Moriarty vs. Adler
Mar. 28th, 2011 07:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
resonantI'm re-reading book-canon Sherlock Holmes (the William S. Baring-Gould annotation, which I do not recommend, but that's another post), and I just read "The Final Problem" for the first time since high school.
I haven't finished all the post-return stories yet, but unless there's something very unexpected there, I have observed something about book canon vs. BBC canon:
Book-canon Moriarty really has very little interest in Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes is interested in him, and expends considerable effort (and lines up quite an army of allies) in his efforts to bring him and his lieutenants to justice. Holmes makes Moriarty dance, though not for entertainment.
But Moriarty has a criminal empire to run, and he takes note of Holmes only as Holmes begins to impinge upon that empire. Once they meet, it's clear that he has some grudging admiration for Holmes, but he doesn't play games with Holmes.
You know who plays a few games with book-canon Sherlock Holmes? Who engages him on purpose, beyond what's necessary to get the job done? Irene Adler does.
She's a rival rather than a true adversary; she's self-interested, but not evil; and it seems to me that their interaction is fun for both of them.
I haven't finished all the post-return stories yet, but unless there's something very unexpected there, I have observed something about book canon vs. BBC canon:
Book-canon Moriarty really has very little interest in Sherlock Holmes.
Holmes is interested in him, and expends considerable effort (and lines up quite an army of allies) in his efforts to bring him and his lieutenants to justice. Holmes makes Moriarty dance, though not for entertainment.
But Moriarty has a criminal empire to run, and he takes note of Holmes only as Holmes begins to impinge upon that empire. Once they meet, it's clear that he has some grudging admiration for Holmes, but he doesn't play games with Holmes.
You know who plays a few games with book-canon Sherlock Holmes? Who engages him on purpose, beyond what's necessary to get the job done? Irene Adler does.
She's a rival rather than a true adversary; she's self-interested, but not evil; and it seems to me that their interaction is fun for both of them.
(no subject)
Date: 3/29/11 05:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 4/1/11 03:01 am (UTC)