Look out for the number 702 in TLD/TFP!

miadifferent:

I’ve been pondering on this meta for literally years now - but as I don’t want to be the only one screaming in case the number 702 might appear in any form in the next episodes, I’ll try to give you the last minute short version. - Which means, I’ll present you rather the clues and results without a lot of explanation.

So what I noticed is, that Moffat has a pattern of using the number 207/702 to mark the beginning and the end of a certain story arc, often in combination with a refrence to apples (sympol of temptation) . The story arcs are often about coming to terms with needs, desire, sexuality and how to make these work in relationships. 

Jekyll

Moffat first used this pattern in Jekyll.  At the end of the series, when Hyde gets more and more power over Tom, his wife Claire asks him, where they spent their honeymoon to be sure she’s dealing with Tom and not with Hyde. And he gives her the correct answer: They spent their honeymoon in The Appleyard in room 702. (This scene is near the end of the series, but the memory references the beginning of their relationship, so we have the full arc.)

Doctor Who - 

The Story of Amy Pond

In The Beast Below (06x03, 2010) we follow Amy Pond and the Doctor travelling through time and space for the first time. This is Amy’s introduction into the Doctor’s world. A girl runs away and Amy asks, “Where’d she go?”, and the Doctor answers: “Deck 207, Apple Sesame block, dwelling 54A”

This episode also features a poem that reflects quite well the process that Moffats frames with the numbers 207/702. People have to enable their deepest desires and impulses to truly experience live/love/passion etc.  

A horse and a man, above, below
One has a plan, but both must go.
Mile after mile, above, beneath
One has a smile, and one has teeth.
Though the man above might say hello
Expect no love from the beast below.
In bed above, we’re deep asleep
While greater love lies further deep
This dream must end
This world must know
We all depend on the beast below.

Amy’s story arc ends with the episode The Angels Take Manhatten (07x05, 2012). There’s an (unnecessary) preface to this episode. And we get a specific shot of the room number 702. (It is not Rory’s room though, that’s 802 - but the 702

is explicitely shown

to the audience ). The episode ends with Amy and Rory dying after a long, and implied happy and loving, marriage.

Sherlock

And finally, Sholto stays in room 207 in The Sign of Three, the episode where Sherlock deduces himself into love with John Watson. (And we have Appledore in HLV) This is the beginning of Sherlock’s journey of discovering and accepting his own emotions and desires and of learning how to be himself in a relationship (or rather marriage, as the couples in the other stories mentioned were married as well). 

So watch out for the 702!

702 is the signal for the end of this journey. Sherlock will be able to be true to himself and to his partner in a healthy relationship from there on.