BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / SiB questions and answers thread

**Posted by Davina** July 21, 2012 9:34 pm

Yeah I did because of course he knows it isn't 'the truth' at all. It saves John from lying because , frankly John is rubbish at lying anyway isn't he.

**Posted by Mattlocked** July 21, 2012 9:48 pm

My first thought when I saw that scene before I knew Irene was still alive: This must go wrong. It must be almost impossible to lie to Sherlock. He would notice shivering lips, voice, wide (or narrow?) pupils and all that stuff at once.
But then I didn't knew that Sherlock already knew what John thought he knew (knows?), but Sherlock knew better; but I didn't knew yet... Well, you know.

**Posted by The Doctor** July 22, 2012 4:38 am

I always thought this scene quite well-done.

Sherlock stepping close to read John's facial expression to analyse what John looks like when he is trying to lie convincingly.

Bet Series 3 will come back to this!

**Posted by Davina** July 22, 2012 7:24 am

That might be why he decided not to confide in John about his 'death' later. Why he knew that John HAD to be convinced that it was genuine.

**Posted by The Doctor** July 23, 2012 3:18 am

Bloody hell, that's a darn good point!

**Posted by JaneCo** July 23, 2012 4:00 pm

Also, why did Mycroft need to have the 'file' (stuff in plastic wallet) with him at all? Perhaps only as a plot device so that Sherlock would see and end up keeping the phone.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** July 23, 2012 4:23 pm

JaneCo wrote:
Also, why did Mycroft need to have the 'file' (stuff in plastic wallet) with him at all? Perhaps only as a plot device so that Sherlock would see and end up keeping the phone.

Basically. I think that's the case.

**Posted by sherlockskitty** August 6, 2012 11:50 pm

I don't even know why Mycroft even bothered to let John have the file.

**Posted by Arya** August 7, 2012 2:01 am

It's another reference to canon, too--Sherlock keeping her photograph/phone.

**Posted by kazza474** August 7, 2012 2:05 am

JaneCo wrote:
Also, why did Mycroft need to have the 'file' (stuff in plastic wallet) with him at all? Perhaps only as a plot device so that Sherlock would see and end up keeping the phone.

Remember at the start of that scene, the meeting in the cafe? They had to decide if they were telling Sherlock the truth. From Mycroft's point of view (ie not knowing what Sherlock knew) he must have decided that if they DID tell him Irene was dead, he would need to show some proof of this. Otherwise it would continue to play on Sherlock's mind; everything needs proof.
The files would have been the proof.

**Posted by Mattlocked** September 5, 2012 6:24 pm

Just watched ASiB again (think it could end up as my favourite episode) and I think the opposite: All these papers were the proof that Irene has found a way to vanish in this witness-thing (oh god, how exactly did they call it?) and that's why Mycroft brought it so it can be shown to Sherlock.
John explained (lied) to Sherlock and offered him to take a look at the papers the same time. Sherlock refused, but then decided to take the phone. John told him that everyting on it has been erased but SH wanted to have it anyway. This was the sign that he wanted to keep it.
Later, in the last scene at the window, he read all the texts again...... -> everything has been erased ???

Last edited by Mattlocked (September 5, 2012 6:25 pm)

**Posted by tobeornot221b** September 5, 2012 6:35 pm

I think, Sherlock read the texts from his own phone.

**Posted by Davina** September 5, 2012 6:40 pm

It's called a witness protection programme.

**Posted by SusiGo** September 5, 2012 6:49 pm

I just re-watched the scene. Sherlock puts Irene's phone in his left pocket, takes his own, goes to the windows and reads the messages. Then he takes her phone out of the pocket and puts it into the drawer. But I'm still wondering why John took the papers and the phone up to the flat. Did he think Sherlock wouldn't believe him without proof?

**Posted by Mattlocked** September 5, 2012 7:07 pm

Thanks Susi, tricky one. (I was already sitting there, holding (->cuddling) my cushion, whining, because I was so.. thrilled again by this episode and this scene. Not possible to concentrate. )

**Posted by saturnR** September 8, 2012 8:39 am

How did he know there was a gun in the safe? He spends most of the scene in Irene's house trying to get her to open it. Then when he succeeds with the pin code, he immediately ducks like he's known all along that it was booby trapped. So he's worked really hard to open something that will try to kill him?

**Posted by kazza474** September 8, 2012 8:42 am

He was tipped off by the look Irene gives him.

**Posted by Davina** September 8, 2012 10:53 am

Which, in itself, adds another dimension to their 'relationship'. She could have let it just blow his head off. Mind you that would have made for a very short episode...not to say series! Lol

**Posted by kazza474** September 11, 2012 3:55 am

Davina wrote:
Which, in itself, adds another dimension to their 'relationship'. She could have let it just blow his head off. Mind you that would have made for a very short episode...not to say series! Lol

Hmm no.
She did it simply because without Sherlock alive, there was no way of stopping the CIA guys from taking the phone. She's good but on her own against them... no chance.

**Posted by Davina** September 11, 2012 7:03 am

Ah! Of course! I didn't have my thinking cap on but my dunce's one instead.