#UN CREATIVR

[wodania]

Just set up my PS4 meaning that Elden Ring renaissance and Skyrim introduction may be fast approaching

[engazed]

1) Yesterday and the day before yesterday I watched the last two episodes :-) After finished the second one I understood that the creators wanted to show us that the image we have of John was more perfect than the real one, and I really think the final scene was so touching (his confession and the hug). I loved it because of the emotional charge, but my rational side tells me that it does not fit the story because John would never do that so the remorse was a tricky resource.

2) The last episode was darker than usual and it made me wonder if a person really can forget such an important part of his life but I loved how the relationship between Sherlock and John was healing. (and also Mycroft´s development. I am glad we could know him better) To me the ending was perfect because since the first season I have always pictured them living together. Their friendship is so strong that before Rose was born, I think Sherlock was the most important person to John. 

3) And I think that John keeps being the most important person to Sherlock. My favourite season is still the second one, but I love how the characters have grown during the episodes. It saddens me that their story has ended but perhaps it is the best. It is difficult to maintain the quality in a long series. (Forgive my mistakes. English is not my first language). Looking forward to your thoughts :-) I have read all your posts about creativr writing and I have learned a lot :)

Thank you for your patience while I’ve formulated my thoughts. 

The primary objections I have seen regarding John’s extramaritalflirtations/emotional infidelity have come under two categories: (1) For John,whose core characteristic is loyalty,this is out of character; and (2) it makes no sense with the story. Although Ihonestly didn’t like to see John going down that road, I will take exception toboth objections and here argue within the context of the show—not widelyaccepted head canons—that the John Watson of series 4 was not, in fact, ‘out ofcharacter’, but the groundwork for this type of behaviour has beenlaid in previous series. If you cannot manage sympathy for him, it is my hope atleast to engender a little understanding of his very ‘human’ nature, asSherlock calls it. I will also argue that it makes sense within the context ofthe series 4 storyline.

What do we know about John Watson? Where do we get the ideathat he is loyal? This character trait may be inherent, but let’s not pretendthat John is some slathering, obsequious disciple. He’s not. He’s prickly, quickto anger, ready to go for a long walk when Sherlock gets under his skin. Mycroftmay think he’s quick to follow (‘You’re very loyal, very quickly.’), but John’sbrand of loyalty is considered and deliberate, not a default position. In the beginningof his relationship with Sherlock, what does he really stay for? In those earlydays, it’s the danger. The fondness and affection (seldom expressed, we note toour own aggravation) for Sherlock as a partner and flatmate comes later.

But there are two indelible characteristics shown to us in ‘AStudy in Pink’ that we ought not forget. The first is that John is a danger addict.As Mycroft shows both us and John,John misses the war. It’s when John realises this himself, and stares at hisown un-trembling hand, and smirks to himself, that he decides yes, he’s goingto stick by the madman. Sherlock’s life is dangerous, and it’s what he likes. Though that phrase isn’t put to him untilseries 3, it’s evident from the start.

Okay, so he likes danger. What else? He likes romance.He’s high on adrenaline, about to return to Baker Street and continue hisadventure, has just collected his pistol, and what does he do? He makes a playfor Anthea, not once but twice in the episode. So not only is he interested inwomen he perceives as possibly dangerous (she’s working for Sherlock’sarchenemy, of course she’s dangerous!), he’s not shy about flirting with them.

This isn’t a one-off, either. Essentially, it’s in hisplaybook. He’s intrigued by Irene Adler (just look at his face when Mycroftsays dominatrix), although hisannoyance with her quickly overrides any impulse to flirt. And when a strangewoman on the street just outside the flat appears to be flirting with him, hesays he willing to ‘heartlessly abandon’ any other plans to spend the eveningwith her. Just days before, he had broken it off with Janine, and—as Sherlocktactlessly points out—she’s just one of a string of women (probably boringones; he doesn’t pay much attention to them when they’re boring, so it’s nowonder he forgets and confuses the details, and moves on from them all ratherquickly, until Mary). The point is, he likes the attention of women. He likesdanger. He likes dangerous women.

Series 3 went further with this, suggesting that John hassomething of a sixth sense for dangerous women, and that he can’t control hisattraction to them, even if it’s hidden below the surface. Initially, Marypresents herself as innocuous, normal, rather the opposite of what John is actuallyattracted to (only, she isn’t, as his sixth sense picks up on: she’s exactly what he likes). We knowthat John trying to have an uncomplicated life is mostly a coping mechanisms.But he’s not very good at it. He keeps finding himself drawn to the extraordinaryand perilous, as if his subconscious radar knows exactly where to find it,despite himself. It’s how he is drawn to Mary, an ex-assassin, who ‘wasn’tsupposed to be like that’ (one of the most heartbreaking things John eversays).

In marriage, these two key aspects of John’s character (needfor danger and romance) don’t simply melt away. He’s still attracted to dangerouswomen, maybe especially to those whoappear ordinary but have something dangerous simmering beneath, and certainlythose who express an interest in him first. And in the context of the show,there is no woman more dangerous that Eurus. It is entirely keeping in linewith John’s history and character that he should be drawn to her.

Imagine, for a moment, that in T6T, John is not married. Basedon my above argument, I conclude that it is entirely unsurprising that heshould be drawn to the woman on the bus. She’s attractive, she’s paid him attention,and there is an element of danger to her that draws John in, subconsciously atleast. But the thing is, he is married,and he loves Mary. However complicated that love may be, there’s no doubt thathe loves her. He has no desire to be disloyalto her. But John, like all people, is complex, and there are other desires arework. We do not have the same John Watson here as existed in ASIP. Experiencesadd dimensions to a man, layers, complications. What remains true to hischaracter are the first two elements I’ve presented. What has been added arethe relationships he has established with Mary, with Sherlock, with himself.

I’ve been in dialogue with my fellow fic writer and friend,Fang’s Fawn (how’s that for alliteration?), about this very issue, and with herpermission, I quote from her observations on where John sees himself at thestart of series 4 with respect to the two most important people in his life:

Mary and Sherlock bothshow a tendency to marginalize John – quite without meaning to, I’m guessing,because it’s obvious they both adore him, but that scene where John leaves aballoon in his chair, while funny, is really rather sad when one thinks aboutit, if it’s an indication of how he thinks of himself. And then Mary andSherlock comparing him to the dog later…of course, they were teasing him, butwhen your spouse is supposed to be firmly on your side and gangs up on you withyour best pal, well…And then Mary’s tendency to make decisions without evenconsulting John…I get the sense that her character, as portrayed in the show,is rather like Sherlock’s in that she hasn’t had a lot of experience with closerelationships. I feel like she and Sherlock both are clumsy in their affection.John points that out when they catch up to her after she goes on the run. Ithelped restore my faith in him when he broke off the flirtatious texting and itcertainly sounded like he was getting ready to confess to Mary and perhapsinitiate a conversation about how he was feeling when she, tragically, gotcalled away by Sherlock.

I add my own view that John, perhaps feeling a little like hismoment in the sun has passed, is flattered by the attention of the woman on thebus (having no idea that it is not a chance encounter but that she’s, well,hunting him). Perhaps he is surprised to have attracted notice at all. I thinkthis a very human thing to feel, when you’re no longer in the dating scene,when you’re married, newly a parent, knackered every minute of the day. Wait,someone noticed me? She’s giving me her number? Can I still turn heads? Fang’sFawn agrees:

Suppose the woman on thebus hadn’t been Euros, but only what she appeared to be – a nice,ordinary, uncomplicated, and attractive girl who seemed charmingly taken withJohn (and who could blame her, right?). Is it really so far outside the realmthat even a good, loyal, faithful husband would be flattered by such attention?I’m middle-aged myself and very happily married, but I have to admit I’d beflattered if a reasonably attractive man flirted with me on the commuter train – inpart because I feel like I’m past the age where a random stranger would slip mehis phone number, and it would be a boost to my ego to think I’m not. Butgetting an ego boost doesn’t mean I’d dream of cheating on my husband (in fact,I’d probably brag to him about it!).

John knows he shouldn’t keep her number. His first impulseis the right one: to throw it away. But John weakens, keeps the presumablyharmless slip of paper, and sends a presumably harmless text: Hey. Of course, all infidelities startout harmlessly. We don’t throw our necks in a noose; we weave a flaxen cord,thread by thread. It’s a mistake. It’s disappointing. It’s heartbreaking. Thisisn’t the John Watson we want to see.We want him to be above reproach, loyal to a fault, blameless in a sea ofsinners, the victim not the victimiser.

I, too, have set him on a pedestal, denying him his humanity,and humanity means to fuck up, sometimes badly. ‘I fear we all might be human,’Sherlock says. He knows. He’s fucked up quite a lot. John has forgiven him. Heneeds to be willing to forgive himself. Even John Watson is human.

But let’s not imagine, either, that he is a villain. Let usnot forget: he breaks it off. He isn’tcoerced to do so. He isn’t caught and thenbecomes repentant. No one knows, outside of him and the woman, and still he chooses to end a relationship that isnothing but texting, despite his own interest and desire, because he does knowit is wrong. His moral compass is not shattered. For a moment, yes, he lookedaway, stuffed it in his pocket, ignored it. But he looks back, and he does theright thing in the end. And yes, he was going to confess it to Mary, notonly to ease his own conscience but to ease hers as well, for she believed shewas sinner and he saint, and he couldn’t let her believe that. That, in myview, is noble.

And maybe his confession came too late. But it came. And itcame in the presence of perhaps that only person who could really understandand help him. Sherlock knows what it feels like to disappoint people, to betraythem, to hate oneself, to feel worthy of punishment.

I quote at length from Fang’s Fawn, who expounds further onJohn’s emotional state as the third wheel the John-Mary-Sherlock trio:

Mary didn’t really treatJohn very well. We already know she married John under false pretenses, lyingto him from day one about everything, even her own name. When the truth startsto come out, she panics instead of coming clean and tries to cover everythingup. Few things can do more catastrophic damage to a relationship than lying –the breach of trust is hard to get past. John forgives her, but it would benaive to think things weren’t still at least a bit raw during the timeframe ofTST. Then there’s Mary’s relationship with Sherlock. Mary andSherlock seemed like a very close brother and sister to me in TST, similar intheir humor, the way their minds work, and their world views. Having yourspouse and your best friend like each other and get along great is fantastic;having them form a sort of mini-clique, exclude you, and make jokes at yourexpense together is definitely e scene with Toby the dog made me wince– Sherlock calling Mary without telling John because “she’s better atthis than you,” Mary showing up and handing the baby off to John, tellinghim not to wait up, then the whole exchange where they compare John to the dog,saying he’s “handy and loyal,” and wondering if they should “lethim come with us.” Obviously Sherlock and Mary were just teasing John in whatthey clearly thought was an affectionate way and didn’t mean a word of it, butif I were in John’s place I’d find it pretty hurtful and also disloyal…

Then there’s the baby. John confidently introduces her as“Catherine” to Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock and Molly, but Mary immediatelyinterjects with “yeah, we’ve gone off that.” I get the sense thatMary probably wanted to name the baby after herself (her former self?) almostas soon as she learned she was having a daughter, probably as a promise toherself that THIS Rosamund’s life would be better. But instead of talking toJohn about it, she clearly manipulates him into going along with it unawares.Then he figures it out on his own, and now his daughter’s name will serve asone more deception on the part of her mother. Is it any wonder John might look at his crazy, complicated life and thensee what appears to be a simple, smiling, uncomplicated person looking at himand wonder, “what if?”

John’s story arc in series 4 is a hard one to watch; it’s thelowest we’ve ever seen John—morally, emotionally, feeling sorrow and betrayalto a painful extent. But it is also beautiful and redemptive. I personally amhoping for a series 5, maybe a few years down the road, where we can see Johnis a much better place, having healed from all his hurts and having forged ahappy, healthy life with his daughter and best friend. I love John Watson—alwayshave, always will—and this latest series has not diminished that. In fact, themore time I spend analysing the storylines and his character particularly, themore I love him. He’s loving, brave, funny, intelligent, and loyal, perhapseven more so, now that he’s been through the refiner’s fire. Sherlock Holmesgot it right in calling him the kindest, bravest, wisest man he’s ever known.But those kind of people don’t arrive in the world fully formed. The question,really, is how did he become that way? Well, that’s precisely the story we arebeing told.