emotional context.

Mind palace Molly, also know as Sherlock’s crisis support system. Molly is always adorable and became stronger and stronger but what a statement it was to show her through Sherlock’s eyes. As all the sequence it happened in his mind the motifs used became way harder to refuse. As so:

- She is surrounded by light,

- She is reason,

- Sherlock follows every command of her,

- Sherlock respects Molly professional opinion

- Molly tells Sherlock how to fall, and finally as she switch places with Anderson in the last second

- Sherlock falls for Molly.

I’m a j0hnlocker in other versions, but in this scene, when Sherlock could have his ARMY DOCTOR in his mind, but NO. Molly Hooper showed up, all in white, in all her glory, slapping and commanding, literally moments before his death and what his mind, SHERLOCK MIND chooses to call for help is Molly. Never thought in jlock in this show again after that.

It made me appreciate more the writers of the show too, cuz they had the balls to make an OC of such an known work in an original way breathtaking way. Molly definitely fills a gap that was there, to me in all versions of Sherlock Holmes including original, and simply John (ACD or BBC’s versions) wouldn’t fit in.

It’s kinda sad Molly wasn’t so explored in S4, but if Molly meant that much for Sherlock in his mind just after John’s wedding, what can we say after the two withdrawals and Mary’s death?

Louise Brealey as Gillian Chamberlain

Brand New pics from Sherlock S4 Pt 1 (x) (pt 2 here)

Having seen various posts on this topic, I wanted to add my thoughts on why Sherlock “lost it” over Molly Hooper. I think it was because Eurus forced Sherlock and Molly to fast-forward through a potential romantic relationship and act out several intensely emotional moments that could really happen between them. As she said: “So many days not lived, so many words unsaid…” 

In this scene Eurus is literally making them live those moments and say those words.

All of these potential moments scare the life out of Sherlock, and are the (possibly unconscious) reasons he’s afraid a relationship with Molly would be doomed to fail, (the irony being that his fears are completely human and normal, in fact, sweeter than normal, because that’s who he really is).  

 1. Sherlock’s request for Molly to say ‘I love you.’

In a relationship Sherlock is afraid he would be cruel to her, like this, he might hurt her, make her cry, and not understand why. If he is sociopath; she deserves better than him, and he won’t be able to avoid hurting her. 

 2. His first ‘I love you.’

In real life he might be terrified because he knows he has to say it, because she expects it, but he’s not sure if he does love her or even if he can love her in that way. He can’t lie to her; she sees right through him, so she’ll be able to tell if he doesn’t mean it, and then, no matter how much he wants her, he won’t be able to have her. 

3. His second ‘I love you.‘ 

Here is the realisation that he’s an idiot: it felt the most natural thing in the world to say, because of course he truly does love her. He’s stunned, he’s human after all, and he would be joyful, if it were not for the fact that… 

 4. She’s about to die, because of him. 

He loves her, and now he faces the prospect of losing her, just as he lost Mary, and his time it’s entirely his fault for putting her at risk. By loving her, he’s shown he’s just as human as everyone else, and therefore just as vulnerable. Losing her will destroy him.

So Eurus made Sherlock live all of that, in three minutes. That’s why it felt like vivisection. She pressed on his most sensitive nerves and made him dance like an ordinary human being. 

So when I got this ask it ended up inspiring me a little. My answer is going to be a little ficlet instead of a legit answer, so hopefully that won’t bother you lol. Besides, I don’t think this is totally out of the realm of possibility. We can happily imagine…

There’s Still A Chance

John pulled the blanket around his shoulders a little tighter in the back seat of the police cruiser and let out a heavy sigh. “God, I can’t wait to hold Rosie,” he murmured.

Sherlock continued staring silently out his window.

“Hey,” John prodded gently, making his friend turn. “You did good today. You should be proud.”

Sherlock barely smiled. “People did die, John.”

He nodded. “Yeah but some people didn’t. Your parents still have all three of their children because of you. I get to go home and raise my daughter because of you. You did that.”

John cleared his throat a minute later, after some more silence had set in, deciding it was a reasonable time to unearth another more specific topic.

“So…Molly.”

Sherlock’s head whirled round again to meet his gaze before swallowing thickly and facing ahead.

“Yes,” he answered softly, perhaps a little nervously.

“So during that phone call you- you told her you…” John started slowly, and Sherlock took the bait.

“I did think she was about to die, John.”

John shook his head and smiled. “I knew you were gonna say that. I knew that’s what you were going to say when I brought this up. Sherlock, look, I’m not talking about how it happened. I don’t care if she was surrounded by bombs or in a cage or in that coffin or if she was just standing there in front of you. The point is…you meant it.”

Sherlock kept his gaze straight ahead but John could detect a shift in his demeanor.

John boldly repeated his statement. “Sherlock, you meant it.”

Finally, the stoic detective turned and looked him in the eye, speaking not much above a whisper.

“Maybe I did.”

“Ok,” John acknowledged, nodding slowly. “So you meant it. So then…what now? I mean, I know you don’t typically do…that sort of thing but I can’t help wonder if things might be different now. Things should be different now, I’d think. You’ve scoffed at sentiment for years but, mate, what saved you today? What saved everyone who walked away today? It wasn’t cold unfeeling logic, I can tell you that much for sure. If that’s all you had you never would have won. Because I think we all know Eurus has got you beat in that department. No, what saved us was your heart. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

Sherlock pressed his lips together nervously, no argument to offer, likely because he knew there was none to be had.

“So…” John pressed on. “What now?”

Sherlock inhaled and released the air from his lungs slowly, the plain old oxygen probably filling in for the comfort of nicotine that he’d never fully stop craving. Finally he squared his shoulders and his eyes brightened just a bit.

“Do you know, John, I believe you’ve already told me what to do next.”

John tilted his head and frowned in question. “Have I?”

Sherlock gave him a little smirk and cleared his throat in preparation to repeat the words. “Text her, phone her, do something…while there’s still a chance.”

John’s lips lifted slowly in a smile at his familiar wording before returning the favor and repeating words of Sherlock’s. “If you’d like to know how I predict the future…”

Sherlock chuckled. “No need to be smug, John.”

“Ooh, I think there’s need. Anytime I’m in the right I think I’ll have to use the chance to be just a bit smug.”

Before anything else could be said, John leaned forward toward the front seat. “Scuse me, could we use your mobile?”

The driver immediately complied, passing the device to John. Sherlock looked a little frightened as John settled back in his seat and reached his hand over, holding out the phone for him to take. Of course he was frightened, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t finally ready.

“While there’s still a chance,” John repeated softly, giving another gentle push.

Finally, slowly, Sherlock reached out and took the phone. He stared at it in his hands then, motionless before once again speaking the words that were quickly becoming like a mantra for him, making his fingers move to dial the familiar sequence of numbers.

His poor little face in that moment; blinking and pressing his lips together nervously, obviously dying inside about what he’s got to make her do. I think even in that moment he’s still not sure what exactly to say and how to do it. In that moment he’s probably still mulling over half a dozen options and trying to decide which would be the easiest and kindest way. And then of course add to that how panicked he gets when he finally simply asks her to say it and she says “leave me alone,” maybe thinking that he should have tried another tactic and he might have ruined it now and it’ll cost her life.