Netflix’s detective drama, Enola Holmes, unveils a seminal twist regarding the mastermind behind the Tewkesbury case, and there are several clues that lead to the case solution and the big reveal. Enola Holmes is based on a unique origin story created by Nancy Springer, whose eponymous novel borrows key characters from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes universe and introduces Enola as the protagonist. The focal point of the film is the disappearance of Eudoria Holmes (Helena Bonham Carter), Enola’s mother, which propels the narrative into an enthralling mystery that feels classic and refreshing at the same time.
After Eudoria’s disappearance, Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) finds herself reacquainting with her brothers, Mycroft (Sam Claflin) and Sherlock (Henry Cavill), who seem hesitant to break tradition and decide to send her off to a boarding school so that she can emulate the attributes of a conventional Victorian lady. However, Enola has been raised by her mother, who introduced her to Joan of Arc and jiu-jitsu during her formative years and had radical plans for the suffragette movement. Being her mother’s daughter, Enola decides to not be “thrown off course by other people — especially men”, and runs off to London to find Eudoria.
It is in this juncture that Eola stumbles upon yet another mystery, which is based on Springer’s The Case of the Missing Marquess, which concerns repeated assassination attempts on a young Viscount Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge). As the two cross paths and bond over the course of the narrative, it is revealed that it is Tewkesbury’s grandmother, The Dowager (Frances de la Tour), who was plotting his demise all along.
The Grandmother’s Stoic Demeanor in the Train Station Sequence
Enola happens to stumble upon the Tewkesbury case when she disguises herself as a boy, and boards a train bound towards London. As she stands near the door, she witnesses a distressed Lady Tewkesbury, who pleads with the station master to look for her son aboard the train. Tewksbury’s uncle, Sir Whimbrel, along with The Dowager is also present, and one would notice that the latter attempts to dismiss the viscount’s disappearance by saying that no one is even sure that “the darling boy is even on this train” and apologizes for the fuss created. This prompts the police and the station master to let the train leave, as it was already running late.
The Henchman Does Not Nod At The Uncle, But The Grandmother
As Enola possesses razor-sharp deduction and observation skills, much like her brother, she notices that something is amiss about the missing marquess, as she spies a man in a brown bowler hat getting onto the train right before its departure, who later turns out to be the henchman, Linthorn, who is hired to assassinate Tewkesbury. As he stands near the door, he makes a fleeting gesture of tipping his hat towards the direction of Tewkesbury’s family, and it is unclear who it is meant for at that point in the film. Based on her observations, Enola initially theorizes that the culprit must be Sir Whimbrel, as he had the motive of inheriting the estate after the marquess’ death and having a major sway in the upcoming Reform Bill at the House of Lords.
However, on revisiting the film, coupled with the power of hindsight, it becomes clear that Linthron was in fact gesturing towards the dowager, who had expected that the assassination would swiftly take place on the train en route to London. Later on, audiences see Sherlock reading the Pall Mall Gazette, which features an article about two boys who leaped from a London-bound train, which also mentions that a man in a bowler hat “was not seen for the rest of the journey to London.”
The Grandmother's Arrival With The Uncle to Send Enola Away From Basilwether
In his attempts to find and kill Tewkesbury, Linthorm arrives at Limehouse Lane, where Enola is also present in search of her mother. Linthorn viciously attacks Enola, as she is the sole witness to his motives and identity. After narrowly escaping his attack, Enola realizes that Tewkesbury is in real danger, and travels to Basilwether estate under the guise of a widow in mourning. As Enola announces her arrival to Lady Tewkesbury, the uncle and the dowager arrive to investigate the matter and attempt to turn her away. However, Enola says that she is sent by none other than Sherlock Holmes, being his assistant and investigator of the case, which is contested by the Scotland Yard inspector, Lestrade. It is also interesting to note that Enola chooses to travel as a mourning widow, as people mostly tend to avoid conversations about death, making it the best way to travel incognito. The same rationale can be applied to the Dowager, also a widow, who initially comes off as a benign, caring figure.
The Grandmother’s Conversation With Enola Near Tewkesbury’s Treehouse
In order to investigate further, Enola wears a gardener’s outfit and goes up Tewkesbury’s treehouse, wherein she finds that his accident with the tree when he was out gathering mushrooms, was in fact a planned attempt on his life, as the branch in question is cleanly sawed through. The Dowager interrupts her search, hinting at the fact that she has seen through Enola’s ruse as Sherlock’s assistant, and the two talk at length. This conversation is the basis of a pivotal clue for the twist near the end, as it is here that the grandmother reveals her beliefs about the role of an ancestral landowner in England, which is to protect and serve. She asks Enola if she is a “free thinker” like her son and grandson, which refers to their inclinations towards the Reform Bill, something she is vehemently against. Her motive in her grandson’s assassination, just like that of her son’s death, is to prevent England from propelling towards significant socio-political change.
The Henchman's Conclusive Reveal Of The Mastermind Behind The Case
After being reunited halfway through Enola Holmes, Tewkesbury and Enola return to Basilwether estate, wherein they are attacked again by Linthorn, who carries a shotgun. As the henchman and Enola are engaged in a scuffle, the former manages to land a blow on her and proceeds to strangle Tewkesbury. However, Enola intervenes and demands to know who he is working for, to which he says, “For England.” This is a conclusive giveaway of who the killer was all along, as it connects back to the grandmother’s outlook of preserving England’s future and her ancestral way of life by suppressing acts of reform, including the Third Reform Act of 1884. This revelation is quickly succeeded by the big reveal, in which the grandmother takes it upon herself to kill her grandson with Linthorn’s shotgun. While she fires at him point-blank, Tewkesbury is saved by a metal plate beneath his shirt, which ultimately saves his life and leads to the dowager’s rightful arrest.