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February 6, 2015 10:43 am  #161


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

We have to disagree here. I am not convinced by the 221b scene or the fireplace scene either. Or maybe I just do not like them. But this is the first time the writers (so far) really fail to convince me. And I know I am not the only one. 


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"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 

February 6, 2015 11:31 am  #162


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Vhanja wrote:

I for one don't think there will be more twists in the Mary-story. We first got to know this charming, but seemingly strong woman who loved John (and he loved her back). We have a lovely wedding, she's pregnant and apart from where that leaves Sherlock, people are happy.

Or so we think.

Then HLV comes and John isn't happy, and we get the huge twist with Mary, wondering if she's actually a villain. Shooting Sherlock, almost killing him, what is her backstory, what happens, will John know, what will he do?

I felt that when John had his little speech to Mary in front of the Holmes fireplace, throwing the memory stick in the flames, that story arch was over. Writing-wise, it would make no sense to then come up with yet another twist going "Oh, wait! Fooled you again - she really IS bad!"

That doesn't seem like good writing to me. 

Oh, I agree with you.. I don´t think it´d be possible to pull something like this off convincingly. This will most probably always remain one of those points that frustrate many in the fandom no end and (in the best case) inspires them to write fix-it-fics and otherwise "critically engage with the medium"..

 

February 6, 2015 11:44 am  #163


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

"Fix-it" is the reason I read Johnlock fics. 


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We'll live on starlight and crime scenes" - wordstrings


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February 6, 2015 1:34 pm  #164


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

I do not really need more twists, but as I have said before somewhere I hope they did not do all of that just to create a “more interesting” character. Mary already seemed to be an interesting, multi-layered character before she had to take up a gun, at least as far as I am concerned. I really hope the whole, Mary-was-once-an-assassin/ Mary-once-shoot-Sherlock had to be established in order to make the future plot work (and I’m not talking in terms of a crime-solving trio). Otherwise I would consider it bad writing.
 


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We balance probabilities and choose the most likely. It is the scientific use of the imagination.    
     Thread Starter
 

February 6, 2015 3:30 pm  #165


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Lola, I agree on that one. To be honest, it would for me be the worst possible outcome, if everything just ended in "sweet" nothings....

Edit: removed my thoughts, as they included impressions I had from spoilery setlock pictures.

Last edited by mrshouse (February 6, 2015 3:54 pm)


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Eventually everyone will support Johnlock.


"If you're not reading the subtext then hell mend you"  -  Steven Moffat
"Love conquers all" Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock's and John's relationship
"This is a show about a detective, his best friend, his wife, their baby and their dog" - Nobody. Ever.

 

February 6, 2015 3:33 pm  #166


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Well, Mary is a canon character. And she doesn't play that big a role in the series, I think (as we've talked about several times - her wedding to John leaves her as a background character and the main arc of that episode is Sherlock's love for John).

 


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We'll live on starlight and crime scenes" - wordstrings


Team Hudders!
 
 

February 6, 2015 3:50 pm  #167


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

@Susi, true, those pics looked private, like having a little break or waiting for the next shot.
@Vhanja, that is not exactly what I mean. I rather meant the level of importance that is set up towards the end of the series. Half of HLV is Mary's story, she is set up as being pretty much part of the family and not in the background but fitting in so greatly because of her story arc. The Mofftiss calling her lead in the commentaries as far as I know. Martin in interviews mentioning she's pretty much there. I don't know, correct me if I'm wrong but that sounds all pretty "serious".
Edit: I think there's nothing spoilery here.

Last edited by mrshouse (February 6, 2015 3:55 pm)


------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually everyone will support Johnlock.


"If you're not reading the subtext then hell mend you"  -  Steven Moffat
"Love conquers all" Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock's and John's relationship
"This is a show about a detective, his best friend, his wife, their baby and their dog" - Nobody. Ever.

 

February 6, 2015 3:51 pm  #168


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Mod's note - mrshouse, Vhanja and all others who have commented on the special in here (including me). We have to edit our posts or at this has been a spoiler-free thread so far. We cannot discuss setlock in here. Thank you. 

Thanks, mrshouse. 


 

Last edited by SusiGo (February 6, 2015 3:56 pm)


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 

February 6, 2015 3:51 pm  #169


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Well, we won't know what importance she will play in the future serie(s), but I think Moftiss have always been quite clear that the show is first and foremost about Sherlock and John.


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We'll live on starlight and crime scenes" - wordstrings


Team Hudders!
 
 

February 6, 2015 3:56 pm  #170


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

I edited mine, Susi, I hope sufficiently.


------------------------------------------------------------

Eventually everyone will support Johnlock.


"If you're not reading the subtext then hell mend you"  -  Steven Moffat
"Love conquers all" Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock's and John's relationship
"This is a show about a detective, his best friend, his wife, their baby and their dog" - Nobody. Ever.

 

February 6, 2015 3:56 pm  #171


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

I don't mind editing, but not sure what to edit?


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We'll live on starlight and crime scenes" - wordstrings


Team Hudders!
 
 

February 6, 2015 3:57 pm  #172


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Thank you very much, mrshouse. 


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 

February 6, 2015 6:55 pm  #173


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Zatoichi wrote:

Lola Red wrote:

Zatoichi wrote:

Your post just made me think.. do you think there might have been another choice for Sherlock to keep all three save as he vowed to do except almost forcing Mary back into their relationship?

Interesting question. It seemed to me he left the decision to continue the relationship mostly up to John. If Mary would have accepted a “I will help you as a client, but I will divorce you as my wife” or spiralled back to being a loose cannon depends on whether she is more motivated by “no one can know” or by “I cannot loose John”.
 

To continue this interesting discussion, I just found this interview with Amanda, which sounds a lot like Mary´s main motivation is the fear of losing John - "If she loses him, she loses everything.":
http://skulls-and-tea.tumblr.com/post/87558048071/interviewer-theres-such-an-interesting-duality

So I really can´t see how she would have quietly accepted an "I will help you as a client, but I will divorce you as my wife".. obviously she feels without John she´d have nothing (her child doesn´t seem to come into account here..) So yeah, to me it looks terribly like there was no other choice than to take her back for now in order to defuse the cannon.. which is probably one of the reasons I find myself not overly touched by their unconditional love and forgiveness.

(The interview also at the same time adds more evidence that Mary is basically laid out as "fallen girl who needs to be saved by the love of a good man".. ..  ..I have feelings about that, but here´s probably not the place.)

 

Thanks for the link!  It's interesting that Amanda says that Mary had a "pretty terrible life", because that's something we're not shown in the show.  I don't suppose being an assassin a laugh a minute, but it seems (from what we're told/shown) that she's somebody who enjoys adventure/danger, and who chose that "career".   That's not necessarily true, but I don't think we're directly shown anything that contradicts it.  I wonder where Amanda got that backstory from and whether it's going to be something we see in the future?   Because I think Mary's backstory could potentially go some way towards redeeming her (or damning her!). 



 

 

February 6, 2015 6:59 pm  #174


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

There is of course CAM's hint at her family in the telegram that has not been explained so far. 


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 

February 9, 2015 10:36 am  #175


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

This still does not explain why he expressly mentions her family. 


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 

February 9, 2015 10:42 am  #176


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

I always assumed he was referring to her CIA family.


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Eventually everyone will support Johnlock.

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February 9, 2015 10:44 am  #177


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Interesting idea. 


------------------------------
"To fake the death of one sibling may be regarded as a misfortune; to fake the death of both looks like carelessness." Oscar Wilde about Mycroft Holmes

"It is what it is says love." (Erich Fried)

“Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame. I’m also a great believer in treating others as you would like to be treated.” (Benedict Cumberbatch)



 
 

February 9, 2015 10:53 am  #178


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Swanpride wrote:

But at the point she gave him the stick, she left the decision to him. Not that she had any choice at this point, but if John had demanded a divorce, Mary wouldn't have any choice but to accept it. She would have known that she had lost him at this point.

Hmm, doesn't fit to what she said at Leinster Gardens.
"Because John can’t ever know that I lied to him. It would break him and I would lose him forever – and, Sherlock, I will never let that happen."
 


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Ten:" I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

Sherlock: "I heard you.”

"Temptation coursing through our veins " 
(Tony Hadley)

 
 

February 9, 2015 10:57 am  #179


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

Yeah, she said that she would do anything to make sure John never knew. But it was already for late for that, so she had lost all her cards and it was now up to John. 


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"We'll live on starlight and crime scenes" - wordstrings


Team Hudders!
 
 

February 9, 2015 11:30 am  #180


Re: Mary – the subject of discussion

First she was that serious but just a bit later she would let John go?

Last edited by gently69 (February 9, 2015 11:31 am)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ten:" I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

Sherlock: "I heard you.”

"Temptation coursing through our veins " 
(Tony Hadley)

 
 

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