Another big theme featured in TST - sacrifice and self-sacrifice.

Sacrifice of other people for selfish purposes - mainly from the side of Vivian Norbury, but also from the side of AGRA and maybe even British government/Mycroft...

And self-sacrifice - but not only that of Mary, but also that of Sherlock... 

Because the authors decided that Sherlock indeed does not work against Mary, that means that his self-sacrifice from HLV was even more profound than we initially thought. I believe that his "surgery" story is still bullshit. I think that when he narrated that version of events to John and Mary at Baker Street, he actually offered her the carte blanche on all her past deeds, he promised her his loyalty and friendship despite suffering from a grievous wound caused by her hand... all because he believed John will be unhappy if he would lose her. He deliberately forgot about his own needs and even the basic human rights only to save John´s happiness. He is definitely the most unselfish character of all in this show in that regard. 

nakahara wrote:

Because the authors decided that Sherlock indeed does not work against Mary, that means that his self-sacrifice from HLV was even more profound than we initially thought. I believe that his "surgery" story is still bullshit. I think that when he narrated that version of events to John and Mary at Baker Street, he actually offered her the carte blanche on all her past deeds, he promised her his loyalty and friendship despite suffering from a grievous wound caused by her hand... all because he believed John will be unhappy if he would lose her. He deliberately forgot about his own needs and even the basic human rights only to save John´s happiness. He is definitely the most unselfish character of all in this show in that regard. 

This is why I love HLV so much. Thank you.
 

Pirates - Readbeard can be dog's name but it was a pirate, too.

The man went to Sumatra instead Samara and became a pirate.

Boy in Sherlock dream (his brother?) has a pirate hat. 

I did too.  In ASIB, Mycroft says Sherlock wanted to be a pirate.  Now we find out he maybe sees it as a way of escaping fate.

Mycroft has also linked Redbeard to Mary, and Sherlock getting hurt - so it's interesting that he dreams of Redbeard when Mary drugs him and runs away.  Maybe Redbeard was somebody else he feels he failed to protect?