His Last Vow story
In the episode, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson take on a case about stolen letters. This leads the pair into conflict with Charles Augustus Magnussen, a media mogul specialising in blackmail whom Sherlock despises. Holmes and Watson try to get Magnussen arrested, but their attempt fails when they confront him at Appledore, Magnussen's home. The title is based on Doyle's short story "His Last Bow", whereas the plot contains elements of two other short stories, "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" and "The Man with the Twisted Lip".
15 total · 6 major · 9 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| attitude of superiority | major | Sherlock Holmes had a massive ego and condescended people, left, right and center. |
| blackmail | major | Sherlock and Watson were hot on the trail of Charles Augustus Magnussen, a newspaper owner who blackmails people. |
| husband and wife | major | Watson was dismayed to find out that his seemingly mild manner wife was leading a double life. |
| private investigator occupation | major | We saw Sherlock Holmes and Watson doing what they do best. |
| romantic love | major | Watson's love for his wife remained unshaken in spite of her sordid past having come to his attention. |
| sacrifice for a loved one | major | In the end, Sherlock elected to shoot Charles Augustus Magnussen dead and lose his freedom, rather than see Magnussen destroy the lives of his loved ones. |
| boyfriend and girlfriend | minor | Sherlock courted Jenine to be his girlfriend as part of a plot to get access to Charles Augustus Magnussen office. |
| brother and brother | minor | Mycroft told Sherlock that he cared about him while the pair were visiting their parents for Christmas. |
| Christmas traditions | minor | Sherlock's parents held a Christmas gathering for their family and friends. |
| coping with post-traumatic stress | minor | The war veteran Watson woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare about being on the battlefield. |