Mycroft Rant (BBC Sherlock)
In reference to S4 Ep3:
The reason this episode kills me is because Mycroft has wayyy to much responsiblity and too much to hold and handle and too much expected of him, and when he can't handle it he's judged so harshly. And for that one decision to ruin Sherlock's life when ALL he's been responsbile his whole life since Eurus' incarceration HAS BEEN TO PROTECT SHERLOCK. And their parents have not helped at all and Sherlock constantly fights Mycroft on this when he repeatedly saves him from drugs and dangerous criminals and Moriarty and with Irene. And I'm so obessed with this because it's older sibling trauma/syndrome which I relate to so much and he's so underated and I don't think people really understand him that well.
Before he calls Sherrinford at the end of ep 2, his fridge is empty and the doors have takeout menus. He's SOOO LONELY. And he has nobody but Sherlock, but even Sherlock spends most of his time around John. Sherlock is his only equal and they're not even that close because Mycroft doesn't want people to use Sherlock to get to Mycroft and put his little brother in danger (and still Irene Adler and Moriarty exploited that when it was as cold as could be). And for him to be like "well, I don't have much of a heart, not much of a target. I messed up, and I'm no good. I tried, but I just didn't do enough." when he loves Sherlock so much and uses his career so much to protect his baby brother and they take it for granted, and for Mycroft to think that... kills me. Someone needs to give him a hug and tell him that it's not his fault. It was out of his control. And he is not ALL POWERFUL like people think. He may be the British government... but he's still a man. And underneath he's so lonely and isolated and scared and faced with putting up this facade to protect Sherlock and prevent world catastrophes. So yeah... Those few lines in that scene where Sherlock thinks of shooting him and Mycroft knowing how important John is so he tries to die instead of John bc HE LOVES HIS BROTHER and Sherlock barely being able to think of even shooting him... Mycroft has a heart.
||He's the Ice Man bc he has to be but that moment where he watches that old home movie with Sherlock and him as kids just shows the cracks of his heart and how much he wishes Sherlock and him could be that close again. Sherlock from s1 has fought all his attemps of protection and trying to get closer and only now in s3 a little with the "i know you're lonely" scene and "make sure he's okay" do we see Sherlock reciprocating those bids to get closer and protect each other. Like I know Mycroft is condescending and smug but hey Sherlock's also a pretentious arrogant child XXD Mycroft tries to prevent Eurus from happening again by telling Sherlock "emotions are bad" and so doesn't show sentiment for fear of Sherlock rejecting him bc of that (and in fact he does sometimes when Mycroft tries), and Sherlock acts cold bc he thinks Mycroft actually thinks he's stupid and he wants to seem smart and mature. So they're defense mechanisms. But it doesn't mean they don't love each other. They're just reallly traumatized and emotionally stunted. This is why I'm obsessed with Mycroft in YS and in BBC 😭 Mycroft needs more love and understanding and appreciation and I relate to him so much.
Also there's posts and memes about how much of a coward Mycroft is or spineless whatever so many variations of words he's been called... anyways for not killing the PM!! And not being able to stomach it, throwing up. They're calling him a weak bitch and stuff. And ik we all joke about the characters but... idk sometimes idk if they're joking or not, but if they're not ISTG this is so sensitive with me because Sherlock is the one accustomed with death and John bc Sherlock has seen is every day for YEEEARS as part of his job, he's been desensitized to it, and so has John been bc of the war and his profession as an army doctor. Mycroft? His job is zero leg work. It's an office job. It's a good job. It's important. He does a lot of behind the curtain work to keep the country safe and running. But he doesn't directly deal with death or dying or anything, so for him to see the PM and his wife die and for Sherlock and John trying to get Mycroft to do it and he can't... it's not a question of his character or strength. Just because he's the voice of reason in high pressure situations and can keep a cool head doesn't mean he can handle actually taking a life (he's not that cold).
And those situations don't involve directly killing someone, and when it involves his brother he cracks (see when he's in the helicopter yelling at them not to shoot Sherlock) and I don't think it's a negative. As cold, professional, and disconnected he seems, it's a cover for how vulnerable and human he is. Which is very surprising after everything he's been through and has had to deal with. So yeah poor Mycroft. He really has been put through the wringer that episode, and it played to Sherlock and John's strengths more than it did to Mycroft's and he did his best during those games. John and Sherlock had more grit to deal with it after dealing with Magnussen, Moriarty, and bunch of other psychopaths.Sherlock has had his own mistakes and vulnerabilities. So for Mycroft to mess up just this once!! C'mon he gets a pass. I really think he should for messing it up with Eurus and not being able to kill someone.
Also if even Sherlock can't do it after killing Magnussen (although let's face it this is different bc it's an innocent person) and if John can't even with his military experience, then how can Mycroft be expected to do it who has zero experience? Like he's got a cold demenor but for diplomatic situations, mentally stressing minds games, not murder.... so yeah. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.