Sherlock Holmes / Characters

Character page of the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories.

Characters from post-Conan Doyle literature and some adaptations go on the pages below:

For a list of the actors and actresses who have appeared in Sherlock Holmes adaptations, see here.

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Sherlock Holmes

The most famous consulting detective working in London.

Abled in the Adaptation: While usually not considered a disability, Sherlock Holmes has a cocaine habit in the original books. Some adaptations do away with any drug references. The 21st century Setting Update Sherlock has Holmes as being on a nicotine patch as a Mythology Gag to both his drug addiction and his smoking habit, and also has him attempting to kick both heroin and cigarettes. Elementary, which is also set in the 2010s, goes the full mile and has Joan start as Sherlock's sober companion in order to help him kick his heroin addiction. Miss Sherlock goes the other way - chocolate is her vice instead.
The Ace: In the eyes of Watson and Scotland Yard, Holmes is incredible. At everything. It's repeatedly noted that he could have reached the same heights he's reached as a detective had he been an actor, a chemist, a philosopher, a prizefighter...
Adaptational Attractiveness: Holmes was described as hooknosed, gaunt, and pale. Many actors cast as him, including Christopher Lee (who was, at least, rather hook-nosed), Rupert Everett, Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, are rather handsome.
Adaptational Jerkass: Holmes can be oblivious to Watson's feelings, but he's still a good man that cares about people, especially his clients. Modern adaptations tend to depict him as pretty cruel and selfish, at least until Character Development kicks in.
Adaptational Wimp: While not very sociable, Holmes' does not struggle with patience or tact in the original stories. Adaptations on the other hand ...
Always Someone Better:
- Inspector Lestrade is one of the very best detectives that Scotland Yard has... and he'll never be better than Sherlock Holmes.
- Holmes has noted that his brother Mycroft is far better at deduction than him. Overall zigzagged though, as Holmes is more energetic and sociable, along with having actual field experience. Notably, Mycroft's attempt to personally handle a case nearly gets an innocent man killed.
- For what it's worth, Homes' childhood impressions also likely play a role in said view, given that Mycroft IS a whole 7 years older than himself.
Amateur Sleuth: He bills himself as a "consulting detective" when he first explains his work to Watson, describing himself as the one other detectives come to with cases they can't crack. His only real requirement is that the case catch his interest, so he ends up taking clients from the public at least as often as he gets cases from the police.
Awesomeness by Analysis: Holmes is this trope's Patron Saint: his entire thing is analysing things closely, often via a Sherlock Scan, which occurred at least once in every single story Doyle wrote and every other story after that. Because this is one of Holmes' chief characteristics, most pastiches and fanfictions also have this trope.
Badass Bookworm: Holmes is both strong for his size and a capable pugilist. His opponents have remarked that he would have made an excellent prize fighter if he had not devoted himself to intellectual pursuits.
Badass Long Coat: When in London, his favoured coat is a Macfarlane cape-coat, which happens to be the city counterpart of the Inverness cape-coat, the one he's depicted with when travelling the countryside. Both coats are explicitly cut to accommodate the moves of a hand-to-hand fighter/swordsman (an Inverness even doesn't have sleeves at all, only the pellegrina), which suits the singlestick-fighting Holmes quite well.
Berserk Button: He'll put up with threats and insults all day but don't ever threaten someone he cares about unless you really want to make him mad. And don't compare him to the detectives at Scotland Yard.
Blood Knight: Downplayed, but whenever Holmes gets into a fight he does enjoy himself as mentioned in "The Solitary Cyclist" when he refers to his Curb-Stomp Battle with Woodley as "delicious."
Big Brother Worship: While noting Mycroft to be slothful in attitude, Holmes still holds his brother in a very high-esteem, stating the latter to be smarter than himself.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: One of the originals.
Watson: I don't think you need alarm yourself, I have usually found that there was method in his madness.
Inspector Forrester: Some folk might say there was madness in his method.
Cane Fu: Holmes is quite the singlestick player.
Caper Rationalization: He does this on multiple occasions. "A Scandal in Bohemia" revolves around retrieving a compromising photo their client is afraid might be used against him, "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" has him retrieving letters from a blackmailer and failing to report or investigate the entirely justified murder of said blackmailer, and in "the Bruce-Partington Plans" they break into a spy's apartment (admitting as much to the police officer with them, though he doesn't raise a fuss considering the diplomatic implications).
Catchphrase: "It is simplicity itself" and "You know my methods", as well as occasionally referring to an absorbing case as, "not entirely devoid of interest."
Celibate Eccentric Genius: Holmes dismisses love and women as distractions which would interfere with his ability to be a perfect reasoning machine. Sometimes he claims not to notice female attractiveness at all. Then again in The Valley of Fear, Holmes does mention the possibility of seeing himself married one day so it's not as rigorously enforced in his later years.
Challenge Seeker: Excluding people that truly need his help, Holmes only takes a case if it's sufficiently interesting, and constantly bemoans the criminal classes' lack of ingenuity.
Character Development: He becomes considerably less aloof as the series goes on, and more open to a life outside detective work. ^note In The Sign of Four, he explicitly says that Watson is his only friend, but later addresses his farewell note in "The Final Problem" to his "friends" (note the plural) who might be saddened by his departure.
- In the post-hiatus stories, he becomes a good deal more cold and manipulative than before, likely in part from Doyle's bitterness at being forced to undo the original ending. One Cornish boatman even told Doyle that "When Mr. Holmes had that fall he may not have been killed, but he was certainly injured, for he was never the same afterwards."
- Despite the above, Holmes acts more humane again later on, best shown through his narratives in "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier" and "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane".
Character Exaggeration: He's had a few traits considerably emphasized over the course of his very long status as a pop culture icon:
- His ego and Insufferable Genius tendencies. While Holmes in the original stories is certainly not lacking in confidence in his intellect, many later portrayals border on full on narcissism as he can't seem to go five seconds without telling everyone how brilliant he is and is so obnoxious about it you wonder why anyone puts up with him, genius or not. This stands in contrast to Holmes under Doyle who is fully willing to admit his limitations, openly says his observational skills are not a superpower but the result of rigorous training and will cop to when he's either failed to solve a case or has been outsmarted, even asking others to remind him so as to not let his ego blind him.
- His anti-social nature. Holmes is not a people person in any version but many later portrayals double down on his self-described lack of emotion and portray him as utterly disinterested in pretty much anyone except for what they can provide in terms of intellectual stimulation and often being rude and vain to anyone he's forced to interact with. The Doyle stories show that he's at least capable of being outgoing and quite charming when he wishes to be, is always exceptionally polite to those who seek his help and is capable of immense compassion and kindness even to murderers and it's shown that he's far more emotional than he lets on, being genuinely outraged and disgusted at a few particularly horrible cases or people he's come across such as Charles Pulverton whose blackmailing activities and sadistic personality legitimately sicken Holmes.
- Even his intellect is subjected to this. Holmes is undeniably brilliant but a recurring theme in the stories is that he is not invulnerable and is capable of making mistakes or arriving at the wrong conclusions from his deductions and he will openly admit his skill is not a superpower but the result of intense training and something anyone could learn. He is also defeated a few times, most notably by Irene Adler who uses his own confidence against him, or simply fails to solve cases. Many adaptations have it so that Holmes' deductive skills are something akin to a superhuman ability and he's almost never wrong with only Moriarty presenting any serious intellectual threat to him.
Characterizing Sitting Pose: He listens to those that come to him for help by sitting in his chair, head tilted back, eyes closed, elbows on armrests, and fingertips touching. One might assume that Holmes holds little interest in the client's tale, until Holmes asks such pointed questions that it's clear he was analyzing every detail.
The Charmer: Despite Holmes' lack of interest in women on a personal level Watson notes that when he wants to he can be devastatingly charming to the opposite sex. He just tends to only use this talent to get evidence out of them.
Clothes Make the Legend: Even though neither the deerstalker or cape were actually featured prominently in the stories and only ever appeared once in Sidney Paget's illustrations, it's hard to imagine Holmes without them. Some adaptations missed the fact that the Deerstalker hat and the Inverness coat were both country wear, something that a respectable gentleman would never wear in the city. Others correctly had Holmes wearing a Top hat or a Homburg (in stories set later in his career) when about town with a Frock coat or Greatcoat.
Confirmed Bachelor: One of the most famous examples. Throughout his long career he shows absolutely no interest pursuing any physical or romantic relationships with anyone, and never marries. Even his admiration for Irene Adler comes purely from her success at outmaneuvering him and not from any physical characteristics.
Cultured Badass: Intelligent, erudite and musically inclined and a skilled pugilist and martial artist.
Deadpan Snarker: Holmes gets a lot of snarky lines in over each story, especially toward the hapless Scotland Yard inspectors whose perception is so inferior to his own.
Depending on the Writer: Despite Doyle being the sole author for the original books, Holmes' character tends fluctuate pretty commonly. For instance, Watson describes him as a reasonable roommate in stories like "A Study in Scarlet", while others like "The Adventure of the Dying Detective" show Holmes as anything but. That's not even getting into things like his focus on knowledge and views toward women.
Distinguished Gentleman's Pipe: Not as commonly depicted the curved "calabash" style,^note Holmes would have used a less ostentatious straight or slightly curved stem pipe with a small bowl.
Doing It for the Art (In-Universe): Holmes' approach to his detective work is as a Challenge Seeker and is prepared to work for the work's sake. The Priory School is an exception where a reward is given and Holmes and Watson are paid 12,000 pounds (6,000 for each, where 5,000 is for finding the boy and 1,000 for naming the kidnappers).
Dreadful Musician: Subverted. Holmes is actually a good violinist when persuaded to play music with his violin. Most of the time, however, he just scrapes the strings with the bow to give his hands something to do while his mind works, and doesn't notice people's reaction to the noise.
Dropped a Bridge on Him: The end of "Final Problem" was intended to be Holmes' last bow, with the detective being killed off by a one-shot villain throwing them both down a waterfall. Fans were not pleased, and Doyle was forced to turn it into a Disney Death.
Erudite Stoner: Holmes' drug of choice is cocaine, no less, which he says he indulges in to keep his mind active when he's not on a case. He eventually kicks the habit, thanks partly to Watson's disapproval.
Expert Consultant: The world's first and only consulting detective, taking on cases as police needs him to rather than seeking out those cases himself.
Fat and Skinny: He's slender while his brother Mycroft is fat.
Forgets to Eat: Or refuses to because it would interfere with his mental concentration, to Watson's dismay.
Freudian Excuse: Part of Holmes' disrespect towards Scotland Yard stems from how innocents suffer for their mistakes. He becomes outright angered when learning that they neglected to protect his client in "The Five Orange Pips".
Functional Addict: He uses cocaine in the early stories, though eventually kicks the habit.
Genius Bruiser: Downplayed. While stories like "The Adventure Of The Speckled Band" show that Holmes has great strength, his outward appearance is not exceptionally imposing. Despite this, he is a talented boxer and martial artist on top of his extraordinary intellect, showing particular skill in Bartitsu, a hybrid fighting style of Judo, Jiujitsu, Boxing, Wrestling and Kickboxing. Still, some criminals have outmuscled him from time to time, forcing Watson and/or several police officers to step in.
Genius Slob: Watson recounts that Holmes normally leaves everything but his mind untidy, with writings on his shirt cuff. Oddly enough, this is contradicted in "The Hound of the Baskervilles", with Holmes described as having a catlike love of personal cleanliness.
- Emphasis on “personal.” It's possible for him to have a disorganized home but still prefers to keep himself clean. Then again, Doyle may have been trying to play around with the readers by likening Holmes to a cat, given the Antagonist Title.
Gentleman and a Scholar: In A Study in Scarlet he is described as a bit of a Ditzy Genius (he for instance appears unaware that the Earth revolves around the Sun and has not heard of Thomas Carlyle), but soon evolves into an example of this. Will frequently have a very apropos literary quote ready (often in the original language), be it from Flaubert, Goethe or Hafiz.
Gentleman Snarker: Holmes is very capable of insulting people without ever dropping his impeccable manners and doing so in such a way that most of his targets don't even know they're being spoken down to.
Good Is Not Soft: Holmes is on the side of justice and the down-trodden, as well as usually being a gentleman to his clients. However, he will not hold back against unrepentant foes. Likewise, he has moments of being an Insufferable Genius, usually towards Watson.
Good Old Fisticuffs: It's even lampshaded by a character in 'The Sign of the Four'' that Holmes would have had quite a career in the ring.
Graceful Loser: To Irene Adler. Holmes fully accepts that she outwitted him and used his ego to her advantage and he not only isn't mad but greatly respects her for it.
Great Detective: The great detective. He may not have been the first of his kind, but he set the standard for every single detective to come.
Hidden Depths: Many times, such as his regard for others.
- He will forgive certain culprits, provided that they learn their lesson and nobody is harmed in their stead.
- At times, he will show more compassion than Watson himself. A prominent example is "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor", in which Holmes alone expresses sympathy toward their pompous client's anguish.
- Holmes also shows more tenderness in stories he narrates, such as "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane".
- For all his ego, Holmes is quite willing to admit when he's in the wrong and is not only not mad at Irene Adler for beating him but respects for her it. He has even asked others to bring up his failures if acting too arrogant so as to remind him that he's not invulnerable.
Higher Understanding Through Drugs: Inverted, in that he only takes cocaine when he's bored. Played straight with tobacco, however.
Iconic Outfit: Holmes is so closely associated with the specific ensemble of a deerstalker hat, Inverness cape, and Calabash pipe that they've become a shorthand for the Great Detective trope as a whole. Ironically, only a handful of the illustrations for the original stories actually depict him wearing the hat and cape, given how it is meant to be worn in the countryside. Likewise, Holmes favors cigarettes and cigars over a pipe (though he does use one occasionally).
Icy Gray Eyes: Holmes is depicted as a stoic, logical man with a pair of penetrating grey eyes.
The Insomniac: Finds it hard to sleep when he's fixated on a problem. Also enjoys playing the violin or doing chemical experiments in the middle of the night, undoubtedly upsetting his landlady.
Insufferable Genius: Whenever boasting about his mind to Watson. Holmes justifies this in "The Greek Interpreter" by saying that a logician must see things exactly as they are, so to underplay his brain powers would be a departure from the truth. Played with, since Holmes also notes that overplaying his powers is equally fallacious. Furthermore, he points out that his Awesomeness by Analysis isn't a superpower, and anyone could reach the deductions he makes if they knew how to.
- If making an error of some sort, Holmes will own up to it without resentment. Notable examples include A Scandal in Bohemia and The Adventure of the Yellow Face; the latter in which Holmes humbly asks Watson to remind him of the case when acting too arrogant.
Intelligence Equals Isolation: Without something to engage him, Holmes turns in on himself or resorts to cocaine.
Invincible Hero: Surprisingly averted in stories like "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "Thor Bridge", while in "Five Orange Pips", Holmes mentions being defeated four times. Several of Watson's narration also explain that their cases have a fair share of unsatisfying conclusions, because Holmes couldn't figure out the answer.
It Runs in the Family: According to Holmes himself, his observation and detective skills are hereditary, as he and his brother both possess them.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Definitely eccentric, and can be oblivious towards Watson's feelings. However, despite moments of arrogance, Holmes is clearly a good man at heart and cares about others, especially his loved ones.
Loves Secrecy: Likes to keep most of his conclusions secret up until The Reveal; this trait was passed on to many other fictional detectives.
Master Actor: Holmes is very good at improvising, adopting disguises and talking his way into places he needs to go for his investigation with little issue. Watson once notes that he could have done very well on the stage had he not decided to become a detective.
Master of Disguise: Not even Watson can identify Holmes when he's assumed another identity.
Mirror Character: Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, both brilliant and equal matches in nearly every way. The mirroring catches attention so effectively that despite Moriarty being a fairly minor character in the original canon, he has an outsized role in many, if not most, adaptations.
Muscles Are Meaningless: He's described as being exceptionally thin but those who have fought him have learned the hard way how strong he is and about his skills at fighting. One notable example has him bending a fireplace poker back into shape without breaking a sweat.
Mysterious Past: Partially fits this trope, with Watson himself unclear of Holmes' past.
- In "Musgrave Ritual", it is revealed that Holmes decided to become a private detective in his university years, which led to his eventual meeting with Watson.
- Regarding Holmes' family, he's descended from country squires, his grandmother was a sister of French artist Vernet, and he has an older brother named Mycroft.
Never Found the Body: At the end of "The Final Problem", with good reason.
Non-Idle Rich: Subverted at first. While Holmes states that his ancestors were country squires, he did not rely on family money, hence becoming roommates with Watson in A Study of Scarlet. As he gained a firm detective career though, Holmes gradually became much wealthier, regularly paying enough rent money to outright buy 221B Baker Street. Likewise, Holmes later purchases Watson's old practice after the Great Hiatus, done so the two can work together again.
Not So Stoic:
- He leaps out of his chair with a Big "WHAT?!" in "The Man With the Twisted Lip" when his client produces a new clue that utterly upsets his current theory.
- One of the more famous among the fanbase is Holmes' reaction to Watson being shot in "The Three Garridebs". He gently helps the doctor to a chair and coldly tells his attacker that he's lucky he didn't kill Watson or it would have been his death as well.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Holmes will sometimes use this to his advantage when interrogating a suspect. He has also feigned clumsiness as an excuse to procure evidence, e.g. "carelessly" kicking over a watering can to moisten a path and obtain the clear footprint of a suspect.
Pet Positive Identification: Holmes has solved more than one case by observing the behaviour of pets around their owners and/or the owner's imposter:
- In Holmes' adventure of Silver Blaze, the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime is that it doesn't bark, thus showing that it was familiar with the man who stole the titular horse from the stables: namely, John Straker.
- Holmes uses a dog to help solve The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place. When released, the dog bounds towards his mistress' carriage, but snaps angrily at her when he gets close. Holmes realizes that the "woman" is an imposter — actually her brother in disguise. The man had given the dog away in order to avoid such a reveal.
Private Detective: Or to use Holmes' precise words, "Consulting Detective".
The Quiet One: Whenever someone relates to him a case, Holmes is reservedly quiet (signifying that his calculating mind is in action) and after the client(s) leave, Watson notes that Holmes will normally sit for a few hours in his armchair and go over the case.
Reckless Gun Usage: During his first meeting with Moriarty in "The Final Problem", he is fingering the trigger of a gun inside his pocket. Moriarty points out the danger of this and remarks that he expected Holmes to be smarter than that. Then there's the fact that he shot a patriotic insignia into the living room wall with bullet-marks.
Rich Boredom: Holmes dreads this more than anything else. He openly admits that one of the reasons he pursues detective work is because he's attracted to the danger. When there is no case on hand, Holmes tends act more brash and brusque, using cocaine to keep his mind stimulated. This actually wasn't the case early on, with Holmes acting lethargically in "A Study in Scarlet". Once Holmes' fame spreads and more people seek his help, Watson persuades him to abandon the needle.
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Since he's not a police detective, things like warrants don't worry him. He's also willing to turn a blind eye to the occasional criminal if he's suitably convinced that they had valid reasons for what they did and/or that it wouldn't be just to submit them to the harsh mercies of the criminal justice system for what they did. As he states in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle", "I am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies."
Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: He's helped the police enough, and done countless services to the Government and the Royal Family (he was even offered - and declined - a knighthood) that the few times someone does complain about him breaking into their house he doesn't have to worry.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Holmes is a wealthy Victorian gentleman and dresses as such.
Sherlock Scan: Holmes' trademark. He can tell a lifetime's worth of information about a person by just looking them over for a few moments. The original stories explains that this skill is not perfect, since it is based around figuring out details and drawing conclusions rather than definitive knowledge. Thus, Holmes can get details right but still draw the wrong conclusions, or even make mistakes from his bias. Furthermore, he has to maintain this skill through long hours of intense study, remembering dull topics on the off chance that they might come in handy one day.
Signature Headgear: As a 19th century gentleman, Holmes owns an assortment of these, ranging from a bowler over a top hat to finally the famous deerstalker. While the latter is never mentioned by name in the books (the illustrator of the Strand Magazine, Sidney Paget was the one to choose it), it is also the only period hat that fits the description in "The Adventure of Silver Blaze," "[an] ear-flapped travelling cap", and in "The Boscombe Valley Mystery", a "close-fitting cloth cap". The only time fashion-conscious Holmes is depicted with the deerstalker while being in the city is in "The Empty House", which is extremely unusual for Paget. Finally, he dons a Homburg hat in "His Last Bow", which hints at the changes in times and fashion.
The Spock: Holmes is quite adamant that emotion has no place in his line of work, only science, empiricism, and logic.
Stronger Than They Look: In The Adventure of the Speckled Band, a murder suspect barges into Holmes and Watsons flat to confront them about being hired to investigate him, and tries to intimidate them by taking one of their fire pokers and bending it out of shape. When the man leaves, Holmes quietly picks it up and straightens it right back into shape, to the astonishment of Watson, with Holmes himself not cowed at all and really more upset that the man dared to compare him to the fops at Scotland Yard.
To Be Lawful or Good: Several stories place Holmes, who (while hardly being a paladin) generally respects and upholds the law, in a position where he is forced to either let a sympathetic guilty party be punished or look the other way and let them go. Alternatively, he might have to break the law in order to ensure a deserving guilty party is punished (usually by burgling their house in order to find evidence). Generally, he picks the 'good' option, although in the former examples he does usually make a point of ensuring that the evidence is still available to the police for them to draw the correct conclusions (they rarely do) and will make a point of informing the guilty party that if an innocent person should find themselves facing punishment for the guilty person's crime, then all deals are off.
Workaholic: Detective work is his true addiction. When he's on a case, he goes for days without sleep and occasionally works himself to the point of a nervous collapse. When he doesn't have a case, he becomes morose and requires "artificial stimulants" to keep boredom at bay.
Wrestler in All of Us: He defeats Moriarty using Baritsu, a hybrid martial art which combines Boxing, French Kickboxing and moves from Judo and Jiujitsu as well as Swiss Wrestling.

Dr. John H. Watson

A former army doctor and veteran of the Second Afghan War. Holmes' trusted companion, roommate, and chronicler.

Adaptational Ugliness: While more recent versions are more accurate, like Jude Law and Martin Freeman, Watson was often depicted in other media as a short, fat man.
Author Avatar: Watson represents Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself as a fellow writer and doctor. His role as The Watson and as a Supporting Protagonist helps Doyle ask the questions he himself would ask.
Character Exaggeration: Over time, incarnations of Watson made him obese and rather bumbling, despite the fact that Watson is portrayed in the stories as of around Holmes' build and extremely intellectual (he is a bit slow compared to Holmes, but virtually everyone is as well, and he is consistently depicted leagues ahead of most everyone else in the regular cast and being a doctor, he'd obviously have to be pretty smart). 21st-century adaptations (film and live action TV) have rectified this.
Combat Medic: Watson has helped Holmes subdue more than one physically strong criminal. His medical knowledge also saves the lives of the title characters in "The Adventure Of The Greek Interpreter" and "The Disappearance Of Lady Frances Carfax".
Dashingly Dapper Derby: Often portrayed with a bowler hat, as the Quintessential British Gentleman.
A Day in the Limelight: Some fans consider "The Hound of the Baskervilles" to be this for Watson, as Holmes is "offstage" for six of the novel's fifteen chapters.
Deuteragonist: One of the finest examples in English-language fiction. Holmes himself admits that he would be lost without Watson, and Watson's assistance, whether through his medical talents or his doing legwork for Holmes, repeatedly shows its value.
The Gambling Addict: Spends "about half [his] wound pension" gambling on the races. One story even mentions that his checkbook is kept locked in Holmes' desk. Some adaptations take this as a preventative measure that allows Holmes to make sure that Watson does not wager more than he can afford.
Game-Breaking Injury: Suffered a major bullet wound to either one of his shoulders or one of his limbs that made him ill-suited for continued military service, leading to his honourable discharge.
Genius Bruiser: He's a doctor and a decorated soldier who is a very capable combatant when he has to be.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: Watson lives with Holmes and became his trustworthy partner against crime. Their adventures led to Watson marrying one of their clients, Mary Morstan. Regarding this, Holmes explicitly states during one case that wedlock suits Watson very well.
Improbable Aiming Skills: Watson is a crack shot with a pistol. In The Sign of the Four, Watson is able to shoot an assassin from opposite boats in choppy water.
Lantern Jaw of Justice: According to an eyewitness description, Watson is "a middle-sized, strongly-built man" with a square jaw and a thick neck.
Last-Name Basis: Holmes and most other characters usually refer to Watson by his last name. Some like Mary Morstan refer to him as John though.
Love at First Sight: Watson falls in love with Mary Morstan almost instantaneously.
Official Couple: Watson marries Mary Morstan at the end of The Sign of the Four.
One-Hour Work Week: Although Watson goes into medical practice after getting married, he never has any trouble ditching his job for the day to accompany Holmes on a case. The stories do at least nod to this, as Watson frequently mentions busy periods in his practice that keep him from hanging around with Holmes, and often notes that the occasions where he does drop everything to follow Holmes are dry patches where nothing much has been happening. Watson's wife Mary has also encouraged him to spend some time with Holmes when he's been overworking himself. Watson also partners with other doctors, such as Anstruther and Jackson, to serve as "locums" who temporarily fill in for him when he's indisposed.
Reformed Bully: Bizarrely enough, he actually messed with one of his old schoolmates, Percy Phelps, during their boyhood, as revealed in the opening to The Naval Treaty. Of course, currently he only makes life difficult for those who have tormented others.
Watson: [Percy] was, I remember, extremely well connected, and even when we were all little boys together we knew that his mother's brother was Lord Holdhurst, the great conservative politician. This gaudy relationship did him little good at school. On the contrary, it seemed rather a piquant thing to us to chevy him about the playground and hit him over the shins with a wicket.
Rude Hero, Nice Sidekick: Downplayed, but also one of the oldest examples. While dangerous when roused, Watson is a romantic who is usually more soft than Holmes.
Serial Spouse: If you take all the dates in the stories literally, Watson either keeps getting divorced or is a serial widower.
Shipper on Deck: Watson ships Holmes and Violet Hunter in "The Copper Beeches".
The Stoic: By the time he met Holmes, Watson apparently had no living kin left. Then, after Holmes' disappearance from facing Moriarty, Watson's wife Mary dies. One can only imagine the pain Watson felt before reuniting with Holmes, since he himself barely says a word about it.
Supporting Protagonist: Sort of; the stories are told from Watson's point of view, but they focus on Holmes' adventures.
Undying Loyalty: Would follow Holmes anywhere and do anything Holmes asks of him, no matter how dangerous or illegal. Despite Holmes' frequent dishonesty and manipulative behaviour, Watson always trusts that he knows what he's doing and that it's best to go along with his plans, however little he understands them.
Unreliable Narrator: Holmes sometimes accuses Watson of not telling the stories quite accurately; adaptations occasionally toy with this aspect of the Holmes legend.

Inspector Lestrade

A Scotland Yard detective who often comes to Holmes for help — not that he would admit it. Holmes regards him as competent, but unimaginative.

Animal Motifs: In the early stories he is described as being "ferret-like" on occasion whereas later appearances stress his "bulldog features", presumably to highlight his determination.
Character Exaggeration: Lestrade is quite subdued when placed alongside Holmes' quick wit, but the Universal films in the 1940s turned him into The Ditz. This was ironically inverted as time went on, since in The Hound Of The Baskervilles Holmes declares him to be "the very best of the professionals." In "The Cardboard Box", Holmes also praises Lestrade's tenacity, which is what enabled him to come as far as he has at the Yard.
Damned by Faint Praise: Holmes says that he, along with Gregson, are two of the best Inspectors from Scotland Yard... of a rather incompetent lot.
Fake Ultimate Hero: Takes the credit for many of Holmes' successes and gets glowing reviews in the press — Holmes doesn't hold it against him in fact he encourages it.
Hero of Another Story: Lestrade has his own cases outside of what Watson describes to the public, and Holmes compliments him on his work in the Moseley Mystery when they meet again for the first time in years in "The Empty House".
Inspector Lestrade: Well, um, yes. He's not the only official detective who appears in the stories to act as the less-observant foil to Holmes, but he is probably the most iconic. Holmes himself views Lestrade as one of the better examples of the official force that he tends to interact with.
No Name Given: His first name is never given beyond signing a letter "G. Lestrade" once.
The Rival:
- Tries to be this to Holmes, but is ultimately too slow to pull it off. He grows out of it.
- Has this with Inspector Gregson as well.
Took a Level in Kindness: In the beginning his relationship with Holmes was rocky. He went to him for help, but resented that the amateur was the better man, but it developed into one of respect.

Inspector Tobias Gregson

The other reocurring Detective from Scotland Yard. Unlike Lestrade, Gregson welcomes the aid of Sherlock Holmes.

Damned by Faint Praise: Holmes says that he, along with Lestrade, are two of the best Inspectors from Scotland Yard... of a rather incompetent lot.
Fake Ultimate Hero: Just like Lestrade, Gregson is credited with Holmes' successes by the media prior to Watson's intervention.
Foil: Serves as one to Lestrade in their introduction, Gregson is tall and broad in contrast to the short and wirey Lestrade. Gregson welcomes Holmes' assistance and is portrayed as intelligent whereas Lestrade is (initially) skeptical and is famed for his tenacity in solving cases.
Hypocritical Humor: Joins in on mocking Lestrade's incorrect hypotheses despite himself also being proven wrong.
Inspector Lestrade: If the actual Lestrade isn't there, chances are it's Gregson instead. However Gregson is portrayed more positively in the stories compared to Lestrade.
The Rival: Has some professional animosity with his fellow Inspector, Lestrade.
Small Role, Big Impact: Despite only appearing in four stories, Gregson is inadvertently responsible for Holmes' fame by inviting him to consult on the Drebber case which inspired Watson to become Holmes' chronicler.
The Smart Guy: Holmes describes him as "the smartest of the Scotland Yarders" but still inferior to himself.
The Stoic: Exemplified in his final appearance where Watson observes that Gregson maintains his usual "quiet businesslike bearing" despite trying to chase after a murderer.
Those Two Guys: Initially has this going on with Lestrade in a case of Early-Installment Weirdness but otherwise spends the rest of the stories solving cases on his own.
To Be Lawful or Good: Despite being a policeman, Gregson is willing to turn a blind eye to any of Holmes' criminal activity if it means catching a dangerous criminal.

Irene Adler

The Woman, according to Holmes. A retired opera singer, who did what no criminal in Watson's chronicles could do — best Holmes.

Breakout Character: She's one of the most famous of Holmes' opponents despite appearing in only a single story.
Character Exaggeration: She's treated as a Femme Fatale in a Dating Catwoman relationship with Holmes in just about every appearance except her canonical one, where she loves someone else and her only "crime" is legally possessing a photograph an ex-boyfriend fears she will use to blackmail him (which she never does). Furthermore, while Holmes' admiration of her is genuine, it's clearly established to be purely because she is intellectually his equal and because she outsmarted him, not based on any romantic or sexual desire.
Hero Antagonist: She hasn't actually done anything wrong in "A Scandal in Bohemia" other than possessing a photograph that the King of Bohemia would rather she did not (and it's notable that he only fears that she will use it against him; there is no suggestion that she actually has). Furthermore, her final letter makes it clear that she's only hanging onto it for insurance to stop being hassled by him and his goons. Even Holmes and Watson, who agree to help the King get it back, are inclined to view the King as being the bigger Jerkass in the whole situation — likely doing so largely to prevent a possible national scandal.
Promotion to Love Interest: Post-canon incarnations have made her a Love Interest for Holmes.
Worthy Opponent: To Holmes. She's among the very few people to outfox him and get away with it.

Mycroft Holmes

Sherlock's older brother, who works for the British Government in some unnamed capacity, but is never-the-less indispensable.

Almighty Janitor: He's indispensable and influential despite his low position, to the point where his analyses can determine government policy to such a degree that Sherlock has claimed that on occasion, Mycroft is the British Government.
Always Someone Better: Zigzagged. Mycroft is indisputably better than Sherlock when it comes to analytical skill. On the other hand, Sherlock outdoes Mycroft when it comes to determining how to tactically approach a case. When the title character of "The Greek Interpreter" asks Mycroft to help him with a case, Mycroft's first act is to put an ad in the newspapers asking for the number of the cab that picked the interpreter up. All this does is make the criminals realize that the Greek interpreter ratted them out. Holmes himself points out that while he'll cheerfully admit that Mycroft has him beat on sheer intelligence and analytical ability, Mycroft's indolence and rigidity mean that he's a very poor detective compared to Holmes.
Breakout Character: Only appears in two of the original stories and is mentioned in two more, but is one of the most popular characters to appear in adaptations and pastiches.
Brilliant, but Lazy: Zigzagged:
- Even Holmes admits that Mycroft is better in observation and reasoning than himself, but says that he would not make a good detective since he lacks the energy and ambition to apply these skills as anything more than a hobby for his amusement. Sherlock has mentioned that there have been times he's been stumped with a case that Mycroft was able to crack, but Sherlock still needed to gather the data to let Mycroft make his final deductions.
- While Mycroft lacks the physical energy to actually go out and gather information, he's extremely knowledgeable and dedicated to his real job, namely acting as a general adviser and troubleshooter for the British government. He knows the most mundane details of every major file in every government department, how they might relate to each other, and how best to use that information. Sherlock goes so far as to say that Mycroft sometimes is the British government, as his advice has repeatedly decided national and imperial policy.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: He's definitely an oddball as evidenced by his rigid routine, disinterest in social interactions and going about his home completely naked. He's also incredibly smart, even more so than Sherlock, and is a crucial part of the British Government. One has to wonder if there is a gene that makes Holmes men brilliant but also have a few screws loose.
Celibate Eccentric Genius: He appears to be unmarried, and if anything is even more unsociable than Sherlock, so it's likely he also has this in common with his brother. He is one of the co-founders of the Diogenes Club, which forbids members to talk or even acknowledge one another's presence while they're on the premises.
Creature of Habit: Outside of emergencies, he spends his entire life in three places: his office in Whitehall, his lodgings in Pall Mall (within easy walking distance of Whitehall), and the Diogenes Club (which is across the street from his flat). He sticks to that routine so much that a deviation from it is likened to a tram going off the rails and making its way down a country lane.
Fat and Skinny: Mycroft is corpulent compared to his slender brother Sherlock.
Geek Physiques: Mycroft's lack of exercise and hours spent doing geeky things at a desk mean that he's quite portly.
Good with Numbers: Has 'an extraordinary faculty for figures" and his cover story is being a government auditor.
I Am the Noun: A mild variation in that Sherlock is the one who actually says it, but Mycroft occasionally *is* the British government. His ability to synthesize information is second to none, not to mention his foresight as to how that information should be used. Political leaders regularly consult him for advice, and he never steers them wrong.
Icy Gray Eyes: Like his brother Sherlock, Mycroft possesses a set of keen grey eyes to go along with his stoic personality. The look that Holmes gives people when using his full powers of deduction? Mycroft has that as a default expression.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Mycroft's badly thought-out actions put lives at risk in "The Greek Interpreter".
Secret-Keeper:
- Holmes trusted him with the knowledge that he was still alive after the confrontation with Professor Moriarty, as he needed to rely on Mycroft to obtain enough money to survive on his own for three years.
- Holmes himself held back the truth about Mycroft's actual responsibilities from Watson for a long time until he knew Watson could be trusted with it.
Sherlock Scan: Even better than the Trope Namer; he just prefers to do it either when people visit him or when he's watching from the window, whereas Sherlock will go out and look himself.
Super-Intelligence: His job. He's like a human computer who takes various factors of proposed policy, and calculate how each one affects the other.

Professor James Moriarty

A criminal mastermind and Holmes' most famous nemesis.

Affably Evil: He politely waits for Holmes to write a farewell note to Watson before the final showdown and is known for being an exceptionally polite and good-mannered gentleman in his daily life and his respect for Holmes is entirely genuine.
Always Someone Better: He's almost as good as Holmes, but not quite. For all Moriarty's skill, Holmes remarks that there are limits to his intelligence. At some point, he made a very small, but ultimately fatal, error that allowed Holmes to bring down his entire empire (although Holmes' description suggests that it was so minor a "trip" that it was only a problem for Moriarty in this case because Holmes was already looking into his criminal associations).
Animal Motifs: Holmes describes the "reptilian" way that Moriarity moves his head. He also compares Moriarty to a giant, malevolent spider, sitting at the centre of a web of crime, aware of even the slightest touch on its threads.
Arch-Enemy: To Holmes, whom spent years trying to take down the professor ...and nearly got killed in the process.
Badass Bookworm: According to Holmes, Moriarty's book The Dynamics Of An Asteroid ascends to such high levels of mathematics that it almost boggles the mind.
Bad Boss: Despite his Benevolent Boss tendencies described below, The Valley of Fear establishes that Moriarty practices strict discipline with his employees and has only one punishment in his code for traitors: death.
Beneath Suspicion: No one expects the mild-mannered teacher and tutor to really be a criminal mastermind with schemes across all of Europe.
Benevolent Boss: He seems to be one; Holmes mentions that if an agent of his is caught, money will be found in Moriarty's organization for that individual's freedom or defense; suggesting at least an occasional aversion of You Have Failed Me. He pays Moran an exorbitant salary for his skills, and Holmes talks about three former members of his gang who will stop at nothing to revenge themselves on him after Moriarty's death.
Breakout Villain: Though only featured in one story and passively in another, Holmes' mention of his ominous reputation in later stories and adaptations of the character have made him a hallmark of the Evil Genius archetype.
- Doyle himself must have recognized this, hence his later novel (The Valley of Fear) that features Moriarty as an antagonist (and he even beats Holmes in that one).
Card-Carrying Villain: Moriarty has no illusions about his villainous nature nor does he try to justify what he does as anything but evil or for any greater purpose than his own intellectual stimulation.
Character Exaggeration: While Moriarty is undeniably brilliant and powerful, most adaptations tend to portray him as something closer to a supervillain with plans of world domination and influence and a cackling sociopath without absolutely no redeeming traits. By contrast, the original version portrayed him as simply controlling a large part of London's criminal underworld and having some influence in other parts of Europe, which is certainly no small feat, and not having much interest in working beyond that. He was also portrayed as intimidating and evil but not without some positive qualities, genuinely respecting Holmes as an adversary and treats those who work under him quite well, to the point of some even trying to avenge him out of loyalty, in contrast to adaptations where he is threatening and cruel to those under him and will kill them as soon as they mess up, fulfill their use to him or simply for fun.
Character Tics: A 'curiously reptilian' way of moving his head.
Cool Teacher: At ''The Valley of Fear", After hearing Holmes talking about the professor, Inspector Macdonald makes his business to see him and he only sees a very respectable, learned, and talented sort of man.:
... I had a chat with him on eclipses. How the talk got that way I canna think; but he had out a reﬂector lantern and a globe, and made it all clear in a minute. He lent me a book; but I don't mind saying that it was a bit above my head, though I had a good Aberdeen upbringing. He'd have made a grand meenister with his thin face and gray hair and solemn-like way of talking. When he put his hand on my shoulder as we were parting, it was like a father's blessing before you go out into the cold, cruel world."
The Chessmaster: Not for nothing is he called "the Napoleon of crime".
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: He was already a well-paid and fairly well-off university professor and could've easily used his intellect for even greater fortune but found a life of crime more exciting and intellectually challenging.
Dark and Troubled Past: He held a department chair at one of England's "smaller universities", but given him his intelligence he certainly had a brilliant career before him, except something happened — merely described as "dark rumors" that forced him to resign his position and he was reduced to being an army coach (a private tutor to prepare officers for exams) before he set up his criminal empire.
Determinator: A villainous example. Holmes described Moriarty as "inexorable" in chasing the detective across Europe, caring more about revenge than his life in his last rush at the detective.
Diabolical Mastermind: One of the earliest examples. He had nearly complete control over London's criminal underworld at the apex of his power.
Disney Villain Death: In The Final Problem he along with Holmes falls to his apparent death in the Reichenback Falls during a fight. While Holmes actually survived we never found out if Moriarty also did or not.
Doing It for the Art (In-Universe): Like Holmes' motivation for investigations, Moriarty engages in criminality purely for intellectual stimulation as to alleviate boredom.
The Dreaded: Those who know Moriarty's true nature are very wary of ever getting on his bad side, knowing full well what he can do to hurt them and those close to them in retaliation. He's one of the few people Holmes has ever been genuinely frightened of.
Evil Counterpart: To Holmes, he's the consulting criminal to the consulting detective.
Evil Genius: Credited by Holmes himself as "a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker." His scientific literature is peerless, and his genius in crime is what takes Holmes so long to catch him (and hard to escape him).
Evil Teacher: Was a mathematics professor until dark rumors forced him to resign. The nature of these rumors and how true these rumors were is unknown, but presumably, they were not pleasant and not entirely inaccurate.
Flat Character: Moriarty was created to kill off Holmes in "The Final Problem", but became much more popular as time went on.
For the Evulz: Moriarty has no reason to engage in criminal activities beyond his own entertainment and to flatter his ego.
Impossible Genius: Professor Moriarty is the Deconstructed Character Archetype of Impossible Genius, a genius so great that he surpasses the scientific community of his time: a mathematician whose last book, "The Dynamics of an Asteroid", is so brilliant that nobody in the scientific press criticizes it.
Karma Houdini Warranty: Since his first appearance makes it a Foregone Conclusion he will die at Holmes' hand, later prequel stories and adaptations tend to emphasize his effectiveness as a crime lord by how often he squirmed out of justice up until his final stand. Dragged out especially by Young Sherlock Holmes where it is revealed he is the alias of the killer of Holmes' childhood lover and many other associates.
Lean and Mean: He is described as "extremely tall and thin" by the tall and thin Holmes himself.
Mirror Character: Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, both brilliant and equal matches in nearly every way except in that Moriarty is devoted to crime. The mirroring catches attention so effectively that despite Moriarty being a fairly minor character in the original canon, he has an outsized role in many, if not most, adaptations.
More than Just a Teacher: Is the most cunning criminal in England and currently works as an army coach.
No Celebrities Were Harmed:
- The character is based on criminal mastermind Adam Worth, who was likewise called "The Napoleon of Crime" (in his case partly because of his actual short stature) and ran a vast, international empire of crime with virtual impunity from London to all over Europe. Unlike Moriarty, however, the real Adam Worth was famous for an aversion towards violent crimes and lacked the academic credentials of the gifted Professor (posing himself as a dignified aristocratic businessman, Henry Raymond). Doyle himself admitted this to friends, according to biographers.
- Professor Moriarty somewhat resembles his contemporary, Dr. Simon Newcomb. Like Moriarty, Newcomb was a brilliant mathematician and astronomer. Although not a crime lord so far as we know, he had a reputation for spitefulness and possibly tried to destroy the careers of his critics and rivals.
- Moriarty is explicitly compared to 18th century criminal mastermind Jonathan Wild in the text.
Everything comes in circles—even Professor Moriarty. Jonathan Wild was the hidden force of the London criminals, to whom he sold his brains and his organization on a fifteen per cent. commission. The old wheel turns, and the same spoke comes up
No Challenge Equals No Satisfaction: Moriarty could have easily made himself fabulously wealthy and respected through legitimate means but his sheer brilliance means it wouldn't be any kind of challenge and he finds the criminal world and intellectual matches against Sherlock much more stimulating.
Non-Action Big Bad: He rarely carries out any murders himself and leaves his dirty work to those working under him. Even his famous fight with Holmes sees him outmatched by the more physically capable Sherlock.
Nothing Is Scarier: Exactly what happened that damaged his academic career and forced him to work as an army coach is never explained but it's safe to assume that it wasn't anything good.
One-Steve Limit: As his own brother. In his debut story, he is only referred to as Professor Moriarty, and Colonel James Moriarty is his brother. Only in later stories is he referred to as James.
Remember the New Guy?: Moriarty's influence is retconned in the stories post The Final Problem in order to make it more evident that Holmes was at least aware of Moriarty for quite some time before their ultimate showdown, and that Holmes was proactively foiling some of Moriarty's plans while keeping a low profile about it.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Like Holmes, Moriarty dresses as a Victorian gentleman would be expected to.
Sneaky Spider: He is compared to a spider, just laying in wait for his plans to bear fruit.
Holmes: [Moriarty] is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city, He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. He has a brain of the first order. He sits motionless, like a spider in the centre of its web, but that web has a thousand radiations, and he knows well every quiver of each of them. He does little himself. He only plans.
Suspicious Spending: At the time of "The Valley of Fear", the biggest piece of evidence that Holmes had against Moriarty was a painting in his office - that was worth more than the salary his university chair would earn him in a decade.
They Look Just Like Everyone Else!: On the surface, he's nothing more than a typical British gentleman and scholar. No one suspects that he is really a criminal mastermind.
Villainous Friendship: Holmes describes Sebastian Moran in The Empty House as "the bosom friend" of Moriarty. Considering his obvious anger at the death of his boss, he's clearly right.
Villain with Good Publicity: He is a well-respected professor who to, all intents and purposes, seems like a humble, soft-spoken man. Only Holmes knows that Moriarty is a crime lord, but he can't prove it. When Sherlock Holmes can't prove something, you know the bad guy is very good at what he does.
- Sherlock is well aware of what Moriarty is capable of doing, and even warns Watson to be cautious at calling Moriarty a criminal in "The Valley of Fear":
Sherlock: But in calling Moriarty a criminal you are uttering libel in the eyes of the law -— and there lie the glory and the wonder of it! The greatest schemer of all time, the organizer of every devilry, the controlling brain of the underworld, a brain which might have made or marred the destiny of nations -— that's the man! But so aloof is he from general suspicion, so immune from criticism, so admirable in his management and self-effacement, that for those very words that you have uttered he could hale you to a court and emerge with your year's pension as a solatium for his wounded character. Is he not the celebrated author of "The Dynamics of an Asteroid", a book which ascends to such rarefied heights of pure mathematics that it is said that there was no man in the scientific press capable of criticizing it? Is this a man to traduce? Foulmouthed doctor and slandered professor -— such would be your respective roles! That's genius, Watson.
- In the same novel, Inspector MacDonald mentions that Holmes has shared his suspicions with the police. They think Holmes is much ado about nothing when it comes to the professor.
Worthy Opponent: Holmes admits that "My horror at his crimes was lost in my admiration at his skill." The feeling is regularly shown to be mutual with Moriarty sincerely respecting Holmes as an adversary.

Colonel Sebastian Moran

A retired army officer and Moriarty's right-hand man. He managed to avoid justice ... initially.

Animal Motifs: When the colonel is caught in "The Empty House", he's so furious Watson thinks the old tiger hunter looks like a tiger himself with his wild eyes and protruding mustache.
Breakout Villain: Like his boss, he's a very popular bad guy who often gets a more prominent role in adaptations.
Card Sharp: After Moriarty's empire was dissolved, Moran made a living by cheating at cards around London's various gentlemen clubs. It worked just fine... until he was caught in the act and killed the young man who threatened to expose him unless he quit. Killing this said gentleman is what gave Holmes the opportunity to finally have him arrested.
Cold Sniper: His primary jobs for Moriarty were assassinations, which he carried out with the most deadly rifle ever designed; an airgun that fired revolver bullets.
Dark and Troubled Past: He was a celebrated officer in the British India Army, but according to Holmes "even without any open scandal, he still made India too hot to hold him". So he retired and moved to London, where he was recruited by Moriarty.
The Dragon: To Moriarty. Holmes calls Moran the professor's chief of staff, and Moriarty enlisted him in two extremely demanding missions well beyond the abilities of ordinary crooks.
Dragon Their Feet: Moran spends three years trying to get revenge on Holmes for killing Moriarty. In a more direct version of this trope Moran accompanied Moriarty to the Reichenbach and attempted to kill Holmes at long-range as he left the area.
Egomaniac Hunter: His record for tigers bagged goes unrivaled.
Evil Counterpart: To Dr. Watson. Watson is the closest friend and assistant of Sherlock Holmes, while Colonel Moran is the reliable chief of staff for Professor Moriarty's criminal empire. Both men are good at aiming guns and took part in the Second Anglo-Afghan War before first meeting their friend/employer. Watson is a medical doctor and also helps people by assisting Holmes in his adventures, while Moran assists Moriarty as an assassin.
From Camouflage to Criminal: An ex-Army colonel who was obliged to retire from the British Army and entered employment as an assassin.
Karma Houdini: Possibly. The penalty for murder in Victorian England was the hangman's noose (as Holmes mentions in The Empty House, but in The Illustrious Client, Holmes refers to him as "the living Colonel Sebastian Moran". So either he was somehow given a life sentence instead of the death penalty or something else happened.
Manly Facial Hair: He has an impressive mustache, and in addition to being a veteran of the Second Anglo-Afghan War, he's a renowned tiger hunter and an expert sharpshooter. After his boss Moriarty, he is the most dangerous man in London.
Nerves of Steel: Moran was known for having an "iron nerve" and one of the stories told about him in India is that he crawled down a drain after a wounded man-eating tiger.
Sniper Rifle: Moriarty gave him a special air gun that was designed to be as quiet as possible and fire soft-nosed revolver bullets.
Undying Loyalty: To Moriarty, to the point that Holmes faked his death for three years, knowing that if Moran ever found him, he'd be killed as vengeance for his friend.
Villainous Friendship: With Moriarty, as a kind of dark reflection of the close bond between Holmes and Watson.
Villainous Lineage: Holmes suggests that Moran had a family trait that led to his criminal actions, comparing it to blight that affects trees.
Villain with Good Publicity: So much so that even when Moriarty's gang was rounded up, Moran was never implicated.
Would Hit a Girl: One of the murders he committed while under Moriarty's leadership was a woman named Mrs. Stewart.

Charles Augustus Milverton

A hated blackmailer, whom gets under Holmes' skin in a way that no other criminal can.

Acrofatic: Watson's narration describes him as "quick as a rat" when he feels the need to move.
Animal Motifs: Holmes compares Milverton to one of the particularly loathsome snakes at the zoo that just stares at you, revolting you with everything from their creepy stare to their cold, slithering manner.
Antagonist Title: The only villain in the Holmes canon to have his story named after him; other titles at most allude to them. Even Moriarty never got that honour.
Asshole Victim: He is shot by an unidentified woman near the end of the story, another victim of his blackmail schemes. One fan theory is that Holmes himself is the one who shot Milverton and Watson made the woman up to protect his friend. (The official story is that the woman in question was the wife of a well-regarded nobleman and statesman before her husband was ruined by Milverton. Watson recognizes her photograph and reads the name and title of her husband, but never divulges exactly who it was.)
The Bad Guy Wins: Downplayed. Defeating him legally seems so hopeless that Holmes hasn't even been hired to stop him — he was hired to negotiate the best possible terms, and even in that, he fails utterly. Holmes, for perhaps the first time in his career, has to go to highly unethical and outright illegal means to win, and even that only involves stealing back the incriminating letters, not actually trying to bring Milverton down. His murder by a third party settles everything.
Blackmail Backfire: While one specific act of blackmail did ruin the intended target, it also brought about his demise when the target's wife sought revenge.
The Dreaded:
Everything that is in the market goes to Milverton, and there are hundreds in this great city who would turn white at his name.
Colour Coded Eyes: Described as having grey eyes that are both restless and penetrating.
Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Holmes notes that Milverton is a genius and could make his mark in more reputable (the term he uses is "savoury") lines of work if he so wanted.
Evil Genius: Holmes concedes that Milverton is far too crafty to be caught by legal means (even saying he is "as cunning as the Evil One"). He can hold onto an incriminating document for years because he is patient enough to wait for the time it can cause maximum damage to profit from it and has destroyed prominent families with only a few lines on a note.
Evil Virtues: Holmes — without even the feeling he had for Professor Moriarty as a Worthy Opponent — credits him with not only genius but being more dangerous by how patient he can be.
Fat Bastard: He's a blackmailer who's described as plump.
Faux Affably Evil: While he's quite polite and jovial in his meeting with Holmes and Watson, he is also clearly enjoying how repulsive Holmes finds him and how little they can do to stop him. He tells them that he doesn't care if the client Holmes works for would be financially ruined if she paid him the money he is asking for, and remarks before leaving that he has two other "interviews" to get to and is blackmailing several other victims simultaneously.
Four Eyes, Zero Soul: Wears "broad, gold-rimmed glasses" behind which are the "hard glitter of those restless and penetrating eyes".
Good Smoking, Evil Smoking: When Holmes and Watson break into his house they nearly run into him and watch as he is smoking a long black cigar whilst reading yet another blackmail document at his leisure.
Hate Sink: In-Universe, Holmes hates him more than any of the criminals he's faced. He respected Moriarty, but Milverton repulses him.
Jerkass: The "King of Blackmailers" who comes into possession of sensitive letters and information by encouraging housemaids and servants to rob their employers or even criminals to flat out burgle or mug people in return for payment. He shows zero remorse and even takes sadistic delight in threatening and ruining the lives of vulnerable men and women and is indifferent to whether they can afford to actually pay him or not, reasoning that he can at least make an example out of them to encourage future "clients" to pay up. Holmes calls him "the worst man in London" and remarks that he finds him more disgusting than any of the fifty murderers he had dealt with in his career (which presumably includes Moriarty).
Lack of Empathy: Milverton has absolutely no regard for the people whose lives he ruins with his blackmail schemes or the collateral damage left in his wake.
Multiple Gunshot Death: He receives half-a-dozen bullets to the chest from his assailant.
No-Nonsense Nemesis: Supreme Smug Snake or not, Milverton's no fool — when Holmes and Watson get desperate enough to just brute-force him into submission, he immediately pulls a gun and keeps his distance, while remarking that they are fools for thinking he would actually walk into their flat with the incriminating documents on his person.
Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Holmes remarks that just the sight of Milverton repulses him, reminding him of looking at snakes at the zoo.
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: A disguised Holmes gets himself engaged to Milverton's housemaid in order to break into his house. After Milverton is dispatched, Holmes and Watson take the time to hurl as much of his blackmail material into the lit fireplace as possible; this is technically destroying evidence, but both consider that a better prospect than letting anyone else possibly use the material themselves.
Smug Snake: While he genuinely is very clever, he's also too full of himself for his own good, and his dialogue is positively dripping with condescension.
Spanner in the Works: He made it so that even Holmes couldn't legally prove his crimes... but by flaunting his identity and true nature, he makes it very easy for one of his victims to find him and shoot him dead.
Who Murdered the Asshole: It could have been any of Milverton's victims or their loved ones who shot him (and might even have been Holmes himself), and nobody bothers to find out which.

Characters / Sherlock Holmes

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