BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » A.G.R.A

Sherlock Holmes · January 16, 2014 5:19 pm

I've heard that Mary's real initials are a canon nod, but I'm missing it, can't think what it is. Can anyone elaborate?

My first thought was - "oooh, A...A...Amanda Abbington"

Schmiezi · January 16, 2014 5:23 pm

In "The Sign Of Four", it is said that Mary's father found a tressure at the city of Agra.

Willow · January 16, 2014 5:25 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
I've heard that Mary's real initials are a canon nod, but I'm missing it, can't think what it is. Can anyone elaborate?

My first thought was - "oooh, A...A...Amanda Abbington"

It's taken from 'The Sign of Four', the story in which we meet Mary Morstan; Agwa was a place, and the villains were after the Agwa treasure.

It's a nice little riff on the original story...

Mrs. Watson · January 16, 2014 5:52 pm

In The Sign of Four Watson falls for Mary but he is afraid that if they find the treasure she will be out of his reach because she will become rich and he is "just a doctor". But the treasure is lost so Watson goes and propose to Mary. In HLV the USB stick is "lost" (burned) so they can move on and reconcile.

Tantalus · January 16, 2014 9:43 pm

Oh, I thought we should all give guesses at her real name. Here's mine:

Agatha Gertrude Rudolph Addams

besleybean · January 16, 2014 9:48 pm

Poor sod, no wonder she became a killer!

Mrs. Watson · January 16, 2014 10:35 pm

She is American so I would go for a "more American" name

Anne Gabrielle Rose Adams

besleybean · January 17, 2014 6:50 am

She could be Agent Green!

Schmiezi · January 17, 2014 7:12 am

Tantalus wrote:
Oh, I thought we should all give guesses at her real name. Here's mine:

Agatha Gertrude Rudolph Addams

Perfectly understandable now that she has found herself a new identity with a new name.

Wholocked · January 17, 2014 7:14 am

Interestingly, it's been pointed out on Tumblr that the AGRA treasure was an empty box, the treasure lost. Leaves us pondering whether the USB stick actually had anything on it at all...was she just testing John?

If there was stuff on the USB stick, I seriously doubt Sherlock didn't contrive to read it.

beekeeper · January 17, 2014 8:53 am

Wholocked wrote:
Interestingly, it's been pointed out on Tumblr that the AGRA treasure was an empty box, the treasure lost. Leaves us pondering whether the USB stick actually had anything on it at all...was she just testing John?

Or whether her old identity was an empty box-which would have told John nothing about anything...not sure how well I'm explaining this, but I see the parallels in terms of how the treasure works with how Mary's identity works.

Jacco111 · January 17, 2014 10:34 am

Wholocked wrote:
Interestingly, it's been pointed out on Tumblr that the AGRA treasure was an empty box, the treasure lost. Leaves us pondering whether the USB stick actually had anything on it at all...was she just testing John?

If there was stuff on the USB stick, I seriously doubt Sherlock didn't contrive to read it.

It's only empty because Jonathan Small throws the treasure in the Thames when they are chased by Holmes and the police. It was a real treasure.

Ozma · January 19, 2014 11:58 am

I think that USB stick will make a re-appearance...

In the meantime, I do find it terrifying that John just accepts to not know ANYTHING about her - not even where the hell she is from.

Maybe it's just me? Maybe I am not capable of such a vast amount of love? lol

besleybean · January 19, 2014 12:22 pm

Well he'd already taken one giant leap of faith with Sherlock...
Was I alone in knowing immediately that he was gonna toss that stick into the fire?

Ozma · January 19, 2014 12:26 pm

besleybean wrote:
Well he'd already taken one giant leap of faith with Sherlock...
Was I alone in knowing immediately that he was gonna toss that stick into the fire?

I personally didn't see that coming ... especially after he said 'These are prepared words', I thought he was going to say something bad (as in, break up with her) and therefore needed the help of words he had rehearsed in order not to lose his courage to say them....

NotYourHousekeeperDear · January 20, 2014 12:11 pm

Hmm just had a little thought. I think Mary's real name may just turn out to be very important . In SoT John 's full name John Hamish Watson turns out to be the key to Sherlock figuring out the Mayfly man and his connection to the wedding. Then. We have sherlock giving John his full four part name in his 'final' conversation with him. Is this some sort of hint to John that Mary's real name, the decoding of AGRA is crucial ?

LoveBug54 · January 20, 2014 1:21 pm

Ozma wrote:
I think that USB stick will make a re-appearance...

In the meantime, I do find it terrifying that John just accepts to not know ANYTHING about her - not even where the hell she is from.

Maybe it's just me? Maybe I am not capable of such a vast amount of love? lol

I can't imagine that John won't have some niggling doubts going forward. How could he not? No matter what, she doesn't deserve him.

besleybean · January 20, 2014 4:47 pm

He seems to think differently!

Willow · January 20, 2014 5:00 pm

besleybean wrote:
He seems to think differently!

One of the delightful things about 'Sherlock' is that we can rely upon them to surprise us; given that they went to the lengths of not giving Amanda the script for the final episode so that her performance in the first two would be unclouded by the anticipation of what was to come, I'm pretty sure there are some mega twists ahead.

And at the end of HLV John perks up considerably when he discovers the Big Bad has returned in some size, shape or form, whereas Mary seems not at all happy; perhaps AGWA has some connections with that...

the_dancing_woman · January 21, 2014 7:19 am

Ozma wrote:
I think that USB stick will make a re-appearance...

In the meantime, I do find it terrifying that John just accepts to not know ANYTHING about her - not even where the hell she is from.

Maybe it's just me? Maybe I am not capable of such a vast amount of love? lol

I think that Mary being pregnant played a major part in John forgiving her and not wanting to know what's on the stick. I can't see a man of John's moral standing walk away from his own child if he can avoid it somehow (also I think it's hard to let go of that idea of finally having found happiness that he'd certainly been entertaining ever since he'd met Mary), not reading the stick was a means of self-protection on his side.
I also don't think all is well with the Watsons. He didn't forgive her unconditionally. Remember he says: "this doesn't mean that I'm not still very angry with you, I am, and it will come out from time to time".
I think there will always be this nagging shadow of doubt on John's side when it comes to Mary and it will come up now and again, and possibly also prove to be quite of importance in the next series.