About ¼ of the way through TAB –– after the threat of the bride has already been introduced and John and Sherlock have been shown going through several cases –– Sherlock is deducing a case during his dream when he calls upon Watson’s assistance, only for Lestrade to say that Watson moved out months ago as Sherlock tries to brush the momen toff, signifying that he’s always thinking about and talking to John, even when he isn’t there (like John once asked in ASIB, “Do you just carry on talking when I’m away?” Sherlock replied, “I don’t know. How often are you away?”).
About ¼ of the way through TST –– after the threat of Moriarty’s post-humous revenge has already been introduced and John and Sherlock have gone through a montage of cases –– Sherlock is deducing one when he calls upon John’s assistance, only to see that John spitefully placed a balloon with a smiley face in place of his own position in the duo, signifying what John presents as his own feelings of inadequacy and resentment towards Sherlock.
Both Sherlock and John have had moments and feelings like this before: weighing how much they truly care about and matter to each other, parsing it off as largely in context of their professional relationship. But with the end of series 3, and John having already moved out as normal life seems to resume after Sherlock’s return, and the seeming salvation of John and Mary’s marriage, both John and Sherlock are telling a version of events imagining what that moment would be like when they finally realize that they can’t recapture what they had before, too much time has passed, too many feelings have bee hurt, and that both of them lost their chance to tell each other the truth, instead resigned to perpetually yearning for their early days as they subsume their feelings for each other.
Do you ever just really think about the fact that in Sherlock’s mind palace, John was up there on that ledge facing Moriarty with him? Instead of a teary phonecall there was witty banter. Moriarty was alone, Sherlock had John, always had John. Instead of Sherlock scared as he fell, he was smiling?
How he dreams of all this, as if he could go back and change what happened on the Barts rooftop, after having learned alone does not protect him, that alone hurts them all?
if that’s the exit from regression then maybe this is the entrance
#backwards = regression. Bonus points for Sherlock making a **choice** (forwards or backwards)
“The crisis occurs when the hero’s final dilemma is crystallized, the moment they are faced with the most important question of the story – just what kind of person are they? Finding themselves in a seemingly inescapable hole, the protagonist is presented with a choice.” (That’s John Yorke, my bolding)
Moftiss had to go all literal with it, didn’t they?? “Sherlock….you erm….need to choose which “””direction””” you’re going to ““fall””. No no no, forwards or backwards is absolutely not a metaphor, don’t be silly LOL”
“Their choice is to deny change and return to their former selves [BACKWARDS] or confront their innermost fears, overcome them and be rewarded [FORWARDS].” (That;s John Yorke except for the bits in square brackets, that’s me)
really puts a pin on this here emotional decision:
(I would do anything to keep you safe, including leave you)
and the swan dive from tab:
(there’s always two of us)
these are two moments in which sherlock moves forward but doesn’t resolve fully, imo because he needs john in order to do that. and if sherlock left regression station in 1895 and john left regression central in rathbone place, when will the two collide?
I wish I had a screenshot for this post but anyway…
at the end of TAB, just before John shows up with his gun and Sherlock realizes John will always be there to save him, he is battling Moriarty (his inner demons) at a Waterfall
at the end of TLD, just before the Hug when John realizes Sherlock will be there for him emotionally, he is talking to Mary (himself) and we actually see him crying, that’s the Falling Water
And it starts in TRF with the rainfall outside. (Because everything after TRF is the scenarios and consequences.)
ugh, YES, the rain… if the waterfall in TAB is Sherlock re-doing the Fall correctly by letting John save him, the hug is John re-doing this, dealing with the emotional fall-out correctly this time, by opening up about how upset he is, crying, and letting himself be comforted. I have hopes that they have both completed their emotional arc now….
yes, time to blast the doors off the closets, cupboards, coffins, elevators, etc.
2) vanité and trompe l’oeil for an entire episode focused on the illusions created by sherlock’s mind
3) the new version of the skull, close to the original one until you realise what you see is not the real skull we have been used to see in the show until the end of s3…. it is an altered skull just like the reality of s4 has been altered to fit one narrative.
i also love how chill modern john seems now like…he at least has a pretense of humility, you don’t see him dressing up much and such, but then shspesh john has his heavy lidded eyes and condescending eyebrow quirk and thumbs in pockets and pelvis thrusted forward, like we get it, your boyfriend is hot and so are you
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