Staff Writer
Well, it’s that time again, another season finale for Sherlock. “His Last Vow” marks the end of a wonderful three weeks and the beginning of a dreadful (at least a year average) wait for the next season. But wow, what a way to go out.
Also, CAUTION this recap contains spoilers as well as a heavy recommendation that you might just need a shock blanket, preferably orange.
So our finale starts off with a very creepy, somewhat Moriarty reminiscent new “villain”, Charles Augustus Magnussen wearing some high tech glasses, or a very excellent memory. As the scene progresses, we see Magnussen return to his home and look up a file on Lady Smallwood, then precedes to pay her a visit and blackmail her. Oh and somewhere in between he reveals his disturbing side, licking her face and holding her hand.
But Lady Smallwood is having none of Magnussen’s shenanigans and decides to call our favorite highly functioning socio-path, Sherlock Holmes.
Next, we see a woman come to John and Mary’s flat with the case of her drug-addicted son, John reverts back to his old ways and sets out to find the boy. John’s journey to the “drug house” leaves him with three additional passengers on the way home; the missing boy, a straggler (who John earlier beat up), and Sherlock…yes, Sherlock.
Apparently in the past month, Sherlock has picked up a not so wonderful drug addiction, which he says is “for a case”. But that’s not the only surprise Sherlock has waiting for us. He now has a girlfriend. Wait..what?
Remember that bridesmaid from last week’s episode? The one who pretty much embodied all Sherlock lovers everywhere? Yep, she’s the lucky lady. Janine is her name. If you’re confused by this, don’t worry, we are too..and so is John.
We see Sherlock is much more concerned about Magnussen than he is with Janine, although there is a fair amount of kissing before she leaves the flat. But then, the big man himself shows up with two men in suits.
We are of course talking about Magnussen, who upon arrival, searches John and Sherlock for pressure points with his glasses/memory (we aren’t quite sure yet). John’s obvious pressure point is Mary and Sherlock’s seems to be endless, but a few on the list include John and Redbeard.
Magnussen seems impossible to have a conversation with, as he keeps talking about Sherlock’s flat and the fact that he has to pee, which he eventually does in the fireplace. While leaving, he reveals to Sherlock and John some letters that he used to blackmail Lady Smallwood, which apparently caught Sherlock’s attention. Magnussen also left Sherlock believing that he had tricked Magnussen into thinking that his pressure point was his drug addiction, it didn’t work. But we now know what Sherlock meant by “It’s for a case”.
Now the real action starts. Sherlock needs to get into Magnussen’s office, but without Magnussen’s card…this will be impossible. Not for Sherlock Holmes, he has a plan. After arriving at the office, Sherlock uses a fake card to signal Magnussen’s assistant that someone needs to get in the office. Who is that assistant? Oh, no other than Janine! So Sherlock fake proposes to Janine to get her to let him in the office, revealing that Janine was just a tool all along. Poor Janine, but happy Cumbercollectives.
Anyway, after getting inside the office, we see Janine lying on the floor (she has been knocked out) and while John tends to her, Sherlock set off to find Magnussen after deducing that he is still in the office. He finds Magnussen on his knees at the mercy of a woman in black holding a gun..Lady Smallwood, obviously right? WRONG.
It’s…(prepare your shock blankets) Mary Morsten.
Oh and then she shoots Sherlock straight in the chest. As if we didn’t have enough shock in one episode. You’re killing us Moffat.
A shot to the chest sends Sherlock flying into his mind palace to determine the best way to land, how to increase his chance of survival, etc. We see what seems to be the most important people in his life (minus John). Mycroft, Molly, and Redbeard! Yes, we have solved the Redbeard case! Redbeard was Sherlock’s dog when he was a child; it is the only thought that calms him down while he goes into shock. Oh and Anderson is there..still haven’t figured that one out and Moriarty, trying to convince Sherlock to die.
And he does, for a moment at least. To everyone’s (not so much) surprise, Sherlock comes back to life! He wakes up to Mary, telling him that he cannot tell John about what he saw. But they are BFF’s so we know that wont last.
When Sherlock wakes up, Janine is there and she has sold out her “story” to the tabloids. Then Sherlock escapes out of the hospital window to execute his plan, he always has a plan. Nobody has any exact idea where he might of gone, except his number one stalker Anderson who hits the nail on the head.
So John is left with no answers. Who shot Sherlock and why? Why wont Sherlock tell me? Poor John, we feel ya. But Mary sets out to find Sherlock and does, with some help from Sherlock’s homeless network. Mary confesses everything to Sherlock, or who she thinks is Sherlock. It ends up being John, and so the drama continues.
So then we see a nice little Christmas at home for the Holmes family, along with Sherlock’s new groupie from the drug house as well as John and Mary. John and Mary make up when John throws the file with Mary’s true identity (CIA undercover agent) as well as her real name into the fire. “The problems of your past are your business. The Problems of your future are my privilege”. Cue tears.
Throughout the craziness, we continue to have flashbacks. Some of Mary, John, and Sherlock talking about Mary’s past, then Sherlock passing out. Then Sherlock talking to Magnussen, telling him that he will get him Mycroft’s computer if he will erase Mary’s past from the records. We also see that Magnussen’s glasses were normal, he was using his incredible memory.
But it wouldn’t be a family Christmas without Sherlock poisoning everyone’s punch except John (and the groupie), stealing Mycroft’s computer, and making his way to Magnussen’s house.
So Sherlock gives him the computer and Magnussen takes the two boys to his “appledore vaults” where Mary’s identity is. To everyone’s surprise, including Sherlock, the vaults are not real. The vaults are Magnussen’s mind palace. Oh my. Things just got very real.
So with no tangible evidence, the three go outside, John and Sherlock in complete shock and with absolutely no plan. Magnussen blackmails John about Mary while Sherlock seemingly sits in the background trying to devise a plan and boy does he have one.
Mycroft flies in to save the day in his helicopter, meanwhile Sherlock pickpockets John’s gun and sends a bullet straight through Magnussen. Problem solved! No Magnussen, no Mary files. John is in shock now, and before the police take Sherlock he turns to John with a heart-breaking line. “Tell her she’s safe now” referencing to Mary. Cue more tears. (hence the episode title “His Last Vow”, which was to protect John and Mary no matter what)
So Sherlock is obviously sent out of the country by Mycroft, hoping to somehow save his life and he says his farewells to John and Mary (very sad). Then he flies away. But wait, something happens. London cannot survive without Sherlock Holmes!
We see Lestrade watching soccer in a pub when..all of the media screens turn to “Did you miss me?” on repeat. We see people screaming, what is going on??
One word, Moriarty.
So Sherlock is brought back, obviously and now we wait. So many questions.
Now do you see why you needed that shock blanket?
Overall, the season finale was fantastic and definitely set up for a season 4. So “The game is on” Sherlockians, Moriarty is back. Or so we think..
What did you think about the finale? Tell us in the comments below!
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