This article contains spoilers for Enola Holmes 2.Enola Holmes 2 sees its star discover she really isn't meant to be alone, even as she finds herself going head-to-head with a new version of Sherlock's greatest nemesis, Moriarty. Loosely inspired by the best-selling novels by Nancy Springer, Netflix's Enola Holmes films are a refreshing modernization of the Sherlock Holmes genre. They strike a careful place, using their young heroine's struggle to navigate Victorian London to explore social issues that still resonate in the present day.
Enola's life has clearly changed a lot since the first Enola Holmes film. She's no longer in hiding, but instead is doing her best to establish her own detective agency as a rival to her older brother Sherlock's. She winds up looking into a case that would never have come to Sherlock's attention, the disappearance of a young matchgirl named Sarah Chapman. It doesn't take Enola long to find herself caught up in a grand conspiracy; at one point she's framed for murder, and would have been hung had she not been rescued by her mother Eudoria. In the end, Enola must realize she is not alone - and does not need to be - if she is to crack this case.
Enola Holmes 2 Introduces Its Version Of Moriarty
Every Sherlock Holmes adaptation needs its own Moriarty, and the shadow of Sherlock's greatest villain looms over Enola Holmes 2. Enola's brother is attempting to unravel a web of financial transactions that he deduces have been established by some kind of mathematical genius, and as he unravels them he discovers he can decode them to create an anagram. He swiftly creates the name "Moriarty," leaving viewers in no doubt where the show is headed. But, in a surprising twist, it turns out that the name Moriarty was actually a mistake on Holmes' part - because the villain's real name is Miss Mira Troy.
Played by Sharon Duncan-Brewster, this Moriarty is essentially a twisted mirror image of Sherlock and Enola's own mother. Eudoria Holmes joined a militant group of Suffragettes to campaign for social change and increased opportunities for women; rather than change the system, Mira Troy chose to enter into it and use her twisted genius to turn it to her own advantage. She took up a job as a government secretary, and from this position created a criminal empire that spanned London. Moriarty inserted herself in the affairs of the matchmaking cartel Bryant & May; when a matchgirl named Sarah Chapman stole evidence phosphorus used during the matchmaking process was killing workers, the criminal mastermind saw the opportunity for blackmail. This turned out to be a mistake, as she unwittingly revealed herself to the Holmes siblings.
Enola Holmes 2 Champions Female Agency In The Matchgirls' Strike
The Enola Holmes films are subtly tying into real British history; Enola Holmes had explored the Great Reform Bill, a key moment in British political history, and the sequel connects to the Matchgirls' Strike of 1888. There really was a conspiracy to hide the terrible health effects associated with phosphorus, although in the real world the factory-owners don't seem to have tried to cover up deaths by pretending there was a typhus epidemic. Sarah Chapman was a key figure in the Matchgirls' Strike, and the protest she sparked was a major moment in British history, empowering women as never before.
At first Enola Holmes 2 seems to risk that element, because in the film Sarah Chapman's initial plan is to try to get evidence to Lord Tewkesbury, who she hopes will act as a champion for the poor. This allows Enola Holmes 2 to change the book, bringing Louis Partridge's fan-favorite character back into play, but the idea denies the women any real agency. In a smart twist, though, the evidence is destroyed, and the girls must take matters into their own hands. This is the trigger for the Matchgirls' Strike, with Enola Holmes interfering to ensure Sarah Chapman has time to address the workers and encourage them to walk out. It's a beautiful moment of solidarity.
Enola Holmes & Lord Tewkesbury Become An Item
Enola Holmes has patterned herself on her brother, striving to become a woman of pure logic. This had been encouraged by her mother; it is no coincidence "Enola" backwards spells "Alone." But Henry Cavill's Sherlock Holmes is a subtly different character, with a degree of self-loathing burning within him; in one key scene he tells Enola not to be like him, not to push people away. Willing to learn this lesson, Enola begins a relationship with Lord Tewkesbury, admitting to herself that she has fallen in love with him. Sherlock, of course, recognized these emotions within her long ago, but Enola had to work through her own insecurities before she was willing to embrace the potential romance. Enola Holmes 2 sets up Lord Tewkesbury as a permanent part of Enola's world, a character who's sure to return in any threequel.
Enola & Sherlock Find Balance At Last
The mystery of the missing matchgirl can only be solved when Sherlock and Enola work together, with each coming to respect the other's intelligence. They reach an agreement not to compete, with Sherlock focusing on the wealthy and privileged class and the spectacular crimes, while Enola will deal with the issues on the streets. This perfectly positions Netflix's Enola Holmes franchise to maintain its social edge, as Enola confronts problems Sherlock would be entirely ignorant of. It also potentially means she will be the creator of the Baker Street Irregulars, the network of street urchins who worked for Sherlock. Enola's older brother is clearly keen to have a relationship with his younger sister at last, even inviting her to lunch.
Enola Holmes' Mid-Credits Scene Introduces John Watson
Enola Holmes 2 features a mid-credits scene that reveals Enola skipped that lunch, however. Instead, Enola Holmes arranges for one Dr. John Watson to pay Sherlock a visit; she's decided he needs a roommate to keep him in order and help him confront some of his bad habits. This new version of Dr. Watson is played by Himesh Patel, a British actor best known for a long-running part in the soap EastEnders, and the credits tease that he will quickly settle into Sherlock Holmes' world. Enola has realized she doesn't need to be alone anymore, and the mid-credits scene reveals she decided to teach her brother the same lesson. Enola Holmes 2's post-credits scene feels like a tease in the style of the MCU, promising a third film in which Patel's Watson joins the main cast.
Enola Holmes 2 is streaming now on Netflix.