Some good observations.

The part about Sherlock not being alone got me thinking. Sherlock was living by the "alone protects me" and "sosiopath" persona at the beginning of the series. So why was he looking for a flatmate? Did he really need to, financially? Or was he actually feeling lonely?

Yeah, I think it's clear that Mycroft fairs better alone than Sherlock does. But I think Sherlock, begrudgingly, looks up to his older brother and wants to be like him. Be he can't, because he is more emotional and more wanting a relationship/companionship with someone.

Now we're getting into some really interesting territory. :D

I think that Sherlock's feelings towards Mycroft are very complicated. I think that there is clearly quite a bit of resentment there, probably based on more than what we know so far (and hopefully will learn more of in S4). But I am also quite sure that Sherlock looks still look up to him.

"Dragon slayer... is that how you see me?"

Still want that big brother approval. 

Yet in one area he has outgrown Mycroft - forming close bonds with other people. Something he shows in TEH. I think there is honest care behind it, when he wants Mycroft to find himself a goldfish. He wants Mycroft to experience what he himself has - the positive sides of friendship. 

But, yes, there is clearly resentment and bitterness. And I think it goes way back, seeing as Sherlock regresses almost to a teenager sometimes with Mycroft (never seen more clearly than in TAB, on the plane).

I think Mycroft shows great sentiment towards Sherlock from the very first episode, and in every episode onwards. He just has a way of showing it that rubs Sherlock the wrong way. 

I have two big brothers myself. Well... I have to brothers that are older than me, but only the oldest one is the true Big Brother. He is the oldest, and as such he has always had a slightly condescending, arrogant way of speaking to us. To me in particular, since I am the youngest. Something that annoyed me when I was younger, but I always knew that his manner was born out of true care, even though it came across as annoying.

So I can sort of relate to Sherlock. How easy it is to regress into old patterns with your sibling even when you're both (supposedly) adults. And Sherlock has always gone straight into the annoying, younger sibling role whenever he is with Mycroft. Just as with the knocker, I don't think he is aware of it. And, yes, Mycroft could annoy a rock if he put his mind to it, so it's no wonder he pushes all of Sherlock's buttons.

But I do see great care between them. Because their banter is rarely truly hateful. The only time I think Mycroft went too far, was with his "How would you know?"-remark at Buckingham Palace. That was just completely inappropriate, especially in that setting. Showing that Mycroft also regresses when he speaks with Sherlock. (Although, interestingly enough, never as much as he does with his mother).

kgreen20 wrote:

SusiGo wrote:

Well, I am very careful with my opinions about TAB since I still do not believe the first plane scene to be true. Maybe January will show I am wrong but then I want an explanation for the Mary-Mycroft connection as well.

I agree with you about the first plane scene; it was clearly part of the dream.  But I'm convinced that the second plane scene, the one near the end of the episode, was real.
 

I think this is hardly possible since in the last plane scene the drugs list is shown. So IMO either both scenes are real or both are MP. 
 

I agree.  The plane scene right near the very end is the only one that is real.  The others are part of Sherlock's mind palace.