Unreliable narrators and John Watson's sexuality

Honestly what Joolia says about gay John isn’t wrong. And think of how much the fandom’s reading of John has changed with each series.

S1 some saw John as bi, but MANY saw him as straight with an exception.

S2 those opinions were amended to “okay he’s definitely bi.”

S3 had John’s sexuality FURTHER amended with “Okay he’s bisexual but homoromantic.”

Would it really be that shocking for John to have actually been gay the whole time but very deeply closeted? Like if John is bi and homoromantic, he has always been that, do you see? But as an audience we haven’t been privy to the inner workings of John Watson, so we haven’t seen him for what he has been the whole time, our readings of him have adjusted the more we have learned. And indeed if he IS gay, he has been gay the whole time and our readings may simply still have adjusting to do.

For the record, I am not arguing one way or another, I am simply pointing out that I don’t know one person who watched only s1 of Sherlock and came away from it saying “John is homoromantic and bisexual.” It was a reading that developed the more we learned about John Watson.

And honestly, I would LOVE a bi John because we get almost NO bi representation in the media. But I would in no way be angry with a gay John. It’s just really hard to know for sure because we are being told this story from the POVs of two unreliable narrators.

Imagine John Watson as a child thinking both girls and boys are cute and finding he will have crushes on both and not understanding why or what it means

Imagine teenaged John Watson knowing he is bisexual and trying to get up the courage to come out to his parents and friends. But then one day Harry comes home and announces she’s gay. After seeing the way his parents react to Harry’s declaration, he decides to stay closeted.

Imagine John in Uni wanting to kiss guys he thinks are cute but unable to bring himself to it. He’s got all this experience with girls but everyone still thinks he’s straight and every time he’s alone with a guy he’s interested in, he just keeps hearing his dad’s voice in his head that he didn’t raise his kids to be queer.

Imagine John in the army meeting his commanding officer for the first time and knowing right away there is something there. He and Sholto maintain their professional relationship as long as they are able until one night after they lose a comrade. They drink a bit and everything John has wanted for so long finally unravels him and they take one another apart with their lips and tongues and hands and teeth. Sholto asks John to call him James in private.

Imagine John realizing he is in love for the first time in his life, but still in a position where he has to keep it and himself a secret. Imagine how much it breaks his heart when it ends.

Imagine John’s depression after being invalided home. How he sometimes thinks of just ending it. He’s all alone anyway. He doesn’t talk to his family or James. Nothing ever happens to him. And then he meets a man who makes him feel alive. But the man isn’t an option for a romance, so they become friends and flatmates instead.

Imagine John’s frustration with people thinking he and Sherlock are a couple and having to correct them because he would like nothing more than to be a couple with him. John knows he’s falling in love with Sherlock, it’s barreling toward him like a freight train and there’s nothing John can do to prevent it from happening. He dates women and feels nothing for them emotionally, but there’s no way he can come out now. Sherlock would know in an instant how he feels.

Imagine John’s heartbreak after Sherlock’s suicide. After John was working up the courage to tell him how he felt. And then his last words he said to Sherlock’s face were calling him a machine. That Sherlock never knew how deeply John loved him. And now he never will.

Imagine John finally trying to move on. He will never get over Sherlock totally, but he can’t spend the rest of his life wishing it had all gone differently. And Mary is nice. I mean she was there for him during his grief. The sex is fine. And he may never really fall in love with her, but he does love and care for her, so there’s no reason to keep hesitating.

Imagine John realizing it’s too late when he hears Sherlock’s speech. Imagine his confusion hearing Sherlock’s words like they are a confession. And knowing there’s nothing he can do about it now. Then he finds out Mary is pregnant and his regret is multiplied. Now he might lose his friend as well.

Imagine John miserable without Sherlock. Dreaming about him. Packing his clothes and cycling to work, hoping to hear from Sherlock. Sadly wanking in the shower. Grabbing his phone desperately fast anytime a text comes in. Second guessing what he heard at the wedding. Promising himself that if he can confirm Sherlock really feels those things for him, he will leave Mary, baby or no. He will finally do what it’s taken him his life to do and come out. And then the woman he married but never really loved almost kills the man he loves more than anything.

Simon & Wille Young Royals, S03E01

I think it's less that he's useless, more that he's unreliable. We see that throughout the show. Simon goes to him for drugs and alcohol cause he knows Micke is desperate enough for any semblance of a relationship with his kids that he'll do that. Sara knows that she can live in his apartment, but also knows that he's not reliable enough to cook her meals or stay sober for long. He can teach her to drive, but can't remember to pick her up for her driving test. All of that shows that he's not exactly useless - he's clearly capable WHEN HE'S DOING WELL. The problem is that he's an addict who also legitimately does need some meds to function, and can't be trusted to use them responsibly. And addicts are also very unpredictable when they're using Against Medical Advice (AMA). We see that in season 1 when he pushes Simon against the wall. He needs more help than he's getting to function well, but he functions just enough without it that he'll never get that help.

I agree with this take. And I think that conversation between Sara and Simon shows that too. That she DOES want Micke in her life, but she also understands that he is who he is and can’t be there as a reliable parent. I actually see both Sara and Simon having a relationship with Micke in the future, but keeping enough distance to keep from being let down and disappointed by the unhealthy choices he’s probably always going to make.

it’s “beyond comprehension” to YOU. i’m gay though

whyyyy do they sound like this??? im going insane 🥵

bebe linda

Du kom?

I can't believe you're here, I thought I was on my own now

Thank you for not leaving me alone, thank you for not giving up on me

We're actually doing this, we're going on together

Watching season one after knowing they're endgame makes me so emotional, so proud.

If only they knew. ❤️‍🩹

went clubbing, this was on the fucking wall

married couple coded

YOUNG ROYALS 3.03

au where Wille and Simon are twenty-something friends and roommates, and there's always been something between them and it's getting unbearable, but Simon has convinced himself that Wille doesn't feel the same way, so he's very actively trying to date, which is having an interesting effect on Wille. If Simon didn't know better, he'd think Wille is jealous. Simon starts to push the issue, testing his hypothesis, and ultimately one night he comes back from a date with another man and he and Wille end up making out for reasons that aren't relevant right now and at some point Wille is kissing Simon's neck and he whispers something about how Simon put on a fragrance for someone else but it's he, Wille, who gets to smell it on Simon's skin, who gets to inhale the base notes that linger after hours of wear, who gets to make Simon sweat the rest of the fragrance off

YOUNG ROYALS 3.02

More kisses

Wille + Simon's neck ♥️

buddie ∘⁠˚⁠˳⁠° 911 abc + silly

+ bonus:

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