#Or if you're not

[clearwingedmaven]

3GAR Analysis

Well. It was voted for, and it was decided that it'd be the Three Garridebs next! This, is admittedly a bit of a daunting task, beyond analyzing Empty House, or even The Final Problem. This is THE story that has launched a thousand fics, fanarts, and probably one of the biggest catalysts of the Johnlock ship, either platonically, romantically, or a third thing that exists beyond those two. So realistically, what can I say that hasn't been said already? I can try something like this. Admittedly, the story of The Three Garridebs falls by the wayside, given the elements of canon development. It's natural, really, given that we are often here for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, so it's not so much an analysis of story, rather than character development that I have to do here. 3GAR is... probably later in Holmes's career, Baker Street Wiki has it as 1902, though I would presume that timeline shenanigans are still in play. We do see that here, as Holmes presents himself as chasing a bit of a flight of fancy, that being the task of finding the Three Garridebs. It was Watson, notably, that brought the case to Holmes's attention via the newspaper, launching them into the investigation. In both parts, 3GAR is the story that shows how well Watson and Holmes work together, but even more so that they are what feeds the other, or, how two halves simply can't work apart at this point. Thus, due to the emotional nature of the end of the story, and the Incident, the initial mystery of 3GAR is both thrust aside, and allowed to be put in the background for this. In many ways, I consider this to be a zenith for Holmes. While he may say it's 1895 that was his peak, I'd argue it was here, in 1902(?) during the fateful confrontation with James Winter, that we see the peak, the full character in raw, unflinching display. We have followed Holmes for this long, and he does show emotions, unlike what most would think. He smiles, he laughs, he dances around, he shouts dramatically, bows, reveals things in dramatic fashion, and cares so very deeply for those he loves. And this is the culmination of every single emotion, care, that he holds for those he loves. Watson, is of course, human. But, at this point, both Holmes and the reader have long expected Watson to almost be as superhuman as Holmes. And how could he not be? He has been through quite a lot at Holmes's side, from the commonplace, to the dramatic and perhaps, a little out of this world(not in the extraterrestrial sense, of course.) But-this is the first time we've seen Watson come to harm, and quite dramatically, for two reasons. One: Getting shot in the leg where he was, often runs the risk of being much, much worse than what it ended up as. Two: This is the first time we've seen Watson get hurt, get shot, in front of Holmes.

Holmes is a man as we know, who is fiercely loyal to those he deems necessary to give his services to. We often make mention that this often arises with female clients, such as Violet Smith or Mary Sutherland. Here, it is Watson who is both client, and the single soul in London that he is closest to. So it's no wonder why, given what we know about leg wounds, and their relationship, that Holmes almost breaks completely, scowling that he would have killed James Winter if Watson did not make it. The moment itself is small in canon, but it ties back into why I argue that this is the zenith of Sherlock Holmes. "You're not hurt, Watson? For God's sake, say that you are not hurt!"....

It was worth a wound–it was worth many wounds–to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. All my years of humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment of revelation. “It’s nothing, Holmes. It’s a mere scratch.” He had ripped up my trousers with his pocket-knife. “You are right,” he cried with an immense sigh of relief. “It is quite superficial.” His face set like flint as he glared at our prisoner, who was sitting up with a dazed face. “By the Lord, it is as well for you. If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive. Now, sir, what have you to say for yourself?” While yes, we know Holmes has a great heart, as well as a great brain, here, it is on full display. He's openly scared of thought of losing Watson, and has lost his composure in front of a criminal, all of his walls gone. But that doesn't matter, really, in the context of Sherlock Holmes, does it? Here, we discover just what it means to be, what many consider to be the Greatest Fictional Detective: A clever, cunning man that can bring truth and justice to those who desperately need it, who many think is a cold, unflinching reasoner, but is also at the same time, one of the kindest souls in Victorian England: loyal, faithful, and oh so utterly human to those who need it, and unshakeably: someone with a great heart. This is Holmes's zenith. And arguably, the zenith of all Holmes stories. It is a lesson in kindness, love, and character development, in breathtaking degrees.

So. To all of you that create 3GAR stories, that know, love, and make fics and fanart of this story, and subsequently, probably the entirety of the Johnlock shipping base, this is for you. This is a story of love. And I hope you love The Three Garridebs, too.

[drumlincountry]

If your life is horrible and you need a new source of meaning and direction.... Do NOT find religion. Learn to identify plants.

[graveyarrdshift]

"I'm just a girl", "girl math", "girl dinner", "divine feminine energy", "bimbocore", "clean girl", "girl's girl", "girlfriend brain" SHUT UPPP!!! SHUTT THE FUCKKKK UPPPPPP !!!!

[sophiehelgagoughfives]

calm down guys, it's only the 8th

[dredsina]

Ive said this before but swear the biggest skill to learn as an adult is how to resist high-pressure sales tactics. You do NOT have to answer questions with anything other than "Sorry I'm not interested." No matter how nice they are or no matter how many follow up questions they ask or even how agitated they get when you stand your ground. Just keep saying I'm not interested. Don't answer their questions. Don't give them an opening to try to push back on your reasons. Be a fucking brick wall of I'm not interested.

[blorboresidue]

one time I used the ben affleck smoking reaction image in the family group chat and my mom replied with the funniest possible response which was: "mommy doesn't know who the guy is???" and that phrase has not left my brain since. I'll see blorbos on my dash that I don't recognize and I'll be like well it seems mommy doesn't know who the guy is.

[kenapiece-main]

Can you believe I'm having to make this meme even after successfully finishing up taxes and applying to job

[werecreature-addicted]

people are always like "Oh a vampire wouldn't get horny while drinking someone's blood, that's like getting horny while eating a sandwich" and like man have you never had a really good fucking sandwich?

[mctreeleth]

I keep seeing the leather/pleather vs denim jacket poll over and over again with all different sorts of discourse about how there is no plastic-free pleather and like, that's TRUE, there isn't, but honestly I DO think people who don't want to use animal products* also deserve to look cool

and so my suggestion is that y'all google "waxed cotton jacket" or "waxed canvas jacket" plus like, "motorcycle" or whatever style you think is cool, because there's a plastic free leather-look material that is strong and durable and waterproof and doesn't use animal products** AND is plastic free already out there and some of the clothes that you can get made out of it look sick as hell.

*ignoring the fact that most leather is meat by-product that would be going to waste anyway

**except beeswax but if you're going to object to that then honestly there's no helping you

[dramatic-dolphin]

you guys are so fucking stupidddd omg "rapists and pedophiles should be chemically castrated, this is a good thing" quick tell me about historical precedents of this idea and who or what ideology they are connected to......... 🤔

[femalefemur]

me @ my mutuals

[maskenjager]

I can't unsee this

[icewindandboringhorror]

(also feel free in the tags to clarify Why you made the choice you made!! :0c)

[michaelgovehateblog]

Nigel Farage got milkshaked again, what a time to be alive

[apricior]

i remember when i was a child internet safety was like "if you even hint at the country you live in, you're gonna get kidnapped and murdered", and nowadays it is encouraged or even necessary to give corporations every single personal detail if you want to use anything because if they can't sell your information they cry so hard they throw up