Why Henry Cavill's Sherlock Will Always Have A Strong Emotional Connection To Millie Bobby Brown's Enola Holmes
Sherlock and Mycroft are old news — the new star of the Holmes family is their forgotten teenage sister. Based on the Nancy Springer young adult book series, "Enola Holmes" features Millie Bobby Brown as both star and producer, putting her charisma on full display as the super smart, norm-shattering, corset-loathing detective who's taking Victorian London by storm. And while she is the undeniable star of this franchise, she must occasionally share the spotlight with her famous older brother, Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) — an addition that makes Enola's adventures extra exciting.
This is Sherlock Holmes as we've never seen him before: navigating the endless struggle of being a middle child, with his little sister always on the verge of outsmarting him. (Technically, BBC's "Sherlock" also did a secret little sister plot, but we don't speak of that.)
Together, Enola and Sherlock are this franchise's most exciting duo. Once you're done swooning over her every interaction with the fanciful Lord Tewkesbury then prepare for the utter chaos of watching these two siblings clash. Sometimes this requires Enola to haul her drunk brother home and other times, it means shooting down his silly notion that she should stay out of trouble and leave the deductions to him. And when they do team up in earnest? They have a way of bringing out the best in each other.
Usually, when it comes to making Sherlock Holmes a better person, there's a special someone who rises to the occasion. It may take a full 2 movies, but in the closing moments of "Enola Holmes 2," he finally gets his grand entrance.
Minor spoilers for "Enola Holmes 2" are ahead.
Two Holmes' are better than one
After solving their mystery and saving the day, Enola turns down an offer to move in with her brother and become one-half of a crime-solving team (if she did that, she would always exist in his shadow). But just because she can't keep him company, doesn't mean Sherlock should be alone. So Enola finds him a roommate, which marks the introduction of Hamish Patel as John Watson.
Naturally, this got fans wondering — could "Enola" be laying the groundwork for a "Sherlock Holmes" solo film? Henry Cavill seems to have already offered an answer to that question and while it might disappoint the campaign for a spinoff, his perspective is pretty damn touching. According to Cavill, just because Sherlock has John, doesn't mean he won't need Enola.
"This universe is very much Enola's, so she'll always be involved," Cavill said in an interview with The Wrap. "I think it's important to make that connection between the two characters."
Enola didn't really grow up with her older brothers. As we see in the first film, the disappearance of their mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) is what brings them together. But while Mycroft resents his sister for not being a proper lady, Sherlock is charmed by her brilliance and quickly comes to regret the 16 years they spent apart. By the end of the film, he takes her on as a ward — but Enola is past the age of needing to be raised. That's the beauty of their relationship: she's already an independent spirit and once they finally reunite, they both have wisdom to pass on to the other.
The trio we've been waiting for?
In "Enola Holmes 2," Sherlock learns a lot from his sister about staying connected to his humanity. She's empathetic and never coldly rational, but still succeeds as a detective. It shows him that there isn't just one detached way of thinking. That's what sets this version of Sherlock apart from all the others — Enola becomes a catalyst for his growth and ultimately, changes the brooding detective for the better.
"In all the literature and all the other mediums, he doesn't have an Enola," Cavill points out. "He has a Watson, but that's very different from having an Enola." The actor added:
"There's a strong emotional connection to Enola there, there's a similarity in how they're raised. It allows for a slightly different viewpoint. When it comes to Enola, there's always this emotionality with the connection, which is otherwise unique to the Enola universe."
While having Watson will certainly be a plus for Sherlock, it won't change his relationship with his sister. For better or worse, that means when we see Cavill's Sherlock again (if we see him again), he won't be on his own nor will he take center stage. This franchise belongs firmly and wonderfully to Enola. But that doesn't mean she can't find time to team up with her favorite brother and his beloved roommate.