#splitted characters

The principle of multiple stages

Most interesting is the fact that there isn’t just one stage in this episode … there are actually two stages. The real one behind the curtains. It is used to store dresses, costumes, mirrors and all kind of theatrical suff. Everything one needs to dress up and disguise. And another one … located directly in front of the first one but lying slightly deeper. It's right in the middle of the audience room and marked through a circle of burning candles.

The splitting of characters

When John and Sarah are abducted and taken to the Dragon Den General Shan is convinced she is talking to Sherlock Holmes. This occures because earlier in the story several completely normal and unssupicious incidences happen, which are interpreted by Shan the wrong way. Shan doesn’t know how Sherlock Holmes looks like. Just like the audience in front of the TV screen doesn’t know (at first) that Sherock is sometimes represented by other characters … by mirrors ... who don't look like him either. Both is a visual illusion.

SHAN: Debit card, name of S. Holmes. SHAN: A cheque for five thousand pounds made out in the name of Mr. Sherlock Holmes. SHAN: Tickets from the theatre, collected by you, name of Holmes. SHAN: We heard it from your own mouth.

“I am Sherlock Holmes and I always work alone … because no-one else can compete with my MASSIVE INTELLECT!”

Because of these circumstances John becomes a mirror for Sherlock and Dr. Sarah Sawyer slips into the role of Dr. John Watson. 

“From the distant moonlit shores of NW1, we present for your pleasure Sherlock Holmes’ pretty companion in a death-defying act.”

As a result the audience is presented with a scene where two Sherlocks and two Johns are acting at the same time.

Sherlock and John …. each playing the role of Sherlock

John and Sarah …. each playing the role of John

Sherlock comes to the Dragon Den and saves John and Sarah.

John saves Sarah and Sherlock by pushing the crossbow out of the way.

John as Sherlock’s mirror saves Sarah as John’s mirror and Sherlock by pushing the crossbow out of the way.

This leaves, of course, the question … who actally pushes the crossbow in this scene? John as himself or John as a mirror for Sherlock? Who saves whom? Sherlock John or John Sherlock? It always comes down to the same conclusion: they need each other to save each other.

But it isn’t here in the Dragon Den where the 'splitting of the roles’ happens for the first time.

The magical moment

Sherlock is searching for information behind the curtains of the main stage. At first without success. Only when General Shan enters and Sherlock has to hide among clothes, he finds a very important piece of evidence.

Leaving his hiding place Sherlock doesn’t notice that he is already being watched by someone who wears a mask. It can’t be Zhi Zhu, because 'the spider’ is just in the middle of performing his act on the second stage, in front of the audience. It can’t be Shan either, because she left the first stage only seconds ago and doesn’t have the time to change her costume. So … it must be a third party who hides behind that mask.

Sherlock himself sprays the 'Deadman’ on the mirror, which puts the yellow line right over his own face. Only then Sherlock gets aware that someone is watching him ….

That’s the moment the masked person attacks Sherlock.

Sherlock stumbles down the 'precipice’ from the first to the second stage, landing dazed and helpless on the ground. In a graceful somersault and a swirl of billowing clothes the masked person hurls themselves after him and attacks Sherlock again.

That’s the moment where the 'splitting’ happens. When all the main characters enter the ring of burning candles surrounding the second stage.

John and Sarah running to Sherlock’s aid. John is put out of action by the masked person but Sarah takes over his place … knocks out the attacker and saves Sherlock’s life.

Another interesting little detail in this scene is the behaviour of Zhi Zhu 'the spider’ …. he takes off his mask and … runs away .... leaving the circle of flames behind him. General Shan seems gone as well.

The next morning in 221b Sherlock tells John that they 'barely scratched the surface’ of that case.

“A book is like a magic garden carried in your pocket.”

If a play is over you pick up the next script and set the stage anew. Another book, another script, another play.  Another stage with other actors.

“The game is never over … but there may be some new players now.”

At the end of the episode the 'execution’ of General Shan is shown. It gets clear that she wasn’t the head of this organisation. Someone who signs his texts with ’M’ is pulling the threads from the background.

General Shan …. General …. that word begins with a big 'G’. And Shan ends with a bullet in her head. Just like another person who calls himself 'Big G’ ….. 'street speak’ … hm ….

I leave you to your own deductions. Thanks @callie-ariane for the scripts.

August, 2017