What about Sherlock's feelings for Molly?

[Arcadia]

Molly is definitely no goldfish, and it was Mycroft who used that word about people, as you know, not Sherlock.  Sherlock is never disparaging towards Molly, and the one time he does try to deduce her, he gets it terribly wrong and ends up apologizing in front of everyone.  He really was being a total git at the party before then, but Molly brought him back in line.  She brings him back into line in ASIB, TRF, TEH, and HLV.

The others all bring him back into line too. It's only Molly we're surprised by. Why is that?

 

I can't help but wonder if Sherlock treats her with more care than most people simply because she is so vulnerable. John fights back, Mycroft fights dirty, Lestrade & Mrs. Hudson let it all slide, Mary could kill him ;) ... but Molly gets hurt. Disparaging Molly would be like beating up a kitten, and even Sherlock is not that cold. At least, not now.  

 

He's pretty much of an ass to her all the way through S1, if you ask me, and she lets him get away with it. It's not until she protests ... first at his deduction of Jim, then at Christmas ... that he begins to back off. Unlike the others, her way of fighting back is by showing her vulnerability. Making him realize what a bully he's been, perhaps? I get the impression Sherlock knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of bullying.

 

She may be a great influence in his life, but if someone comes up with a female character having the brains and beauty of Irene Adler, the zest and breeziness of Janine and the caring consideration of Molly, then he will fall for her hook, line and sinker, but poor little Molly cannot land that big a fish in the mental stakes pond, ever.

 

Those are pretty apt descriptions. Put the three together and you have ... well, Mary. Who he did sort of fall for, in his way.

 

Oh, I don't agree with that at all, that Molly cannot land that big a fish in the mental stakes pond.  If her and Sherlock happen, it won't be because she wasn't clever enough.

I think numerous things in this show have shown that Sherlock respects Molly a great deal intellectually.....

 

Hm. I'm not sure if it's respect, precisely; I think it's TRUST. He doesn't trust a lot of people, but the ones he does, he's loyal to, because they've earned it. That's his definition of friendship maybe? Someone you can trust. Not a bad definition, actually.

 

I'm not sure what to make of Molly's intellect. I'm not disputing it; I just don't think it's her strongest characteristic. Her strong point, imo, is her emotional intelligence -- being able to see through all of Sherlock's bluff and bluster and recognize the human underneath, in spite of everything ... something even best friend John has trouble with. Her big breakthrough with Sherlock came when she accurately deduced him; intuitively, not rationally. Not only that, but once she saw him clearly, she still wanted to help him. That's pretty potent stuff.

 

Is that what Sherlock wants from a companion, though? I don't know. I'm inclined to think he prefers a fight, a challenge, a sparring partner. But he could grow out of that. (But do we want him to?)

 

At any rate, Molly's somehow gotten into his heart and as a result he needs to protect her. Because I think that's how Sherlock displays love, by protecting people. Even if it's from himself.

[Arcadia]

Weird, random, and unexplained..and she almost seemed embarrassed to talk about it.  After all, it was supposed to be a secret.  I suspect she only confided in Mary (presumably) because Sherlock's life was potentially in danger.

I interpreted it as ruefulness as well as embarrassment. Here she has the love of her life in her flat -- in her bed -- and she still can't find a way to consummate their relationship. A confident, modern woman marches into the bedroom and takes command! (With a whip, in Irene's case.) Instead, Molly lets him toss her out. Which I love about both of them, actually. He uses women, but only so far. She wants him, but not at the expense of turning into something she's not.

 

I certainly don't want Molly and Sherlock to become a romantic couple, but I am curious about the time they spend together and the conversations they have when nobody else is listening. I bet Molly knows a whole other side of him, and I'd like to be privy to that as well.

Me too. A woman's pov would be most illuminating (if this particular team of men is even capable of such a thing....) I'd also like to see her roll her eyes, totally unimpressed, when he makes some brilliant but pointless deduction. :D And dimple up with pride when he commits a random act of kindness.

 

I have no objection to Sherlock ending up in a relationship, as long as it's a believable relationship. I really could care less what the "canon" is; this is a modern Sherlock, and modern men are rarely celibate. So far, they haven't made the case for Molly being a believable match for him, imo, but there's a lot about her -- about both of them -- that has remained unexplored.

[sfmpco]

Some nice Sherlolly fan art here:

 

http://thechrysalis.tumblr.com/post/110507678359/july29i-edit-by-me-i-love-sherlock-molly-so

[sfmpco]

Just found this, thanks to Twitter.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNvfWDKZ7gg

[sfmpco]

And then there's this bit of Sherlollying....

 

http://mollymatterrs.tumblr.com/post/73942953862/what-or-a-brother-its-hard-to-tell-at-this

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I just realized Sherlock's facial expression when Molly said she doesn't count.  His look was of surprise with a bit of "of course you count" even though he didn't tell her until later when he really needed her help.

[sfmpco]

At least he didn't say, "Of course you count.  Don't be an idiot."

[sittything]

I just realized Sherlock's facial expression when Molly said she doesn't count.  His look was of surprise with a bit of "of course you count" even though he didn't tell her until later when he really needed her help.

 

[Inge l-w]

And of course you all realise that we have been had from the very start! Mark Gatiss is a fan of all early detective fiction, so when they were sketching characters in, he must have remembered Baroness Orczy's famous heroine, LADY MOLLY of Scotland Yard, and gave the character the name. And what they have lifted from Raffles, professor SFX Van Dusen, Dorrington and Dr. Halifax would need another thread to describe, compare and discuss. But Lady Molly was modernised into a forensic scientist, not a detective, for obvious reasons.v

P. S. Thanks sfmpco for that observation about the Christmas scene! In the commentary, BC explains it away as him flaring up against all the niceties of Christmas, which so do not fit his whole Bohemian attitude, but Sherlock might also have wanted to put her in her place for revealing something he had told her in confidence in the lab and just got carried away, because once he starts on the observation rant, he forgets to stop, ending by hurting her feelings. It was like taking a hammer to a butterfly.

[T.o.b.y]

I have no objection to Sherlock ending up in a relationship, as long as it's a believable relationship. I really could care less what the "canon" is; this is a modern Sherlock, and modern men are rarely celibate.

 

Modern men are rarely Sherlock!

 

I can't explain why, really, but it just doesn't seem right to me for Sherlock Holmes to have a girlfriend, let alone get married and have a house, a flower garden and kids. Too ordinary, I guess.

 

I'm not saying he can't have a sex life. For all I care, he's welcome to meet up with Irene Adler ever so often and do whatever they want, just I don't need to know much about that.

[Inge l-w]

Relationship yes, family and kids no! That's why bringing up Baby Watson is so much a flight of fancy that is fun to do.

Dear Arcadia, do you actually mean the Mary who shot him once and was perfectly prepared to shoot him again when he asked: "How good a shot are you?" No, thanks, he may be eccentric but he does not have a death wish, unlike Moriarty.

And they DO respect the ACD stories, no matter what else they have lifted from other contemporary stuff. Remember Janinine in SoT: "I wish you weren't whatever it is you are".

[Arcadia]

I just realized Sherlock's facial expression when Molly said she doesn't count. His look was of surprise with a bit of "of course you count" even though he didn't tell her until later when he really needed her help.

Okay, just to play devil's advocate .... that look could just as easily be interpreted to mean "Oh! That's right, she doesn't count, that means I can use her, because she's not in danger from Moriarty!"

 

Ow, ow, ow!!! *dodges slings and arrows...*

 

 

...Dear Arcadia, do you actually mean the Mary who shot him once and was perfectly prepared to shoot him again when he asked: "How good a shot are you?" ....

No, silly! :P I mean the Mary who looks stunning in a lovely dress at dinner but wears practical clothes to work, who recognizes when Sherlock is fibbing and gently calls him out on it, who sasses John about shaving his mustache, who helps Sherlock get his friend back, who is tough as nails but can still cry when someone is unexpectedly kind to her. That Mary!

[sittything]

 

I just realized Sherlock's facial expression when Molly said she doesn't count. His look was of surprise with a bit of "of course you count" even though he didn't tell her until later when he really needed her help.

Okay, just to play devil's advocate .... that look could just as easily be interpreted to mean "Oh! That's right, she doesn't count, that means I can use her, because she's not in danger from Moriarty!"

 

Ow, ow, ow!!! *dodges slings and arrows...*

 

 

 

[Arcadia]

Oh gawd, dem eyes.......

[SherlockedCAMPer]

 

 

I just realized Sherlock's facial expression when Molly said she doesn't count. His look was of surprise with a bit of "of course you count" even though he didn't tell her until later when he really needed her help.

Okay, just to play devil's advocate .... that look could just as easily be interpreted to mean "Oh! That's right, she doesn't count, that means I can use her, because she's not in danger from Moriarty!"

 

Ow, ow, ow!!! *dodges slings and arrows...*

 

 

 

 

 

like, like, like, like (and it looks like He's popping the P again )

 

Oh gawd, dem eyes.......

 

Yep, dem dere eyes...*heart melts into a puddle.*

[sittything]

I specifically picked that gif for the P popping. 

 

Also, not my gif... I feel like I need a disclaimer.  lol

[SherlockedCAMPer]

That's OK Sitty.  I just assume that many gifs on here are found around the web with Tumblr being a popular source

[221B_BakerSt]

I honestly think he's just using her

[Arcadia]

I honestly think he's just using her

Woo hoo! Welcome to the forum, 221B!

 

Look here, folks, I have an ally!!! *pushes 221B in front of her as a shield* :D

[sittything]

That's OK Sitty.  I just assume that many gifs on here are found around the web with Tumblr being a popular source

 

After I typed that I realized that's a sure sign I spend too much time on Tumblr.  Because they are very big about pointing out (if it's not a reblog) that IT'S NOT MY GIF!!!!  Force of habit, I guess.    So just assume it's not mine unless I'm like I made this piece of crap. 

[sittything]

 

I honestly think he's just using her

Woo hoo! Welcome to the forum, 221B!

 

Look here, folks, I have an ally!!! *pushes 221B in front of her as a shield* :D

 

 

Very bold first post, 221B!  ;) 

 

And Arcadia, stop using the new people as human shields...

 

But yes, I think the story of S1 is see Sherlock manipulate Molly.  And she knows she's being manipulated and allows it to happen.  That's the sad thing.

 

[221B_BakerSt]

 

I honestly think he's just using her

Woo hoo! Welcome to the forum, 221B!

 

Look here, folks, I have an ally!!! *pushes 221B in front of her as a shield* :D

 

 

At least I'm safe behind my laptop screen :looks around fugitively: At least I hope so...    

[Arcadia]

[Boton]

She may be a great influence in his life, but if someone comes up with a female character having the brains and beauty of Irene Adler, the zest and breeziness of Janine and the caring consideration of Molly, then he will fall for her hook, line and sinker, but poor little Molly cannot land that big a fish in the mental stakes pond, ever.

 

 

 

 

 

I can't explain why, really, but it just doesn't seem right to me for Sherlock Holmes to have a girlfriend, let alone get married and have a house, a flower garden and kids. Too ordinary, I guess.

 

I'm not saying he can't have a sex life. For all I care, he's welcome to meet up with Irene Adler ever so often and do whatever they want, just I don't need to know much about that.

 

 

Yes to both of these.  Even though I'm firmly in the Janlock/Sherline camp myself, I don't see Sherlock Holmes with a girlfriend or a wife until very late in life, maybe after retirement and certainly after the series ends.  And no flower garden and white picket fence and kids.  I do think he might fall into an unconventional relationship of some sort once he moves to Sussex Downs, but I don't think we ever will (or ever should) see that in the series.  

 

I do think he has a sex life.  Either he meets up with Irene occasionally, as Toby suggests, or he had an occasional friend with benefits, or something like that.  (For some reason, I don't see him as the prostitute type, like Elementary's Sherlock).  But I don't want to see it on screen.  If I need to visit that part of his life, that's why I have an imagination.  I don't need to have it all spelled out for me.

 

Back to your regularly scheduled Molly love, one thing I think is so cool about the character development of Molly is that she went from just a handful of relatively anonymous lines in SiP to actually delivering some of the ACD canon Watson dialog in HLV.  That really shows that Molly occupies a John-like place in Sherlock's mind, or at least in Moftiss's mind.

[sittything]

Boton, wanted to clarify I'm not liking the Janine part.  ;)