BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Why didn't Sherlock recognise his own sister? Discuss!

**Posted by Ivy** January 8, 2017 11:22 pm

I'm sure Sherlock doesn't know she exists or still exists. I'm sure we'll learn about her/their past in the next episode.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** January 8, 2017 11:29 pm

So, Mycroft used to tell Sherlock slightly dark, disturbing stories about their psychopathic sister? Interesting! He really is a rubbish big brother

**Posted by ewige** January 8, 2017 11:34 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
So, Mycroft used to tell Sherlock slightly dark, disturbing stories about their psychopathic sister? Interesting! He really is a rubbish big brother

That he is!
I confess I didn't recognize her at all! O.o
I kept looking and looking and failed to recognize her.

**Posted by Liberty** January 8, 2017 11:37 pm

I think I was already looking for Sian Brooke in disguise, so that made me notice.

**Posted by Sherlock's Curl** January 8, 2017 11:41 pm

I'm going to sleep, good night (or day if it's day by you!). I'm looking forward to the theories you'll figure out ;)

**Posted by Ivy** January 8, 2017 11:47 pm

She's still Elizabeth in the credits.

**Posted by Whisky** January 8, 2017 11:52 pm

It would be somewhat ironic to show how Sherlock is not a psychopath by showing what a real one - his sister - would look like. Not sure I like that.

Part of me thinks that maybe Sherrinford is the one sane sibling and got away from the other three crazy ones as soon as possible.

What I totally don't get is - what about their parents? Mr. and Mrs. Holmes? They don't seem like parents with such a burden on them. Never a moment of awkwardness on Christmas? That seems so unlikely. I would expect a tense Christmas, or some strange vibes between Mycroft and Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, whenever they have to hide the sister's/brothers? existence from Sherlock.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 8, 2017 11:55 pm

So "Alicia" to close friends?

**Posted by ewige** January 8, 2017 11:55 pm

Whisky wrote:
Part of me thinks that maybe Sherrinford is the one sane sibling and got away from the other three crazy ones as soon as possible.

I've just actually snorted my water all over my desk, thank you very much!

Well we know that Sherlock's father will be present at some moment so everything will be explained.
Maybe Mycrof had his sister locked up and everybody thinks she's dead?
Have you seen the trailer? Sherlock looked in agony about some memories of his.

**Posted by Punch me in the face** January 9, 2017 12:02 am

I also believe that something happened during their childhood, and that it is linked to Redbeard.

I like the idea that Sherlock believed her to be dead (maybe she and Sherrinford are two different persons and that Mycroft believes her dead too, but I really doubt that. I mean, he's Mycroft, he's omniscient! lol). Which would explain why he doesn't recognize her. (he's Sherlock Holmes, if he still was in touch with her sister, even high and even if she was in disguise, he would have recognized her!)

And I think Sherlock might have unconsciously recognized her during their stroll together. He has a childhood flashback just before she "disappears" (how does she do that, by the way?? She's nowhere to be seen when Sherlock turns around. Surely, she just can't evaporate like that!)

For some reason, it made me think of a book I read a couple years ago: "Mycroft's testimony", I just found the post I'd posted here about it, here's a quote:

"Mycroft explains that Sherlock had a twin called Arthur and who the Holmes family called Arty. Arty was evil, and he was really bad to Sherlock. Sherlock was literally his punchbag.

When the twins were about 7 year old, Arty was found dead, floating in the house’s pond. Mycroft found Sherlock in tears, a few hours later, huddled up in the outhouse, terrified, swinging back and forth, repeating « Mori Arty » (mori, -ior, -eris, moriuus sum… here it could simply mean « Arty is dead »)

Although Sherlock claimed it was an accident, his mother was convinced he had killed Arty and from that moment, despised him. "

Well, ok, it sounded like bad fanfiction but the book was actually good.

But it could be something like that. Either she did Something bad to Redbeard. Or there was some accident (which happened in the memory that's been haunting Sherlock and that we have been shown several times now) and Sherlock thought himself responsible, which would explain a trauma and all that. And it may also explain why Mycroft became so overprotective.

The "Miss Me?" is very intriguing. I wouldn't be surprised she is linked to Moriarty indeed.

And if Sherlock thought her dead, or at least, even if he didn't think her dead but hadn't seen her for years, the "Miss me?" would really make sense! Maybe it's something Eurus had told him when they were children.

And maybe Moriarty used that as a hint to Eurus...

Awwwww... I can't wait!!!!!!

**Posted by Lis** January 9, 2017 12:03 am

Liberty wrote:
Did anyone else recognise her from the start? I had no idea she would be Sherrinford until just before she announced it, but I'd written a note at the beginning - 'the therapist is Sian!'. Was waiting the whole time for her to be revealed! I liked that they used disguises in this show.

Ewige - the subtitles spelt it Eurus, I think. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemoi#Eurus

Yes, I realised the therapist was the bus stop lady but didn't think about her being Sherlock's sister.

I'm not sure if Sherlock knows about his sister, or if he did he's maybe deleted her due to whatever traumatic event took place?

**Posted by Whisky** January 9, 2017 12:04 am

What about "people always stop looking after three"?
Maybe there are really four siblings.

God, I love the idea of "Miss me" being said by Sherlock's sister...

**Posted by Punch me in the face** January 9, 2017 12:05 am

ps. And so the "E x x" >> at least she wasn't lying about her true initial

**Posted by Vhanja** January 9, 2017 12:05 am

"It's never twins"

So... two siblings? Eurus and Sherrinford? Where they twins, or where one of them twins with Sherlock?

**Posted by ewige** January 9, 2017 12:06 am

Whisky wrote:
What about "people always stop looking after three"?
Maybe there are really four siblings.

Excellent point! O.o

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** January 9, 2017 12:06 am

YES! Sherlock's childhood flashback just before she disappears, that was a major clue we all missed! I forgot that!

**Posted by nakahara** January 9, 2017 12:10 am

Vhanja wrote:
"It's never twins"

So... two siblings? Eurus and Sherrinford? Where they twins, or where one of them twins with Sherlock?

I too think we will get some twins in the next episode.

**Posted by Lis** January 9, 2017 12:12 am

Mycroft's teasing Sherlock with "the east wind's coming to get you" takes on a whole new level of bad! He obviously knows what she did and the fact that he teased Sherlock with this (even if Sherlock didn't know the relevance of it), well...not sure how I feel.

**Posted by Punch me in the face** January 9, 2017 12:21 am

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
YES! Sherlock's childhood flashback just before she disappears, that was a major clue we all missed! I forgot that!

Yeah, it's no accident it happens at that very moment. Maybe it is something in the way she is talking that unconsciously reminds him of her.

Sherlock seems to like her instantly and I don't think it's just because she reminds her of John (the cane and all)

And she genuinely seemed to enjoy being with Sherlock.

Maybe they were close when they were kids. Like I said, maybe there was an accident like she fell off a cliff (and her body was never found) while playing (pirates??) with Sherlock and Redbeard and Sherlock blamed himself.

(errrr; ok, I have an overflowing imagination lol)

Sure that wouldn't explain why she would want to burn the heart out of Sherlock aka, kill John.

And I really hope Sherrinford is another brother...

As for the Holmes parents... Well, it's true that if there was a dead (or supposedly or hidden) sister and another brother in the shadow, Christmas at their place would have been a bit tensed. But then, we must not forget that they are Holmes too! They may look perfectly "normal" but they apparently didn't feel that bad to pretend that one of their sons was dead when he was actually tortured in Eastern Europe.....

Last edited by Punch me in the face (January 9, 2017 12:22 am)

**Posted by ewige** January 9, 2017 12:24 am

I wonder whether Eurus want to kill John because she is jealous for Sherlock O.o