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30 Days Relationship Challenge #21
Jun. 22nd, 2012 09:34 am
Sherlock & Mycroft, Sherlock
No incarnation of Sherlock Holmes has ever given us a more intriguing relationship between the Holmes brothers than Sherlock. It's actually one of the most interesting things about the show. In all the other films/series, there has always been this friendly - or not so friendly - rivalry between the brothers but mostly it's been a part of Sherlock's background, a part of the show's landscape, so to speak. In Sherlock, it's one of the most defining traits of the series.
There can be no doubt that Mycroft loves his brother deeply. I think that Sherlock is the one thing Mycroft actually allows himself to be emotional about. As he told John, he worries about Sherlock constantly. He tries to shelter Sherlock from all the bad things he can - which grates on Sherlock immensely, of course! - because, IMHO, he knows that Sherlock just plays at being a sociopath, that he can be actually hurt quite easily, he just covers it well with all his bluster and posturing. And Mycroft doesn't want to see his brother hurt, period. Heads roll when Sherlock's hurt.
Which is why the thing with Moriarty, that Mycroft allowed Moriarty to play him like a fiddle, was such a blow for him. Mycroft's a man who thinks highly of himself and justifiably so. But Moriarty used this arrogance against him, to hurt Sherlock, and I think that's something Mycroft will never, ever forgive himself for. One of the things that hit me really hard and has stayed with me ever since was one of the last scenes in Reichenbach, where Mycroft's sitting in his chair in his club, reading the newspaper reports about Sherlock's death - and then he slowly sets the paper away and folds his hands and presses them against his mouth. This is a man who just lost everything, the one thing he promised himself to protect. His own blunder lead to his brother's suicide. How can a man like Mycroft ever forgive himself?
With Sherlock... it's another kettle of fish entirely. Does he love his brother? I think he does. But Mycroft's over-protectiveness grates on him terribly and that makes him bristle like a cat whenever Mycroft's near - I have to wonder, what exactly happened in the past that Mycroft feels the need to watch Sherlock so closely? Was it the drugs? Did Sherlock, in fact, OD'd on them and it was Mycroft who saved him, maybe only by chance?
I also wonder... I wonder if Sherlock behaves the way he does, resists Mycroft's close surveillance, because he... appreciates it? The way a child misbehaves to see if his/her parents actually pay attention? It's an interesting thought. Maybe it's the only way these two can actually express their love for each other? Another thing I have to wonder about is their childhood, what it must've been like. They grew up to be exceptional men, but they are both so emotionally closed off that only someone as as persistent as John Watson, stubborn as a mule, could actually break the shell of at least one of them? I wonder if Mycroft would allow himself to open up to someone like that too... I don't think so. I think Sherlock's enough of an "emotional burden" for him and as Reichenbach proved, his death pretty much broke Mycroft - well, as much as he allowed himself to admit it...
Fascinating, fascinating relationship!
