His Last (Marriage) Vow

[pennswoods]

In the Three Patch Podcast’s reaction roundtable to The Sign of Three, several of us observed that although the episode was supposedly about a wedding (the one word hint we had been given by Moffat and Gatiss) we never actually saw a wedding, only a reception. However, upon revisiting the episode, it became clear that we did indeed witness a wedding, but it wasn’t John and Mary’s. It was Sherlock’s.

From Sherlock’s frantic texting of Lestrade to Molly’s vivid concern, it seemed as though Sherlock was experiencing anxiety about delivering the Best Man speech, a nerve-wracking event for many people. And he did indeed manage to give a long and entertaining and moving yet crime-filled speech in tribute to John and to Mary. However, the attempted murder intervened, forcing him to complete his speech at the evening reception after playing his gift for Mary and John:

Ladies and gentleman, just one last thing before the evening begins properly. Apologies for earlier. A crisis arose and was dealt with. More importantly, however, today we saw two people make vows.

I’ve never made a vow in my life and after tonight I never will again so, here in front of you all…my first and last vow.

Mary and John, whatever it takes, whatever happens, from now on, I swear I will always be there. Always. For all three of you. I'm sorry, I mean, I mean two of you. For all two of you. For both of you.

In front of witnesses, Sherlock references the vows of marriage between John and Mary. And then he makes his own vow of lifelong commitment, whatever happens (in sickness and in health; for richer or for poorer) to John and Mary (and their child). This is what Sherlock had been preparing. This was the culmination of Sherlock’s declaration of love to John (So know this, today you sit between the woman you have made your wife and the man you have saved. In short, the two people who love you most in all this world.) And this, Sherlock declares, is his first and last vow; he will never offer a lifelong commitment to another. These were his wedding vows; it was Sherlock’s wedding we witnessed.

[Originally posted to Tumblr]

Comments

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

Certainly - Idk, I thought that was obvious because the third ep was titled His Last Vow, so it seemed that the vow made could only have been Sherlock's. Also, as others have commented, the shot of Sherlock's best man suit on the hanger parallels the typical shot of the wedding dress, he originally steps up to be in the wedding photo next to John (before being shooed away), and he even 'throws his bouquet' (or boutonniere) to Janine. Not to mention his fussing over seating arrangements and bridesmaids' dresses and practising the bridal waltz to the the extent we never actually see Mary doing. All quite deliberate referencing, imo.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

It does seem 100% obvious in hindsight, but at the moment of watching it, I didn't process the wedding vow parallel and saw it instead as a promise to be there for John and Mary. But the use of vow in a wedding context does carry a lot of significance. As a shipper, it made me a little weepy.

It was also interesting to view it as a reaction to what Mrs. Hudson and Mycroft had been saying to him that day, that marriage changes people. By marrying himself to John and Mary, Sherlock was allowing this change to happen (and possibly subverting everything that Mycroft and Mrs. Hudson had been warning him about).

But it was a one way marriage vow and that makes me a little sad for Sherlock. Oh how I cried after this episode.

[venturous1.livejournal.com]

I felt all happy-but-sad. But after HLV I felt that all was lost in a chaotic who-can-you-ever-trust mess, and that made me cry.
"Oh, Sherlock. What have you done?"

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful analysis of this scene. Makes me a bit weepy indeed! And this is exactly why we didn't get to see Mary and John's vows. (Or, indeed, the actual proposal, you'll notice.) Because this series wasn't about their lifetime commitments to each other. :)

[venturous1.livejournal.com]

oh, my heart. this is why he does what he does in HLV. Despite Mary's lies, he has vowed to be there for all of them, driven by his love for John. And Sherlock is a man of his word.

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

Awwwwww, sweet. Yes, that's basically how I read it. And I think both John and Mary understand it that way, which is part of why I love Mary so much.