How Sherlock Pulled it Off

MLP January 16, 2012 5

Be warned, there are spoilers for the final episode of Sherlock from the second series that aired last night on BBC 1; The Reichenbach Fall.

I realize that the series wont see air in the US until later this year on PBS, but I recently discovered the first series of Sherlock on Netflix and couldn’t wait. It’s a shame BBC doesn’t offer some sort of online play for people outside of the UK, but that’s for another post. Anyway, for those in the know, or not; Sherlock had to perform a fairly creative escape act from Moriarty’s plan, and this is how I think he did it.

First off, after Sherlock had been framed by Moriarty, he determines that the only way to end all of what Moriarty was doing, was for his death. That his own death has to be his end game. He realizes this at the point that he takes his separate taxi, probably formulating his plan and contacting Mycroft. From this point everything is Sherlock’s hands. While he still tries to unravel Moriarty’s plan to ensure he doesn’t have to perform his end game, he still has the play in place.

While at the morgue at St. Bartholew’s, he speaks with Molly, including telling her he has always trusted her, and telling her he believes he is going to die:

Sherlock: “Molly, I think I’m going to die.”

Molly: “What do you need?”

Sherlock: “If I wasn’t everything you think I am…..would you still want to help me?”

Molly: “What do you need?”

Sherlock: “You”

Once he feels he has a reason to lure Moriarty in, determining Moriarty’s finger tapping was meant to lure him into the “computer code key” he contacts him, getting him to meet at the roof of St. Bartholemew’s, thus controlling the situation.

His next step is to get Watson away so that he doesn’t interfere, as he knows his friend would try. He gets someone, most likely Molly, to make the call to get Watson away. When the call comes through, Sherlock has a look like he knows the purpose of the call. Plus, why else would he not react to news that Mrs. Hudson had been shot. Even Watson points this out. Obviously Sherlock isn’t concerned as he knows its fabricated.

Once on the roof, Sherlock plays the game for Moriarty, stretching things out, while waiting for the truck to pull into place. Sherlock looks over the edge more the once, showing us the street below. We never see the truck until he jumps.

Once the truck pulls into place, and Sherlock knows his plan is set, he comes off the ledge, talking to Moriarty, playing to him, until his suicide, which I don’t believe was Sherlock’s goal, and thus forces his hand. Knowing he is being watched, Sherlock plays the situation out how he needs to.

Once getting Watson on the phone, Sherlock ensures that Watson stays where he is, telling him “Don’t move. Keep your eyes fixed on me.” Ensuring Watson’s position and view, possibly even allowing Molly to get in position and prepared for what will come next.

Watson sees the fall, but the actual impact on the ground is blocked from his view. This has all been planned out by Sherlock. He knew how much time he would have before John came back, and knew where he had to keep him for him to believe Sherlock committed suicide, ensuring that everything appears genuine to the people watching.

When John starts running towards the scene, the biker who was positioned by Sherlock, and waiting for Watson to move, starts riding towards him, intentionally bumping into him, and ensuring that Sherlock has enough time to set the scene, and ensuring that Watson is disoriented between getting knocked down, and the pure shock of seeing his friend fall to his presumed death.

This is where Molly comes into play. She was sent by Sherlock to arrange the scenario, ensuring the truck would be where it was. Molly was likely in the truck herself, or even possibly one of the hospital staff that comes running over immediately. Regardless she is right there on the street, and this is how I believe the situation played out:

Sherlock jumps from the building, landing safely into the truck, and then quickly jumping out, laying on the sidewalk. Molly, who is there waiting does two things. She first gives Sherlock a quick injection, either slowing his heart or stopping it to ensure anyone checking his vitals will be convinced he is dead. She also has brought blood from the morgue, ensuring the scene is set. If you pay attention, there is a specific amount of blood from the first shot we see the body until it is rolled away. There is no continued bleeding out or anything like that. There is immediately a set amount of blood, and that’s it.

The body is checked by multiple people, showing no signs of life, and is thus quickly rolled to the morgue, as the truck, Molly, and any proof of setting this death scene rolls away. There in the morgue, Molly (who was dropped off by the truck around the corner and made her way back down to the morgue) is able to revive Sherlock, while at the same time declaring him dead, and replacing his body with another, and no one is ever the wiser. This is ensured by Mycroft showing up, taking control and ensuring no one ever sees the body again.

Further signs that the scene was staged, from the use of the truck:

Sherlock, falling from the building, totally perpendicular with the building itself, to his body turning a full 45 degrees, parallel with the bed of the truck.

Amount of blood, immediately after the fall, when people are just getting to the scene, and when they roll his body. No change, no additional bleeding out. (Notice truck has started pulling away at this point)

Let it also be said that yes, I believe Mycroft is in on it all. He helps pull off “death” by using his political power. He also ensures Sherlock is able to stay in the shadows, providing him with the funds and anything else that is needed as a way to repay any debt he feels he owes his younger brother for the problems he caused with Moriarty. He wants his brother safe, and realizes this is the only way that can be done.

I have to say I enjoy the parallels between Sherlock and Doctor Who, with both the Doctor and Sherlock needing to fake their own deaths because they have gotten “too big” and need to return to the shadows to do what needs to be done. Moffat does enjoy writing deaths that make you scratch your head. While, just like with the Doctor, although it might seem like the easiest and most obvious answer, that doesn’t mean it can’t actually be the answer as to how it was done.

Like Moriarty told Sherlock: “That’s your weakness, you always want everything to be clever.”

POSTED IN » Television

Arya

It’s well thought out, I’ll give you that, but it can’t work like that for one simple reason. Look at the sidewalk. It’s too wide for someone who just casually stepped off a roof like Sherlock did to somehow manage to make it to a truck parked on the curb. It’s physically impossible for him to have landed that far away from the building and it’s probably also physically impossible to be able to jump that far period. Sorry….
RD

Interesting theory but what about the sniper? Surely he would have seen the fall and so would have seen Sherlock jump onto the truck etc?
Anonymous

I agree that there are issues with the theory as a whole. This is simply my idea/concept based off what we saw. I’ve seen others including a dummy or using a Sherlock mask, and both of those seem even more far fetched then him being able to land in the truck and quickly jump out.
One nice thing I saw somewhere (can’t remember if it was reddit or elsewhere) that suggested Sherlock could have blocked his pulse using the ball he had in the lab as you’re apparently able to hold a tennis ball under your arm and it blocks your pulse in that arm.
I will say I think in one way or another, the truck plays into the entire scheme. They showed more then one shot at the street, showing buses and other vehicles, and then when he drops, suddenly its just a truck, which also pulls off about the same time that John gets to the scene.
Who honestly knows though until we actually get to watch the 3rd series.
Amanda

earlier in the episode he mentions rhododendron ponticus while they are looking for the sweet factory the children are being kept in. Poison based off this plant can allegedly relax muscles and stop a pulse. This could explain him having no pulse. Right before he falls off, he sniffs?/inhales? something.

He knew that unless he did something drastic Moriarty and his team would continue to hunt him. He has an insider in the morgue (Molly) and he did ask her for his help. Canonically, Mycroft Holmes knows that Sherlock isn’t dead after the Final Problem and assists him during the three years. In the BBC version I wouldn’t be surprised if he paid off the doctors and the bicyclist who ran into Dr. Watson(to much of a skeptic to believe its coincidence).
Sir Mildred Pierce

This is pretty much how I think it was done. The only thing missing is the rubber ball. We see him playing with it as formulates his plan, perhaps him throwing it against the wall like that, he’s thinking about the trajectory needed to pull off the jump. When he discovers the hidden “computer code”, as he’s tapping it out he’s literally holding the ball in his hand as he does it. Presumably he stuck it in his pocket as he went for his phone. He would have used this to stop his pulse by sticking it under his arm, squeezing the ball against the main artery in the arm cuts off the flow of blood.

This is why his pulse was checked on his arm, even though a modern trained doctor would more likely check for a pulse on his neck or by listening on his chest. The plot itself demands that he check it on his arm!The rubber ball is Chekhov’s Gun. It’s in plain site, and yet mundane, so we don’t think of it much.