BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Questions about the Episode

Sherli Bakerst · June 21, 2012 5:47 am

Having just watched it again, I have some questions. Any and all answers welcome!

a) How did Henry get his gun? Isn't it virtually impossible for an ordinary citizen to obtain one legally in England?

b) In the final scene in Dewer's Hollow, Sherlock is grappling with Frankland, and it looks to me as if, in his drugged state, Sherlock is imagining that he's seeing Moriarty. At least, there are glimpses of a face that to me looks like Moriarty. Did anyone else see it like this?

c) I don't really understand the ending with Moriarty in the cell. When was that, time-wise? I thought at some point during Scandal, Moriarty was being interrogated and Mycroft traded info with him. But if so, why was this scene shown at the end of Hound? Can anyone clarify this for me?

imane nikko · June 21, 2012 5:56 am

a) I really wondered about this too... I hope someone can explain it! The best reason I could think of is that there may be different gun laws in the country, and that Henry's rich and may have paid to get around the rules. But both of those are very thin explanations.

b) It's definitely Moriarty that Sherlock sees. That makes sense to me, though... our dear Mr. Holmes isn't big on fear, but if he were to be frightened of anyone it would be Moriarty. In terms of the show, it's also a way to keep the looming threat of Moriarty present in the mystery part of the case, which otherwise wouldn't involve him at all. I think it works well, bringing us to that last scene and then the Fall quite smoothly.

c) At the end of Scandal, Mycroft responds to Irene's mention of Moriarty by saying "Yes, he's been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention, which I'm sure can be arranged." So I think that Moriarty is likely taken into custody shortly following those events and remains there throughout Hound.

kazza474 · June 21, 2012 6:44 am

1. Many people have guns for protection only, he is living alone, scared of whatever killed his father & has the funds to be properly trained, etc. No reason he could not get a gun licence.

2. Sherlock is in the Hollow, the fog is in the hollow. He is drugged & sees what he most fears in the back of his mind. = Moriarty.

3. Moriarty was interrogated during the same time as the Baskerville story was being played out. When you look at all the things that happened between Scandal & Reichenbach, the blog gaining popularity, the news items etc; and the comments made from Scandal & Reichenbach, it all fits in that time frame.

imane nikko · June 21, 2012 8:30 pm

Hmm. According to the Metropolitan Police Service website, handguns are prohibited unless they are of the "muzzle-loading" type.

From http://www.met.police.uk/firearms_licensing/faqs.html:

Can I own a handgun?
Handguns are banned in England. This applies to any firearm with an overall length of less than 30 cm. However muzzle-loading handguns are permitted.

I tried to figure out what exactly that meant, but it seems like it's an exception for people who owned antique guns, or those who have modern reproductions -- but certainly doesn't cover the modern weapons that John and Henry have.

Even the Olympic shooting team is not allowed to use real weapons to train, forcing them to go abroad to prepare.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/04/uk-olympic-pistol-shooters-allowed-to-practice-with-mock-pistols/

I think that the presence of guns in the show can be chalked up to dramatic license.

Sherlock Holmes · June 21, 2012 8:59 pm

1. Henry is rich and comes from a rich family who live in the country. It is a lot more likely and realistic that he might own a gun because it's fairly easy to get a licence for shooting (as in clay pigeon or hunting). Also, it could well be a gun that's been passed down through the family.

2. Yes it was Moriarty...because like Kazza said, the drugs play on peoples fears....(By the way, does anyone else think they might have taken this idea from The Devils Foot??)

3. Yes it was that scene at the end which is referred to in Reichanbach. That was the moment where Mycroft agreed to swap information with Moriarty and gave him some info about Sherlock...(allegedly)

imane nikko · June 21, 2012 9:07 pm

I didn't think of it being an old gun! Maybe Henry's family just didn't turn theirs in when everything was confiscated post gun law reform. It doesn't look like an antique, but could easily be from the 80s or 90s.

But can you really get a permit to use a pistol for clay pigeons in England? Seems like if that were possible, the Olympic team wouldn't have to go to France to practice...

Seems more likely it's just plain illegal, like John's gun.

Sherlock Holmes · June 21, 2012 9:14 pm

http://www.shooters.co.uk/applying_licence.htm

That's for a shotgun licence, couldn't find one for a handgun. It's a difficult process but I actually know someone who has a handgun licence, so it is possible, especially if you've got connections with the army or police force.

Davina · June 21, 2012 9:16 pm

Clay pigeon shooting and target shooting is not done with hand guns. Rifles are used for these sports but they are of a limited calibre. The police do carry guns here but not routinely as in many other countries. There are, however, illegally held hand-guns, including ones taken in combat that have never been handed in.

It is artistic license that John has his service revolver in the series. This partly, at least, is to be faithful to the canon.

Sherli Bakerst · June 21, 2012 11:49 pm

Thanks for all your responses. I'm glad that I wasn't seeing things when I thought it was Moriarty's face; Sherlock, otoh, WAS seeing things... As for interrogating Moriarty, I got confused--I'd just read the transcript of TRF but had viewed Scandal and got them mixed up. The timeline as described above now makes sense to me.

kazza474 · June 22, 2012 3:16 am

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
1. ............. Also, it could well be a gun that's been passed down through the family.

That was my other thought, no doubt there would be many antiques & even just 'goods' that a large mansion would have for generations.

2. Yes it was Moriarty...because like Kazza said, the drugs play on peoples fears....(By the way, does anyone else think they might have taken this idea from The Devils Foot??)

Hmmm , maybe but not really. The poison in that story was aimed at killing people more than sending them crazy.

imane nikko · June 22, 2012 4:37 am

Killing people? Why do you say that? Fear and stimulus together producing hallucinations... that's not fatal. It seems meant to incapacitate. The crazy homicidal side effects were what got the project shut down.

imane nikko · June 22, 2012 4:38 am

Never mind, misread you. Thought you were talking about the episode poison, not the poison in the story.

SusiGo · July 7, 2012 6:12 pm

imane nikko wrote:
c) At the end of Scandal, Mycroft responds to Irene's mention of Moriarty by saying "Yes, he's been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention, which I'm sure can be arranged." So I think that Moriarty is likely taken into custody shortly following those events and remains there throughout Hound.

That's one thing that wasn't clear to me. Can we deduce from this that Moriarty gave himself up in order to get into contact with Sherlock's brother? Because I think a master criminal like him would only get caught if he wanted to. Sorry if that has been discussed somewhere else, I happened to read this thread only now.

Sherlock Holmes · July 8, 2012 4:53 pm

SusiGo wrote:
imane nikko wrote:
c) At the end of Scandal, Mycroft responds to Irene's mention of Moriarty by saying "Yes, he's been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention, which I'm sure can be arranged." So I think that Moriarty is likely taken into custody shortly following those events and remains there throughout Hound.
That's one thing that wasn't clear to me. Can we deduce from this that Moriarty gave himself up in order to get into contact with Sherlock's brother? Because I think a master criminal like him would only get caught if he wanted to. Sorry if that has been discussed somewhere else, I happened to read this thread only now.

Yeah I think Moriarty definitely chose to give himself up, because he thought he would be able to get information about Sherlock from Mycroft (which he did, clearly).

imane nikko · July 8, 2012 5:35 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
SusiGo wrote:
imane nikko wrote:
c) At the end of Scandal, Mycroft responds to Irene's mention of Moriarty by saying "Yes, he's been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention, which I'm sure can be arranged." So I think that Moriarty is likely taken into custody shortly following those events and remains there throughout Hound.
That's one thing that wasn't clear to me. Can we deduce from this that Moriarty gave himself up in order to get into contact with Sherlock's brother? Because I think a master criminal like him would only get caught if he wanted to. Sorry if that has been discussed somewhere else, I happened to read this thread only now.
Yeah I think Moriarty definitely chose to give himself up, because he thought he would be able to get information about Sherlock from Mycroft (which he did, clearly).

Definitely. The whole thing was planned on Moriarty's side (and probably on Sherlock/Mycroft's too).

Sam · October 5, 2012 8:37 pm

I didn't feel like making a whole new thread for this question so I hope it's OK I ask it here...

When Sherlock comes to Henry's house to get some sugar, when he walks through the door he points up and says "Oh look, you've got damp"

What does this mean???

tobeornot221b · October 5, 2012 8:43 pm

Homeowner's horror vision: Roof is leaking, mould can form. Henry's distracted for a while.

Sam · October 5, 2012 9:01 pm

^ OK, thank you That's what I was thinking. But I've never heard anyone say "you've got damp" in my life. That's not what we (Americans) would say if pointing out someone had a leak problem.

besleybean · October 6, 2012 7:22 pm

A leak is actual running water.
Damp would be indicated by paper hanging off, paint peeling, mould, a tide line etc...or wetness to the touch.

tobeornot221b · October 6, 2012 7:25 pm

Have you entertained the possibility that Sherklock just - lied?