playing his violin, and we like to see John read his newspaper, and Mrs Hudson making tea. 

 

Maybe they want to tell us that life is unfair, and that it doesn't work like that. John's attraction to Mary overrules his head. His caring isn't an advantage; his best friend dies at the hands of his wife, the one woman who should respect his feelings. Then there's Sherlock. He cares about John, and within three seasons, he loses everything. He loves London, and is almost exiled, he was gravely injured, died, had to kill somebody, hurt his own family, and betray his brother. They might not get on, but I think this is even worse than everything else. Sherlock relies on Mycroft, whether he likes it or not. He often goes against Mycroft, but that's when he knows that Mycroft will be there, in the end, to save the day. This time, he incapacitated Mycroft. He deliberately (he told Mycroft to go back in and drink some punch) rendered him unable to save the day. Sherlock knew that Mycroft might protect him, but he wouldn't care about Mary or John. So he made sure Mycroft wouldn't be able to protect him. Because Sherlock was too afraid John would get hurt in the follow-up. He cared too much about John. And lost everything he loved in the process (London, his brother's protection, John). All that would have been lost if it weren't for Moriarty's return. And for now, it's just a delay. Sherlock lost. That's what season three boils down to.

 

Season three is about Sherlock's loss and John's gain. I think that's heart-breaking, in a way. It has put their relationship in imbalance. And John did not measure up, in the end. He chose to keep his gains instead of going down with Sherlock. It's human, I guess. Nobody likes loss. But it makes their friendship seem more fragile than ever. I feel disillusioned. I see cracks I didn't anticipate. And I wonder if behind all the glory... if it's hollow. Because isn't it meaningless to call somebody a friend if you are not ready to go down with them? I fear this will influence how I look at the previous episodes.

 

And for the first time, I truly feel like caring is not an advantage. It hasn't been for Sherlock.

That makes me... I don't know. Feel hollow myself. It's not what I want for life. And it's not what I want for Sherlock and John.

[mangopony]

You know, I've been thinking these past minutes. Maybe that's what the writers were after. This feeling of unfairness.

Because everything it boils down to is that: Caring is not an advantage.

 

It certainly isn't for Sherlock. We fans like to see them happy. Sure, there needs to be action, and a good case, and maybe some shouting and Sherlock behaving well... Sherlockian. But in the end, we like to see Sherlock playing his violin, and we like to see John read his newspaper, and Mrs Hudson making tea. 

 

Maybe they want to tell us that life is unfair, and that it doesn't work like that. John's attraction to Mary overrules his head. His caring isn't an advantage; his best friend dies at the hands of his wife, the one woman who should respect his feelings. Then there's Sherlock. He cares about John, and within three seasons, he loses everything. He loves London, and is almost exiled, he was gravely injured, died, had to kill somebody, hurt his own family, and betray his brother. They might not get on, but I think this is even worse than everything else. Sherlock relies on Mycroft, whether he likes it or not. He often goes against Mycroft, but that's when he knows that Mycroft will be there, in the end, to save the day. This time, he incapacitated Mycroft. He deliberately (he told Mycroft to go back in and drink some punch) rendered him unable to save the day. Sherlock knew that Mycroft might protect him, but he wouldn't care about Mary or John. So he made sure Mycroft wouldn't be able to protect him. Because Sherlock was too afraid John would get hurt in the follow-up. He cared too much about John. And lost everything he loved in the process (London, his brother's protection, John). All that would have been lost if it weren't for Moriarty's return. And for now, it's just a delay. Sherlock lost. That's what season three boils down to.

 

Season three is about Sherlock's loss and John's gain. I think that's heart-breaking, in a way. It has put their relationship in imbalance. And John did not measure up, in the end. He chose to keep his gains instead of going down with Sherlock. It's human, I guess. Nobody likes loss. But it makes their friendship seem more fragile than ever. I feel disillusioned. I see cracks I didn't anticipate. And I wonder if behind all the glory... if it's hollow. Because isn't it meaningless to call somebody a friend if you are not ready to go down with them? I fear this will influence how I look at the previous episodes.

 

And for the first time, I truly feel like caring is not an advantage. It hasn't been for Sherlock.

That makes me... I don't know. Feel hollow myself. It's not what I want for life. And it's not what I want for Sherlock and John.

 

This is interesting.... Everyone said to Sherlock in SOT that "marriage changes people" and maybe this is the proof. John stood beside his wife rather than his best friend. Sherlock's loneliness at the end of the wedding was the first sign and here we have it in action.

 

Oh no! Now I'm starting to wish Mary wasn't in the picture any more...

 

[Karie]

I was so afraid that Mary was going to die in this episode. Now I wish she would have. If she had sacrificed herself to save John or Sherlock, or even just been a victim in the crossfire, it would have been brutally painful, but it would have preserved her in my heart forever as I first knew and loved her.  Now when she finally does die, it'll just be a relief to me. I hate that they took that love away from me. 

[Let's_have_dinner]

/>

I was so afraid that Mary was going to die in this episode. Now I wish she would have. If she had sacrificed herself to save John or Sherlock, or even just been a victim in the crossfire, it would have been brutally painful, but it would have preserved her in my heart forever as I first knew and loved her. Now when she finally does die, it'll just be a relief to me. I hate that they took that love away from me.

I agree with this 100%!!!

[Karie]

OK, so on pause, Sherlock's "file" in CAM's mind palace says:

 

Sherlock Holmes

 

Consulting Detective

Porn Preference: Normal

Finances: Unknown

Brother: Mycroft Holmes, M.I. 6 (See file)

 

Officially deceased: 2011-2013

 

Pressure Points: Redbeard (see file)

The Hounds of the Baskerville

Opium

John Watson

Irene Adler (see file)

Jim Moriarty (see file) 

 

--------

 

The pressure points repeat over again after that. 

[Karie]

And apparently Mrs. Hudson's pressure point is Marijuana. 

OMG I LOVE THAT! 

[Let's_have_dinner]

/>

And apparently Mrs. Hudson's pressure point is Marijuana.

OMG I LOVE THAT!

Yeah, that bit made me laugh too!

 

Really must sleep now. Up in four and a half hours :-/

[BLS_Pro]

I've only finished watching VOW.  I'm going to reserve most of my comments until after a second viewing and reflection.  I will say though that this depiction of Sherlock (and the depiction of Sherlock in THREE) completely support all the conclusions I made about the deficiencies and plain bad writing in HEARSE.  The Sherlock depicted in HEARSE contradicts everything about him which came before - and after - that episode. 

Especially given all that has since transpired, there simply is NO excuse for HEARSE.  None!

It was just bad storytelling.

Now - I do have two off the cuff reactions to note before going back for a second viewing.  I think it is incredibly interesting how many people here are strenuously objecting to John ultimately forgiving Mary after a few months consideration, yet make every excuse under the sun to accept John forgiving Sherlock after 4 days.  Of the two, I find the former forgiveness much more justified than the latter.  There is no forgiveness for the latter because there was NO repentance on Sherlock's part.

As to Moriarty's "return", it certainly seems quite coincidental, timed as it was to the moment Sherlock is packed off to die.  Given the fact that we don't see a living Moriarty, one wonders if Sherlock himself didn't create this 'stay' of execution.

While I doubt that Moffat & Co can resist bringing back Moriarty, given his tremendous popularity (and the fact that it would explain why we haven't seen the 'true' method of Sherlock's survival of The Fall), I would actually hope Sherlock  planned this 'escape' before he planned on killing CAM. 

[sherlockandjohn]

There are lots of posts I haven't read yet, so forgive me for probably repeating some of what's been said. This episode had clear weaknesses, unfortunately.

1. The biggest weakness for me is the characterisation of John Watson. John, our loveable, ordinary, but resourceful doctor and Sherlock's best friend and sidekick. We always knew he was attracted to danger, but that he should have chosen a woman he subconsciously knew was/had been dangerous is extreme and dark. Furthermore, Sherlock confirms that John deserved her. He obviously doesn't think very ill of Mary, and, well, you can argue for and against that. In that connection:
2. Mary is supposedly portrayed as a person who loves John (and Sherlock), but who has a past as a secret agent who has taken the lives of several people. That part I will swallow. You can, and should, forgive people their pasts, even though sometimes that is easier said than done, understandably. However, she avoids coming clean with John before they are married, or even at the wedding when she hears CAM's telegram read out loud, thereby putting him in a dangerous position. When Sherlock catches her with a gun pointed at CAM, she chooses to shoot him - with the explanation that it was surgical, precise. That is a weak plot. What if she had missed? Are we supposed to simply believe that she is so perfect that a miss could never happen? Stupid! Of course she can miss. Anyone can. Assuming anything else quite simply makes for a very weak plot in which we may then assume that anyone can do anything, and no one is ever in any real danger. Though that may be true, the strength of a plot is to make viewers believe that there is real danger. The point I'm trying to make is that Mary risked Sherlock's life to save herself! To avoid going to prison. She should have d... well turned herself in! She did call an ambulance, though, and that is a slightly redeeming factor.
3. The fact that John and Sherlock forgave her is admirable, but to actually trust her... I wouldn't. Like I said, there are some redeeming sides to her, she's not all bad, but she is very, very selfish, and a coward. Sherlock and John were way too nice to her, and I feel really bad about John forgiving her so easily for putting Sherlock in danger. Also, Sherlock (very admirably, though perhaps not morally right, but let's look past that for now) took Magnussen's life in order to save Mary and John from further harm. And what does Mary do? In the end, when Sherlock is being taken away, presumably never to see John again, she kisses him goodbye - no tears, no apologies, no apparent shame. And John just lets it happen.
    
   I have little sympathy left for Mary, a person that I had actually just grown very fond of, and now I personally want her out of the show. On the other hand, I'm not actually sure it matters for me, because the show may be over for me. I don't know how to really sympathise with John after this either. The only person I still really love is Sherlock (and all the other regulars, of course). He is redeemed, despite him defending Mary, somewhat by his sacrifice and love. He is really just trying to do what he believes is best for John. I think I may love him even more now, but John... oh my goodness. If anyone can help me love him again, please do so I just cannot believe that such excellent writers could turn John into such a character. I don't know whether he is dark, or just naive, but either way I dislike how he is portrayed towards the end of the episode. And if I cannot sympathise with John, it will be painful for me to continue watching Sherlock hereon after.
    

[Jalizar]

I have to say I liked this episodes a lot, as well as the whole series 3, although it is very different from the first two series. Mark Gatiss said something like "we have to move on with the series else it would become boring somewhen" in the Q&A, and I agree with this. They might get back to more crime solving in the next series, who knows?

About Mary, I can`t make a decision yet. There`s something about her that makes me not really like her, on the other side I am willing to accept Sherlock's and John' s reactions. I could imagine John forgave her finally because Sherlock forgave her in the first place, or at least it made it easier for him.

For Benedict it must have been fun making this series, he got to kiss so many people

Concerning Moriarty: My first reaction was "NOOOOOO!!! Not HIM again." I am SO fed up with that guy, after TRF I got bored with his "games". Always the same baddie with kind of similar cases. And some others of you here I did not like the way he was played, the high voice and the way he talks get on my nerves a lot. But - did anybody think about that he might not be alive? Someone else could have used his face and voice to get more attention, for example Moran, or even Mycroft to fake some threat to be able to let Sherlock come back to London (better, to never leave). The writers made very clear in some interviews that Moriarty is definitely dead. OK, they might have lied, therefore I might become pissed with them. Well, we will have to wait and see. Hopefully not that long.....

 

I am going to watch this episode again tomorrow because I missed some parts and also did not understand everything (I`m not English), and because there were some scenes I want to re-watch for I liked them a lot - like the "are you two smoking?" - sorry, but Mycroft Looking forward to it and to the release of a translated DVD set.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

   The thing is, Sir Arthur created a whole set of three Moriarty brothers, all with the same first name. So, in light of that little tidbit, could this be one of them seeking revenge? Taking  Jim from IT Moriarty's place?  I guess we will just have to wait and find out.

 

  I must say that after watching it a second time it was a bit easier. I missed quite a bit on the first viewing, a lot of buffering. But I can't I say that I  like it that Sherlock found himself forced to commit murder, not at all. But, if he can come back fully exonerated, I suppose I can accept it. Not easily, but I can.

[sherlockandjohn]

Now - I do have two off the cuff reactions to note before going back for a second viewing.  I think it is incredibly interesting how many people here are strenuously objecting to John ultimately forgiving Mary after a few months consideration, yet make every excuse under the sun to accept John forgiving Sherlock after 4 days.  Of the two, I find the former forgiveness much more justified than the latter.  There is no forgiveness for the latter because there was NO repentance on Sherlock's part.

 

While I also have my issues with Sherlock's lack of sensitivity in TEH, I have to disagree with you on the two situations you are comparing. Sherlock faked his death and kept away from John because he was afraid John would 'let the cat out of the bag', thereby risking interfering with the dismantling of Moriarty's web. Whether he should have done so or not, in my opinion, can be discussed. Personally, I think the problem is that Sherlock did not seem to feel his friend's pain. Regardless the intentions, John was hurt, and Sherlock should have understood that. It wasn't perfect writing for me, but I certainly didn't think it was bad... Sherlock did give a short, but heartfelt 'Sorry' at one point, and in the restaurant he was clearly nervous and anxious.

 

With Mary, her deception was so much worse, because she lied to protect herself. Not just lied: She put Sherlock's life at risk, and possibly John's too. She is a coward in my eyes, and selfish to the core. Her 'love' for John is very questionable... I believe she loves him as well as she is capable of... but like Irene Adler that isn't much! They are both selfish and deceptive. I like neither of them. John and Sherlock have poor taste in women But seriously, I am okay with the forgiveness, I just have a problem with the trusting. You can forgive someone their mistakes, even if they don't repent, but how can you trust someone who risks the lives of people she is supposed to love just to keep herself safe? Sherlock never did that. And now, he has just risked everything for Mary and John. There is much more reason to trust him.

 

Of course, we all interpret things differently, and I respect your stand.

[Karie]

On second watch, I caught something else.  When CAM is in his mind palace going through Mary's file, he says,"All those wet works (murders) for the CIA.  Oh, she's gone a bit free lance, now, bad girl!" 

 

She wasn't just killing people as part of her job as an agent.  She went off on her own and killed even more people.  She said plainly that CAM had enough on her to get her sent to prison for the rest of her life. You don't get sent away forever for just doing your job as a government agent. 

 

And John is just like,"Oh, I don't need to know." 

 

This just gets better and better.     

 

 

ETA: Oh, look, that was my 221st post. Isn't that special? 

[Karie]

From Amanda Abbington's twitter:

 

"AGRA, Mary's initials, are from a Sherlock story about lost treasure." 

[sherlockandjohn]

I wonder if Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat will take the fans' feelings about Mary (the majority are against her) and dispose of the character in the next series?

 

 

One can only hope, Ruthy

But I don't know if I'll ever get over John not standing up for Sherlock. I think he failed him much worse than Sherlock did in TRF/TEH. I am a big fan of their friendship or bromance, if you like - as we probably all are - so simply taking Mary out of the show would not cut it for me.

[BLS_Pro]

 

With Mary, her deception was so much worse, because she lied to protect herself.

 

You missed something. 

 

As Mary herself states, she didn't lie to protect herself.  She lied to protect John:

 

"....John can't ever know that I lied to him.  It would break him." 

 

So like Sherlock, she indeed lied to John.  And while she indeed, like Sherlock, wants to keep their relationship intact, her concern is for him.  In effect, she is far more honest than Sherlock in this respect (at least as depicted in HEARSE). 

[sherlockandjohn]

 

 

With Mary, her deception was so much worse, because she lied to protect herself.

 

You missed something. 

 

As Mary herself states, she didn't lie to protect herself.  She lied to protect John:

 

"....John can't ever know that I lied to him.  It would break him." 

 

So like Sherlock, she indeed lied to John.  And while she indeed, like Sherlock, wants to keep their relationship intact, her concern is for him.  In effect, she is far more honest than Sherlock in this respect (at least as depicted in HEARSE). 

 

 

Well, actually I didn't miss that, but I interpret the situation differently than you. In your example, I agree that the writers are demonstrating that she is concerned about John. However, that does not change the fact that 1) she should never have gotten married to him in the first place without being honest, and 2) she still risked Sherlock's life to protect herself. That is the most cowardly thing a person can do.

I believe that the writers have much more sympathy for her than I do, and they are trying to depict that... Unfortunately, it doesn't convince me at all.

[sherlockandjohn]

God, I am in mourning.

Like some of you, I can't believe the Mary conclusion. I liked the episode until John forgave her. So not on... I mean, Sherlock nearly died twice. And John was there, he knows that she even hunted Sherlock down after he left hospital, with a gun in her pocket. Wonder what she planned to do with that, light a cigarette for him?... Yes, she so did not plan to kill him.

No. John was never my true favorite, I liked him, but I was more interested in Sherlock. This episode ruined John for me, however. We see him react to Sherlock's betrayel in The Empty Hearse. That was horrible. He forgave him. Yes. But I do not think trying to kill someone who was not threatening your life (even when he was blackmailing you) is forgivable. Not for him. John did not kill the cabbie because he was evil. He did because the cabbie was about to kill Sherlock. It was a moral decision. Mary's decision was anything but that. Effectively, she also killed Sherlock. I don't know how John can forgive that. I can't. That goes against everything I ever thought about him. I don't think I want him to be Sherlock's friend. He's rotten at it. He allowed Sherlock to ruin his entire life for Mary. Sherlock betrayed his own family, risked to be killed by his own brother, killed somebody, and was almost exiled (where Mycroft told him he'd get killed). And John did not intervene. He did not stand up and tell Sherlock that it was alright. That he did not WANT him to do all that for Mary. Nor did he decide to leave with Sherlock. He shook his hand while standing next to his wife. Just like he stood back after Sherlock killed Magnussen. He did not stand on his side, nor did he try to protect him in any way. He stood back.

 

I don't know if I can ever accept that end. Maybe if he had tried to shield Sherlock. Just one gesture, but to me, this episode is purely about John betraying Sherlock and the effort he makes to protect John's happiness. 

 

I think mourning is the correct word for me as well. Completely agree with your above statement, except John has always been important to me. Over time Sherlock has become more important to me than John, but it's them together, their friendship, I love most of all. So, yes, one redeeming gesture at the end would also have made a world of difference for me. I can even deal with John forgiving Mary, but at the end of this episode it feels like it's Mary and John together, and Sherlock is on his own again. I deeply dislike that.

[BLS_Pro]

 

 

I agree that the writers are demonstrating that she is concerned about John. However, that does not change the fact that 1) she should never have gotten married to him in the first place without being honest, and 2) she still risked Sherlock's life to protect herself.

 

 

I'm glad you agree that the writers are indicating she is concerned about John.  That concern is the explicit rebuttal to your points:

 

1) no.  to reveal the lie would, as Mary stated, have broken John and she explicitly said she would never allow him to be broken.  She'd seen what Sherlock's death had done to him.  She wasn't about to see him completely destroyed by her revelation.  She loves John too much to see that happen to him.

2) no.  as stated, she risked (and later threatened once more) sherlock's life - again BECAUSE she would never allow John to be broken by revealing the lie.  She loves him too much to see that happen to him.

 

So no, she was not being "cowardly" - unless you consider valuing John's life above all else (including Sherlock) to be cowardice.  But, if you do, then Sherlock - by that same standard is "cowardly".

 

I disagree on both counts.  But, of the two, Sherlock engages in more so-called cowardice (in HEARSE) by his fraudulently coerced forgiveness.  He wants what he wants, regardless of how he gets it - even if that includes torturing John.

 

[sherlockandjohn]

My head is a complete jumble because of Mary. I really liked her and didn't want her to be a 'baddie', and whatever excuse she has for doing 'bad' things, shooting Sherlock is not something I can forgive. And I don't really get why Sherlock says she 'saved his life' - he saved his own life by being smart, and then John and the paramedics and the doctors saved his life. And then, Sherlock again, willed himself back to life to save John. And at the hospital when John told Mary Sherlock had pulled through, she was not happy. I can't wrap my head around John forgiving the woman who shot his best friend, lied to him from the beginning and has so many secrets. I know she's carrying his baby, but... I just can't see it happening. Is that to all be swept under the carpet now? "My wife's an assassin with a false identity, but all is forgiven and it's back to domestic bliss"?

 

Really, I would have preferred her to die, as I thought she was going to. I would have been heartbroken, yes, and felt sad for John, but at least it would have been more believable. Now I don't know what to think or feel. It's all conflicted 

 

I must agree with you, though I would love to find more redeeming aspects to John's behavior. I want 'Sherlock and John against the rest of the world'. That is what we grew to love from the beginning.

[BLS_Pro]

 

I can even deal with John forgiving Mary, but at the end of this episode it feels like it's Mary and John together, and Sherlock is on his own again. I deeply dislike that.

You dislike Sherlock loving John enough to let him go?  But if he didn't do that, then he would fit the definition you identify as cowardice.  He would be placing his desires above those of John's well being.

[Karie]

 

 

With Mary, her deception was so much worse, because she lied to protect herself.

 

You missed something. 

 

As Mary herself states, she didn't lie to protect herself.  She lied to protect John:

 

"....John can't ever know that I lied to him.  It would break him." 

 

So like Sherlock, she indeed lied to John.  And while she indeed, like Sherlock, wants to keep their relationship intact, her concern is for him.  In effect, she is far more honest than Sherlock in this respect (at least as depicted in HEARSE). 

 

Then you missed the rest of that sentence.  

 

"It would break him, and I would lose him." 

 

It wasn't about it breaking John, it was about the fact that that would, in turn, lead to him walking away from her.  (Or so it should have, if there were better writers.) 

 

If she wanted to avoid "breaking" John, why didn't she come clean with him earlier on, before they were married with a child on the way, when she first realized things were getting serious? Why didn't she say,"I think I might love you and I want a future with you, but first I need to tell you some difficult things about my past because I don't want to start our marriage with a lie"? If he had reacted badly, broken things off with her... well, she could have easily have run away and started over with a new name, she knows how to do that. It wasn't about not going to prison. It was about not losing John.

 

Did she love him? Yes. But it was the most selfish, tainted love. She put her love for him over his own well-being.  She lied to him from day one. She stood up and pledged "I, Mary Elizabeth Morstan, do promise to love and cherish..." She pledged a dead woman to John Watson. The very foundation of their marriage was a lie, that is the ultimate betrayal.  She married him and got pregnant with his child. She put him in a position to be utterly and completely destroyed emotionally, possibly to never trust anyone fully again, if the truth ever came to light (and doesn't it always, eventually?)

 

She also put him in real danger if her past ever caught up with her. Surely there are operatives out there who could run into her, or see her face somewhere and come after her.  Mycroft said himself, Sherlock was basically a celebrity these days, and Sherlock said,"If you know who I am, you know who John Watson is." She married a pseudo celebrity, for goodness sakes, like anyone hiding from the law should do.  And then she murdered his best friend, whom he had already buried once, and whose death had nearly destroyed him. 

 

No, Mary's one deciding factor in every move she made was DON'T LOSE THE LOVE OF JOHN WATSON, no matter what you have to do to keep him. 

 

Sherlock, on the other hand, murdered a man in full view of the government, knowing he would be put away and would never see John again, so that John and Mary would be protected from Mary's secrets. He loved John enough to lose him forever, if that's what it took to keep him safe and happy. 

[BLS_Pro]

BTW - to all those who've said CAM didn't threaten Mary's life - he explicitly did.

[sherlockandjohn]

 

 

 

I agree that the writers are demonstrating that she is concerned about John. However, that does not change the fact that 1) she should never have gotten married to him in the first place without being honest, and 2) she still risked Sherlock's life to protect herself.

 

 

I'm glad you agree that the writers are indicating she is concerned about John.  That concern is the explicit rebuttal to your points:

 

1) no.  to reveal the lie would, as Mary stated, have broken John and she explicitly said she would never allow him to be broken.  She'd seen what Sherlock's death had done to him.  She wasn't about to see him completely destroyed by her revelation.  She loves John too much to see that happen to him.

2) no.  as stated, she risked (and later threatened once more) sherlock's life - again BECAUSE she would never allow John to be broken by revealing the lie.  She loves him too much to see that happen to him.

 

So no, she was not being "cowardly" - unless you consider valuing John's life above all else (including Sherlock) to be cowardice.  But, if you do, then Sherlock - by that same standard is "cowardly".

 

I again agree that your interpretation here is more in line with the one of the writers than mine. But that doesn't change the fact that I - and it seems like many others - feel that the closeness between John and Sherlock has been betrayed. If, indeed, Mary is only protecting John from getting hurt, that means that Mary is so important to John that his life will be ruined if he found out the truth - which I strongly dislike the idea of. Yes, he would be crushed, but then again he did learn part of the truth, and he still forgave her. How can she know exactly how much John can take, emotionally and mentally? And are the writers now trying to tell us that losing Sherlock - a second time, even - would not hurt John so much? Perhaps not as much as "losing" Mary, I understand, but even putting these three people in this situation is just a really, really bad call from the writers, in my opinion. They are ruining the friendship of Sherlock and John.

On that note, I perfectly understand that it is equally frustrating for you to see their friendship suffering in TEH.