An Elementary theory

[Joe Washington]

BEWARE OF SOME BRIEF SPOILERS

As the countdown to the Elementary season finale begins, I've come up with a theory concerning Irene Adler and Moriarty that sets up a radical direction for the show:

I believe Irene Adler and Moriarty are one and the same.

I think Moriarty is an alias Irene used to commit her crimes through her operatives. She created the Moriarty alias not only to cover up her true identity but to fool others into thinking she is a he.

Irene got involved with Sherlock initially to get to know the man who has been poking his nose into some of her crimes and then to remove him as a threat to her plans. But the more she got to know Holmes, the more she was less inclined to kill him which is why she told one of her assassins to forget about the plan to kill Holmes and make his death look like an accidental overdose.

However, Irene knew that this relationship with Holmes couldn't last forever, him being a criminal investigator and her being a criminal mastermind. There's no future in them being together so Irene faked her death and made it look like her alter ego killed her. Over the years, Irene has been keeping an eye on Holmes, him being her greatest object of curiosity.

I think once Holmes finds out all of this, it will push him over the edge into a relapse.

If my theory is correct, this revelation will make the Holmes-Adler relationship more complicated and twisted than the original Holmes-Adler relationship.

 

[Christopher]

^I've suspected the same thing for a while now. The other popular theory I've heard is that Moriarty is Holmes's father.

 

[Greg Cox]

I don't know. I'm suspicious of that character played by F. Murray Abraham a few weeks ago. Why would you cast a big name, Oscar-winning actor just to play one of Moriarity's minions?

F. Murray Abraham as Moriarity makes sense. As one of his flunkies . . . not so much.

 

[Christopher]

^A red herring, maybe? They cast big-name actors as his minions to make us think "Oh, this must be the real Moriarty," and then they surprise us by revealing the web is even bigger. Sort of a subversion of the TV-mystery cliche of having the biggest actor always be the murderer.

 

[Greg Cox]

^A red herring, maybe? They cast big-name actors as his minions to make us think "Oh, this must be the real Moriarty," and then they surprise us by revealing the web is even bigger. Sort of a subversion of the TV-mystery cliche of having the biggest actor always be the murderer.

That would be ingenious . . . .

 

[sojourner]

Irene is a good suspect for Moriarty, I was thinking the same thing after the latest episode.
What about Captain Gregson? Remember he was also in London for a period of time and only recently returned to New York, mirroring Moriarty's activity.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Irene is a good suspect for Moriarty, I was thinking the same thing after the latest episode.
What about Captain Gregson? Remember he was also in London for a period of time and only recently returned to New York, mirroring Moriarty's activity.

That's a thought about Irene. I wouldn't be surprised to learn she thought Holmes was dead, or was targeted by Moriarty, and faked her death to protect Holmes, whether on her own or at the urging of Moriarty. Gregson, could be, I think his offering Watson a job as a sober companion is a red herring to get the audience to think there could be a connection. My money is on Mrs Hudson as Moriarty. Or Joan, herself, that would be unexpected.

 

[stj]

To me it seems rather tiny for Moriarty to be one of the few continuing characters we've seen. It's true that television strongly favors personal viewpoints, and for most people the emotionally significant parts of life center on a rather small number of characters. But there really is an appeal to drma that is set in a larger world. However flambuoyant the enlarged characters, however convoluted their recomplicated interrelationships, there is still a flavor of narccissism that can make such typical ("make it personl" is the hack's cliche) offerings not just monotonous, but distasteful.

Also, odd as it may seem, I thought that Sherlock was imagining/hallucinating Adler's appearance, that Watson did not see her and was alarmed at Holmes' reaction. It is entirely possible for someone to see a dead loved one without being psychotic. As in so much, there is a continuum between normal consciousness and full blown psychosis.

 

[lurok]

I got confused when saw F. Murray, as thought he was same spook character he plays in Homeland.

Dormer as Adler seems a bit of a waste unless they do something interesting with character; but guess we'll have to wait and see.

On Holmes psychosis front, I assume some writers have explored options of Moriarty as alter-ego manifestation?

 

[Gov Kodos]

On Holmes psychosis front, I assume some writers have explored options of Moriarty as alter-ego manifestation?

'The Seven-Per-Cent Solution' is one story along the lines of Moriarty and Holmes along those lines.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

On Holmes psychosis front, I assume some writers have explored options of Moriarty as alter-ego manifestation?

'The Seven-Per-Cent Solution' is one story along the lines of Moriarty and Holmes along those lines.

Also, Michael Dibdin's The Last Sherlock Holmes Story.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I remember Andy Grffith convincing me on an episode of Married with Children that Andy Griffith is the last person in the universe anyone would suspect of being a serial killer.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

Personally, I've been hoping Moriarty would turn out to be Mycroft, who I don't think has ever been mentioned in this series and may not even exist.

 

[Christopher]

Personally, I've been hoping Moriarty would turn out to be Mycroft, who I don't think has ever been mentioned in this series and may not even exist.

We've seen that Holmes's father has the first initial M. I've been assuming that Mycroft has been changed from his brother to his father for this version.

 

[Joe Washington]

Tonight's episode of Elementary just proved me right.

 

[sojourner]

So, they seemingly went with the odds on favorite. pretty good episode.

 

[DigificWriter]

^ Yes, yes it did. Haven't seen the ep yet, but I'm digging this whole thing. It's the kind of development you'd expect from a Joss Whedon show, and only ups Doherty's 'writing/storytelling cred'.

 

[stj]

The Zero Effect and the Downey movies also opt for Adler being both a criminal and in love (psychopath style of course,) with Holmes. And maybe the BBC version too, but I can't remember that stuff too well. So I can't agree that this is such a novel twist. Having Adler be neither, as in canon, would have been more original by now.

And bending the plot around to keep the population of the series' world small doesn't really seem such a good idea. Presumably Sebastian Moran was sent to New York to give Holmes closure when he caught and killed "Irene's" murderer? Or was Moriarty smart enough to predict that Moran would talk and put Holmes on Moriarty's track? But, how does that set up the whole reapparence of "Irene?"

But Watson's key role in capturing Moriarty was genuinely novel and well done, to strong effect I thought.

 

[Joe Washington]

I agree. Watson owning Moriarty was one of my favorite moments of the season finale. It just shows how far she has come from her sober companion days.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The Zero Effect and the Downey movies also opt for Adler being both a criminal and in love (psychopath style of course,) with Holmes.

And Law & Order: Criminal Intent did the same thing, with Nicole Wallace and Robert Goren.