Sherlock: 10 Biggest Plot Twists
9. Redbeard Is A Human Not A Dog – The Final Problem
‘The Final Problem’ was a strange way for the show to finish. Though it was a non-stop thriller from start to finish, it also felt rather ridiculous at times. Nevertheless, this patchy episode also contained a well-executed plot twist.
At the beginning of the episode, Mycroft reveals that Eurus (his younger sister) was taken to a mental institution after burning the family house down and killing a dog named Redbeard.
However, at the end of the episode it is revealed that Redbeard was in fact a boy named Victor Trevor who had been Sherlock’s best friend as a child. Eurus – angry at the lack of attention from her older sibling – had thrown Victor into a well.
As with the overall tone of the episode, such a revelation is rather far-fetched. Yet part of the reason it works so well is due to how it is revealed. Indeed, Watson discovering the bones of a child at the bottom of the well is a creepy and effective way for such a twist to be unveiled.