I know we are all on a “Mycroft is doomed” kick, but after thinking about the scene in which Mycroft and Sherlock are discussing their bet, I can’t help but wonder if this scene was actually all about Sherlock. We are told to focus on Mycroft and his overindulgence; John says that if Mycroft keeps this up that he will be dead in five years. Sherlock says three and then two, if Mycroft just indulges a little bit more.
And what has Sherlock been doing this entire time? Indulging in his habit. It’s possible this scene is nothing more than foreshadowing Mycroft’s untimely demise, but all I can see is Sherlock telling himself what he already knows: if he keeps this up, if he doesn’t stop taking drugs, he’s got two years at the most. In his mind palace, John (his heart and steadfast companion– always there when he needs him) and Mycroft (meddling, but ultimately always knows what Sherlock needs to do in time of crisis) tell him what he doesn’t want to hear or really acknowledge. It manifests as Mycroft going for one more pudding, but then the waiter pulls back the lid and it is revealed that it’s never just *one* more pudding. With Sherlock, it’s never just *one* more high. He can’t be satisfied with just one. He has to keep chasing the high.
What does it say, then, that mind palace!John can actively see “Mycroft’s” problem, but our real John keeps overlooking and pretending that Sherlock’s problem isn’t as bad as it actually is? Is it Sherlock wishing that John could see to the heart of the issue (after all, mind palace!John is so worried about “Mycroft’s” heart)? So much of the narrative of this show is about Sherlock’s heart, his sentiment, that I can’t read this scene as just being for laughs or a nod to what awaits Mycroft in series 4.
It’s an interesting echo of the mind palace scene from HLV; Sherlock actively seeks out Mycroft and John in that episode because he knows he is dying, but wants to live. In the special, he knows he is dying, but doesn’t want to hear it. He needs someone to see to the heart of the matter. He needs his doctor.
This also gives the whole “man out of time” a very different read.
So part of last night’s chit chat with @just-sort-of-happened and @hubblegleeflower involved talking about the dual nature of MP Mycroft. (Sorry guys I was too full of feels and cocktails to attribute properly; I know this observation about Mycroft wasn’t mine though.) There’s Mycroft the parody, the grotesque joke and manipulator, and soft, caring Mycroft.
There are twins EVERYWHERE, y’all. Molly Hooper, almost-dude, and lady conspirator. Let’s talk about mutton chop Lestrade (I’m refraining from too much comment here, but I thought they were going out of their way to make him look frumpy) vs. grave digger Lestrade (smoking hot and manly). Sherlock himself is doubled, I mean we’ve all noticed this but
He’s sharp as a tack. He’s a zen meditator. He’s masterful and in control and not
1895 MP John is doubled too, and what’s more, he knows it. Cheekily so.
I’m not 100% sure where to go with this but twins are all over tab, and the lesson here is that everyone contends with more than one self.
Except Ms. Mary. Sure, she wears modern clothes in the modern scenes and Victorian garb in the Victorian scenes, but she’s the same monolithic Mary Sue in all of them, a virtual superhero with exceptional values and skills. Ridiculously developed skills. She hacks MI5 with a smartphone as deftly as she turns up with the solution to the Bride problem (ha!) at exactly the right moment.
So where is Mary’s twin?
But also
and
Hers is a monstrous doubling, in part because she’s paired with monstrous figures, but also because there’s a plethora of them. Mary is prolific in her mirrors. One breaks, but there are always more ready to hand.
Smarter heads than mine will have other places to go with this but twins are all over tab; twins of numerous kinds, doubles and doppelgangers and subconscious others. John Watson is always right, and maybe we’ll see a literal secret twin in the future, but I for one hope that we’ll continue to work at this metaphorical level, and continue to see some of the uncanny themes developed in tab play out in Series 4 and 5. Mary’s gonna keep ‘em guessing.
My husband is three people. Sherlock – not only is it sometimes twins, occasionally it’s triplets (or multiples, as in the case of the brides).
This talk of twins also made me think of, ‘the other one’, possibly being Sherlock’s twin.
