*singing*

"Shot through the heart
and you're to blame
darling
you give love
a bad name"

I doubt that Sherlock gave her the benefit of doubt and is instead only protecting John and Baby Watson, but I think we had that discussion before.

Tell me where I am wrong: Mary shoots Sherlock with the intention to only hurt him to buy herself more time. She uses the time to sneak into his hospital room and threaten him not to tell John. Does that sum up what she did or am I missing something?

Well, maybe someone else will.

Well, she regrets being an assassin. She says so when ...

Oh, wait.

She doesn't.

Mary reminds me of my teenagers.  The only thing they regret lately is getting caught.

Wise words, tonnaree. 

And while I can understand to an (admittedly) small extent the argument that she saved his life by (presumably) calling an ambulance this does not excuse the fact that she shot him in the first place.
Because Sherlock does never say that Mary saved him by shooting him but only by calling an ambulance. He does not defend her shooting him. You do not save someone's life by shooting him in a convenient place instead of killing him. 

Remember - mixed messages, shooting him versus calling an ambulance.  

(And I am still quite sure that the phone call only took place in Sherlock's imagination - Mary wearing gloves, Sherlock probably not being able to either see or hear what she did)
 

Oh, I did not mean that I excuse her behaviour afterwards. The shooting was just the first step, followed by further (death) threats to Sherlock. IMO it was inexcusable and paved the way for everything that followed.  

Yes, this is true. And Mary never confirms his words. She is the big blank at the heart of series 3 - we know nothing about her and what we learn is mostly second-hand or unreliable. 

I very much agree with you. And it is true, her outward appearance always corresponds with the side of Mary we are presented with: The slightly enigmatic femme fatale, the funny girlfriend in the pyjama, the lovely bride, the ruthless assassin, the deadly wife, the triumphant red coat in the tarmac scene.

(And this is slightly OT but what I really do not like is that exaggerated "getting up with a pained face and cradling her belly" in the Christmas scene while later on the tarmac she does not seem to have any problems in moving around. But then she has John back at her side). 

Zatoichi wrote:

tonnaree wrote:

Mary reminds me of my teenagers.  The only thing they regret lately is getting caught.

Ha, that´s a nice thought.. teenager Mary getting caught. "Muum, I totally said I´m sorry before I shot!! So why are you all acting like I did something bad?? It´s not my fault he has veins in such strange places!! I just wanted him to pass out a little, why can´t he just once do something like a normal person?? He´s such a drama queen, and now you´re accusing me for nearly killing him!! That´s so unfair!! I only ever kill people who deserve to die!! And I didn´t mean it when I said this time I`ll finish him off for good, why are you all so stupid?? That´s so gross being angry with me, when you know very well John would´ve left me if I hadn´t shot! Duh.. You guys just don´t get it, I was just lying to protect him. Wooow, sorry I´m alive!!" 

Nailed it!