BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Graveyard Questions

**Posted by Harriet** September 9, 2012 10:45 am

Is Sherlock's grave a grave for a coffin or for an urn?

Also, the tombstone makes me think that the graveyard scene must be some months after the burial,
as one cannot put a stone on a fresh grave because it first needs to settle.

**Posted by kazza474** September 9, 2012 11:20 am

It was for a coffin.
Yes it was some time after, recall John said to Mrs H that he 'hasn't been back' to the flat & she was saying she started packing things up etc.
So it wasn't straight after the funeral. There was another hint to this but it escapes me right now.

**Posted by Harriet** September 9, 2012 11:37 am

Thanks! Oh, then the time should be even longer, you set a large stone like that about 1 year after a coffin funeral.
Not sure if they considered that, though

**Posted by NW16XE** September 9, 2012 12:33 pm

Why are there no dates on the stone? Is that common now, just a name and nothing else?

**Posted by kazza474** September 9, 2012 1:08 pm

I'm quite sure you can have whatever you like on them; in this instance would it be wise to have more though? Think about it.

Here's an interesting one I noticed the other day.
Hmmm.....

**Posted by SusiGo** September 9, 2012 2:51 pm

Well, if a gravestone is anything to go by we can expect Moriarty to reappear in series 3.

**Posted by NW16XE** September 9, 2012 3:33 pm

SusiGo wrote:
Well, if a gravestone is anything to go by we can expect Moriarty to reappear in series 3.

I imagine he would rise from the dead, rather than lie under that stone.

**Posted by NW16XE** September 9, 2012 3:38 pm

kazza474 wrote:
I'm quite sure you can have whatever you like on them; in this instance would it be wise to have more though? Think about it.

Sorry, I'm missing it. Wouldn't dates be more convincing if you want people to believe you are dead? Or is it a clue for John?

**Posted by veecee** September 9, 2012 3:49 pm

Who ordered the gravestone? I imagine it would've been Mycroft, who either knows Sherlock's not dead or doesn't want to believe it.
It would be like Sherlock to come back and give John a hard time for not "observing" the clue.

Or, maybe the producers did not want to put a specific age on Sherlock or specific date on the program.

Or, maybe it's just that Sherlock is overall so mysterious.

**Posted by NW16XE** September 9, 2012 4:02 pm

veecee wrote:
Who ordered the gravestone? I imagine it would've been Mycroft, who either knows Sherlock's not dead or doesn't want to believe it.
It would be like Sherlock to come back and give John a hard time for not "observing" the clue.

Or, maybe the producers did not want to put a specific age on Sherlock or specific date on the program.

Or, maybe it's just that Sherlock is overall so mysterious.

Probably Mycroft not wanting to waste a perfectly good gravestone which can be used again.

**Posted by SusiGo** September 9, 2012 4:03 pm

I don't think it is a clue. In Germany you quite often only have the name/s of the deceased on the gravestones so it wouldn't seem suspicious. Don't know about English tradition but it would somehow fit the Holmes brothers to have a simple and elegant gravestone like that. Therefore I think that Mycroft took care of that being the only relative (we know of).

**Posted by kazza474** September 10, 2012 3:54 am

NW16XE wrote:
kazza474 wrote:
I'm quite sure you can have whatever you like on them; in this instance would it be wise to have more though? Think about it.
Sorry, I'm missing it. Wouldn't dates be more convincing if you want people to believe you are dead? Or is it a clue for John?

I think the press pretty well covered the fact that he is dead.
What I meant was, Sherlock is a very private person; he is NOT in fact dead so why would he want his 'details' listed on a headstone for all the world to see? He couldn't fake the details, because some people DO know them so better to leave it a very simple blank headstone with just his name.

And finally I agree with those who say it's not a clue.

**Posted by NW16XE** September 10, 2012 10:34 am

kazza474 wrote:
I think the press pretty well covered the fact that he is dead.
What I meant was, Sherlock is a very private person; he is NOT in fact dead so why would he want his 'details' listed on a headstone for all the world to see? He couldn't fake the details, because some people DO know them so better to leave it a very simple blank headstone with just his name.

And finally I agree with those who say it's not a clue.

Cheers, well said. I am having one of my periodic overthinking-RF-to-death fits.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** September 12, 2012 8:33 am

veecee wrote:
Or, maybe the producers did not want to put a specific age on Sherlock or specific date on the program.

This makes a lot of sense.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** September 12, 2012 8:40 am

It makes me wonder though....why is Sherlock there? I can understand him hanging around for the funeral, maybe lurking in disguise at the back of the church, but seriously why would he be there then? Surely he would be off in Europe catching Moriarty's men?

It is too soon after the fall to make his retrun, because it's probably only been a couple of months. I can imagine that Mycroft would let him know John's movements because Sherlock would ask his brother tomkeep an eye on John for him. And maybe he was literally about to leave the country, and wanted to see John one last time before he went.

**Posted by Davina** September 12, 2012 10:26 am

It makes for a great scene doesn't it. John pouring his heart out over the headstone, turning and almost marching away. Cut to Sherlock standing there watching it all. Music...credits.

**Posted by Harriet** September 12, 2012 10:40 am

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
It is too soon after the fall to make his return, because it's probably only been a couple of months.

What makes you think it's been only a couple of months?

**Posted by Mattlocked** September 12, 2012 10:45 am

Sherlock seems to travel a lot without anyone noticing. Followed John in SiB; rescued Irene.... So I don't wonder that he's on the graveyard same time as John, no matter when.

**Posted by kazza474** September 12, 2012 11:03 am

He has a zillion frequent flyer points ( is that what they call them elsewhere?)

And yes Davina, great scene having a headstone, and a man addressing his dead friend set in a graveyard.

**Posted by Mattlocked** September 12, 2012 11:11 am

kazza474 wrote:
He has a zillion frequent flyer points ( is that what they call them elsewhere?)

Yes, in German "Flugmeilen". You can collect them and get rewards. I don't like flying, so I have zero.
I wonder if SH has taxi points, too.

/Britta

Last edited by Mattlocked (September 12, 2012 11:12 am)