BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » "John, there’s something I should say…"

tobeornot221b · July 29, 2014 5:07 pm

"John, there’s something ... I should say; I-I’ve meant to say always and then never have. Since it’s unlikely we’ll ever meet again, I might as well say it now."

Really, Sherlock? What is it you probably haven't told John? What do people tell each other when they are about to separate for good?

Back to HLV.
There was a similar situation, at least for John, when he was supposed to be blown up in the train with Sherlock. Did he make any confession of love then in this seemingly hopeless situation? No, he didn't. Because:
"Look, I find it difficult. I find it difficult, this sort of stuff."

And then again, on the tarmac.
John: "Actually, I can’t think of a single thing to say."
Sherlock: "No, neither can I."
(subtext: "I love you." – "I know. I love you, too.")

Apparently, both agreed on avoiding emotional stuff in this farewell situation.
Finally, everything in this regard had already been said. In TSoT. All that love and care stuff from both of them. No need for repeating it. All the more, since there was the risk of losing their composure. And all the more since they are British.

"Sherlock is actually a girl's name…"
Wow, Sherlock – that was a close escape, wasn't it?
Actually, you wanted to say something completely different. (Apart from: "Please, don't you ever forget me.") It's unlikely that you "always" had wanted to tell John your full name. Why, for example, didn't you tell him when you were so desperately trying to find out what this "John H." stood for? Set a good example for him? No?
What is it you probably wanted to say to him in a situation that was supposed to be the last opportunity you will ever have?

To me, this seems to be like a confession by the authors that there's something more to the John-and-Sherlock relationship than just this extraordinary friendship. More than the mutual declaration of love and care, TSoT style. To me, the tarmac scene is a hint of what we might expect in S4 and beyond. Something new that even Sherlock and John can't define yet what this "new" might be.
We had this "annoying dick" quote by John in TRF – a quasi "I love you" – then that whole love letter episode TSoT, where the Sherlock-and-John relationship barely deserves the label "bromance"– and finally HLV.

Series 4: Back to business like nothing has ever happened?
Boring – and unlikely at the same time.

tonnaree · July 29, 2014 5:17 pm

It's pretty obvious to me what they wanted to say.

This would go well in the Comprehensive Johnlock thread.
Oh, and tobe, have you considered joining the OSAJ?

tobeornot221b · July 29, 2014 5:22 pm

tonnaree wrote:
Oh, and tobe, have you considered joining the OSAJ?

But I've joined ages ago, tonnaree! Both of my sig pics show this clearly enough, don't they?

SolarSystem · July 29, 2014 5:41 pm

I have to admit that I am totally contaminated with "Doctor Who" at the moment, so this scene on the tarmac reminds me sooooo much of the farewell scene between The Doctor and Rose. Have a look if you haven't seen it (you'll get it even if you don't know DW at all - but SPOILER WARNING, if you're thinking about watching the show some day, don't watch this!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wdj16x6LYc

That's how this last scene in HLV should have played out, at least to some extent (and I suppose it has, to some extent, under all the subtext). The Doctor and Rose never said it, either, but you always knew that it was there. What's so tragic with DW is that one of them gets the chance to finally say it, but the other one doesn't, time has run out, it's too late.
The tragedy with "Sherlock" is that they both don't know how to express their feelings. And I'm not saying that they should have said it, and I'm not saying that the scene should have played out completely different, either. Because most of us know what Sherlock really wanted to say, and in the context of what we know about those two men the scene works perfectly.

Nevertheless, tobe is right. After Sherlock's declaration of love in TSoT and John's declaration of love in TEH, even if some of it was buried in subtext, another step needs to be taken in S4.

tobeornot221b · July 29, 2014 5:57 pm

Oh, that Doctor and Rose scene is quite moving, Solar!
And I could easily replace the two of them by two other guys.

SolarSystem · July 29, 2014 6:48 pm

Oh yes, me too, tobe. I'm telling you, there might be even more chemistry between Sherlock and John than there was between The Doctor and Rose - and everyone would immediately admit to the fact that Rose was in love with The Doctor and vice versa. But with Sherlock and John... well, they probably need to say their goodbyes on a beach like that so that everyone finally sees it.

tobeornot221b · July 29, 2014 6:53 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
But with Sherlock and John... well, they probably need to say their goodbyes on a beach like that so that everyone finally sees it.

No, I don't want them to say their goodbyes ever again!

Mattlocked · July 29, 2014 7:09 pm

I don't want to spoil the fun... and you know that I am member of the OSAJ... but....
Did it ever come to your mind that this sentence
"John, there’s something ... I should say; I-I’ve meant to say always and then never have. Since it’s unlikely we’ll ever meet again, I might as well say it now."
could have been written by the little lovely devils Moftiss to tease us? Because they know that most of us would go like "WHAT?? OMG, finally he's going to say it!! Squeeee!" etc. etc.
But all we got was "Sherlock is actually a girl's name"

Just one of the thoughts I had.

tobeornot221b · July 29, 2014 7:15 pm

And what if "Sherlock is actually a girl's name." meant: "I'm actually a girl, John?"
No, just kidding, of course...

tonnaree · July 29, 2014 7:37 pm

tobeornot221b wrote:
tonnaree wrote:
Oh, and tobe, have you considered joining the OSAJ?
But I've joined ages ago, tonnaree! Both of my sig pics show this clearly enough, don't they?

I'm an idiot tobe. Forgot I was at work where everyone's sigs don't show up. I should have remembered.

Apologies. *kisses tobe on the cheek*

SusiGo · July 29, 2014 7:41 pm

tobeornot221b wrote:
And what if "Sherlock is actually a girl's name." meant: "I'm actually a girl, John?"
No, just kidding, of course...

And remember - all the nice girls like a soldier.

And, Britta, of course it could be teasing. But how many casual viewers ship Johnlock and get the hint?

Last edited by SusiGo (July 29, 2014 7:41 pm)

besleybean · July 29, 2014 7:41 pm

Sorry I've only just stumbled across this...
But I always thought he was just going to say ' Thank You.'

SusiGo · July 29, 2014 7:42 pm

Well. No need not to say that, is there?

SolarSystem · July 29, 2014 7:49 pm

And even if he felt there was the need to say 'Thank you', why didn't he just say it? I think in this situation even Sherlock would know how to say it.

Mattlocked, I'm convinced it's teasing on Moftiss' part to some extent. They choose the words with care, every single word, and they definitely were aware what Sherlock's little speech would do to a lot of people. Just as so many sentences they write are at least partly designed to tease the fans.
Question is: Will they continue to tease us forever? Or will they deliver eventually?

besleybean · July 29, 2014 7:55 pm

The Big Tease.

BreathingIsBoring · July 29, 2014 8:21 pm

besleybean wrote:
Sorry I've only just stumbled across this...
But I always thought he was just going to say ' Thank You.'

Now you just have me thinking about the end of the last episode of Merlin. That was heartbreaking, and if it had played out like that, I think it would have been crushing, especially since Molly had to goad Sherlock into saying 'thank you' in TRF. Moftiss's way was a big tease and meant to inject humour into a sad moment, but I think this scene could have gone in a completely different direction if this was the case.

besleybean · July 29, 2014 8:28 pm

Yes perhaps when Sherlock ends, we will get a scene similar to the Merlin one...which was beautiful, by the way..