Redbeard Used In ‘Sherlock’ Season 4 To Hide Moriarty Plot? Red Herring Planted In Special Ep?

There have been much speculation and conspiracy theories about the significance of Sherlock's (Benedict Cumberbatch) Redbeard in season 4. 

Could it be just a distraction for fans while the series gears up for Moriarty's (Andrew Scott) grand return?

The genius detective assured his brother Mycroft (Mark Gatiss) as well as John (Martin Freeman) and Mary Watson that Moriarty was very much dead despite his sudden return in the season three finale. 

However, fans insist that the villain is still alive.

How he's still alive is still unclear but Reddit users reportedly believe that the producers and writers planted a red herring for the upcoming season in "Sherlock And The Abominable Bride."

During the New Year special, Mycroft can be seen jotting down notes after discovering that his little brother had gotten himself high to access his Mind Palace. 

On the notepad, words like "Redbeard," "611174" and "Scarlet Roll" were written down.

It was already revealed that Redbeard was a family dog that had to be put down. 

It was also implied that Sherlock's time with the said dog was a happy memory. When it died, he "totally fell for the idea" that he went to live in a "happy valley somewhere."

"I reckon that this is a deliberate trick to lead us astray," one Redditor, thecallmejamo said.

"Here's why see at the bottom of the page? It reads, 'Scarlet Roll M[o or e?].' Well, what's a 'roll mo?' Looking it up on Google, I came to this page, which states that 'Rollmops are pickled herring fillets, rolled (hence the name) into a cylindrical shape, often around a savoury filling."

Going with the idea, the netizen pointed out that a rollmop was a herring. Since "scarlet" is the color red, it's probably a red herring.

Planting the red herring there reportedly implied that everything in that little notebook was a huge misdirection to make fans focus on that and not on Moriarty's eventual return to "Sherlock" season 4.

"We've been duped," the user further out.

On the other hand, Redbeard had already been planted in the show way before spoilers for "Sherlock" season 4 even came out.

It was also mentioned as one of the detective's "pressure point" by Magnussen.

Previous theories implied that Redbeard was actually a third Sherlock brother who died sometime in the past.