Tunalock

Tunalock is the name given to a trend from BBC Sherlock fandom of creating fanworks in which Sherlock Holmes is a tuna fish. It has given rise to a variety of different works across different mediums and genres, including crack, fluff, humor, porn, memes, and more.
The trend started in 2013 in the break between seasons 2 and 3 of the series, and was sparked off by a Tumblr post created by villain-in-training. Inspired by a joke during a livestream by katzensprotte, villain-in-training drew a piece of fanart featuring Sherlock and John as a tuna and puffer fish respectively, accompanied by a crack backstory. This inspired other fans to create their own takes on "Tunalock". A 2016 examination of the found that Tunalock started on 5 March 2013 with villain-in-training's post. Posting in the tag was slow at first and only gained momentum in April. #Tunalock appeared on Twitter in early April 2013. The AO3 tag was created on 16 Apr 2013. 
According to some members of the fandom, Tunalock was a satirical response by disgruntled fans to the pushback around alternate universes starring Johnlock, as well as the backlash towards Sherlock fans generally occurring around the same time. Notably, Tunalock formed part of a larger trend in Sherlock fandom of making fanworks in which Sherlock and/or John Watson are portrayed as animals, such as Fawnlock and Otters Who Look Like Benedict Cumberbatch.
== Discussion ==
=== Origins ===
In April 2013, katzensprotte explained the origins of Tunalock from their perspective, in response to an ask sent to their Tunalock-dedicated sideblog, thisfishyisonthemove.
Later in July 2013, villain-in-training created a short visual guide to Tunalock. In the guide, they explained that Tunalock was "created for giggles and fun".
=== Initial reaction ===
Tunalock received a mostly positive reception and a substantial number of fanworks. However, some initial responses by fans to the trend were that of confusion, or negativity in a similar vein to negative responses to Fawnlock. Those who supported Tunalock often responded to negativity and confusion with sarcasm, shitposting, and memes.
=== Satire or sincere? ===
A number of fans have claimed that the Tunalock trend was a satirical response against pushback towards both the fandom in general and "silly" alternate universes in particular.
This position was also supported by Roane, a host on the fandom podcast Three Patch Podcast.
Prominent Tunalock poster johnnybooboo, however, disputed these claims in an April 2013 post. In a reblog to johnnybooboo's post, another Tumblr user, artdusktea, discussed the larger attitude surrounding Tunalock, arguing that the defiant/satirical iteration of the trend came later.
==Resurgence==
Even past Tunalock's heyday, the meme experienced numerous resurgences. Fans were keen on celebrating Tunalock's "birthday" on 6 March every year, prompting a new wave of fanworks. Additionally, the fandom's disappointment in the wake of The Final Problem, the final episode of season 4, broadcast in January 2017, also brought on a wave of nostalgia for "simpler" fandom times and light-hearted trends like Tunalock.
== Example Fanworks ==
 
===Fanart===
*Around 400 notes as of 18 January 2016. fanart by camillekaze (7 April 2013)
* *Around 34,000 notes as of 18 Jan 2016. by teabeforewar (10 April 2013)
*Around 4,000 notes as of 18 January 2016. by sheroclock, reblogged with gif by teabeforewar (4 July 2013)
*Around 30,000 notes as of 18 Jan 2016., fancomic by teabeforewar (7 July 2013)
===Fanfiction===
* by unknown (16 Apr 2013).
** "I am a piscine consulting detective. The only one in the world.” John's flatmate flopped majestically, for emphasis.
* by sincerelychaos (6 May 2015).
** Sherlock is just like any other consulting detective, if you disregard the fact that he's also a tuna. Being a fish on dry land is never easy, no matter how superior your intellect is. But feeling blue (well, Sherlock is always blue; it's part of being a tuna, but metaphorically speaking) because your friend and colleague is very unlikely to get hooked on a fish is even harder. And when you get caught in Moriarty's Net, being a lovesick tuna is not easy at all.
* by WhoGroovesOn (12 September 2016).
** John couldn’t help but feel as though the large tuna beyond the glass was staring at him, which was weird because it’s not like fish had eyelids, they always seemed to be staring at things. An Explicit-rated novella-length Tunalock fanfiction.
=== Memes ===
* by brain-absence on tumblr (23 Apr 2020)
=== Other ===
*Around 20 notes as of 11 Aug 2022., commemorative photo of a Tunalock plushie, by herebesherlocks (13 June 2019).
*Around 22,000 notes as of 18 Jan 2016., cosplay by capemayn (31 Oct 2013).
== Commmuntites & Blogs ==
* on Tumblr
* on Tumblr
* on Tumblr
* on Twitter (Japanese)
== Archives & Fannish Links ==
* Tuna Sherlock Holmes on Archive of Our Own
== Notes ==
== References ==
Category:Tropes & Genres
Category:Fanon Characters
Category:Sherlock
Category:2013 Memes
Category:2022 Featured Articles
Category:Sherlock Fandom Glossary