The Abominable Bride: Does It Mean Anything?

[J.P.]

Okay, I was mocking Arwel on Twitter about the airplane interior and today, surprisingly, someone else joined the discussion:

 

Douglas Mackinnon ‏@drmuig

@jp30567 @arwelwjones depends if you think the plane in TAB was in Sherlocks imagination or not....

I think it is a very important information. To me it looks like a confirmation that whole TAB wasn't real. Because if the director says it's important, IT IS important. And IF it's important, the differences are on purpose, otherwise they weren't there.

 

Or is it my wishful thinking? What do you think?

 

The whole discussion is here:

https://twitter.com/drmuig/status/699295348406276096

[Arcadia]

I have to admit, my natural inclination is to believe they just didn't expect people to look THAT closely. And my second thought is that Arwel is just messin' with those who do look that closely!

 

But if I had to come up with an in-universe explanation, then I agree ... the entire episode is in Sherlock's mind, and the "scarlet roll mop" is the entire episode. Which is fine by me ... I enjoyed the journey through Sherlock's mind either way!

[J.P.]

Today's response:

Douglas Mackinnon ‏@drmuig 9h9 hours ago

@jp30567 @arwelwjones do you really think we'd do anything unintentional?

 

Hehehe.

 

 

I have to admit, my natural inclination is to believe they just didn't expect people to look THAT closely.

 

Oh, they know it. They expect it. They wouldn't place all the easter eggs and hints on the set, if they didn't. :D

[Arcadia]

But have any of those eggs and hints ever turned out to be actual clues? The only thing I can think of is the squash ball in TRF, but I'm not sure that falls into the same category as set dressing. Also I am far from the world's most observant person, I miss even the most obvious clues. So what are some of the obvious clues that I missed that turned out to be significant? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

(And the cynical/practical/suspicious/whatever you call it side of me thinks they just say things like that to jerk us around; it really is unintentional and they're just using the opportunity to tease us! :d )

[J.P.]

You are right for the eggs, yes. They are more like little nods towards the cannon or such and not so much part of the plot. But what I actually wanted to accentuate was that they know we are watching.

 

Last year Arwel was concerned about one of the wallpapers (I think it was one from the hall) - it's not available anymore, and they are running out of it. I said: make a decent scan and print it out. He said: but it has a structure and a kind of shine. People would notice. :D

[Arcadia]

But does it mean anything!!!!!! And would they admit it if it did!!!!!!!  (sorry, just needed to vent for a second.... :D )

[J.P.]

 

[Arcadia]

My point exactly. :p

[Van Buren Supernova]

I have a bit of feeling that sometimes they are not as smart as observant as we think they are, especially when being caught, but decide to let the fans think they are anyway.

 

You can't kill an idea once it's made a home.

[Arcadia]

Maybe I can't kill an idea, but I can sure as heck give it a try....

[Van Buren Supernova]

That bunny really has attitude problem. XD

[Arcadia]

Why, thank you!!! :p

[J.P.]

For some reason the things Moriarty says to Sherlock in their encounters at 221B creep me out in a special way.

Falling is like flying... It's not the fall that kills you... and especially the whole dust thing. It really gives me chills, as if it were riddles which your live depends upon but I cannot find any answers, nor any specific meaning for the series. I mean, the first two are just factual statements, but I feel they have second meanings and are important. At the same time I can't wrap my mind around them.

 

Any thoughts?

[T.o.b.y]

...as if it were riddles which your live depends upon but I cannot find any answers, nor any specific meaning for the series.

 

:lol: I feel like that about nearly everything Moriarty says. The dialog between him and Sherlock on the roof in The Reichenbach Fall still gives me a headache. I guess it's not meant to be understood by little goldfish.

 

[J.P.]

On the roof it's more about the situation, about what they know (or are supposed to know), especially Sherlock. Did he know about the non-existence of the code? How much was he in control and what was just luck or being prepared for any possible outcome?

 

The lines about dust are creepy as hell, but they are true. Maybe they are creepy because they are true. But I don't get the crispy skin. Is Moriarty frying his victims?

[Arcadia]

 

...as if it were riddles which your live depends upon but I cannot find any answers, nor any specific meaning for the series.

 

:lol: I feel like that about nearly everything Moriarty says. The dialog between him and Sherlock on the roof in The Reichenbach Fall still gives me a headache. I guess it's not meant to be understood by little goldfish.

 

 

O thank God, it's not just me then?

 

On the roof it's more about the situation, about what they know (or are supposed to know), especially Sherlock. Did he know about the non-existence of the code? How much was he in control and what was just luck or being prepared for any possible outcome?

 

The lines about dust are creepy as hell, but they are true. Maybe they are creepy because they are true. But I don't get the crispy skin. Is Moriarty frying his victims?

My feeling has always been that Moriarty is just, excuse my French, bat-sh*t crazy. In a very, dark, creepy, deliberate sort of way. So anything they can have him say that will illustrate that without alarming censors, that's what he will say. And yeah, anytime he says something that is true, that just makes it creepier, because ... um, because it shows us how fine the line can be between madness and reason?

 

I wonder if Sherlock really would do "anything," like he says on the roof. If so, that's a form of madness, don't you think? And even if he wouldn't, I wonder if he believes he would. At that time I think he believed it enough to convince Moriarty. (But he still hasn't convinced me!) (And I don't want to be.... )

[Arcadia]

The lines about dust are creepy as hell, but they are true. Maybe they are creepy because they are true. But I don't get the crispy skin. Is Moriarty frying his victims?

 

I just thought of something else .... I've long heard about that "dust" thing, but it wasn't until Moriarty's scene in TAB that I found it particularly creepy. Context. And yeah, I think the implication is that Moriarty is crazy/evil enough to eat people ... whether he actually does or not is beside the point, he's just trying to rattle Sherlock. Which he does.

 

[J.P.]

That’s all people really are, you know: dust waiting to be distributed. And it gets everywhere... in every breath you take, dancing in every sunbeam, all used-up people.

Well actually this is Sherlock's inner Moriarty, so actually it's Sherlock's line.

 

Used-up people dancing in the sunbeam... That's a beeeping poetry in a straight jacket.

 

Who do you think wrote this? I would say Mark, but I don't know Mofftiss other works enough to be able to judge.

[Arcadia]

But it's Sherlock imagining what Moriarty would say .... dang, that is confusing!

 

I tend to think Moffat is the more abstract writer of the two, but I don't know their works well enough either.

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

The dust, I think it's only euphemism (?) for people in Moriarty's world. Yes, it's factual that dust is mostly dead skin, but in this case I don't think it means that he is eating people.

He is just treating them like dust; meaningless, disposable, as obstruction, something that is okay to be eliminated or cleaned.

 

That is how Sherlock views him, he has no regards for other people's life. Maybe based on Sherlock's memory in TGG, swimming pool That's what people DO! and the second caller who stood in the busy town center, when Sherlock asked,"What is that noise?", Moriarty replied,"The sound of life. But I will fix that." Not exact, but something along that line.

 

So I don't think Moriarty practice Hannibalism, he doesn't like to get his hand dirty, and he is not the type of villain, I guess. He likes beating people with wits, not with muscles or physical tortures, or enjoying people in physical way, after they die. Unless.... he is eating them alive. Hmm.... nope, don't think so.

 

He loves skin shoes though..........   XD

[Arcadia]

No, I don't think he eats people either, but I think he's crazy enough to.

[Van Buren Supernova]

Oh yes, he is. Maybe out of curiosity, because I don't imagine he is a foodie.

 

I believe I read somewhere before that there are actually people eat each other, voluntarily, like small part of their flesh, because they just like it. And I believe it's not illegal, there is a website or something. I don't have time or intention to check whether I remember it correctly. Yikes. I barely like beef.

[J.P.]

Today in the middle of working I had a thought - that maybe Sherlock sees Moriarty as a predator feeding on people. More or less figurative. I'm not sure if it makes sense - even to me. Must be the Monday.

[Arcadia]

Oh yes, he is. Maybe out of curiosity, because I don't imagine he is a foodie.

 

I believe I read somewhere before that there are actually people eat each other, voluntarily, like small part of their flesh, because they just like it. And I believe it's not illegal, there is a website or something. I don't have time or intention to check whether I remember it correctly. Yikes. I barely like beef.

Sometimes the conversations on this forum veer off in the weirdest directions.....

 

Today in the middle of working I had a thought - that maybe Sherlock sees Moriarty as a predator feeding on people. More or less figurative. I'm not sure if it makes sense - even to me. Must be the Monday.

.... and then we veer right back! :D

 

I was thinking this morning that this scene:

WATSON: I thought I was losing you. I thought perhaps we were neglecting each other.

HOLMES: Well, you’re the one who moved out.

WATSON (closing his eyes): I was talking to Mary.

 

is the equivalent of this scene:

JOHN: So you’ve got a boyfriend then?

SHERLOCK: No.

JOHN: Right. Okay. You’re unattached. Like me. Fine. Good.

SHERLOCK: John, um ... I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I’m flattered by your interest, I’m really not looking for any ...

JOHN: No, no, I’m not asking! No.

Even in his mind palace, Sherlock admits he's utterly clueless about human relationships! :D

 

I don't have any point to make, that's just what I thought. Because I clearly don't think about anything but Sherlock any more.

[T.o.b.y]

Even in his mind palace, Sherlock admits he's utterly clueless about human relationships! :D

 

I am intrigued by the idea suggested by the Special, that Sherlock on some (probably subconscious) level understands really well what goes on inside the funny little triangle of him, John and Mary as well as between John and Mary as a couple. He's not half as clueless about people as he acts, I think most of the time, he simply cannot be bothered with them.