Series two of Sherlock reaches its climax in the episode “The Reichenbach Fall”. Moriarty refers to Sherlock as “the final problem” and sets out to destroy him. He carries out three very public robberies, including attempted theft of the crown jewels, and pretends to have a secret computer code to unlock vaults (he had really just coerced security guards into opening them). He seems happy to be tried, with Sherlock as a witness for the prosecution, and then escapes conviction by getting to the jury.
With Moriarty now a free man, Sherlock desperately tries to find this security code software that he believes Moriarty possesses. Moriarty's plan eventually becomes clear. He pretends to be an out of work actor, moves in with a journalist, and convinces her that he was working for Sherlock. He says that Sherlock came up with the idea for the thefts, in order to glorify himself by solving the crimes, and that Moriarty was merely employed by Sherlock to play the thief. The journalist publishes Moriarty's lies, the public buy it, and Sherlock is discredited.
Moriarty and Sherlock meet on the roof of St Bart's hospital, where Moriarty reveals he had merely lured Sherlock into this with the fabricated computer code. He suggests that Sherlock, now loathed by the public, only has the option of committing suicide by jumping off the building, which he appears to do.
Through lies and deception, Moriarty appears to have won. John Watson is confused but grieves his friend and hero.
It is so easy to buy into a lie. An idea planted in your brain, even if false, takes root.
It must have been difficult for Jesus' disciples, seeing their leader discredited and killed. It is a challenging question to ask whether we would have been any stronger than Peter who denied even knowing Jesus after he had been arrested.
We are called to be people of the truth, which is not easy if it involves a public stand against the tide of opinion or a forceful individual. Maybe take a bit of extra time to assess the stories you hear today.
Jon Seaton
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