Sherlock/Recap/S02/E03 The Reichenbach Fall: Difference between revisions

{{quote|''I am you. Prepared to do anything. Prepared to burn. Prepared to do what ordinary people won't do. You want me to shake hands with you in hell? I shall not disappoint you.''|'''Sherlock Holmes'''}}

Only three months earlier, Sherlock had been catapulted to even greater heights of fame thanks to his recovery of a famous painting of [[Mythology Gag|the Reichenbach Falls]], amongst other big-note cases. How did the Reichenbach Hero fall so far? The answer is wrapped up in the simultaneous break-ins at the Tower of London, the Bank of England and Pentonville Prison, along with a budding journalist, a high-profile trial, international assassins, fairy tales, the mysterious Richard Brook, and the "final problem" of Jim Moriarty...

* [[Cut Lex Luthor a Check]]: Neatly exploited by Moriarty. As Sherlock points out, nothing he could steal from any bank in the world is ever going to be worth more than a computer program that will ''let'' him break into any bank in the world.

* [[Deconstruction]]: {{spoiler|Holmes is an incredible, unbelievable detective. So Moriarty arranges matters so he's less credible, and to make people stop believing in him. In fact, people start to think he actually set up the crimes he solved.}}

** Also, at the end when Sherlock is {{spoiler|standing on the roof of Bart's and telling John "no one could be that clever" in regards to him faking his genius. Averted by the fact that Sherlock was lying about being a fake in order to save John, Lestrade, and Mrs. Hudson.}}

* [[Diegetic Switch]]:

* [[Reality Ensues]]: Sergeant Donovan makes Lestrade take her doubts to the [[Da Chief|Chief Superintendent]]. He's under the impression that Sherlock has only helped on a few minor cases. The reveal that Sherlock (a civilian) has been given unmitigated access to sensitive data and cases leads him to tear Lestrade a new one and order him to bring Sherlock in.

* [[Rooftop Confrontation]]:

** To Stansfield in ''[[Leon]]'' (see [[Homage Shot]]), and also to ''[[A Clockwork Orange (Film)|A Clockwork Orange]]'', when Moriarty refers to Bach as "Johann Sebastian" (as Alex refers to "Ludwig Van").

** Moriarty's attempt to steal the crown jewels, as well as his being acquitted at trial even though everyone knows he's guilty, are both plot points from ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' (with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce).

** Likewise, {{spoiler|the climax, in which Moriarty tries to talk Sherlock into jumping off a roof,}} seems to be based on a similar scene from the Basil Rathbone film ''The Woman in Green''. Moriarty climbing the stairs while Sherlock plays his violin is also directly from that film (see [[Homage Shot]]).

** Moriarty's plan bears a striking resemblance to {{spoiler|''The Seven Percent Solution'', a non-canon story based around the idea that Holmes invented Moriarty.}}

** Moriarty invokes this in-universe with "Hansel and Gretel," to ''spectacularly'' disturbing effect.

* [[Spot of Tea]]: Sherlock and Moriarty might be mortal enemies, but they're still British.

** ''{{spoiler|Mycroft Holmes.}}''

* [[Villain With Good Publicity]]: Moriarty's gambit is to convince the world that ''Sherlock Holmes'' is one of these. And it ''works''.

{{quote| '''John''': My best friend, Sherlock Holmes, is dead.}}

* [[What Happened to The Mouse?]] Why the little girl was so terrified of Holmes was never addressed.

* [[You're Insane!]]

{{quote| '''Moriarty''': [[Insult Backfire|You're just getting that]] ''[[Insult Backfire|now]]''?}}

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