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Those chips you showed me last night. You don't accept them for yourself. You accept them because you're part of a group. You accept them because...the work you did to stand up at a meeting inspires others.

It's bigger than you. Or us.

So you show up.

Watching this scene again, I was struck by the analogy Watson makes, comparing the Medal Day certificates to sobriety chips. What she doesn’t say, what she takes as understood, is the unequivocal value of the work underlying these moments of recognition: she’s obviously not doubting the importance of the years of effort at the heart of Sherlock’s recovery. Yes, accepting the chips in public is a way of giving back to the community that supported him up to that point. That doesn’t mean getting there in the first place is any less important. By making this comparison, she’s implying that their detective work, and the shared experience of doing it together, are also similarly essential and valued.

I’m not arguing that Sherlock necessarily understood that sentiment in what she didn’t say, but I don’t think her lack of a reciprocal statement to him meant she didn’t feel it. I’ve commented/ranted many, many, MANY times already about the Doylist problems with the way her character is written. It vexes, to say the least. But regardless of how else this could have been handled, I didn’t see her here as deliberately not responding in kind. Rather, she extended his point by reminding him that their partnership doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Just like his support groups, it’s important to their crime-solving community to occasionally join in recognition of everyone’s shared commitment. Even when it doesn’t hold that same meaning for him, personally. I’m reminded of Alfredo’s comment the first time this came up, “you gotta get over yourself.” I think Watson’s coming from a similar perspective here.

Of course the irony is that Watson is also just going through the motions herself; she’s still a bit lost in space and seeking validation. She wants to belong somewhere, but for whatever reason is unable or unwilling to rest in her place next to Sherlock the way he clearly finds comfort in his place next to her. [Head canon that her underlying ambivalence stems from her experience with Liam and the unresolved/unexamined emotions around Sherlock’s relapse. Her missing father would be a factor too. Bitter disappointment that the show will never go there.]

ETA: @nairobiwonders commented on the lack of satisfaction in the way Watson says, “so you show up,” and I agree - she sounds resigned. As if in trying to talk him into seeing its importance, she started to talk herself out of believing it herself. You show up because it’s important to someone else, but it’s still just a gesture, a kind of group-think activity, another way of being nice. Sherlock explained his reasons for being afraid of playing along, but as usual Watson’s feelings about being part of something “bigger than us” remain unclear, unstated, untested.

#elementary 5x04 #elementasquee #elementary #Watson what are you thinking?#nnbb