BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Mycroft's lack of help

**Posted by saturnR** September 9, 2012 8:18 am

He's supposed to be having his brother under 24/7 surveillance but doesn't help when the assassins move in on Sherlock's friends. If Sherlock could figure it out, Mycroft would have known ages ago (he's like the powers that be on the Bourne films). It's not that he doesn't know - his lack of surprise when reading about it in the papers indicates that he could see it coming. Why doesn't he intervene? He doesn't even need to show up in person, the boys in black suits are more than willing to do the work for him.

It's interesting to see that he doesn't try to help. It's not that he doesn't care about his brother. He does care. But he chooses to not do anything. I'd be interested to know the reasoning behind it. Same as when Sherlock says that "Moriarty chose to be in prison", Mycroft chose to not help Sherlock in his hour of need. I know that there are theories about him being in on Sherlock's death and possibly helping the illusion along, but in the context of the episode where nobody knows that Sherlock survives, what would be Mycroft's reasons for staying out of the affair?

**Posted by The Doctor** September 9, 2012 10:08 am

I very much doubt that Mycroft is ever not-involved!

**Posted by kazza474** September 9, 2012 10:22 am

The Doctor wrote:
I very much doubt that Mycroft is ever not-involved!

Agreed!
Considering Mycroft can virtually run the British Government, is as smart or smarter than his younger brother & has all the forces available to him, I find it odd that people believe he has nothing to do with major events happening to Sherlock or that he does nothing when things get very tough for his brother especially when the criminal world would benefit from this.

We only have Moriarty's word for the assassins targeting Sherlock's friends. The images we see could be quite different to what they imply.
eg I know Mrs Hudson may be getting on in years but does she REALLY not see the gun in the handyman's toolbox?

Also, if this episode was a well laid plan, he would have no reason to intervene would he? Sherlock may indeed not have had an "hour of need".

Now if you imagine there WAS a well laid plan, it would be realistic to imagine there is no need for Mycroft to intervene & in fact it would be quite logical that he didn't.
This would explain his actions (or lack there of) in the simplest of manners.

**Posted by saturnR** September 9, 2012 10:50 am

The Doctor wrote:
I very much doubt that Mycroft is ever not-involved!

kazza474 wrote:
Also, if this episode was a well laid plan, he would have no reason to intervene would he? Sherlock may indeed not have had an "hour of need".

I'm not denying that Mycroft might be involved. I'm just saying that within the context of the episode - remember the other characters don't know that Sherlock survived & we're supposed to believe that he was in grave danger (or at least, we're to believe that he has allowed himself to be in great danger) on the rooftop.

Within this context, Mycroft could have helped but he chose not to partly because he knows that Sherlock won't accept his help, but more likely because he still believes as Sherlock did until Moriarty told him otherwise, that there is a digital pass code that can cause the next Y2K & the only way to get the code out of Moriarty is to surrender Sherlock Holmes to him. Just makes you think - what kind of brother does that? Given the choice between potential chaos & the safety of his brother, Mycroft chooses to surrender his brother. It's not wrong (actually, it's a very noble
decision) but it's not what most people would do. If a normal person had a choice between saving the world & saving their loved ones, they would choose saving their loved ones - that is the natural thing to do. Sherlock talks about not giving a damn & only caring about the problem but Mycroft is the one who actually lives this philosophy. When faced with the choice between the world & his friends, Sherlock still chose his friends.

**Posted by Davina** September 9, 2012 11:04 am

Recall Mycroft's words outside the mortuary in ASiB? 'Caring is not an advantage'. Sherlock's words also from ASiB? 'Sentiment is a chemical defect found on the losing side'. Sherlock also has a trained soldier and medic as a flatmate/colleague; one who has already killed to save his life. It is extremely unlikely that Mycroft would not be involved. The other thing to consider is basically one of artistic licence with aspects of the plot. If, and it is a big if, Mycroft decided to sacrifice his brother, which, as you say is not what normal people would do then it should be no surprise. Neither he, nor Sherlock, are normal people. Which begs the question...would Sherlock really sacrifice himself to save his friends?

Last edited by Davina (September 9, 2012 11:14 am)

**Posted by kazza474** September 9, 2012 11:18 am

saturnR wrote:
Within this context, Mycroft could have helped but he chose not to partly because he knows that Sherlock won't accept his help, but more likely because he still believes as Sherlock did until Moriarty told him otherwise, that there is a digital pass code that can cause the next Y2K & the only way to get the code out of Moriarty is to surrender Sherlock Holmes to him. Just makes you think - what kind of brother does that?.

Well we don't know that he didn't help nor can we assume why he didn't IF he didn't.

But what I am saying is that I believe he DID help and more than that; I believe this whole incident started before this episode, way back during or before HOUNDS. He & Sherlock had to bring Moriarty down. They devised a plan, starting with interrogating Moriarty unsuccessfully to make him feel as if he had the upper hand. They WANTED Moriarty to believe he could beat Mycroft's methods. They WANTED him to try to carry out his downfall of Sherlock. They were ready for him & allowed him to build his ego up. So in that case, My croft didn't have to interfere with anything; it was all part of the plan.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** September 12, 2012 8:43 am

Mycroft doesn't need to help, as he knows the whole plan and is in on it from the beginning. And how could he help without actually hindering the plan they'd already set in motion?

**Posted by Davina** September 12, 2012 10:24 am

Exactly! His lack of help is only a problem if it is actually needed or wanted.

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2012 8:19 pm

We don't know he hasn't helped.