why does Sherlock leave the planning of his 'death' so late in the game?

[aruan]

I just finished reading Stranger at the Gate and am full of feeeeeeelings about the transcendental love of Sherlock and John, but seriously for a moment, with my serious face, let's talk about the power of that love, Reichenbach edition.

Comments

[internetname]

Nicely done! I have only one real quibble. I think Moriarty has no intention of killing himself when he goes up to that rooftop. He has a gun because he always has a gun. Probably has a knife in his sock too

[agentotter]

I kind of agree, but I can't help thinking that no matter how many theories I read I'm still going to have the hell surprised out of me when the show comes back. :D But I'm also torn whether Sherlock is going to spend his time away with dismantling the web from the outside, or whether the "you ARE me" stuff from Moriarty is a signal that Sherlock is going to *become* him (since the whole world believes, after all, that Sherlock has been using Moriarty as a puppet all along) and take over his network, the better to destroy it.

The stuff that is most persistently a mystery to me in this ep that I just can't decipher to my satisfaction is the particular significance of the "IOU" and the "you are me" conversation. It'll be a great relief when the new series starts and I can just KNOW instead of living in a perpetual state of emotional confusion. :D

[internetname]

I comfort myself greatly with the knowledge that I can plan and scheme and figure all I want, the real thing will be better!

[aruan]

Oh, we're all definitely going to be left reeling whatever the conclusion - I mean, no one predicted Sherlock and John being saved by the Bee Gees at the pool.

Ooh, can I beg/bribe you to write the story where Sherlock becomes the mastermind of Moriarty's network? But in the show, I think Sherlock was just saying what Moriarty wanted to hear with that "I am you" speech on the roof. Moriarty thought him ordinary in the end, and he wouldn't have followed an ordinary man over a cliff. But he'd follow Sherlock Holmes, and Moriarty had to die before Sherlock could get on with whatever business he has planned.

Came across some incredible IOU meta the other day here, not finished reading it myself but it sounds FASCINATING.

[aruan]

So sorry about the late reply, but between work, time zones and having to spare more than two brain cells to rub together for this, it took a bit of time. First, thank you! Second, your quibbles are most welcome