So for those of you who are into BBC’s Sherlock TV show, you know about all those fan theories and all the thinking that goes into watching this amazing, complex, and uber detailed show. You know that missing one sentence could maybe lead to immense confusion several episodes later. “What on earth is Vatican Cameos?” you may have asked after Sherlock’s exclamation at John and Mary’s wedding. Watch Scandal in Belgravia (Season 2, Episode 1) for answers. (Scandal in Belgravia is one episode to proceed with caution, because of nudity and adult themes. Thankfully my dad watched it first and is an experienced editor, so we get all the good stuff and don’t have to worry about the trash.)
So, anywho, my sister and brother and I are careful to pay attention to the details after being surprised so many times by this show. You know when you’re watching a movie or TV show for the very first time and you predict everything that’s going to happen? Do you tend to like those types? I can honestly say I do not like them. But with Sherlock I’m afraid because of the ignorance that you have when watching. I never thought that *spoiler!!!* Sherlock would actually jump or *spoiler!!!* make an appearance at the end of that episode. I never thought that *spoiler!!!* C.A.M. would play an important role or that *spoiler!!!* Mary wasn’t actually Mary but an assassin!!! This show is seriously cray cray. But, on with the fan theory. We’ve been noticing how big of a role Sherlocks’ childhood dog, Redbeard, has been playing, especially in this last Season. We’ve bounced ideas off each other, but my sister finally wrote it down in full. So, here it is.
I have a theory, in which Redbeard is a large part of what we are missing. Redbeard was Sherlocks’ only friend during his childhood, and Sherlock would often get bullied. Redbeard would protect him if he found someone bullying Sherlock physically. One day Sherlock was being bullied by other children and they began to hurt him. Redbeard responded by protecting Sherlock and biting the children. One child had to get stitches, and so the Holmes were forced to put down Redbeard. Sherlock became miserable and depressed, and Mycroft became his only “friend”. He grew up with parents he could not relate to and an older brother who was highly intelligent but not very loving and who did not encourage affection. Which led to drugs and smoking in his early life. Sherlock had not had a true loving friend since then, and did not think he had enough strength to trust and love another being for fear of being hurt. When John came into his life, he praised Sherlock but also was critical, and had a right amount of indifference. Sherlock began to like John, and that one night when Sherlock was about to test his “luck” and weigh his life, John found him and killed the bully. He now realized that John filled that role in his life, instead of Redbeard. That is the reason Redbeard appeared in his mind palace during his near death experience, and also the reason it was in the same hallway that John saved him in. Now Mycroft uses Redbeard to tell Sherlock he mustn’t get too emotionally attached. And Sherlock replying with “I’m not a child anymore Mycroft” is telling Mycroft either he is now a man and no longer needs his brothers support, or that he is still carful with his emotions and will not let himself become too attached to John and Mary because he knows this will cause him pain. Mycroft was wretchedly unhappy as a child, watching out for Sherlock and trying to lead him in a way that would cause him the least pain. Thus helping him with the drugs, and he still feels as if he needs to protect Sherlock from any unnecessary emotions that could hurt him.
If you watch the show let us know what you think about Redbeard and this particular theory in the comments. If you don’t watch Sherlock and nothing’s stopping you from it, get busy! It’s the best show ever in my opinion.
Chronicles in Bloom 