I've Totally Fallen for "The Reichenbach Fall"!

[rusty_armour]

I had all these things I wanted to say, ideas I was formulating in my mind while watching "The Reichenbach Fall". However, I was so blown away by the ending that I'm just sitting here in shock and amazement. Actually, I'm still trying to work out how the fuck Sherlock did it? How did he fake his own death when to all appearances he was dead -- and in front of witnesses, no less? I did notice that the staff of Bart's wouldn't let John get too close -- in much the same way Holmes made sure Watson wouldn't get too close to him in "The Adventure of the Dying Detective" because he knew Watson (as a doctor) would figure out that he wasn't really ill. I wonder if this is what Sherlock asked Molly to do? Help him fake his death? I thought Sherlock looked surprised and stunned when Moriarty told him he would have to commit suicide, but, then, "Richard Brook" isn't the only one who's an actor. And, after all, Sherlock and Moriarty are the same person, right?

I feel as if nothing I could write could possibly do justice to this episode, so I'll just record some of my geeky fangirl observations. Okay, the first observation isn't really Sherlockian, but just my glee over the fact that Sherlock retrieved that painting of the Reichenbach Falls from my favourite painter of all time, J.M.W. Turner! Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. However, the next moment of excitement for me was Sherlockian because Moriarty breaking into the Tower of London had to be an allusion to the Tower of London jewel heist Moriarty carried out in my second favourite Basil Rathbone film, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. For that matter, Moriarity was on trial at the beginning of that film, but he got off because Holmes didn't arrive in time with the crucial evidence. Hmm...Of course, the main source material for the episode was "The Final Problem". I loved the way Moriarty kept referring to "the final problem," which was a nice nod to canon Holmes fans. This episode also included what I believe was almost an exact quote from "The Final Problem," that famous comparison Holmes makes to Moriarty being like a spider in a web:

He sits motionless, like a spider in the centre of its web, but that web has a thousand radiations, and he knows well every quiver of each of them.

Stephen Thompson also recreates that confrontation scene between Holmes and Moriarty at Baker Street, though it plays out quite differently in "The Reichenbach Fall". Nevertheless, Moriarty's message is the same: I'm going to destroy you. And, speaking of destruction, I thought it was brilliant that Sherlock's downfall didn't involve his death but the total annihilation of his reputation. As a shameless Lestrade fan, I really enjoyed watching our poor DI fight against the seeds of doubt that had been planted in his head. I'm not sure if he entirely believed that Sherlock was involved in the kidnapping. He did try to warn Sherlock and wasn't happy about the arrest. Of course, that was nothing compared to that final conversation between Sherlock and John. It was heartbreaking to see Sherlock tearfully tell John that he was a fraud, sacrificing himself in order to save his three friends. It's fantastic that the note left at Reichenbach Falls in "The Final Problem" became a phone call here. I wonder if it was worse for John to see Sherlock "die" than it was for Watson to imagine what Holmes's "death" was like at Reichenbach Falls. Lastly, it was fabulous to see John give his own version of the "best and wisest man whom I have ever known" canon quote at the cemetary and catch that glimpse of Sherlock watching John, much as Holmes watched Watson at Reichenbach Falls after he faked his death.

I'll be waiting with bated breath until the next new episode is broadcast.

Comments

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

My theory -- before I saw any trailers for this season -- was that the death was too hard to get out of in the 21st century, and instead Sherlock would need to implicate himself in order to take Moriarty down. And it would end with both of them in prison.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Well, your theory was pretty close to what happened. I mean, Sherlock was literally arrested and was a fugitive from the law. It's just that Moriarty set him up. ;-)

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

The question is ... was Sherlock simply Moriarty`s victim? After all, Moriarty lost his identity just as much as Sherlock lost his. To the world at large, Jim Moriarty wasn't a consulting criminal ... merely the front man for Sherlock Holmes.

Could Moriarty have played into the hands of the Holmes brothers? It leaves Sherlock in a great position to take over much of Moriarty's gang and destroy it from within.

While Moriarty may have a few allies in the know, most of his network wouldn't know what was going on. They know it wasn't all a fantasy. There were probably hundreds of Moriarty jobs not foiled by Sherlock Holmes. So, they know someone was committing those crimes. What if the average Moriarty supporter believes that Holmes was the power behind the scenes. They think the actor Holmes hired to divert suspicion turned traitor. They might think Holmes needed to eliminate that Rich Brook and then fake his own death. Once the assassins are out of the way, Holmes could emerge and take control.

[dubghall.livejournal.com]

Could Moriarty have played into the hands of the Holmes brothers?

I like that! They couldn't get him to break through interrogation. But by letting him go, he destroyed his own reputation as a criminal, admitted that there was no secret computer code, and killed himself.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Apologies for not responding to this comment sooner, puckrobin! I got a bit snowed under with the other comments for this post and losing my internet connection at home for two days didn't help. Fortunately, I was reminded of your comment when dubghall gave a response herself. :-)

Like dubghall, I really like this theory. I'm not sure if I agree with it as I'm still thinking it through. I did think it was strange that they let Moriarty go. I thought maybe it was because they weren't getting anywhere with him or had no grounds to hold him -- if such rules apply in Mycroft's world. I guess my problem with this theory is that I have a hard time picturing Moriarty as a victim himself. I mean, I accept that he might have played into the Holmes brothers' hands by destroying his own identity, but I think he was already on a path of self-destruction. He killed himself without a moment's hesitation at the end. Saying that, I can see Sherlock taking advantage of Moriarty's demise when he returns. I think it's a brilliant idea for Sherlock to take over Moriarty's gang and destroy it from within.

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

I think the problem with a lot of TV shows is they don't stand up to scrutiny.

For example, here's the central flaw with the Rich Brook lie. Why did no one recognize Moriarty?

The reporter has quite a substantial newspaper article about Brook's casting in a TV show. So, apparently Brook isn't supposed to be some obscure regional theatre actor from Outer Mongolia. He's supposed to have had a decent career. (He might moan about being out of work at the time, but really.. even the fake headline lists him as being an acclaimed actor.)

And yet in the aftermath of the Crown Jewels robbery and the trial, Moriarty's face was all over the front page of the papers. No one came forward then? Several million people saw those photos and news footage of the trial.

Or was Brook's acting career supposed to have took off in the two months after Moriarty's trial. (In which case, why wasn't he recognized as Moriarty?)

Moriarty can falsify all the records he likes, but his lie opens up too many questions. The police, editors, journalists should be able to smell that something isn't kosher.

And of course, Brook would be guilty of knowing aiding and abetting Sherlock's supposed crimes.

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

Hey, you're right! I can't believe that didn't occur to me, though, like so many people, I've been completely distracted by the question of how exactly Sherlock executed his "death". *g*

All of your questions are ones fans should be considering. Why didn't anyone recognize Rich Brook at the time of the trial? Unless Kitty is a really crappy journalist, I would have thought that she would check out Rich Brook's story and watch at least one of the episodes of this children's show he hosted. Then, as you've also pointed out, there's the question of Brook's involvement with Sherlock's supposed crimes. Hmm...Maybe the Sherlock team took a page out of Russell T. Davies' book and had Moriarty hypnotize everyone. *g*

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that she is a crappy journalist, and maybe even her editors are crappy. But are all the journalists, editors and police of the entire country that bad?

If the answer is "Well, Moriarty bought them off or intimidated them." then everyone appears to be under Moriarty's thumb.

The more I think about it, I feel like it's the tale of Sir Boast-a-lot.

[alysscarlet.livejournal.com]

You're right of course, about all of this. And I think we have the writers to blame for it. But so far you seem to be the only person that's noticed this gaping problem at the heart of the episode!

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

It's because like many geeks I don't have a life to distract me.