Episode 4.0: The Abominable Bride (alias The Special)

[Van Buren Supernova]

Falling dreams, I have many of those. And there is some sense of relief to find out that it's a dream.

 

I remember it's always a case, something uncomfortable, or when situation seems out of control and unbearable.

It could be hiking on the wood and chased by enemies and run to a cliff (somewhere high) or for some situation, just tripping on something and fall.

 

I don't remember 'falling' from good dreams.

[J.P.]

 

Or 'Moriarty' does live on by leaving something behind for Sherlock. It wouldn't surprise me, and I buy it, if Moriarty had planned a final step in case he was dead. Turn this the other way around, maybe Moriarty had 13 possible scenario also, and it happened that the scenario he got is the one involve him being really killed (which I always maintain Sherlock has that scenario to, being dead), a follow up and string of plans kick in. Moriarty might had something planned so that he still can kick Sherlock from the grave, and now Sherlock has found out. But we haven't, what is it? Series 4...!!

 

I was thinking exactly the same in the last few days. :D

[Boton]

I think that BC's acting and the directing of Scandal definitely HINT at both a foot f e t i sh and at his liking being beaten by Irene.  Hints only -  but I see it, and I wasn't looking for it.  Hopefully that doesn't make me weird.  I think it adds to the hot-house flower nature of Sherlock, his complexity and singularity.

 

 

 

I rewatched SiB last night, and I agree, that particular episode hints strongly at Sherlock being intrigued by a lot of Irene's behavior.  (Although, I will note for those who wonder that she must have a pair of those shoes exclusively for in the house, because the red lacquer scuffs as soon as you walk outside, so her little trick of sitting on the sofa and taking off her shoes sole-up only happens on about your first wearing!)

 

Anyway, I think TAB for me throws a lot of SiB into a very nice perspective.  Taken together, Sherlock is not immune to women whatsoever.  He may think girlfriends are  "not his area," but he is almost painfullly attuned to them.  Irene made such an impression that she is in his mind palace both naked and in a locket in the Victorian world (which I think is somehow more powerful).  He notices details, like foot arches.  He is confronted by a roomful of "potential brides," and he questions himself, in the form of mind-palace-Watson, why he won't let himself have a relationship and marriage.  

 

For me, TAB makes a very strong argument that you can believe whatever you like about Sherlock's sexuality, but at least part of that sexuality has to include being attracted women.  

[J.P.]

Oh, one can see it also that Sherlock is intelectually intrigued by her.
I wouln't know where to look too when a naked woman unexpectedly appeared in front of me. :P

 

I think Sherlock is mostly baffled that he's one step behind her from the first moment. And he sees it as a riddle he has to solve.

And of course he notice details: foot arches, mesurements, smudges of paint on your fingers, botox injections... it's all work! :D

 

 

As for the shoes: surely Irene let her PA paint the soles red every time she walked outside.

[clavery111]

 

 

Or 'Moriarty' does live on by leaving something behind for Sherlock. It wouldn't surprise me, and I buy it, if Moriarty had planned a final step in case he was dead. Turn this the other way around, maybe Moriarty had 13 possible scenario also, and it happened that the scenario he got is the one involve him being really killed (which I always maintain Sherlock has that scenario to, being dead), a follow up and string of plans kick in. Moriarty might had something planned so that he still can kick Sherlock from the grave, and now Sherlock has found out. But we haven't, what is it? Series 4...!!

 

I was thinking exactly the same in the last few days. :D

 

 

I've thought that also but the counter-argument to it is this:  it's been two and a half years since Moriarity died, in Sherlock world time.  If he'd left a bug in computers behind (the virus in the data) why did it wait so long to trigger?  To me, this would be very weak plotting by Mofftiss  -- but it certainly is possible for them to chose it.  Like a math problem, I'd like to see a more elegant solution.

[clavery111]

No, I know what you mean ... and also there's that cryptic remark: "Between you and me, John, I always survive a fall." Huh? What does "a fall" represent? Is he immortal? I suppose in one sense he is -- a fictional character that is endlessly resurrected. But is that what they're referring to with that line?

 

My take on this line was that he was making a joke about TRF to John.  As in, "Ha ha.  I survive a "fall" if it is one of 13 variables planned out and plotted by me, my brother and all of MI5"

[Carol the Dabbler]

 

 

 

 

Or 'Moriarty' does live on by leaving something behind for Sherlock. It wouldn't surprise me, and I buy it, if Moriarty had planned a final step in case he was dead. Turn this the other way around, maybe Moriarty had 13 possible scenario also, and it happened that the scenario he got is the one involve him being really killed (which I always maintain Sherlock has that scenario to, being dead), a follow up and string of plans kick in. Moriarty might had something planned so that he still can kick Sherlock from the grave, and now Sherlock has found out. But we haven't, what is it? Series 4...!!

I was thinking exactly the same in the last few days. :D

I've thought that also but the counter-argument to it is this: it's been two and a half years since Moriarity died, in Sherlock world time. If he'd left a bug in computers behind (the virus in the data) why did it wait so long to trigger? To me, this would be very weak plotting by Mofftiss -- but it certainly is possible for them to chose it. Like a math problem, I'd like to see a more elegant solution.

It's been two and a half years since The Fall, yes -- but only a few months since Sherlock's return. Maybe the trigger was something Sherlock did, so it would have been recently.

[clavery111]

Let's see the timeline.... TRF and Moriarity's death then the 2 year hiatus.  Sherlock returns in November (remember, remember, the 5th of November) when John gets thrown into the pyre, then they have the engagement party where they say a May wedding is planned.  The wedding occurs and then one month goes by so it's August when Shezza makes his appearance.  Then a forward time-jump to December and the Xmas Day shooting of Magnussen, then one week in solitary confinement and then on the tarmac after TAB puts us at....late Dec/early Jan  3 years and 1 month since Moriarity killed himself.  Is that right?  and 13 months since Sherlock's return from Eastern Europe.  

 

Mofftiss can, of course, be choosing this as their solution.  I'm just saying it's not an elegant solution....  does that make me an Anderson?  ; )

[Arcadia]

Oh, one can see it also that Sherlock is intelectually intrigued by her.

I wouln't know where to look too when a naked woman unexpectedly appeared in front of me. :P

 

I think Sherlock is mostly baffled that he's one step behind her from the first moment. And he sees it as a riddle he has to solve.

And of course he notice details: foot arches, mesurements, smudges of paint on your fingers, botox injections... it's all work! :D

That's what I think -- her nakedness got his attention, but it was her cleverness that attracted him to her. He was enjoying the game they were playing ... something that doesn't happen often with women, I'll bet, since statistically speaking, most criminals are men.

 

I seriously doubt if it's possible for me to comprehend why some people actually enjoy being "beaten," in whatever sense of the word you choose. But I'm willing to concede that some people apparently do enjoy it, and Sherlock might be one of them. (Which feeds into my theory that he didn't suffer from the beating in Serbia, so much as he saw it as a challenge.)

 

Now that I think on it, that may be one reason he seems to like Mary so well ... she can outsmart him. Whereas Molly, bless her, doesn't even attempt to. (But I'd give a lot to see her do it! In fact, that's on my bucket list; one of these days, I want to see Molly say or do something so brilliant that Sherlock is absolutely gobsmacked.)

 

 

 

Or 'Moriarty' does live on by leaving something behind for Sherlock. It wouldn't surprise me, and I buy it, if Moriarty had planned a final step in case he was dead. Turn this the other way around, maybe Moriarty had 13 possible scenario also, and it happened that the scenario he got is the one involve him being really killed (which I always maintain Sherlock has that scenario to, being dead), a follow up and string of plans kick in. Moriarty might had something planned so that he still can kick Sherlock from the grave, and now Sherlock has found out. But we haven't, what is it? Series 4...!!

 

I was thinking exactly the same in the last few days. :D

 

 

Something occurred to me: I've sort of been arguing that ALL of Sherlock's scenarios had to include him ending up "dead" -- because the whole point of being dead was to go after Moriarty's network, right? Otherwise he could have come back to life the moment the assassins were rounded up.

 

What if Jim's plans all ended up with him dead too? That is, he'd decided to end it, the only loose end was taking Sherlock with him? But he set something in motion in case Sherlock survived ... and it just took awhile to put it into action.

 

I think I still prefer the idea that the Moriarty broadcast was timed to keep Sherlock from being exiled, though ... for whatever reason. Otherwise the universe really is lazy!

 

I've thought that also but the counter-argument to it is this:  it's been two and a half years since Moriarity died, in Sherlock world time.  If he'd left a bug in computers behind (the virus in the data) why did it wait so long to trigger?  To me, this would be very weak plotting by Mofftiss  -- but it certainly is possible for them to chose it.  Like a math problem, I'd like to see a more elegant solution.

My feeling is that the term "virus in the data" shouldn't be taken too literally. I find it more likely that it's a plan or a person that's been left behind.

[sfmpco]

Because he says he knows what Moriarty's going to do next, I think he already has that animated gif figured out.  They do tend to solve the cliff-hangers in the first few moments of each new series, however, so there may not be much to it.

[J.P.]

Ok-kay...

If Moriarty's network is destroyed, it could be a kind of "virus" with a time or ocurrance "switch" (if that or that happens, then...) It could be something hidden in the internet, indeed a data virus or something similar. Kind of ghost from the past in the machine. A bit like Karl Power's sneakers, a riddle left behind to "entertain" Sherlock - with a trap attached.

 

But...

if the network is destroyed, why is Irene still alive*? She was a part of it. Now, have you ever asked yourself, how she knew about Sherlock being shot? She didn't get it from John. Nor from Mycroft. I'm talking about the rose sent to him from "W" in the deleted scene. (And now I ask myself how she knew about Sherlock calling her The Woman? But who else could be "W"?)

 

Then there was CAM, who probably had some connection to Moriarty's network (I'm speculating that he could know about Redbeard from Jim, who's heard it from Mycroft)

 

 

*another consequence of Sherlock letting the sentiment rule his head?

[Arcadia]

Because he says he knows what Moriarty's going to do next, I think he already has that animated gif figured out.  They do tend to solve the cliff-hangers in the first few moments of each new series, however, so there may not be much to it.

I keep thinking that too, and then I think: what a perfect situation to set up the old bait and switch. As soon as we expect them to do one thing, they start doing another..... They may not resolve the cliffhanger until the end of S5!

 

Ok-kay...

If Moriarty's network is destroyed, it could be a kind of "virus" with a time or ocurrance "switch" (if that or that happens, then...) It could be something hidden in the internet, indeed a data virus or something similar. Kind of ghost from the past in the machine. A bit like Karl Power's sneakers, a riddle left behind to "entertain" Sherlock - with a trap attached.

 

But...

if the network is destroyed, why is Irene still alive*? She was a part of it.

I've always taken "the network" to mean people who were employed by Moriarty to do his bidding. Irene, on the other hand, was a client ... she hired him. I don't think Sherlock went after the clients.

 

Now, have you ever asked yourself, how she knew about Sherlock being shot? She didn't get it from John. Nor from Mycroft. I'm talking about the rose sent to him from "W" in the deleted scene.

Sherlock's a celebrity, it could have been in the papers. And Irene may have a network of her own keeping tabs on things back in London.

 

(And now I ask myself how she knew about Sherlock calling her The Woman?

John's blog? The whole world knows! :D

[J.P.]

 

Irene, on the other hand, was a client ... she hired him.

 

I have my doubts. You don't threaten your clients with skinning them alive. :D

She was the trap. Her phone was a bait. All to get the information about Bond Air. Something that Jim wanted. What for is another question.

 

[clavery111]

 

 

Irene, on the other hand, was a client ... she hired him.

 

I have my doubts. You don't threaten your clients with skinning them alive. :D

She was the trap. Her phone was a bait. All to get the information about Bond Air. Something that Jim wanted. What for is another question.

 

 

Agreed.  Once Irene provided Moriarity w/ the flight #, she was of no use to him and he was of no use to her.  She "made her way in the world" and doesn't want to be in his network or under his - or anyone's - control.  And she was lucky to escape any association w/ Moriarity alive, quite actually, don't you think?

[clavery111]

Ok-kay...

If Moriarty's network is destroyed, it could be a kind of "virus" with a time or ocurrance "switch" (if that or that happens, then...) It could be something hidden in the internet, indeed a data virus or something similar. Kind of ghost from the past in the machine. A bit like Karl Power's sneakers, a riddle left behind to "entertain" Sherlock - with a trap attached.

 

But...

if the network is destroyed, why is Irene still alive*? She was a part of it. Now, have you ever asked yourself, how she knew about Sherlock being shot? She didn't get it from John. Nor from Mycroft. I'm talking about the rose sent to him from "W" in the deleted scene. (And now I ask myself how she knew about Sherlock calling her The Woman? But who else could be "W"?)

 

Then there was CAM, who probably had some connection to Moriarty's network (I'm speculating that he could know about Redbeard from Jim, who's heard it from Mycroft)

 

 

*another consequence of Sherlock letting the sentiment rule his head?

 

Lately, I've been thinking Mycroft - Magnussen connections.... Mycroft is the only one who could've told/informed Magnussen about Redbeard.  You're right, he possibly could've told Moriarity and then Moriarity told Magnusses but ... Mycroft's initial reaction to hearing Sherlock mention Magnussen was really so strong and shocking that there must be something afoot.  What's Mycroft hiding or trying to control here?  

 

--The prime minister met 7 times in one year w/ Magnussen - is Mycroft trying to control or shape that relationship?

--Lady Smallwood is just starting to investigate and rile up Magnussen - is Mycroft trying to control or shape that ?

--MP John Garvie, the white male on the committee w/ Smallwood who dared to question Magnussen - he gets his very quickly.... on the tv in the CAM building, as Sherlock and John enter it at 7pm, the news scroll says, "Garvie arrested on charges of corruption"

--did Mycroft get Magnussen's broadcast organization to broadcast the clip of Moriarity so as to get Sherlock back in UK?  I don't really think so but it's intriguing 

 

Questions, questions, questions...

[Arcadia]

 

Irene, on the other hand, was a client ... she hired him.

 

I have my doubts. You don't threaten your clients with skinning them alive. :D

She was the trap. Her phone was a bait. All to get the information about Bond Air. Something that Jim wanted. What for is another question.

 

 

 

Irene, on the other hand, was a client ... she hired him.

I have my doubts. You don't threaten your clients with skinning them alive. :D

She was the trap. Her phone was a bait. All to get the information about Bond Air. Something that Jim wanted. What for is another question.

Agreed.  Once Irene provided Moriarity w/ the flight #, she was of no use to him and he was of no use to her.  She "made her way in the world" and doesn't want to be in his network or under his - or anyone's - control.  And she was lucky to escape any association w/ Moriarity alive, quite actually, don't you think?

 

Well, I'm just going by what Irene said.

 

IRENE: I had all this stuff, never knew what to do with it. Thank God for the consultant criminal. Gave me a lot of advice about how to play the Holmes boys. D’you know what he calls you? The Ice Man ...  and the Virgin. Didn’t even ask for anything. I think he just likes to cause trouble. Now that’s my kind of man.

That's not a boss/employee relationship being described there, that's a consultant/client relationship. Jim provided his services for free this time, but it's implied that's not the usual; she was surprised he didn't want something in return.

 

And of course Moriarty can threaten his clients; he's insane. He can do anything he wants because he has no concern for the consequences.

 

As I understand the story, Irene wanted protection ... I'm not sure we ever found out from whom. She had information, but she didn't know how to use it to her advantage. That's where Jim came in ... he told her what to do to get what she wanted. But she was a pawn too, because what HE wanted was the information on her phone. And he got it. (So he really did want something from her after all, she just didn't know it.)

 

As to why he wanted it ... I'm guessing it's because by uncovering Mycroft's trap, he avoided falling into it. Presumably if Bond Air had actually been blown up, there was a chance it could be traced back to Moriarty. No point in running that risk if the whole thing was a set up. Besides, it's more fun to show your opponent that you've one upped him.

[clavery111]

Didn't Moriarity state that rogue governments, assassins and etc all were beating down his door to get to him?  Same would apply w/ the flight info - he'd sell it or use it to advertise his bona fides for future dealings.  Plus, I would imagine he'd pressure Irene for some of the huge profits she was expecting to get from Mycroft and the Brit gov't.

 

In any event, I hope they do resolve the Moriarity "miss me" tape as I've spent way too much time wracking my brain about it since TAB aired. I'm not sure I could take the stress of delay

[sfmpco]

 

As to why he wanted it ... I'm guessing it's because by uncovering Mycroft's trap, he avoided falling into it. Presumably if Bond Air had actually been blown up, there was a chance it could be traced back to Moriarty. No point in running that risk if the whole thing was a set up. Besides, it's more fun to show your opponent that you've one upped him.

 

 

He definitely one-upped Mycroft with the Bond Air but he also exposed Sherlock's weakness for things needing to be clever.

 

I also think Moriarty reveled in showing Mycroft Sherlock's weaknesses.

 

What did Irene actually get out of playing the Holmes boys?  It's not like she had any history with them before that  time, unlike Moriarty.  I suspect she gave Moriarty some fun little bits to play with and he in turn gave her a challenge of seeing if she could bring down the Holmes boys, especially Sherlock.  I suspect she did it for the challenge and because she was bored. And somewhere in the midst of it all, some of the lines got a little blurry between Sherlock and Irene.

[Arcadia]

What did Irene actually get out of playing the Holmes boys?  It's not like she had any history with them before that  time, unlike Moriarty.  I suspect she gave Moriarty some fun little bits to play with and he in turn gave her a challenge of seeing if she could bring down the Holmes boys, especially Sherlock.  I suspect she did it for the challenge and because she was bored. And somewhere in the midst of it all, some of the lines got a little blurry between Sherlock and Irene.

 

Well, what she actually got and what she was trying to get were two different things. She was trying to get protection, plus money and maybe some other things:

 

IRENE: A list of my requests; and some ideas about my protection once they’re granted. I’d say it wouldn’t blow much of a hole in the wealth of the nation – but then I’d be lying.

 

But what she got was zip, because Sherlock figured out how to get into her phone. Until he decided to rescue her, so I guess in the end she got protection after all, just not in quite the way she'd planned.

 

[sfmpco]

Ok-kay...

If Moriarty's network is destroyed, it could be a kind of "virus" with a time or ocurrance "switch" (if that or that happens, then...) It could be something hidden in the internet, indeed a data virus or something similar. Kind of ghost from the past in the machine. A bit like Karl Power's sneakers, a riddle left behind to "entertain" Sherlock - with a trap attached.

 

But...

if the network is destroyed, why is Irene still alive*? She was a part of it. Now, have you ever asked yourself, how she knew about Sherlock being shot? She didn't get it from John. Nor from Mycroft. I'm talking about the rose sent to him from "W" in the deleted scene. (And now I ask myself how she knew about Sherlock calling her The Woman? But who else could be "W"?)

 

Then there was CAM, who probably had some connection to Moriarty's network (I'm speculating that he could know about Redbeard from Jim, who's heard it from Mycroft)

 

 

*another consequence of Sherlock letting the sentiment rule his head?

 

Irene wasn't part of Moriarty's network.  She worked independently and merely consulted him.  As for her knowing Sherlock was shot, she likely learned the same way the Pentonville prisoners learned - from the news, but those bits only exist in the deleted scene with Magnussen.  Even so, it is very likely the shooting was all over the news.  I think one of the set design guys and maybe even Arwel himself said the red rose was from the Woman. 

 

I do suspect Magnussen may at least have heard of Moriarty, if nothing else than through the news.  There was a big trial, after all.  Mycroft did say that he kept track of people like Moriarty, and I assume he kept track of Magnussen too, which is why Magnussen was summoned before a Parliamentary committee.

[Arcadia]

Note: moved the setlock links to the setlock thread. http://www.sherlockforum.com/forum/topic/3343-spoilers-series-4-setlock/?p=98001

[J.P.]

Okay, you could be right about the temporary alliance between Moriarty and Irene.

 

But I don't think there was much in the press about Sherlock being shot. What would the headlines be? SH shot in CAM's bedroom by an unknown person?

 

I still don't know how Sherlock prevented Mycroft from turning every stone to find out what happened.

[Arcadia]

Yes, I think that's pretty much exactly what the headlines would say. I wonder if CAM's media reported it?

[clavery111]

Not the same shooting but I've always wondered about Sherlock shooting CAM:

 

I don't see how the media, CAMs or otherwise, could have NOT reported Sherlock shooting CAM.  There were hordes of SWAT team members present who observed it, not to mention the 3 or 4 private security that CAM had at the house.  Sure, the SWAT team members were told to keep it quiet but - look at what happened w/ the SEAL team that killed Bin Laden.  2 years later and there are book deals.  Mycroft could not have kept them all quiet.  And then there are the private security guys of CAMs.  They would be out of a job and eager to earn money.  BTW, I've always wondered why those security guards did NOT frisk John and Sherlock when they arrived at Appledore.  Bad security guards!  Given how prominent a scene it was when they frisked the boys inside 221b, you would think Mofftiss would remember ....

 

With Sherlock's shooting of CAM being public, his rehabilitation must be accounted for as in a pardon, or a legal finding of some sort....

[clavery111]

Okay, you could be right about the temporary alliance between Moriarty and Irene.

 

But I don't think there was much in the press about Sherlock being shot. What would the headlines be? SH shot in CAM's bedroom by an unknown person?

 

I still don't know how Sherlock prevented Mycroft from turning every stone to find out what happened.

 

I think he does know and since he can "control" it/her then it doesn't matter to him.  He can keep it quiet so it doesn't matter, doesn't have to be accounted for.  Although, it is possible that Sherlock, John, and Mary managed to keep it secret.  Mycroft didn't know about Leinster Gardens for example.