Johnlock

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Johnlock

Ritchie
BBC Sherlock
Irregulars
Enola
MTP

GENERAL

Sherlock Holmes

BBC Sherlock

The Irregulars

The Enola Holmes Mysteries

Moriarty the Patriot

Character	Character
Sherlock Holmes	John Watson

Canonical?

Fanon
Semi-Canon (The Irregulars)

Status of Relationship

Best Friends/Co-Workers/Roommates (Most Canons)
Best Friends/Unrequited love on John's side; Sherlock is dead (The Irregulars)
Just Met (Enola Holmes Films)

IN FANDOM

Type (?)

Slash

Also Known As

Shwatsonlock, Hotson, Sherjohn, 福华

Tropes

• True Companions
• Battle Couple
• Like An Old Married Couple
• Opposites Attract

2

Johnlock is the slash ship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson from the Sherlock Holmes, BBC Sherlock, The Irregulars, The Enola Holmes Mysteries, and Moriarty the Patriot fandoms.

Canon[]

A Study in Scarlet[]

This section is in need of major improvement. Please help improve this article by editing it.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)[]

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One of the major sub-plots of the 2009 film is that Holmes wants to stop Watson from getting married and from moving out of 221B Baker Street.

A Study in Pink[]

John meets a friend, Mike, who he tells he can't afford a flat in London. Mike suggests he get a flatmate, but John asks who would want him as a flatmate. Mike says that's the second person he's heard that from that day and John asks who the other was.

Mike introduces John to Sherlock Holmes, who immediately knows everything about John, much to John's confusion. He also knows that they were introduced because Sherlock had mentioned needing a flatmate to Mike earlier. They meet up the next day at 221B Baker Street, where they meet Mrs. Hudson. She shows them the apartment, when Sherlock is visited by Lestrade who tells him that there's been a fourth suicide in a case. Sherlock initially steps out to join Lestrade, leaving John behind, but steps back in. He asks John had seen any trouble in his army days and John says he's seen enough for a lifetime. Sherlock asks if he wants to see more, and John says yes, joining him.

They head to the crime scene and on the way there Sherlock explains to John how he was able to find out all he knew about John just by looking at him. John finds it all brilliant and Sherlock says that's not the usual reaction he gets. John asks what that is and Sherlock says it's normally "piss off". They arrive, and Sherlock goes over the case till he gets an idea and runs off. John the gets a phone call and ends up meeting Sherlock's "arch enemy" who wants him to give info on Sherlock to him, in exchange for payment but John turns him down. John tells Sherlock about what happened when he gets home and Sherlock says that he should have taken it to split the payment. He then has John text the phone of the dead woman that they found and has the killer meet them at an address, Sherlock taking them to a restaurant to spy on the location.

There the owner believes that the two are on a date, much to John's insistence that they're not, and brings a candle over to make it more romantic. John points out to Sherlock that people don't have arch enemies in real life and Sherlock ask what normal people have. John says that they have friends, boyfriends, girlfriend etc. He asks if Sherlock has a girlfriend, and Sherlock says it's not really his area. John does a double take and asks if Sherlock has a boyfriend, insisting that he's fine if he does. Sherlock says he doesn't and John tries to move on from there, but Sherlock actually takes this as John showing romantic interest in him. He tries to turn him down, but John clarifies that he's not interested.

They then chase a cab driver through the city and it turns out not to be their murderer, and head back to 221B. There Sherlock basically says that John will be moving into 221B with him, and there's a drugs bust being done on the apartment. Sherlock figures out how to track the victim's phone, but gets kidnapped by the cabbie who is doing the murders. John then saves him and Sherlock realizes it, but lies to stop John from potentially getting arrested. Then they go off, meet Sherlock's archenemy who turns out to be his brother Mycroft, and then they go off to get dinner.

The Blind Baker[]

In the second episode, there is some tension surrounding John going on a date with Sarah, one which Sherlock ends up inviting himself along for.

The Great Game[]

In the third episode, it is established by Moriarty that John is Sherlock's "heart".

A Scandal in Belgravia[]

In series two, there are several examples of Sherlock and John's implied status as a couple. Episode one has John deny their status as a couple but Irene Adler insists that they are. As well, when John is speaking with his girlfriend, she tells him "You really are a good boyfriend... Sherlock Holmes is a lucky man," implying that he is devoted to Sherlock instead. There is a lot of speculation on Sherlock's sexuality in this episode as well. We are also given a scene with Mycroft snidely saying "how would you know?" to Sherlock's reply of "sex doesn't alarm me," to be later paired with Jim's nickname of "The Virgin."

The Hounds of Baskerville[]

Episode two has the innkeepers mistake John and Sherlock for a gay couple, apologizing for not getting them a double room.

The Reichenbach Falls[]

Episode three has newspaper articles that say Sherlock has been seen frequently in the company of "confirmed bachelor John Watson" (an old fashioned term for closeted gay man).

Season 1[]

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Enola Holmes 2[]

The clock strikes four while Sherlock is at home when there is a ring at the bell. He goes up to answer it, expecting Enola only to find a man he's never met before there. The man asks for him and Sherlock confirms who he is. The man says that he's here for his appointment, as Sherlock is seeking a flatmate. Sherlock says he must have the wrong address, confusing the man, given that the girl he talked to was very specific about the place and time. Sherlock realizes that Enola set this up, and the man once again asks if he's Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock smiles and confirms this again, and invites the man in asking for his name. He introduces himself as Dr. John Watson, and Sherlock lets him in.

Manga[]

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John, a retired doctor, returns to London when he is offered the proposition of becoming Sherlock Holmes’ flatmate. Upon arrival he senses a strange odor, and once he heads to the second floor, he is met with Sherlock on the ground, in a pool of blood. John drops his cane and immediately rushes to check on Sherlock, examining his condition and panicking. However, Sherlock wakes up, much to John’s utter surprise. Sherlock asks what time it is, before he jumps up and begins to celebrate his experiment’s success. John, absolutely puzzled, asks Sherlock if he’s alright, to which he explains the blood is cow’s blood. Sherlock is excited and continues explaining the experiment, before John introduces himself. Sherlock deduces that John is a doctor from Afghanistan, making the latter darken and question how Sherlock knew that, sweating bullets.

The detective goes on to explain he used observation to deduce that John is a doctor with the way he immediately went to check Sherlock’s condition in knowledgeable detail. Sherlock also adds he noticed the tan lines on John’s skin, the cane he uses, and the special watch in his pocket. Sherlock adds that John must be looking for a flatmate because of his low income, making the doctor blush as he is shocked by a further analysis, in which Sherlock claims that John is suffering from a psychosomatic after-effect based on how his cane is useless. Surprisingly, John blushes and screams how the deduction was amazing and is thoroughly impressed, which overwhelms Sherlock who goes on to introduce John to Miss Hudson.

The two go to a popular restaurant to meet Miss Hudson, and almost immediately, she grows accustomed to John, and she shares about Sherlock’s troublesome attitude. Shortly after, a close confrontation ensues where a group of delusional drunkards try to force Miss Hudson into joining them, wherein John ends up fending them off with skillful punches. Sherlock joins in to help, and the two stand side-by-side to beat off the group. After the battle is won and the trio leaves the restaurant, John scolds Sherlock for laughing about the situation. Miss Hudson smiles and realizes John is a good pick for Sherlock’s flatmate, and permits John to live at the apartment.

Not long after, Sherlock reveals that he coerced the drunkards into approaching Hudson so that John could prove himself to Hudson. John is not happy about this reveal and grabs Sherlock, fiercely asking if he’s mental. Nevertheless, shortly after they are approached with the proposition to inspect a murder case, where Sherlock fervently agrees to as a consulting detective. John assists Sherlock in this case, and after it is solved, John writes a book called “A Study In Scarlet” under the pen name “Conan Doyle” all about the case Sherlock solved. This surprises the latter who is both annoyed and appreciative of this grand gesture, while John happily fawns over the prospect and promises Sherlock that he’ll always he by his side.

From then on, John would find himself involved in Sherlock’s cases and work together with him, glad and defending him at any chance, as well as admiring his deduction skills greatly.

Milverton Arc[]

When John introduces his fiance Mary to Sherlock and Hudson, Sherlock finds himself tense and somewhat unfriendly as he questions the situation. Hudson notices this, so she later accuses Sherlock of being jealous of Mary, making him panicked and fervently deny this. Sherlock claims he doesn’t understand and walks off, leading to Hudson contemplating how Sherlock doesn’t want his best friend taken away from him. Later, when John anxiously raises the concern that the unknown sender may be attempting to hurt Mary, Sherlock looks away, annoyed, and claims how he’s aware of how much John likes Mary.

However, by the end of the expedition, Sherlock ends up accepting Mary as John’s fiancé and chooses to be happy for him. Nevertheless, he goes through extreme lengths to stop Milverton from breaking up the marriage for John’s sake, detesting the man for causing misfortune to John. Sherlock even curses out Milverton after seeing John’s sincere devotion to Mary and remarks on how much he hates the villain for hurting someone like John. He makes a promise to save John, while on the other hand, John reveals to Hudson that he is attempting to save Mary for Sherlock’s sake.

While eating lunch together, Sherlock questions John’s reason for getting married so soon. He explains he feels like he has less achievements than Sherlock and that he’s seeking for a partner to accept him. However, Sherlock responds saying that he has always accepted John, eliciting a blush and profuse questioning from him. Glumly, Sherlock explains he’s sad so much fun solving cases with John, and that he’s overjoyed sharing mysteries with another. Sherlock adds he’ll be lonely once Watson leaves 221B because of his dependence, even adding he tried to imitate Mary, because he wants John’s happiness. Sherlock talks to himself, “This must be what ‘friendship’ is about.” Still blushing, John begins to cry and claims he never knew Sherlock viewed him that way, grabbing him in a hug. John explains he’ll never stop being Sherlock’s friend and partner just because he’s getting married, leading to a promise they make where they will find happiness together.

Fanon[]

While the Sherlock Holmes fandom is one of the oldest, most venerable fandoms, and mainstream besides, Johnlock is the most popular pairing in the fandom. Fannish interest in the pairing has increased recently following the Sherlock Holmes 2009 film and the BBC's 2010 TV series Sherlock.

A variety of portrayals of Sherlock and John's sexualities and their relationship are common in fandom. One very common plot of fanwork is the usually romantic storyline of how Sherlock and John come to discover their romantic and sexual attraction to one another. Some of these stories are framed with Sherlock doing an "experiment" of some sort. The experiment is sometimes either sexual or has a physical element that requires close contact, and John is required to participate or is sometimes annoyed or blackmailed into participating. These frequently lead to a consensual intimate or sexual experience in which they confess their feelings. Romantic fan fiction about Sherlock's anticipated return after Reichenbach also often follow the pattern of Sherlock and John slowing revealing their unacted-upon romantic feelings for one another.

Other fanworks explore Sherlock and John's very close but platonic relationship. Such fics might be labelled 'friendship fic,' 'Pre-slash' or 'bromance' in order to indicate the relationship being explored is neither traditionally romantic or sexual. Common tropes include John and Sherlock platonic-ally sharing the same bed, cuddling, and getting married out of convenience.