James Moriarty: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Individual | {{Infobox Individual | ||
|image= DWM 312 Moriarty 1.jpg | |image= DWM 312 Moriarty 1.jpg | ||
|alias=O'Connor | |alias = O'Connor | ||
|species= Human | |species= Human | ||
|affiliation = Thomas Corkle | |affiliation = Thomas Corkle | ||
|origin=[[Earth]], [[Land of Fiction]] | |origin = [[Earth]], [[Land of Fiction]] | ||
|created by = [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] | |||
|first = Prelude All-Consuming Fire (short story) | |first = Prelude All-Consuming Fire (short story) | ||
|appearances={{il|[[PROSE]]: ''[[All-Consuming Fire (novel)|All-Consuming Fire]]''|[[COMIC]]: ''[[Character Assassin (comic story)|Character Assassin]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Erasing Sherlock (novel)|Erasing Sherlock]]''}} | |appearances={{il|[[PROSE]]: ''[[All-Consuming Fire (novel)|All-Consuming Fire]]''|[[COMIC]]: ''[[Character Assassin (comic story)|Character Assassin]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Erasing Sherlock (novel)|Erasing Sherlock]]''}} | ||
|actor= | |voice actor= Burn Gorman | ||
}}[[Professor]] '''James Moriarty''' was the arch-enemy of [[Sherlock Holmes]]. | }} | ||
{{Sherlock Holmes}} | |||
[[Professor]] '''James Moriarty''' was the arch-enemy of [[Sherlock Holmes]]. | |||
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
=== Jimmy Moriarty, time traveller === | === Jimmy Moriarty, time traveller === | ||
By one account, "Jimmy Moriarty" was a [[21st century]] scientific genius who was given a method of [[ritual]]istic [[time travel]] by the [[Celestis]] during the [[War in Heaven]]. Moriarty conducted a first time experiment by sending [[Thomas Corkle]] to the late [[19th century]] to try to prevent Sherlock Holmes from becoming a successful detective. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Erasing Sherlock (novel)|Erasing Sherlock]]'') | By one account, "Jimmy Moriarty" was a [[21st century]] scientific genius who was given a method of [[ritual]]istic [[time travel]] by the [[Celestis]] during the [[War in Heaven]]. Moriarty conducted a first time experiment by sending [[Thomas Corkle]] to the late [[19th century]] to try to prevent Sherlock Holmes from becoming a successful detective. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Erasing Sherlock (novel)|Erasing Sherlock]]'') | ||
=== Mathematical career === | === Mathematical career === | ||
In what was assumed to be his native 19th century, Professor Moriarty was a [[mathematician]], whose work on the [[binomial theorem]] impressed the [[Académie Francaise]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Death of Art (novel)|The Death of Art]]'') He wrote a paper on the [[mathematics]] of folding higher dimensions ([[PROSE]]: ''[[All-Consuming Fire (novel)|All-Consuming Fire]]'') and his book ''[[On the Dynamics of the Asteroid]]'' ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Death of Art (novel)|The Death of Art]]'', ''[[The Book of the Enemy (short story)|The Book of the Enemy]]'') first introduced the [[theory of relativity]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the Enemy (short story)|The Book of the Enemy]]'') | |||
In | |||
=== Opposing Sherlock Holmes === | === Opposing Sherlock Holmes === | ||
Moriarty, however, was also at the head of a criminal organization that had control of most of [[Britain]]'s underworld in [[Sherlock Holmes]]'s lifetime, causing the two to become bitter enemies. Under the guise of the red-haired, mild-mannered Mr O'Connor, he once travelled to [[India]] alongside Holmes and [[John Watson|Dr Watson]] — as well as the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Bernice Summerfield]] — to investigate the schemes of [[Baron Maupertuis]]. Maupertuis had in fact been recruiting an army from the criminal classes with which to conquer the alien planet [[Ry'leh]] in the name of the [[British Empire]], hence Moriarty's anger, as the Baron was essentially filling his army by depleting Moriarty's own. | |||
Moriarty, however, was also at the head of a criminal organization that had control of most of [[Britain]]'s underworld in [[Sherlock Holmes]]'s lifetime, causing the two to become bitter enemies. Under the guise of the red-haired, mild-mannered Mr O'Connor, he once | |||
Once he learned that Maupertuis' armies had already gone through the dimensional portal and were being slaughtered by the [[Shlangii (species)|Shlangii]] guarding [[Azathoth]], however, Moriarty returned to England, deeming them a lost cause. Before he did so, he briefly had a conversation with Watson, during which he admitted, first, that he expected nothing of the world to begin with, hence his lack of surprise at the discovery of extraterrestrial life, and secondly, that he "did not wish to be understood by the world, only noticed". Watson thought that this might provide "the key to [Moriarty's] character". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[All-Consuming Fire (novel)|All-Consuming Fire]]'') | Once he learned that Maupertuis' armies had already gone through the dimensional portal and were being slaughtered by the [[Shlangii (species)|Shlangii]] guarding [[Azathoth]], however, Moriarty returned to England, deeming them a lost cause. Before he did so, he briefly had a conversation with Watson, during which he admitted, first, that he expected nothing of the world to begin with, hence his lack of surprise at the discovery of extraterrestrial life, and secondly, that he "did not wish to be understood by the world, only noticed". Watson thought that this might provide "the key to [Moriarty's] character". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[All-Consuming Fire (novel)|All-Consuming Fire]]'') | ||
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=== Reduced to fiction === | === Reduced to fiction === | ||
Sherlock and his adventures were turned into [[fiction]] by agents in the [[War in Heaven]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the Enemy (short story)|The Book of the Enemy]]'') Many scholars believed that [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] based the character of Moriarty after [[Simon Newcomb]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Baker Street Dozen (short story)|The Baker Street Dozen]]'') | |||
At any rate, Holmes and Moriarty, now being fictional characters in the writings of [[Arthur Conan Doyle]], thus gained existence in the [[Land of Fiction]]. However, his self-assuredness made him believe he was real, and he managed to break out of the "rule" of the Land of Fiction that limited fictional constructs to the lines given to them by their creator. He acquired the headband that made one Master of the Land and hid himself as the Chairman of a "gentlemen's club" of [[19th century]] literary villains called the [[Sisyphean Society]]. | |||
However, he was confronted with {{Delgado}}, who had travelled to the Land of Fiction and infiltrated the club, intent on getting the headband. After forcing him to reveal himself, the Master overpowered Moriarty by making him realise his status, within Doyle's works, as a mere plot device to kill Holmes, and an unsuccessful one at that. This caused Moriarty to revert to his literary fate, namely death by falling down the Reichenbach Fall. The Master then took the headband for himself and brought it back to the "real world", as he knew ruling over mere fictions (albeit sentient ones) would be unsatisfying. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Character Assassin (comic story)|Character Assassin]]'') | |||
He posed as Lestrade in a contest with {{Jacobi}} to deduce how each other had killed one of the variations of Watson and Holmes. He investigated the murder of a Watson who was married to a Nurse [[Johanna Watson]]. After the Master was uncovered as a fraud he revealed this to John and Johanna Watson, and that he did it for a challenge for the last volume [[Encyclopaedia Omnia]]. He said that this version came from an audio drama retelling and that's why it was easy to replace Lestrade as only their voices exist. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Adventure of the Deceased Doctor (audio story)}}) | |||
Many years later, Missy again defeated Professor Moriarty — along with numerous other formidable characters — in another, unrelated plan to conquer the Land of Fiction, this time by installing [[L. Frank Baum]] as its new Master. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Wonderful Doctor of Oz (novel)|The Wonderful Doctor of Oz]]'') | |||
A number of Moriarty [[Remake]]s were also created in the [[City of the Saved]] based on the fictional Moriarty character. Many of them attacked the [[Great Detective Agency]], a congregation of [[Sherlock Holmes]] Remakes. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Eliminating the Impossible (short story)|Eliminating the Impossible]]'', ''[[The Baker Street Dozen (short story)|The Baker Street Dozen]]'') | A number of Moriarty [[Remake]]s were also created in the [[City of the Saved]] based on the fictional Moriarty character. Many of them attacked the [[Great Detective Agency]], a congregation of [[Sherlock Holmes]] Remakes. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Eliminating the Impossible (short story)|Eliminating the Impossible]]'', ''[[The Baker Street Dozen (short story)|The Baker Street Dozen]]'') | ||
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The [[Eleventh Doctor]], while dressed like Sherlock Holmes, once compared the [[Great Intelligence]] to Moriarty, calling it "the clever one". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Snowmen (TV story)|The Snowmen]]'') | The [[Eleventh Doctor]], while dressed like Sherlock Holmes, once compared the [[Great Intelligence]] to Moriarty, calling it "the clever one". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Snowmen (TV story)|The Snowmen]]'') | ||
When [[River Song]] met {{Pratt}}, she compared the [[Renegade Time Lord]] to Moriarty. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Animal Instinct (audio story)|Animal Instinct]]'') | |||
== Behind the scenes == | == Behind the scenes == | ||
* Moriarty has been played by [[Paul Freeman]] in the film ''Without a Clue'', [[Philip Locke]] on stage and [[Ronald Pickup]] in a radio play. | * Moriarty has been played by [[Paul Freeman]] in the film ''Without a Clue'', [[Philip Locke]] on stage and [[Ronald Pickup]] in a radio play. Other actors to play him include [[Alan Cox]], [[Geoffrey Whitehead]] and [[Colin Jeavons]]. | ||
* ''[[Doctor Who]]'' producer [[Barry Letts]] and script editor [[Terrance Dicks]] confirmed that [[the Master]] was devised as "the Moriarty" to [[the Doctor]]'s "Sherlock Holmes". ([[DOC]]: ''[[Life on Earth]]'') [[Scott Gray]] explained in the ''Oblivion'' trade paperback that this comment inspired his story ''[[Character Assassin (comic story)|Character Assassin]]'' in which {{Delgado}} actually confronts (and easily defeats) the original Moriarty. | * ''[[Doctor Who]]'' producer [[Barry Letts]] and script editor [[Terrance Dicks]] confirmed that [[the Master]] was devised as "the Moriarty" to [[the Doctor]]'s "Sherlock Holmes". ([[DOC]]: ''[[Life on Earth]]'') [[Scott Gray]] explained in the ''Oblivion'' trade paperback that this comment inspired his story ''[[Character Assassin (comic story)|Character Assassin]]'' in which {{Delgado}} actually confronts (and easily defeats) the original Moriarty. | ||
* Meanwhile real-life article ''The Daleks: Story of a Phenomenon'' in ''[[Terry Nation's Dalek Special]]'' described the Daleks' as [[the Doctor]]'s equivalent to what Moriarty is to [[Sherlock Holmes]]. | * Meanwhile real-life article ''The Daleks: Story of a Phenomenon'' in ''[[Terry Nation's Dalek Special]]'' described the Daleks' as [[the Doctor]]'s equivalent to what Moriarty is to [[Sherlock Holmes]]. | ||
Latest revision as of 21:58, 8 October 2024
Professor James Moriarty was the arch-enemy of Sherlock Holmes.
Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]
Jimmy Moriarty, time traveller[[edit] | [edit source]]
By one account, "Jimmy Moriarty" was a 21st century scientific genius who was given a method of ritualistic time travel by the Celestis during the War in Heaven. Moriarty conducted a first time experiment by sending Thomas Corkle to the late 19th century to try to prevent Sherlock Holmes from becoming a successful detective. (PROSE: Erasing Sherlock)
Mathematical career[[edit] | [edit source]]
In what was assumed to be his native 19th century, Professor Moriarty was a mathematician, whose work on the binomial theorem impressed the Académie Francaise. (PROSE: The Death of Art) He wrote a paper on the mathematics of folding higher dimensions (PROSE: All-Consuming Fire) and his book On the Dynamics of the Asteroid (PROSE: The Death of Art, The Book of the Enemy) first introduced the theory of relativity. (PROSE: The Book of the Enemy)
Opposing Sherlock Holmes[[edit] | [edit source]]
Moriarty, however, was also at the head of a criminal organization that had control of most of Britain's underworld in Sherlock Holmes's lifetime, causing the two to become bitter enemies. Under the guise of the red-haired, mild-mannered Mr O'Connor, he once travelled to India alongside Holmes and Dr Watson — as well as the Seventh Doctor and Bernice Summerfield — to investigate the schemes of Baron Maupertuis. Maupertuis had in fact been recruiting an army from the criminal classes with which to conquer the alien planet Ry'leh in the name of the British Empire, hence Moriarty's anger, as the Baron was essentially filling his army by depleting Moriarty's own.
Once he learned that Maupertuis' armies had already gone through the dimensional portal and were being slaughtered by the Shlangii guarding Azathoth, however, Moriarty returned to England, deeming them a lost cause. Before he did so, he briefly had a conversation with Watson, during which he admitted, first, that he expected nothing of the world to begin with, hence his lack of surprise at the discovery of extraterrestrial life, and secondly, that he "did not wish to be understood by the world, only noticed". Watson thought that this might provide "the key to [Moriarty's] character". (PROSE: All-Consuming Fire)
He died in 1893. (PROSE: The Found World)
Reduced to fiction[[edit] | [edit source]]
Sherlock and his adventures were turned into fiction by agents in the War in Heaven (PROSE: The Book of the Enemy) Many scholars believed that Arthur Conan Doyle based the character of Moriarty after Simon Newcomb. (PROSE: The Baker Street Dozen)
At any rate, Holmes and Moriarty, now being fictional characters in the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle, thus gained existence in the Land of Fiction. However, his self-assuredness made him believe he was real, and he managed to break out of the "rule" of the Land of Fiction that limited fictional constructs to the lines given to them by their creator. He acquired the headband that made one Master of the Land and hid himself as the Chairman of a "gentlemen's club" of 19th century literary villains called the Sisyphean Society.
However, he was confronted with the Master, who had travelled to the Land of Fiction and infiltrated the club, intent on getting the headband. After forcing him to reveal himself, the Master overpowered Moriarty by making him realise his status, within Doyle's works, as a mere plot device to kill Holmes, and an unsuccessful one at that. This caused Moriarty to revert to his literary fate, namely death by falling down the Reichenbach Fall. The Master then took the headband for himself and brought it back to the "real world", as he knew ruling over mere fictions (albeit sentient ones) would be unsatisfying. (COMIC: Character Assassin)
He posed as Lestrade in a contest with the War Master to deduce how each other had killed one of the variations of Watson and Holmes. He investigated the murder of a Watson who was married to a Nurse Johanna Watson. After the Master was uncovered as a fraud he revealed this to John and Johanna Watson, and that he did it for a challenge for the last volume Encyclopaedia Omnia. He said that this version came from an audio drama retelling and that's why it was easy to replace Lestrade as only their voices exist. (AUDIO: The Adventure of the Deceased Doctor [+]Loading...["The Adventure of the Deceased Doctor (audio story)"])
Many years later, Missy again defeated Professor Moriarty — along with numerous other formidable characters — in another, unrelated plan to conquer the Land of Fiction, this time by installing L. Frank Baum as its new Master. (PROSE: The Wonderful Doctor of Oz)
A number of Moriarty Remakes were also created in the City of the Saved based on the fictional Moriarty character. Many of them attacked the Great Detective Agency, a congregation of Sherlock Holmes Remakes. (PROSE: Eliminating the Impossible, The Baker Street Dozen)
References[[edit] | [edit source]]
Astrolabus called the Sixth Doctor "Professor Moriarty." (COMIC: Voyager)
The Reborn Master once claimed that the Seventh Doctor flattered himself by thinking of himself as being the Moriarty to the Master's Holmes when he actually provided merely "adequate opposition worthy of very little attention". (AUDIO: The Two Masters)
The Eleventh Doctor, while dressed like Sherlock Holmes, once compared the Great Intelligence to Moriarty, calling it "the clever one". (TV: The Snowmen)
When River Song met the Decayed Master, she compared the Renegade Time Lord to Moriarty. (AUDIO: Animal Instinct)
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Moriarty has been played by Paul Freeman in the film Without a Clue, Philip Locke on stage and Ronald Pickup in a radio play. Other actors to play him include Alan Cox, Geoffrey Whitehead and Colin Jeavons.
- Doctor Who producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks confirmed that the Master was devised as "the Moriarty" to the Doctor's "Sherlock Holmes". (DOC: Life on Earth) Scott Gray explained in the Oblivion trade paperback that this comment inspired his story Character Assassin in which the Master actually confronts (and easily defeats) the original Moriarty.
- Meanwhile real-life article The Daleks: Story of a Phenomenon in Terry Nation's Dalek Special described the Daleks' as the Doctor's equivalent to what Moriarty is to Sherlock Holmes.
