BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / What is it with Sherlock and Irene?

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** February 13, 2012 12:13 am

Sherlock isn't interested in sex or love...so what are his emotions towards Irene, and why was he so affected by her "death"?

**Posted by Davina** February 13, 2012 12:08 pm

The writers say that this episode is a study of Sherlock and love, not Sherlock in love. He realises that Irene is genuinely attracted to him.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** February 16, 2012 11:08 pm

Right - but he's not attracted TO her, just interested in her and interested in how love/emotions work...

**Posted by SussexieVampire** March 28, 2012 5:28 pm

I think he is intrigued by her, and respects her for fooling him. You remeber that in "Scandal in Bohemia" he asks for the king for something much more valuable than the money, and it's her photograph? He will refer to her always under the honourable title of "the" woman, so he starts kinda liking her because of how she acted.

Though I like to think he is in love :3

**Posted by Wholocked** March 28, 2012 10:45 pm

I'm not sure if he loves her, per se. He certainly respects her and I gather she's the only woman he's ever met who has generated that kind of respect. He is attracted to intelligence, cunning, wit and she has those things. I think he was attracted to her, but maybe more cerebrally than physically.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** March 29, 2012 2:39 am

Yeah, I find their relationship really interesting. If Sherlock was on Facebook his relationship status should be "it's complicated"...hehe.

I love the bit where John suggests Hamish as a baby name!

**Posted by kazza474** March 29, 2012 2:42 am

Wholocked wrote:
I'm not sure if he loves her, per se. He certainly respects her and I gather she's the only woman he's ever met who has generated that kind of respect. He is attracted to intelligence, cunning, wit and she has those things. I think he was attracted to her, but maybe more cerebrally than physically.

Oh definitely a respect for her abilities.
'Love' is a dangerous fault.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** March 29, 2012 3:49 am

He loves her like his mirror image - it's a bit like he's attracted to Moriarty.

**Posted by Davina** March 29, 2012 9:52 am

Sherlock likes a challenge and she is just that.

**Posted by AuntClara** May 16, 2012 7:06 am

I agree Sherlock came to admire Irene for her intelligence, cunning and gamesmanship - she's a worthy opponent - she certainly wasn't boring! Was he in love? Not likely (yet), sentiment is chem defect on the losing side, but I like to think he was finding himself challenged and perplexed that he might actually be experiencing this defect - because something about Irene had sparked it.
I think both of them started out being intrigued by one another's game, the intrigue eventually becoming admiration and respect, and heavens! leading to sentiment. Irene revealed her hand first literally - but Sherlock's actions in assisting her in Karachi - reveals his, perhaps. I can't imagine it was all to fool Mycroft!

**Posted by besleybean** October 6, 2012 8:10 am

I personally just feel Sherlock was being chivalrous and fair in rescuing Irene.
The writer and actor both think Sherlock was in love...
I'm not sure I agree, but I would like to know their definition of love.

**Posted by KellyBookworm** January 22, 2013 6:14 pm

I agree with the others that Sherlock was fascinated by her because she was so much like him, and THAT's why he was so upset. She was a mirror of him, identical in ability and skill, but she died and failed, something Sherlock never considers possible for him. Because she, someone of Sherlock's caliber, met her downfall, he was greatly disturbed that that could happen to someone of such ability, to someone like him.

I definitely think he reassessed himself by her death because he realized he could die, he could fail, and it struck him to the core because he has always been an immovable and unbeatable person.

**Posted by Mary Me** March 10, 2013 12:04 pm

I do not think that Sherlock was "in love with her." A relationship between them would never work, though I kinda like the idea of Sherlock and Irene being together.

What I think defines their complicated relationship is that there is an emotionally attachment on both sides, though it's not something physically. Yeah I know, Irene is physically in love with him, but in my opinion the way both complete one another intellectually is the greater cause for their interest towards each other. As tobe said, you could compare it with Sherlock's interest towards Moriarty, though there's not the 'emotional spark'.
So Sherlock and Irene don't necessary have to love each other... I think they just need to know that the other is alive, somewhere and for me this is the reason why Sherlock saved Irene. And Irene must have been very happy, not only because he saved her from a violent death but more because she realised that she is important to him.

**Posted by besleybean** March 17, 2013 9:57 pm

Shock.

**Posted by Eselin** June 20, 2013 2:11 am

I think Sherlock loved the challenge Adler brought, not specifically Adler herself.
She uses her body as a weapon, gaining the upperhand by manipulating reactions in some people's morst vunerable state (sexual need can bring someone's defenses down completely) then stands right back up and struts out in confidence
Sherlock is, obviously, drawn to a challenge, so when he finds 'The Woman', she takes him down, I think he's honestly having fun trying to figure her out and beat her.
When he is confronted with her loss, he has to stop for a second to understand what he has lost, and how is effected him differently than almost anyone else.
He was attached to the idea of someone he could mentally spar with, and try to get the upperhand.
I think. That probably sounds dumb.

**Posted by sj4iy** June 20, 2013 3:04 am

I think the Japanese subtitle said it best - "she's my match".

**Posted by Elvina** June 20, 2013 6:17 pm

This is an interesting debate and it's very tricky to know for certain. Perhaps Sherlock was in love, in his own way - the sad music, the not eating? He acted like he was love sick.

Then, he acted like he didn't know he had been played when confronted by Mycroft on the plane but perhaps he was playing along? Sherlock seems to come to a realisation as he sits in the chair at Myrcroft's house (???) while Irene blabs on about Moriarty etc, it seems he realised the code and then knows Irene has not won because she's fallen for him and let him know it. A weakness in his book.

As for saving her, well, it seems Sherlock does have a heart and while he let Irene stew for several months in her own guilt and regret he bailed her out because - as his sort of equal, he likes the idea of her being "out there" as someone else on this thread pointed out.

**Posted by sj4iy** June 20, 2013 6:32 pm

I think he really did fall in love (as "in love" as he ever will). He way his tone changed when he saw the present on the mantle, the way his hands were shaking when he opened it. And then, of course, the way he looked absolutely crushed when he was walking back to his apartment on New Year's Eve...he was in love. He didn't know what was going on on the plane, and he was full of revenge when he figured out the code...but then he couldn't bear for her to die, so he saved her.

Mycroft's statement of "My brother has the mind of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective. What can we deduce about his heart?" to me, shows that Sherlock is more innocent and naive than we like to think about him. Love really throws him off his game.

**Posted by besleybean** June 20, 2013 6:34 pm

I've always thought him an innocent to love and sex and I think he remains so to sex.

**Posted by Elvina** June 20, 2013 7:53 pm

sj4iy wrote:
I think he really did fall in love (as "in love" as he ever will). He way his tone changed when he saw the present on the mantle, the way his hands were shaking when he opened it. And then, of course, the way he looked absolutely crushed when he was walking back to his apartment on New Year's Eve...he was in love. He didn't know what was going on on the plane, and he was full of revenge when he figured out the code...but then he couldn't bear for her to die, so he saved her.

Mycroft's statement of "My brother has the mind of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective. What can we deduce about his heart?" to me, shows that Sherlock is more innocent and naive than we like to think about him. Love really throws him off his game.

sj4iy I think you're quite right...Also, John's reaction "Did he take the cigarette?...Shit!" that seemed to say it all to John.