His Last (Marriage) Vow
In the Three Patch Podcast’s reaction roundtable to The Sign of Three, several of us observed that although the episode was supposedly about a wedding (the one word hint we had been given by Moffat and Gatiss) we never actually saw a wedding, only a reception. However, upon revisiting the episode, it became clear that we did indeed witness a wedding, but it wasn’t John and Mary’s. It was Sherlock’s.
From Sherlock’s frantic texting of Lestrade to Molly’s vivid concern, it seemed as though Sherlock was experiencing anxiety about delivering the Best Man speech, a nerve-wracking event for many people. And he did indeed manage to give a long and entertaining and moving yet crime-filled speech in tribute to John and to Mary. However, the attempted murder intervened, forcing him to complete his speech at the evening reception after playing his gift for Mary and John:
Ladies and gentleman, just one last thing before the evening begins properly. Apologies for earlier. A crisis arose and was dealt with. More importantly, however, today we saw two people make vows.
I’ve never made a vow in my life and after tonight I never will again so, here in front of you all…my first and last vow.
Mary and John, whatever it takes, whatever happens, from now on, I swear I will always be there. Always. For all three of you. I'm sorry, I mean, I mean two of you. For all two of you. For both of you.
In front of witnesses, Sherlock references the vows of marriage between John and Mary. And then he makes his own vow of lifelong commitment, whatever happens (in sickness and in health; for richer or for poorer) to John and Mary (and their child). This is what Sherlock had been preparing. This was the culmination of Sherlock’s declaration of love to John (So know this, today you sit between the woman you have made your wife and the man you have saved. In short, the two people who love you most in all this world.) And this, Sherlock declares, is his first and last vow; he will never offer a lifelong commitment to another. These were his wedding vows; it was Sherlock’s wedding we witnessed.
[Originally posted to Tumblr]