I assume he didn't know about CAM's mind palace and that he had to kill him at first place.

Wholocked wrote:

Ozma wrote:

Yes. Sherlock and John were the 'criminals' in that situation.

Which made me question - why did Sherlock bring John along, since that made him an accomplice? Why didn't he go alone - bringing his gun?

Because he expected it to go down differently. He anticipated MI6 arrival due to the GPS in the computer, the presence of the computer being sufficient reason to justify a search, and the discovery of Magnussen's guilt in his vaults. Unfortunately, he hadn't worked out that there was no physical vault and therefore no physical proof of any of Magnussen's machinations, and therefore Sherlock and John end up looking guilty.

He did warn John that if things went poorly they'd be found guilty of high treason.

But even if the other scenario came true, did John need to be there?

Ozma wrote:

Wholocked wrote:

Ozma wrote:

Yes. Sherlock and John were the 'criminals' in that situation.

Which made me question - why did Sherlock bring John along, since that made him an accomplice? Why didn't he go alone - bringing his gun?

Because he expected it to go down differently. He anticipated MI6 arrival due to the GPS in the computer, the presence of the computer being sufficient reason to justify a search, and the discovery of Magnussen's guilt in his vaults. Unfortunately, he hadn't worked out that there was no physical vault and therefore no physical proof of any of Magnussen's machinations, and therefore Sherlock and John end up looking guilty.

He did warn John that if things went poorly they'd be found guilty of high treason.

But even if the other scenario came true, did John need to be there?

John always needs to be with Sherlock when there is danger arising ;). It's their thing!

Now I want to share my own first thoughts with you. Took a bit of time because I needed to process a bit first :D. But here it goes:

WOW what an episode!!! There were really so many twists and unexpected events, it is really hard to just start anywhere!!! Ok so I just make some random bulletpoints:

- I LOVE that Moriarty is back! He was my fav character (besides John & Sherlock,of course) and I think he's a great villain and I love Andrew's acting and it is just all great. But I DO wonder how he could survive or if he survived or if it's his twin brother?!

- My favourite scene was the mind palace scene after Sherlock has been shot. Amazing in just everything!!! I was never a huge fan of Molly, thought she is a bit boring, but in this episode she was really good, especially in the mind palace scene. I'm thinking that it is interesting: in TSOTT Sherlock had Mycroft as some sort of guidance in a critical situation, in a situation which was potentially dangerous for somebody else, so that is when Sherlock asks Mycroft for help (maybe similar to the Redbeard incident when they were children). In a situation that is life-threatening for Sherlock himself he imagines Molly as his guidance. And then Moriarty. I already knew about that part but.... I am speechless again. In the most positive way :-).

- Compared to TRF this episode was less emotional (for me at least) but it was more intellecutally stimulating. It didn't hit me in the guts, not really, but it will be definitley worth to analyse the crap out of it!

- I am a bit disappointed that John forgave Mary so quickly. At first I thought ok, that's cleverly done, she's not going to die but John will divorce her or something similar, and then I thought, well he plays along because she still carries his child under her chest, but then it seeemed that he was good with her as if almost nothing had happened!! But she SHOT Sherlock! She fucking SHOT Sherlock! John's Sherlock! WTF!?!?!?! And even for no real reason!!!  Or at least I didnt really understand why she did it. And to hell that she purposely didnt really killed him. Really? He was DEAD! He was actually DEAD and only the idea of John crying made him come back to life! Oh god this indeed gives me the chills*gasps*.

- I am not a fan of CAM. I mean, naturally I am not ;), but as much as I apprecite Moriarty as the perfect villain, I just don't like CAM. He is disgusting, but he was not scary for me, he is just a pervert but not a very exciting one. So, well done Sherlock :D. We got rid of him in exchange of Moriarty.

- I am really surprised of the amount and intensity of Johnlock moments:
       - John being mortally offended/jealous of Sherlock having a "girlfriend" :D
       - Sherlock coming back from death because of John (oh my!)
       - John not getting along without Sherlock (nightmares and stuff)
        - the airport scene! WOW! When Sherlock started "there is something I wanted to tell you..." I   
           REALLY thought he is going to confess his love!!! And probably he wanted to, but then
           lost his courage and came up with "Sherlock is a female name"

First reaction: DA HELL! AWESOME!

It's so interesting to read all those different opinions and perceptions! I really and absolutely have to rewatch the episode when I get back home. It seems the first time around there is so much going on for me that my mind is absolutely unable to keep track of all the details.
What is also beginning to overwhelm me are all the canonical nods, cleverly woven in. The scene in the empty house held a lot from the canon story "The Empty House", even the 'false' Sherlock Holmes, not in form of a puppet, but in form of John Watson dressed up as Sherlock Holmes.
 

Mattlocked wrote:

the_dancing_woman wrote:

It's so interesting to read all those different opinions and perceptions! I really and absolutely have to rewatch the episode when I get back home. It seems the first time around there is so much going on for me that my mind is absolutely unable to keep track of all the details.
What is also beginning to overwhelm me are all the canonical nods, cleverly woven in. The scene in the empty house held a lot from the canon story "The Empty House", even the 'false' Sherlock Holmes, not in form of a puppet, but in form of John Watson dressed up as Sherlock Holmes.
 

 
Right, that one was great, wasn't it!??

Absolutely wonderful! I love how they always keep on finding new ways of weaving those many nods and hints in!
 

John is not mortally offended by Sherlock having a girlfriend. He is, quite frankly, bloody astonished that he has a girlfriend! I liked this nod to canon and Sherlock's complete cold-hearted, calculating approach towards this. John still doesn't 'get' quite what Sherlock is at times.

As for the episode. This was generally very good. I, personally, hated the 'Moriarty is back' teaser at the end. He'd better not be! It is as if they decided they couldn't expect the fans to wait on another true cliff hanger like last time and therefore have had to 'sex' up the ending. Don't get me wrong. I loved the character of Moriarty and I am a massive fangirly fan of Andrew...but...no...just no...!

Magnusson...what a fantastic job. Sadistic, amoral, sociopathic (oh the irony here), flesh crawling. The lick of the face was genius as was the flicking with the fingers.

Thought the perfume thing was a bit too clearly flagged up.

I don't find it a shock that Sherlock killed Magnusson. He has killed before (implicitly anyway).

I don't get the bit about Mary shooting to not kill Sherlock when he did, in fact, actual just about die on the table...and the bit about her not hitting the centre of the coin...surely she would have done? Is this just making the point that she is no longer a 'natural born killer'?

Some excellent camera work in this.

I need to watch this again (along with the other two episodes).

the_dancing_woman wrote:

On further reflection now I have to say that Sherlock's character moved me the most yesterday. I love Martin Freeman, and I love how plays out John's emotions, but my heart was completely with Sherlock yesterday!
He certainly has matured, he behaved like a proper hero several times throughout the episode (apart from the girlfriend/engagement thing, that was bad, but also canonical ).
I'm beginning to sort of worry about him and John. Sherlock's love for John was so obvious right before he got on that plane, I just don't know if there was enough coming back from John. I mean did he realise that by shooting CAM Sherlock saved Mary and John, their child, their future??
I just feel like John didn't appreciate that enough, repressed emotions and all, and then again, what can you say to each other in such a moment with several people looking on and stuck in another possible last goodbye. I probably would be way too overwhelmed to say the right things. I guess it all would really hit me after having properly processed all that just happened.
What are your thoughts?

I've long felt that Sherlock is in love with John (although he may not call it that) and his actions here showed that once again. I agree with you that John is just not seeing that.
 

Swanpride wrote:

Naturally they are in love, and John is knowing that, too. They are deeply in Agape, though, not in Eros

And honestly, to me, that is the love that matters most, that selfless unconditional love. Depending on your point of view, I don't think an Eros kind of love happening between them is so outrageous, it seems fully possible to me. However, several things would need to happen first. At this point in time, no, not happening. But eventually...who knows 
 

SilverMoonDragonB wrote:

Swanpride wrote:

Naturally they are in love, and John is knowing that, too. They are deeply in Agape, though, not in Eros

And honestly, to me, that is the love that matters most, that selfless unconditional love. Depending on your point of view, I don't think an Eros kind of love happening between them is so outrageous, it seems fully possible to me. However, several things would need to happen first. At this point in time, no, not happening. But eventually...who knows 
 

^THIS! Exactly! :-)