Let's talk about Mycroft, pt2

 (Sherlock meta by earlgreytea68)

And let’s, while we’re talking about Mycroft, also talk a little bit more directly about his relationship with Sherlock. Because OH MY GOD. The relationship we get to see between Mycroft and Sherlock in this episode is seriously like everything out of my wildest dreams. I’ve written Mycroft trying to get Sherlock to understand that Sherlock is his greatest weakness, and I just think it’s so *true.* We see here Mycroft as the beloved older brother, getting a hug from Sherlock, and the way Mycroft smiles at the home video so fondly. And what we learn—and what Sherlock learns—is that the entire stiff annoying difficulty in Mycroft’s relationship with Sherlock was never really Mycroft’s fault. Mycroft was just trying, so hard, for so many years, to pick up the pieces of the lives of these younger siblings he loved.

And really, he must have been feeling like he was doing a terrible job of it. There was Euros, which was a disaster, and then there was Sherlock, his drug addict little brother who he had to keep saving from overdoses, and who was so resistant to all of Mycroft’s well-intentioned but terribly heavy-handed efforts. And there he is, watching Sherlock try to manage his own emotional attachments, Sherlock who was such an emotional child, and is it any wonder that Mycroft, watching Sherlock literally rewrite memories, decided the best path to take with the adult Sherlock was to try to nudge him away from loving that fiercely ever again?

And then of course Mycroft tries to sacrifice himself in favor of John Watson. Mycroft recognizing how much his brother needs John, how Mycroft must be the one to go, and then trying to be *kind* about it. And Sherlock actually *recognizing* that Mycroft was trying to be kind. That was such a wonderful scene. And I loved that John had a similar reaction, recognizing the importance of *Mycroft* to Sherlock.

It was part of the gift of this episode: getting to see Sherlock and Mycroft actually liking each other. Sherlock can’t kill Mycroft. The whole conversation about Mycroft’s portrayal of Lady Bracknell was just lovely. And Sherlock explicitly stating that Mycroft did his best. And asking after Mycroft when they all end up separated. So good.