The Johnlock Conspiracy

The Johnlock Conspiracy is a fan theory which asserts that the writers of Sherlock (BBC) intend to make John/Sherlock the canon endgame pairing. This theory is often presented as a rebuttal to the allegations of queerbaiting commonly lodged against the show by other fans and in the mainstream media.Sherlock’s obsession with queerbaiting is more frustrating than ever by Monique Jones. Just Add Color. Published on January 1, 2017. Accessed on July 8, 2018.Tumblr post by inevitably-johnlocked. Published on March 11, 2016. Accessed on July 8, 2018. While the term TJLC was coined in early January 2014, fan interpretations of the queer subtext between the characters of John Watson and Sherlock Holmes in the BBC show (and more broadly between Holmes and Watson across various adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes canon) certainly predate TJLC.For example, see nekosmuse's meta Decoding the Subtext, "a series of essays which examine each of the Sherlock Holmes stories for homoerotic subtext." The complete series, which was written in 2006-2007, can be read on nekomuse's website.
Primarily based on Tumblr, TJLC and its proponents have been at the heart of much controversy and wank over the years. TJLCers are frequently accused of harassment (including bullying, anon hate, and doxxing), and in turn, many TJLCers have also alleged experiencing harassment from those outside of the subfandom. 
After the fourth series ended in 2017,There are conflicting reports regarding the possibility of future series of the television show. In particular, many TJLCers take particular exception to the characterization of the show as "over" or "ended." The show creators have indicated that while there are no plans at this time to produce more episodes, there's a possibility of future series. some TJLCers argued that there was a fourth as-yet unaired episode of the fourth series that would vindicate their theory, and many are still waiting for it to be released.
==Origins==
The term "The Johnlock Conspiracy" and its acronym date to early January 2014, around the airing of the second episode of the third series of Sherlock. The first post in the TJLC tag on Tumblr dates to January 7 and the term appears to have taken off around January 9-10. 
Johnlock 101 – An Introduction to The Johnlock Conspiracy - an extended introductory from a TJLCer's perspective, written by JayEz in 2014 - offers the following account of TJLC's origins:
===Why Call It A Conspiracy?===
As one TJLCer explains, it is called a conspiracy "because it is not yet canon and pretty much everyone on the show vehemently denies that Watson/Holmes are or will be involved in a way that is anything more than platonic."1 February 2014 Tumblr post by ascandalinthepolicebox. [archived]
In the 2016 meta In Defense of the C (in TJLC), Tumblr user and TJLCer mild-lunacy offered an explanation for the importance of the "C" (i.e., "Conspiracy"):
===BBC Sherlock, TJLC, and Queerbaiting===
As a theory, TJLC hinges on the notion that the sly jokes and allusions often identified as queerbaiting by some viewers of BBC Sherlock are, in fact, breadcrumbs for the attentive viewer and true believer. The very elements of the show that have incited criticism from fans and mainstream media alike serve as proof positive for TJLCers: the show isn't queerbaiting you, you're just not getting it.
Some non-TJLCers have been frustrated, even offended, by this - and some former TJLCers have felt ultimately betrayed by their initial faith in the ultimate, eventual queerness of the show.
In Johnlock meta and authorial intent in Sherlock fandom: Affirmational or transformational?, Melissa A. Hofmann sums up these varied stances on the queerbaiting question, within TJLC as well as Sherlock fandom more broadly:
See: F*ck Your Conspiracy and The “Sherlock is queerbaiting” argument doesn’t even make sense at this point..
===Relationship to Glee Fandom===
In the wake of the 2015 221B Con221B Con Wank (old wiki, ). (new wiki, accessed 29 October 2018), anons at fail_fandomanon discussed the origin of TJLC and its impact on fandom. One anon suggested that TJLC was a rehash of graceebooks' theory in Glee fandom about Kurt/Sam.Anonymous Re: Sherlockcon Wankapalooza Continued on FFA, 2015-04-20. Another described the joy that early TJLC discussions gave them, contrasting it with later wank, though another argued that TJLC was polarizing from the beginning; the same disagreement over when TJLC hit wank occurs here.
==TJLC Glossary==
TJLC meta and discourse can often be somewhat impenetrable, full of shorthand references, in-jokes, and acronym after acronym. Tumblr user grumpy-swoop posted a guide to TJLC acronyms for newcomers:
==The Conspiracy==
At its core, TJLC is based on the premise that the creators of Sherlock have always intended for show to conclude with John and Sherlock in a romantic relationship - and in fact, that there is an elaborate plan to make this happen.What is TJLC? by sherlockfandomguide. Posted on August 10, 2014. Accessed on August 26, 2018. (archived) TJLCers read the show through this lens, finding evidence to support their theory in everything from the set design to the cinematography to the soundtrack. Many TJLCers present their insights into and interpretations of the show in meta, although there's also a fair amount of shitposting and crack.
===The Basics===
Due to the tumultuous nature of the community, TJLCers often struggle to point toward a single entry-point into the theory, which can be disheartening for newcomers (and may contribute to the perception of TJLC as an insular group). TJLC introductory posts pop up with some frequency, although most seem to predate series four.
On January 19, 2017, joolabee (one of the co-creators of the term TJLC) replied to an anon asking for "the basic theories behind the conspiracy" with a bullet-point list outlining various aspects of the theory, many of which are elaborated upon in various TJLC meta:Tumblr post by joolabee. Posted on January 19. 2017. Accessed on July 10, 2018.
====Examples of Introductory Posts====
*Johnlock 101 – An Introduction to The Johnlock Conspiracy
*a short introduction by tjlc-for-beginners.
*tjlc 101 by gark-gatiss. 
===Meta===
TJLCers are prolific meta writers, and so this section does not even attempt to present a comprehensive list of influential TJLC meta - instead, it is a partial list of illustrative writing from over the years.
TJLC meta is both analytical - mining the source text for evidence that supports the ultimate claim that Johnlock is endgame - and predictive - positing hypotheses regarding future plots developments and character arcs. Some meta writers will also write posts outlining whether or not their predictions came to be.
In Johnlock meta and authorial intent in Sherlock fandom: Affirmational or transformational?, Melissa A. Hofmann proposes an expansive articulation of meta in Sherlock fandom:
Many of the most popular TJLC metas were written by loudest-subtext-in-televisionLSiT Meta Masterlist by loudest-subtext-in-television. Archived on October 20, 2015. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived), who was active in the fandom from 2014 until she deleted her blog in early 2016, returning in December 2016 as loudest-subtext-in-tv.Tumblr post by loudest-subtext-in-tv. Posted on December 12, 2016. Accessed on July 10, 2018. While some TJLC metas are formally similar to academic writing (i.e., extended essays with citations and references) - TJLC meta may also take the form of short text posts, curated gif sets, or asynchronous conversations carried out between fellow fans over a chain of reblogs. In fact, many of the central assumptions or tenets of TJLC are collaboratively developed, and evolve over time with input from various authors. For example, the origins of the "drink code" - frequently shorthanded as "tea is gay," and oft-cited as a foundational TJLC analysis - can be traced to a brief post by skulls-and-tea, originally published on July 19, 2015.Tumblr post by skills-and-tea. Posted on July 19, 2015. Archived on July 22, 2015. Accessed on July 24, 2018. In this post, skulls-and-tea shared an excerpt of Paul Chrystal's book Tea: A Very British Beverage, in which Chrystal discussed interpretations of tea drinking as a metaphor for homosexuality in Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. The post, which has over 4,000 notes as of July 24, 2018, does not mention TJLC or BBC Sherlock directly - but was clearly interpreted as a part of an ongoing, multilayered and multilateral conversation about the television show. From this brief, humorous post sprang more detailed meta on the subject.All Drink Mentions and Their (assumed) Meanings by teaandforeshadowing. Originally posted on July 21, 2015. Accessed on July 24, 2018. Archived on December 9, 2017.Drink code: Please hold your liquor. by thepineapplering. Posted on July 26, 2015. Accessed on July 24, 2018. Archived on October 24, 2017. The "phone-as-heart" metaphor is another example of this phenomenon, illustrated in gif setsTumblr post by darlingbenny. Posted on April 28, 2015. Accessed on July 24, 2018., conversations on TumblrTumblr post by cupidford. Posted on May 1, 2015. Accessed on July 24, 2018.Tumblr post by i-read-your-writing-upside-down. Posted on December 3, 2014. Accessed on July 24, 2018., in video metaTJLC Explained: [Episode 4 The Phone/Heart Metaphor] by Rebekah (pearlrebs). Posted on February 21, 2016. Accessed on July 24, 2018., and written meta.Tumblr post by miadifferent. Posted on May 1, 2015. Accessed on July 24, 2018.
Even in the case of theories put forward more comprehensively by a single author, TJLC meta tends to accrete many layers of meaning as it evolves through reblogs on Tumblr.
====2014====
=====M-theory=====
Posted by loudest-subtext-in-television to Tumblr in 2014, "M-theory""M-theory: Mycroft, Moriarty, and Magnussen’s shared motifs, James Bond’s “M,” Mary and Janine, and the big gay long game" by loudest-subtext-in-television. Posted on September 3, 2014. Archived on February 15, 2015. Accessed on July 27, 2018. presented a unified theory of TJLC, connecting disparate predictions and ideas about the future of the television show.
=====Softly, Softly: The BBC's LGB Research Commission and The Johnlock Conspiracy=====
This metaTumblr post by loudest-subtext-in-television. Original post deleted by the author. Archived on August 8, 2014. Originally posted on June 9, 2014., also written by loudest-subtext-in-television, drew on data from the BBC's 2009 Report on the Portayal of LGB People to make the case that not only is John/Sherlock endgame, but it is part of a concerted effort at the BBC to improve queer representation. By August 8, 2014, the meta had 2,795 notes; it was deleted when loudest-subtext-in-television deleted her Tumblr in early 2016.Tumblr post by nondeducible. Posted on April 3, 2016. Accessed on July 10, 2018.
====2015====
=====TJLC for the Uninitiated=====
Written by joolabee - one of the co-creators of TJLC, along with graceebooks - this 2015 meta was adapted from an academic paper written by the author for an undergraduate course "about television as a medium and the concept of narrative complexity."TJLC for the Uninitiated by joolabee. Posted on May 31, 2015. Accessed on August 26, 2018. Archived on December 20, 2016.
====2016====
=====The Extended Mind Palace Theory=====
The Extended Mind Palace Theory was originally developed through a discussion between Tumblr users gosherlocked, monikakrasnorada, and the-7-percent-solution.Tumblr post by gosherlocked. Posted on January 19, 2016. Accessed on July 27, 2018. gosherlocked, monikakrasnorada, and the-7-percent-solution continued to discuss this theory in reblogs through January 19, 2016.Tumblr post by gosherlocked. Posted on January 19, 2016. Accessed on July 24, 2018. 
Other TJLCers expanded on the theory, offering additional evidence in support of it and raising new questions to consider over the course of 2016, and as the fourth series aired.loudest-subtext-in-tv weighed in on EMP theory on January 13, 2017, and continued to write about EMP theory in light of the fourth series.
====2017====
=====Poetry or Truth? Interpreting BBC Sherlock S1–4=====
Published in two parts, this metaPart One by Amy (garkgatiss). Posted June 15, 2017. Accessed on July 10, 2018. by garkgatiss uses film and literary analysis to interpret the show, particularly in light of the fourth season. As of July 10, 2018, this meta - originally posted to Medium - had over 700 claps.
====2018====
=====In Defense of TJLC=====
Written by sherlock-overflow-error in response to Decoder Ring: The Johnlock Conspiracy, this meta outlines a rebuttal against various common criticisms of TJLC as a theory and community. Additionally, the author presents a taxonomy of TJLC meta.In Defense of TJLC by sherlock-overflow-error. Published on June 14, 2018. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived)
====Video Meta====
TJLC Explained was a series of video metas posted to Youtube by Rebekah (also known as pearlrebs or quietlyprim on Tumblr), beginning in early 2016 and continuing into early 2017. These videos were often cited as introductory or summary explainers for those who were unfamiliar with TJLC. As of February 3, 2017, the channel has over 18,000 subscribers.Rebekah TJLC Explained. Archived on February 3, 2017. Accessed on July 24, 2018. Rebekah deactivated on Tumblr in the aftermath of series 4, and at some point, the videos were inaccessible on the TJLC Explained channel. By September 2018, the videos were again accessible on the channel.Tumblr post by sherlock-overflow-error. Posted on September 25, 2018. Accessed on February 10, 2019. (archived)
While Rebekah was certainly the most prolific and popular creator of video meta on TJLC, xe was not the only TJLCer to turn to Youtube.In Defense of TJLC by Jackie Forbes. Posted on July 30, 2014. Accessed on July 24, 2018.All Evidence that S4 is Mind Palace || SUPERCUT by Addewyn Wisdomancer. Posted on July 12, 2017. Accessed on July 24, 2018.
====Fan-Run Archival Initiatives====
The Sherlock Meta Library was launched as a fan-run initiative to archive Sherlock meta - including TJLC meta, although not exclusively.Sherlock Meta Library "About" page. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived) On May 30, 2016, SML announced that they had spoken to loudest-subtext-in-television and obtained her permission to archive all available works.Tumblr post by sherlockmetalibrary. Posted on May 30, 2016. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived) The SML team reached out to the Organization for Transformative Works, with the hopes of becoming an umbrella project of the OTW; on June 3, 2016, SML posted an update on the status of this unsuccessful pitch.Tumblr post by sherlockmetalibary. Posted on June 3, 2016. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived) The last post on the SML Tumblr is from January 1, 2017; this post promised updates in the coming weeks, after the airing of series 4.Tumblr post by sherlockmetalibrary. Posted on January 1, 2017. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived)
Post-series 4, there have been efforts to collect and preserve TJLC meta, including sarahthecoat's Sherlock: The New Semester project, which seeks to archive meta written since January 2017. Tumblr user sherlock-overflow-error curates The TJLC Month in Review, a monthly roundup of TJLC meta and writing.Tumblr post by sherlock-overflow-error. Posted on February 28, 2018. Accessed on July 10, 2018. (archived)
====JLEG====
Due to the endless wank and harassment, in 2016 JLEG (Johnlock End Game) was proposed as an alternate non-wanky Tumblr tag, but ended up causing more wank.TJLC vs. JLEG: The Return of the Wankers, posted at ffawiki-backup 2016-08-18.
====TJLR====
Tumblr user ben-c (now at viciere on Tumblr) coined the term TJLR (which they define as "The Johnlock Refutation") and posted a roundup of their meta on the subject.Tumblr post by ben-c. Now unavailable, but archived on May 9, 2015. Accessed on February 4, 2019. Notable posts include "A Comprehensive List of Reasons Pretending Johnlock is Canon is Disrespectful and Harmful"Tumblr post by ben-c. Now unavailable, but archived on December 31, 2014. Accessed on February 4, 2019. and "Examples of Abuse in John + Sherlocks Friendship."Tumblr post by ben-c. Now unavailable, but archived on March 10, 2015. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
===Perceived Cultural Significance===
Many TJLCers feel that canon Johnlock will represent a significant cultural achievement for queer representation on television. Critics of TJLC have pointed out that Johnlock would not be the first canon gay relationship on television, and that there have been many landmark achievements for queer representation on television before and during Sherlock's airing.
===TJLC and Tinhatting===
TJLC may be understood as a bit like tinhatting, albeit for a FPF pairing. The conspiratorial tenor of TJLC meta and discourse, as well as the preoccupation with industry machinations and TPTB certainly echo common elements of tinhatting.In this comment on FFA, one nonnie draws a connection: "Hardcore tinhats always have believe in a sort of secret code that is being sent out to the true fans, and the true fans are the ones who interpret it correctly, unlike the sheeple who just eat up the surface reading they're spoonfed. Coded messages in the colors of clothing (or in set design/lighting, in the case of fiction-based tinhatting like TJLC) or "body language" or things like that. As the tinhat cult encourages itself to go further and further down the rabbit hole, the more elaborate and intricate - and the more of a giant fucking reach - these codes and ciphers become." (Posted on February 2, 2016. Accessed on August 26, 2018. Other fans critical of TJLC sometimes refer to TJLCers as tinhatters.Anonymous comment on FFA. Posted on May 17, 2014. Accessed on August 26, 2018.
However, term "tinhatting" has a distinct connotation within TJLC. In the aftermath of series 4, many once-TJLCers had begun to feel that the theory had been finally refuted by the show. In general, TJLC tinhatting refers to theorizing around and after series 4 by those who continued to believe that Johnlock was endgame, and worked to incorporate and reinterpret the events of series four into their overarching theories about the show. Many TJLCers who continued to believe referred to their post-series four meta and posts as tinhatting - another tongue-in-cheek in-joke.
This repurposing of a commonly known fannish term prompted some confusion, even amongst other TJLCers. In January 2017, loudest-subtext-in-television - who has frequently used the "tinhatting" on her Tumblr post-series 4 - answered an ask about TJLC tinhatting:
For some TJLCers - even those who engaged in post-series four TJLC theories - there was a certain amount of self-awareness or even exhaustion about TJLC tinhatting:
===Leaks and "Fake" Screenings===
In advance of the official release of The Final Problem - the third episode in the fourth series of the show - the episode was leaked online.The Final Problem (Sherlock) on Wikipedia. Last edited on February 4, 2019. Accessed on February 4, 2019. Some TJLCers speculated that the leaked episode - which did not make Johnlock canon, as had been hypothesized by many TJLCers - was a fake episode, filmed and leaked in a concerted effort to throw off viewers.Livejournal comment by kimberly01. Posted on January 16, 2017. Accessed on February 4, 2019. The same episode was also leaked by another source in Turkey.Tumblr post by teeandforeshadowing. Posted on January 15, 2017. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
Similar hypotheses had been ventured after the episode was screened at the British Film Institute. Suzanne Frenk discusses these theories in her thesis, "Telling The True Story: Queerbaiting, representation, and fan resistance in the BBC Sherlock fandom":
This "secret fourth episode" is commonly referred to as The Lost Special. The Final Problem is often referred to by TJLCers as "The Fake Problem," or "The Fakest Problem.""the fakest problem" tag on loudest-subtext-in-television's Tumblr. Accessed on February 4, 2019. (archived)fail-fandomanon thread. Posted on January 14, 2017. Accessed on February 4, 2019. Criticisms of the episode's narrative coherency were often presented as proof that something greater was afoot - in short, that the episode was so bad that it had to be fake.Tumblr post by the-7-percent-solution. Posted on January 16, 2017. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
==TJLC Interactions==
===Relationships to The Powers That Be===
: See Tinhats and the Fourth Wall
TJLCers' relationships to The Powers That Be - commonly referred to as "Moftiss," a portmanteau of Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat - often vacillate from criticism to kinship. At times, TPTB are described as co-conspirators, with devoted TJLCers the "one true fans" who alone have caught on to the creators' ultimate plan. But these relationships can also turn antagonistic, with some TJLCers feeling betrayed by Moftiss as events unfold.
In a meta entitled "Mofftiss as Lazarus: TJLC and the Resurrection of The Author," Tumblr user mid0nz frames this relationship in the context of Roland Barthes' essay "The Death of the Author," writing:
Suzanne Frenk further discusses the relationship between TJLCers and the show's creators in "Telling The True Story: Queerbaiting, representation, and fan resistance in the BBC Sherlock fandom," a 2017 bachelor thesis submitted to the School of Humanities at Tilburg University. Frenk writes:
When Moffat and Gatiss publicly refuted the notion that Johnlock would be endgame, many ardent TJLCers responded that this was yet another instance of dissembling on the part of the creators, in service of protecting the ultimate plot twist of the show.Social justice, shipping, and ideology: when fandom becomes a crusade, things get ugly by Aja Romano for Vox. Published on August 7, 2016. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
===Relationship to the BBC Sherlock Fandom===
The relationship between TJLC and the rest of the Sherlock fandom has often been complicated - and at times, certainly acrimonious. The distinction between TJLCers and Johnlockers is often collapsed in the media."5 Elementary Conspiracies for 'Sherlock' Fans" by Andrea Romano. Published on March 25, 2014. Accessed on July 11, 2018. In practice, many Johnlock shippers (and BBC Sherlock fans more broadly) draw a bright line between themselves and TJLCers. In turn, TJLCers often refer to other Sherlock fans who don't share their beliefs about the show's ultimate arc as "casuals."Anonymous comments on FFA. Posted on January 6, 2016. Accessed on August 26, 2018.
Some Johnlock shippers and Sherlock fans - particularly in the early days of TJLC - expressed interest in TJLC meta. Some of this can be chalked up to morbid curiosity or wank rubbernecking:
Other non-TJLC fans expressed mixed, even wistful, feelings about TJLC:
And some fans expressed frustration or regret about their past involvement (however tangential) with TJLC:
Many Sherlock fans and Johnlock shippers soured on the fandom (or left entirely) as a result of TJLC.Anonymous comment on FFA. Posted on June 4, 2015. Accessed on August 26, 2018.Anonymous comment on FFA. Posted on August 16, 2015. Accessed on August 26, 2018.Anonymous comment on FFA. Posted on January 10, 2016. Accesed on August 26, 2018.
===TJLC and Humor===
Inside jokes and memes abound in TJLC, and over the years, many TJLCers have asserted that much of the wank surrounding TJLC is due to non-TJLCers misinterpreting ironic or intentionally absurdist posts as serious discourse.This is often used by TLJCers as a defense against any criticism of TJLC - anything that a non-TJLCer takes issue with is a joke, or wasn't meant for public interpretation, or was simply misunderstood by a "casual." (This needs citation/references, and then could be moved up into the main article.) The TJLC lexicon - in which non-TJLC viewers of the show are "casuals" and crack meta may be indistinguishable from serious fan analysis - is distinctly humorous, and at times difficult to parse. As a result, many non-TLJCers have pointed out that it's almost impossible to know what can (or should) be taken seriously about TJLC:
From the early days, onlookers attributed a certain degree of irony to TJLC - although no one was ever entirely clear just how serious to take it:
Even the very name for the theory is (or initially was), by some accounts, a joke.See In Defense of the C (in TJLC). 
In a reblog of loudest-subtext-in-television's comments on a gifset from the show, Tumblr user amethystineprose wrote in June 2018:Tumblr post by amethystineprose. Posted on June 8, 2018. Accessed on July 13, 2018.
LSIT responded in a reblog to her current account (loudest-subtext-in-tv), offering an account of TJLC/anti-TJLC discourse and the role of humor:Tumblr post by loudest-subtext-in-tv. Posted on June 9, 2018. Accessed on July 13, 2018.
===Relationship to Doctor Who===
TJLCers have identified perceived parallels between Sherlock and Doctor Who, which shared Steve Moffat as a showrunner for many years. These parallels were presented as further evidence of Johnlock's endgame status.Tumblr post by tjlcisthenewsexy. Posted on December 29, 2016. Accessed on February 4, 2019.Tumblr user jenna221b posted weekly recaps of such parallels; this is one example from May 2017. (archived) In particular, such meta focuses on the characters of Jenny and Madame Vastra, who are canonically involved in a romantic relationship in Doctor Who, and are also specifically referenced as the "inspiration" for Arthur Conan Doyle's stories in the Doctor Who universe.Reddit thread. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
===TJLC and Fail-fandomanon===
TJLC and its BNFs have been frequent topics of conversation on Fail-fandomanon over the years.
*Re: Wankety Wank on Fail-fandom
*Graceebooks, posted at the FFA Wiki
*loudest-subtext-in-television, posted at the FFA Wiki
===Allegations of Harassment===
Allegations of harassment have long circled TJLC, with TJLCers alleging harassment from other Sherlock fans, and Sherlock fans accusing TJLCers of the same. loudest-subtext-in-television left Tumblr after experiencing harassment on the platform.Tumblr post by loudest-subtext-in-television. Accessible via a reblog from sherlockcharacteranalysis, posted on February 14, 2016. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
In their article The JohnLock Conspiracy, fandom eschatology, and longing to belong, Bo Allesøe Christensen and Thessa Jensen write," TJLC has for years been blamed for many transgressions within Sherlock fandom, including doxxing, harassing, and bullying other fans on- and off-line."Christensen, Bo Allesøe, and Thessa Jensen. 2018. "The JohnLock Conspiracy, Fandom Eschatology, and Longing to Belong." In "Tumblr and Fandom," edited by Lori Morimoto and Louisa Ellen Stein, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 27. https://dx.doi.org/10.3983/twc.2018.1222. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
====2015 221B Con====
Prominent TJLCers present at the 2015 221B Con were accused of harassment by other attendees related to a panel discussion at the con, resulting in a storm of wank and discourse that was extensively discussed on fail-fandomanon.
FFA Links:
* 
* 
*Another Sherlock Con Wank Thread
*Sherlockcon Wankapalooza Continued
*Sherlock Wankapalooza never ends
*Sherlock 221b Con Wankageddon
*Sherlock Neverending Waaaankfeeeest (aah-aah-aah)
*Sherlock Wank: lowering the IQ of the whole Internet
*Sherlock wank continued (and chafed)
*Sherlock Shitstorm 2k15
*(frozen) Sherlock Grace Wank
*sherlock fandom wank (ongoing)
*Sherlock con wank
==Series 4 Aftermath==
By the time the final episode aired, it became obvious the theory would not play out how TJLC fans expected it to. Reactions varied:Anonymous comment on FFA, 2018-05-31.
Many TJLCers who had been convinced that Johnlock would be made canon by the series finale left the TJLC subfandom (or the Sherlock fandom entirely) after the finale of series 4.
===ARG===
In addition to canon "proof", the theory eventually morphed into a perceived alternate reality game ("Sherlock ARG") where anything outside the text could be a potential clue to canon Johnlock. The clues could supposedly be found in Twitter posts from the staff, release dates, references to other canons, interviews, etc.
Predictably, things got out of hand:
===The Lost Special and Apple Tree Yard===
When the last episode of Sherlock failed to make Johnlock canon, TJLC fans reacted with wank, accusations of queerbaiting, and claims of being traumatized.Ragnalock, posted on the FFA wiki. Some were convinced of the existence of a secret fourth episode i.e. "The Lost Special" that would give them canon Johnlock.
Apple Tree Yard is a TV mini series that started airing in the Sherlock timeslot (9pm, BBC 1, Sunday nights) after Sherlock wrapped up. Before its premier, TLJC fans were convinced Apple Tree Yard wasn't actually a real show but a cover for the secret 4th episode of Sherlock.Some examples, various posts by graceebooks collected on FFA. When it turned out Apple Tree Yard was indeed a real show with no ties to Sherlock, some TJLC fans reacted with bitter wankSherlock fans livid after Apple Tree Yard turned out NOT to be a new Sherlock episode on metro.co.ukFans couldn’t handle the fact that Apple Tree Yard wasn’t a secret fourth episode of Sherlock on radiotimes.comApple Tree Yard viewers outraged that BBC drama wasn't a 'secret fourth Sherlock episode' on standard.co.uk while others started looking for clues in Apple Tree Yard that could reinforce the Conspiracy.
Tumblr user lostspecial outlines a theory of The Lost Special.Tumblr post by lostspecial. Posted on January 16, 2017. Accessed on February 4, 2019. (dead link)
Some people took it upon themselves to troll TJLC fans by setting up fake "clues" such as Twitter accounts that implied they were connected to the creators or the thelostspecial.com website.
* See more: Sherlock Is Garbage, And Here's Why's relevant section.
===Operation Norbury===
Operation Norbury was a social media campaign launched after the final episode "to protest queerbaiting and the way the BBC, Moffat & Gatiss treated part of the audience".Tumblr post by youngqueenwerewolf, 2017-02-28. The hashtags were eventually co-opted by the ARG "players", creating dissent within the TJLC fandom.
See: BBC Complaints Next Steps from the Operation Norbury Tumblr and a Reddit thread containing the form reply from the BBC.
===Fannish Drift===
In the aftermath of series 4, some TJLC fans moved into the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fandom, specifically taking up the Mac/Dennis shipDiscussion on FFA, 2017-03-09.; similarly, some prominent TJLCers got into Yuri!!! On IceAnonymous Re: Yuri!!! On Ice - Gay or Trash on FFA, 2017-01-15., while others remained monofannishly loyal to the TJLC cause.
====The MacDennis Conspiracy====
TJLCers joining the Always Sunny fandom didn't leave behind their roots: in fact, they brought the conspiracy along with them. 
One Always Sunny fan (and Mac/Dennis shipper) describes the influx of TJLCers in response to an ask on Tumblr:
Some Always Sunny fans were frustrated by the TJLCers' theorizing about the potential canonization of MacDennis, and the ways in which the influx of TJLCers seemed to change the IASIP fandom:
The twelfth season of Always Sunny - which aired over the course of the first three months of 2017, contemporaneous with the premiere and aftermath of series 4 of Sherlock - brought several significant changes. Mac, whose sexuality had long been a subject of humor and speculation, came out as gay in the middle of the season, and in the season finale, Dennis revealed his "double life" and subsequently left the bar.
====The Dynamic====
A group of fans with roots in the TJLC community developed "The Dynamic," a set of archetypes, the Sweaterboy and the Absolute Nightmare, through which different ships are viewed. It is purported to be a sort of ideal of peak compatibility in a ship. The theory originated with idea that the dynamic of Holmes and Watson's relationship remains consistent throughout adaptations and reimagining of the original Sherlock Holmes, and that stories often replicate this ship dynamic. Thealogie has said The Dynamic "occurs in a number of usually textually unfulfilled ships throughout literary history."June 4, 2019 by Thealogie graceebooks originated the term "Absolute Nightmare."April 19th, 2019 by graceebooks The term "Sweaterboy" comes from Sherlock BBC John Watson's penchant for wearing sweaters.
The Dynamic has been the subject of criticism for its connection to TJLC. Critics allege that the creators of The Dynamic are simply changing the definition whenever it suits them so that ships they like are The Dynamic and can be argued as superior, and any ships they don't like are locked out of the club. The explanation that being The Dynamic is both a subtextual indication of non-canon romance and makes a ship essentially canon has been connected to the concept's roots in the TLJC community and tinhatting.
==Fan Criticism of TJLC==
Many Sherlock fans are critical of TJLC as a theory and as a presence in the fandom community.Anti TJLC tag on Tumblr. Accessed on July 11, 2018. Criticism of TJLC comes from Johnlock shippers, as well as fans of other ships (such as Irene Adler/Sherlock Holmes and Molly Hooper/Sherlock Holmes).Tumblr post by i-am-benedict-cumberbatched. Posted on February 20, 2017. Accessed on July 11, 2018. (dead link)
====Criticism of the TJLC Theory====
The most hardcore TJLC fans came up with a lot of meta that less invested fans found hair-raising"i am reading the most bizarre pseudo-intellectual essay" post by wufflesvetinari on Tumblr which often involved set details, various "codes" and symbolism, and the Mind Palace Theory.The Mind Palace Theories of TAB by inevitably-johnlocked
Some fans have published criticisms or refutations of TJLC (in general, and as responses to specific meta).Tumblr post by theleftpill. Posted on December 29, 2014. Accessed on February 4, 2019.
See also: TJLR.
====Criticism of the TJLC Community====
TJLCers are often blamed for driving other Sherlock fans out of the fandom.Tumblr post by marsdaydream. Posted on August 8, 2016. Accessed on July 11, 2018. (archived) One Sherlock BNF posted a widely shared essay about their experience in the fandom prior to deleting their blog and leaving Tumblr:Tumblr post by mid0nz. Published August 2016. Archived August 10, 2016. Accessed July 11, 2018.
In the reblogs of mid0nz's post, many former and current Sherlock fans added their own accounts of life in the fandom post-series 3. Ship wars were cited as one cause for fannish distress, but most people seemed to attribute the toxicity of the fandom to conflict with TJLCers.Tumblr post by carolyn-claire. Posted on January 4, 2017. Accessed on July 11, 2018. 
TJLC advocates drew the ire of other fans not just because they turned the fandom wankyHistory, top/Bottom wank and accusations of pedophilia in the TJLC fandom as explained by FFA, 2018-02-28. and supposedly scared away a lot of less intense fans but also because of their treatment of the cast and creative team:
=====Age Dynamics=====
Many of the TJLC BNFs were considered to be "older" (i.e., in their late twenties and thirties), in comparison with younger TJLCers in their teens and early twenties. Prominent TJLCers on Tumblr were often criticized for exerting undue influence on their younger followers, particularly in the aftermath of series 4. Many TJLCers were deeply disappointed by series 4, and turned to social media to express their emotional distress. Some fans (many of whom were generally critical of TJLC) felt that the "adults" in the subfandom needed to take responsibility for their role in this:Tumblr post by thecutteralicia. Posted on January 22, 2017. Accessed on July 11, 2018.
==Fanworks==
As a practice of fan analysis, TJLC is primarily oriented toward meta. However, many TJLCers also produce and consume creative fanworks that explore similar themes or theories as those found in TJLC meta. As of August 26, 2018, there are 209 fanworks in the "TJLC | The Johnlock Conspiracy" tag on AO3; some tagged works are meta, or may blur the line between meta and fanfiction.TJLC tag on AO3. Accessed on August 26, 2018.
===Fanfiction===
TJLC-inspired fanfiction is often framed as fix-it fic (particularly post series four) or may explore narrative elements or gaps in the show that have also preoccupied TJLC meta writers. There are some fic that present a "case" or argument for TJLC in fic-form, as well as some that write versions of The Lost Special, in something akin to a mini virtual season.
*Whatever Remains, However Improbable by ivyblossom and loudest-subtext-in-television. 2014.
*The Adventure of the Silver Scars by tangledblue. 2015-2016.
*Twenty Minutes by Laiquilasse. 2017.
*Softer, Sherlock (aka: The Lost Special) by fellshish. 2017.
*The Lost Special: Family Matters (As Do Relationships) by ShirleyCarlton. 2017 - (WIP)
===Fanart===
There are many works of fanart in the tjlc tag on DeviantArt.
==TJLC in the Media==
===2014===
*The Johnlock Conspiracy — Romance and Holmesian Deduction in the Sherlock Fandom by V Lyn. (Originally published in 2014, but updated in 2018.)
===2016===
*Social justice, shipping, and ideology: when fandom becomes a crusade, things get ugly by Aja Romano"Social justice, shipping, and ideology: when fandom becomes a crusade, things get ugly" by Aja Romano. Published on August 7, 2016. Accessed on July 11, 2018.
*SDCC 2016: Sherlock & A Case of Sexual Identity by Valerie ParkerSDCC 2016: Sherlock & A Case of Sexual Identity by Valerie Parker. Published on July 27, 2016. Accessed on July 11, 2018.
===2018===
*Decoder Ring: The Johnlock Conspiracy
*Martin Freeman interview: Being in Sherlock isn't always fun by Craig McLean.
*That's a Cult?: Fandoms
===Academic Perspectives on TJLC===
*Johnlock meta and authorial intent in Sherlock fandom: Affirmational or transformational? by Melissa A. Hofmann. (in "The Future of Fandom," special 10th anniversary issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 28. 2018.)
*The JohnLock Conspiracy, fandom eschatology, and longing to belong by Bo Allesøe Christensen and Thessa Jensen. (in "Tumblr and Fandom," edited by Lori Morimoto and Louisa Ellen Stein, special issue, Transformative Works and Cultures, no. 27. 2018.)
*Telling The True Story: Queerbaiting, representation, and fan resistance in the BBC Sherlock fandom by Suzanne Frenk. (Bachelor Thesis, Tilburg University School of Humanities. http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=145028. 2017.)
*Fandom in times of superdiversity: the case of Sherlock by Suzanne Frenk. Diggit Magazine (https://www.diggitmagazine.com/papers/fandom-times-superdiversity-case-sherlock/. May 24, 2017.)
*Stories of Significance: The Process and Practices of Sense-Making in the Sherlock Fan Community by Kee Lundqvist. (http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:821716/FULLTEXT01.pdf/. 2015.)
==Further Reading/Meta==
*Johnlock 101 – An Introduction to The Johnlock Conspiracy (#tjlc); WebCite on wordpress (August 17, 2014)
* by joolabee on tumblr (May 31, 2015)
* , by Destination: Toast! (March 22, 2016)
* In which I finally talk about the TJLC panel at Sherlock Seattle by emmagrant01 (April 16, 2015)
* at the Fail_Fandomanon wiki at the old Fail_Fandomanon wiki, dreamwidth backup. Note that the old FFA wiki was taken down during the course of the August 2016 Sherlock wank after it was reported for TOS violations by (allegedly) TJLC wankers, some of whom are allegedly lawyers.
* TJLC Explained, a series of videos by Rebekah a.k.a. softsons (February 2016 - ongoing)
* A TJLC post about Johnlock being a late in life coming out narrative (Aug 2016)
* Sherlock Is Garbage, And Here's Why, a long video analysis about the flaws of the series by hbomberguy. External link goes straight to 'A Brief Interlude: The Secret Good Fourth Episode of Season 4' which is at the beginning of 'Part Ten: Literally everything about Season 4' and covers the Johnlock Conspiracy. (May 2017)
* Tumblr's Greatest Conspiracy: The Story of TJLC, a video by Sarah Z diving into the TJLC, particularly the community (Oct 2020)
===August 2016 discussions===
*August 7: Social justice, shipping, and ideology: when fandom becomes a crusade, things get ugly article by Aja at Vox.com, mentioning a late July Comic Con appearance where Sherlock showrunners denied TJLC.
*August 7: tumblr post by mild-lunacy linking to Aja's article
*August 8: TJLC is more than a readerly approach to a text. tumblr post by mid0nz797 notes as of 29 September 2016. archived
*circa August 9: Same word, different meanings, tumblr thread started by besinaoriginal post deleted; 311 notes as of 29 September 2016.
*August 10-12: TJLC vs JLEG: Rumble in the Tumble! thread at Fail_Fandomanon
*August 13-14: tumblr thread on TJLC'ers bad behavior725 notes as of 29 September 2016. archived
*August 14: another reblog of mid0nz by postcardsfromtheorylandarchived
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Fan Theories
Category:The Johnlock Conspiracy
Category:2010s
Category:Fandom Wars
Category:2020 Featured Articles
Category:Sherlock Fandom Glossary