Oh, Watson...

Can we take a moment to appreciate how John reacts?

At first, he’s just downright shocked. He can’t believe it. He’s looking at him with so much confusion and worry. Even fear. He, I think, believes Sherlock did it for him. Probably because he was flicking John’s face. Probably because he put John in a fire. “Utter cock”, he was probably thinking.

But then Sherlock turns and says “Give my love to Mary. Tell her she’s safe now.”

And that’s when Johns face drops.

Sherlock, his Sherlock, had just murdered a man to keep his wife safe. To keep John happy. Anything for his John.

He even drops his arms slightly, as if to give up surrendering, as if he wanted to collapse and scream why why why

Because that’s where Sherlock had got it wrong. John wouldn’t have wanted him to do that. Didn’t want him to do that. Not for him. Not for Mary. From what John can tell, Sherlock just threw away his life for a woman John doesn’t even love. Not in the way he loves Sherlock, anyway.

And I think Sherlock knows it too, in his own little way.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson

Thats right!

Permission to be a bad ass. Nod.

He looks back at the guy like, “SEE THAT? SHE SAID YES. YOU’RE SO FUCKED.”

In Sparta, women could own land and were considered citizens. THAT IS A HUGE BIG FUCKING DEAL. Why? Because that was RARE AS FUCK and there are lots of places TODAY where women don’t even get that much.

Divorce was totally fine, and a woman could expect to keep her own wealth and get custody of the kids because paternal lineage wasn’t very important. And it didn’t make her a pariah! She could totally remarry, no big deal at all.

Spartan women participated in some fuckin’ badass sporting events, too. And because they were expected to be as physically fit as the Spartan menfolk (who all had to serve compulsory military duties, btw, and couldn’t marry until they finished them at thirty) they didn’t have time for lots of swishy dresses. So they wore notoriously short skirts. According to some accounts, their thighs were visible at all times. HOLY SHIT. 

Also, In Sparta men only got their names on their graves if they died in battle. And women? Women only got their names on their graves if they died in childbirth. THE SPARTANS COMPARED CHILDBIRTH TO FUCKING BATTLE AND IT WAS VIEWED AS A GODDAMN BADASS AND HONORABLE WAY TO GO OUT.

Plus the women could marry whomever they pleased and the men weren’t allowed to live with the women in their house until she said so. And they were tough in Sparta but also all about family. To have male offspring was good luck, to have female offspring was an honour. 

This part of the movie was true; King Leonidas really did kill a man because he insulted his wife and he always ensured that he had his wife’s approval. And while Leonidas was away in battle she did rule Sparta on her own. 

…

a scene from the fanfic  Performance in a Leading Role  by madlori (here)