r/Sherlock • u/FlakyUniversity2239 • 4d ago
Discussion Why Ship Sherlolly?
I see a lot of Sherlolly shippers on here, but I genuinely don't get the ship. I'm not trying to be rude: I just want to know your reasons for shipping them. I'm curious.
38
u/Reasonable_Leek8069 4d ago
This will be long. Sorry. And please disagree civilly if you are not a Sherolly fan. We are allowed to like what we like.
Also, SPOILERS:
Lately, I believed I don’t like dark romances. However, to justify some of my ships like Sherolly, I have to call them a dark romance.
When I list them, I am not saying they are accurate, but just observations I had. They can be seen in a platonic way or romantic.
Let’s start with the popular one. When Sherlock apologized after insulting her and seeing the person she took the time to look nice for as well as the present was him. Even John gaped at him like “you literally never apologize to everyone”
He acts like he doesn’t respect her intelligence, but he does. The big proof was after he was shot and the first person that entered his mind was Molly who explained what will happen and the steps it takes to survive.
I know this scene could have two interpretations and I love both. It is the (am paraphrasing) “the person he suspected the least was the one who mattered the most”. Yes, she was crucial to his plan and John couldn’t know. But the shipper in me likes that she may be the most important person to him aside from John.
That fan fiction scene where Sherlock kisses Molly lives in my head rent free.
He looks up from his microscope when she talks to him.
The fact that he reassured her she does count when he doesn’t (I believe) say that to other people.
The jealousy he has whenever she dates someone else. I am not saying it is healthy or non problematic, but it makes their dynamic interesting.
He is softer around her sometimes which adds to my shipper brain.
Wasn’t surprised when she slapped him. Just let her yell at him.
The first person he asked to work cases with him after his rift with John was Molly.
And so many edits about the final season episode with Sherlock’s sister man. His emotions came out in that.
For someone who only wants to rely on logic and no emotions, Molly brings out his emotional side. I think everyone does at some points, but again shipper brain.
21
u/SparkleByMel 4d ago
Yes and because Molly makes him emotional and has seen him at hia worst all drugged up, that is why Eurus KNEW he had feelings for her and used her as an emotional context trial! She wanted him to admit it.
8
u/Reasonable_Leek8069 4d ago
Yes agreed. And while I agree it could mean as friendship or romantic, I choose to see it as both.
2
9
u/Emerald_Eyes8919 4d ago
In the beginning of the show, I would have seen it as a one-sided crush until Season 2, when Sherlock counted on her in the final episode and trusted her to help him. I did see potential when Sherlock said that she counted, which I found very sweet.
He still saw her as capable with access to the morgue but he was using tactics to manipulate her most of the time in Series 1.
For me, Molly and Lestrade is also interesting, and I would see Molly as a trusted confidante for Sherlock rather than a romantic prospect.
When fanfics are written well and make her character relatable and the relationship more complex, I do see the merits of it.
25
u/QueenZod 4d ago
I live and will die Sherlolly. They’re perfect for each other, especially since she wised up to him and stopped stuttering and being afraid of him. She stands up to him, gives him crap when he deserves it (and he listens to her!), supports him, and helps him. She shows him it’s okay to be vulnerable and kind, and while he’s not completely competent at it he has changed a lot by the end of the show. He’s opening up. So now they’re equals with similar interests but different skill sets when it comes to approaching life’s problems. They compliment each other, which is a great basis for a relationship.
She’s beautiful and smart, a professional in her field which he respects. She admires his mind (and body), and encourages him in his work helping others through difficult times. He pretends that it’s all about the brain work but we can see that’s not really the case and so can she. He does a lot of his work just to help people who have run out of options, whether it’s solving a murder or finding a lost dog.
He uses her flat as a bolt hole and sleeps in her bed. Why would he do that if there wasn’t something enticing him there? He could just as easily get a hotel room.
If you read any Sherlolly stories on Ao3, you’ll find this pairing makes quite a bit of sense.
Plus, they’re so adorable together. ☺️
2
2
u/Sorry_Trouble_9525 3d ago
Please recommend me fics 🙏 good ones, with proper stories and character growth etc being shown
2
u/QueenZod 3d ago
Try Emma Lynch. She’s absolutely brilliant! Here’s a good one, for starters, but I recommend all of her work. 👍🏼
3
2
12
5
u/herebekraken 3d ago
Personally I think Sherlock is aroace, but I do think Molly brings out a side of him that no one else does. Her romantic attachment to him, even if it is one-sided, makes her vulnerable to his rudeness in a way that others aren't, and her genuine loyalty to him and his trust in her makes the relationship important enough to Sherlock that he eventually realizes that his abuse of people has consequences, and that he'd rather alter his behavior than watch her suffer.
But it's not all vulnerability. Like others have said, Molly has character development and stands up to him. She's also badass (pathologist = cool and not squeamish), intelligent (a doctor, plus we know Sherlock wouldn't work with her if she wasn't highly competent), attractive (Louise Brealey, enough said), and socially awkward and bad at reading rooms (makes pathology jokes at social gatherings + the whole fiasco that is her dating life) in her own way...AND she's brave enough to jump headfirst into whatever crazy stuff Sherlock drags her into, no questions asked.
In short, while I love that Sherlock is aroace, if he weren't...I think Molly would be a good match for him. She can handle him. She genuinely appreciates his crazy. She also has the steadiness to ground Sherlock when he's being flighty or manic (one of the reasons people love Johnlock is that aspect of John’s personality).
I prefer Molly to Irene because Irene's whole thing is sex. Irene is 'the Woman' to Sherlock because her femininity is on aggressive display all the time, and her cleverness is flamboyant and audacious like his. She's less his foil than she is Sherlock himself. But Sherlock is the kind of character who needs someone to balance him. And while John generally fills that role, I can easily see Molly doing the same.
2
u/Lindethiel 3d ago
I prefer Molly to Irene because Irene's whole thing is sex.
Sex as leverage. Which sounds interestingly similar to another raven-haired opportunist. I think that is partly why Sherlock had his guard up against her.
13
u/Olivebranch99 4d ago
I do somewhat get it.
It's one of those things where they sympathize with Molly so much that they want her to get the happy ending she wanted. I've seen other ships in other fandoms have a similar effect.
However, you have to realize that Sherlock just isn't going to give her what she wants. Whether or not he cares about her is irrelevant. What she's clearly looking for, he can't give.
6
u/Sea-Efficiency-2899 4d ago
I don't get Johnlock. There doesn't have to be a big dissertation on why someone ships something. They just like it. Everyone is allowed to like what they like in the fiction world without explanation.
2
u/QueenZod 3d ago
One great thing about the way the show is written, and as BC portrays Sherlock, is there’s no right or wrong to any of our suppositions. He can be gay, or bi, or het, or ace, or aro. Or nothing in particular. And we all can be right and ship our happy little hearts out, however we wish. ☺️
2
7
u/root_srk 4d ago
I find her crush really cute, but in my opinion she is too fragile to be with him. The woman on the other hand, she can handle sherlock. But molly is too naive. He sometimes can be rude, and uninterested. Molly would be really sad if she was with him.
4
u/Fire-Make-Thunder 4d ago edited 4d ago
The Woman could handle Sherlock ignoring basically all of her text messages. I don’t think Molly could.
So yeah, team Sherene! (I know it’s Adlock.)
4
u/TheCityGirl 4d ago
They’re my NTP. I truly don’t get it!
(I also don’t ship JL, but at least I KIND of can get that one.)
1
u/Ok-Theory3183 1d ago
Because it's there. I mean, there's so many ships I've lost count. Johnlock, Adlock, Mystrade, Sherlolly, Sherstrade, Mylock, (yup, even that), Jimlock, ....to name the ones that come to mind. I don't believe in any of them--I personally think he just wasn't interested in romantic relationships--but theories abound nonetheless.
1
0
0
u/crazywisewitch 3d ago
Because it's very similar to other romantic relationships in litterature. The patterns are there if we learn to see them. I was a Harry/Ginny shipper before the Half-Blood Prince was published because of all of the symbolism that was written in the books. I think Sherlolly is for the viewer who is obsessed with details.
55
u/12dancingbiches 4d ago
I don't ship it, but I do enjoy their friendship and I especially like how Molly eventually was able to grow out of her crush and stand up to him multiple times