BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / sherlock series 4 (spoilers inside)

**Posted by Lola Red** January 6, 2017 10:38 pm

Vhanja wrote:
Haha, Phantom!

On a more somber note, a thought just occured to me. I reckon you guys are familiar with the trope of the mentor dying. Seen in countless movies/series - Star Wars, LotR and Harry Potter comes to mind.

What often preceeds the death, is that the mentor becomes more actively involved with the hero's life. (This was a clue to more experienced readers that Dumbledore would die in book 6 - for the first time, he became actively involved in Harry's life instead of just pulling the strings from the background).

Now, we've seen Mycroft quite a bit in TST, and from what I understand, he might be targetted (and thus probably more involved) in TLD.

Could this mean that they are following the mentor trope?

That might be. Something it definitely happening with Mycroft. I as an experienced TV watcher, I know that no-one gets more screen time without good reason. I keep my fingers crossed for a dark reveal, but part of me fears that Mycroft is not long for this world

**Posted by ewige** January 7, 2017 3:08 am

I've compared the "Miss Me" disc screenshots between the Czech trailer and TST because they are obviously not the same:

The envelope looks old (yellowed where the flap wasn't covering its back) and dirty in the trailer, it's also not Benedict's thumb (altho I can't tell whose even after having done some research in that matter ).

So is it the same disc (a couple of frames later you can see that the handwriting is the same but it doesn't 100% guarantee the same content)? If yes, who finds it in Sherlock's possession (and after quite some time, apparently)? I can imagine Sherlock would never tell John about this message so we may have some potential explaining to look forward to.
Even if it's not John, the explaining may be necessary if the thumb's owner thinks Sherlock had something to do with Moriarty's "return".
If it's in fact Moriarty's disc, then it links Mary to his schemes (somehow).

It is four in the morning. Can you tell I'm really looking forward to the new episodes? :D

Last edited by ewige (January 7, 2017 3:12 am)

**Posted by besleybean** January 7, 2017 8:33 am

How come there is a different Czech trailer?!

**Posted by Liberty** January 7, 2017 8:43 am

Very interesting, Ewige. So we're going to see more of this.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 7, 2017 10:53 am

My first thought was that Sherlock sent it to John, so in the second picture, it's John opening the envelope.

**Posted by Lola Red** January 7, 2017 11:03 am

is anyone a Martin Freeman hand expert and can tell us anything more? The only hint I can see is that the person appears to wear black/some really dark colour. What do we know about the costumes?

**Posted by Liberty** January 7, 2017 11:08 am

John does seem to be wearing darker clothes than usual from what we've seen. Culverton Smith seems to favour lighter colours.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 7, 2017 11:14 am

Sometimes, I just want to go back to happier and more innocent times...

**Posted by besleybean** January 7, 2017 11:15 am

But they are so much closer now...well will be again, when John stops being an ass.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** January 7, 2017 11:16 am

When I saw Benedict open the envelope in TST I actually felt bad... after seeing the Czech trailer I was sure that wasn't Benedicts hand... it isn't. I see that now and I feel better!

**Posted by Liberty** January 7, 2017 11:16 am

Yes, I like that it has moved on. They will reconcile, I'm sure of it. And then will have been through so much together.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 7, 2017 11:18 am

I hope so. This is like a roller coaster of geek torture.

**Posted by besleybean** January 7, 2017 11:22 am

I know. I fear this season is only going to get darker and it will be sad if Sherlock and John are apart at the end of it.

**Posted by Liberty** January 7, 2017 11:25 am

Moftiss said something about John and Sherlock being alive at the end, but that anybody else was fair game. Which implies at least one more person will be dead. Maybe Rosie, possibly in the next episode. Maybe Mycroft. Maybe Mrs Hudson or Molly.

**Posted by ewige** January 7, 2017 12:02 pm

Lola Red wrote:
is anyone a Martin Freeman hand expert and can tell us anything more? The only hint I can see is that the person appears to wear black/some really dark colour. What do we know about the costumes?

John's jacket has similar black buttons but so does Lestrade's.
Based on The Hobbit, it could be Martin's thumb. It's tapered in a similar way. However the nail shape doesn't fit 100%. But then, I saw a good shot only of his left hand's thumb nail and they don't always look the same on both hands.
I could pretty much rule out Mark but not Toby Jones. Found nothing for Rupert.
Bottom line being I have no idea who is opening that envelope. I don't like to think about a time jump to justify the envelope being a little foxy but it does look aged...

Last edited by ewige (January 7, 2017 12:03 pm)

**Posted by Schmiezi** January 7, 2017 12:25 pm

A case mate of me once worked as a hand model for at least three different German actresses. Whenever only their hands needed to be seen, she did the scene for them.

Just saying. ;-)

**Posted by Liberty** January 7, 2017 12:34 pm

Good point, Schmiezi. We might be barking up the wrong tree trying to identify it!

**Posted by Lola Red** January 7, 2017 12:42 pm

hmm true...maybe tomorrow will bring some answers

**Posted by ewige** January 7, 2017 12:44 pm

Butbutbut... hands are important!

**Posted by Pops** January 7, 2017 1:09 pm

I just re-read The Dying Detective and it was said that Smith lived a long time in Sumatra... It seems to be a recurrent theme, isn't it ?
And, in the book, Smith has a nephew... Niece ? Lady in Red ?