BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Motifs and themes

**Posted by nakahara** January 3, 2017 11:40 pm

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.

**Posted by Liberty** January 3, 2017 11:43 pm

I believe so. It really upset me that John was so angry with him (even though I can try to see why). He doesn't ask for anything in return, either.

**Posted by ewige** January 3, 2017 11:51 pm

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.

**Posted by besleybean** January 4, 2017 8:34 am

I have never seen any reason why Mary would want to shoot Sherlock, only to buy her time.
The series has shown me that Sherlock and Mary are very fond of each other, get on really well and are quite alike.
All that said, yes, Sherlock is amazingly self-sacrificing...but so far, only Mary has made the ultimate sacrifice and for that I think she needs all the credit which is hers by right.
But as has been said elsewhere, all of this rather moot now, seeing as Mary isn't here to defend herself.

**Posted by Preceja** January 6, 2017 6:55 pm

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.

**Posted by besleybean** January 6, 2017 6:58 pm

I thought it was Sherlock in the hat!

**Posted by Liberty** January 6, 2017 7:04 pm

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?

**Posted by besleybean** January 6, 2017 7:05 pm

Sob.