I don't want to minimize anyone's attachment to their pets, or the grief one can feel when a pet has to be put down. I know it's very real and very serious

BUT...somehow I don't buy that "the way Sherlock is" can be traced back to having a childhood pet put down. He swore off all empathy and attachments forever because of that?

I'm not a big fan of the whole idea of tracing everything back to childhood "issues" anyway - at least with characters like Sherlock Holmes - let's keep some mystery, shall we! Can''t people be unique without a diagnosis, or a Freudian analysis?

I don't want to see the Redbeard explanation seems "trivial," because, again, it's a loss and it's not trivial...but it doesn't seem like a complete explanation of the phenomenon that is...Sherlock Holmes.

As someone said, maybe there's more? 

I used to assume the adult Holmeses were somewhat "hands off" as parents; (remember the "I'll be mother" exchange) therefore, Mycroft was Sherlock's "parent" figure...with Mycroft being the way HE is.

But now that we've met Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, that doesn't seem correct.

Mycroft's making Sherlock feel stupid by comparison could have led to Sherlock's need to prove himself smarter than the Yard people, and his enjoyment of impressing John ...but does it explain...everything that is Sherlock?

besleybean wrote:

I never even considered the Redbeard scenario to eplain how Sherlock is...
It served 2 purposes:
1. For Mycroft to cite a reason  not to get too attached to loved ones.
2. For CAM to show Sherlock he knows all about him and can control him.

I thought they were implying it was why Sherlock was afraid to get attached...

I'm not sure exactly how Redbeard would be a pressure point for CAM...maybe dredging up the memory would throw Sherlock off guard and interfere with deductions, or something? But it doesn't seem like something for blackmail or to discredit Sherlock.
 

I certainly don't think Redbeard can be cited as the only reason Sherlock is how he is.
I simply think his reaction to the Dog's loss was probably such that Mycroft feels the need to warn him to be wary of attachment.
He is different - based on the way BC plays him, on someone I know who is slightly autistic and acts the same way in many situations as Sherlock does, and on the fact that both BC and MF have referred to him in the past as "slightly" autistic, it would make complete sense to me that the loss of Redbeard would have rocked his world for a while - multiple times more than another Child who'd lost a pet - and that's going some.
I'd also think it's a fair bet that Redbeard was Sherlock's first and only friend until John came along - he was his fellow Pirate!
I don't think he was a pressure point in terms of blackmail for CAM, but more a way to help him figure out what made Sherlock tick, or what pressed his buttons.
The big question for me is, how did CAM know about it?

besleybean wrote:

Somebody told him...
Incidentally, wasn't there a suggestion that also Sherlock was lied to about Redbeard?
Could somebody lie to Sheelock about the fate of somebody he loves...?
 

 
Yes but who told him? Who else knew about it, is the point I was making? Is there still someone out there trying to destroy Sherlock?

Moriarty maybe? ^^ As he knew Sherlock's story of life...

Weren't we all!

Yay.

Will be interesting to see how that one plays out.

Usually the step from lied to child to rational adult..

lil wrote:

Seems very likely that Magnussons information did come from Moriarty, and that is why he knew the personal Redbeard thing.
This makes me think Magnussons information on Mary likely came from the same source.
Which adds to the.., Mary worked/is supposed to be Johns watch/killer for Moriarty idea.
Hence her panic@his return.

Wrote something similar a while ago...Sherlock/Mycroft using Moriarty to smoke out Mary and keep Sherlock in England thing.
But idk why they would play tht hand so soon, while stalemated with the baby thing.

 
Whilst I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mary started out as a watch placed on John, I'd absolutely hate it if that's the case and Sherlock has kept this knowledge from John.
It would make Sherlock talking John into staying with her seem really cruel - unless, during the time Sherlock was in Hospital, he and John have hatched a plan together.
I'm actually quite nervous as to how this will play out because it will either be a great twist in the tale, or else a real gut punch.