James Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes movies)

For the others versions of the character, see James Moriarty (homonymy)

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James Moriarty
External informations
First appearance	Sherlock Holmes (2009 movie)
Last appearance	Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Portrayed by	Jared Harris
Identity
Name	James Moriarty
Alias	Professor Moriarty
Sexe	Male
Occupations	Mathematical teacher. Author Businessman

"

Rest assured, if you attempt to bring destruction down upon me, I shall do the same to you. My respect for you, Mr. Holmes, is the only reason you are still alive. — Moriarty to Sherlock Holmes

"

Professor James Moriarty is the main antagonist of american movie Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) after appeared as a shadowy figure in the previous movie Sherlock Holmes (2009). He was a mathematics teacher, author, businessman and polymath, as well the boss of former military Sebastian Moran and an former ally of Irene Adler.

During Lord Henry Blackwood' schemes and battle of wits with investigator Sherlock Holmes, Moriarty manoeuvred in the shadows through Irene Adler in order to obtain a groundbreaking radio device, thus confronting Holmes for the first time and managing to get away with the machine when Blackwood dies. Some time later, Moriarty engaged in a lengthy intellectual duel with Sherlock Holmes, including the death of Irene Adler caused by his care and his threats to Dr John Watson and his wife, during which Sherlock Holmes deduced his intention to cause a third world war between France and Germany and to sell his weapons to the participants. Their confrontation culminated at the Reichenbach Conference where, after Holmes had beaten him at chess and revealed that he had robbed him of his fortune earlier, and after delaying his plot, Holmes chose to throw himself with him into the waterfalls surrounding the conference to protect John and his wife from the criminal's fury after realising that a physical fight could only end in his defeat, apparently killing Moriarty while Holmes survived on a respirator.

Biography

Early life

To be added

Stealing Blackwood' machine

To be added

Fight with Sherlock Holmes

To be added

Personnality

"

Sherlock Holmes: The flourishes on the lower zone denote a highly creative yet meticulous nature. But if one observes the overall slant and pressure of the handwriting there is a suggestion of acute narcissism, a complete lack of empathy, and pronounced inclination toward... James Moriarty: No! Sherlock Holmes: ...moral insanity. — Sherlock Holmes about Moriarty' handwriting

"

Moriarty was a textbook psychopath with an highly sadistic and arrogant streak completed with intellectual brillance. According to Sherlock Holmes, while possesse highly creative and meticulous nature (which his showed by his immense talent for organizing highly developped and trim criminal activities and his declaration that he was going to kill Doctor Watson and his wife in the most inventive way possible), he also tended for acute narcissism, a complete lack of empathy, and pronounced inclination toward moral insanity. Despite this, Moriarty always exercised perfect self-control, even when furious, and always expressed himself with great politeness. He was also a master tactician and a highly respected academist, with some fame among the mathematic world.

Although he always maintained the facade of a polite and humble academic, his arrogance showed behind this mask on several occasions, underestimating Doctor Watson, for example, by deeming him incapable of displaying the same talent as Holmes, not even dropping his smile when war was averted and his fortune stolen by the detective. His sadism was also particularly evident, as when he mocked the death of Irene Adler caused by him and used it to threaten Sherlock Holmes further, and when he threatened the lives of Dr. Watson and his wife in retribution for the loss of his fortune. Despite his negative traits, he showed to appreciate music, especially Schubert (a trait he shared with his henchman Sebastian Moran).

Abilities

"

The upwards strokes on the p, the j, the m indicate a genius-level intellect. — Sherlock Holmes about Moriarty' handwriting

"

• Genius-level intelligence: As noted by Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes, Moriarty was a genius, with formidable levels of intellect rivalising with the detective himself. He was both a highly gifted and famous academician (especially in mathematics) and a master tactician extremely skilled for organizing criminal activites without ever revealing his identity. At such, he was the greatest enemy of Sherlock Holmes, this latter being forced to recouring to more and more desparate measures to win against him, going so far to plunging with him in the Waterfalls surrounding the Reichenbach conference.

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My horror at your crimes is matched only by my admiration of the skill it took to achieve them. — Sherlock Holmes to Moriarty

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• • Master tactician: Moriarty was a extremely skilled and formidable tactician and strategist, which was also his main asset.
  • Master mathematician: To be added
  • Master author: To be added

"

Come now, you really think you're the only one who can play this game? — James Moriarty to Sherlock Holmes

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• • Predictive ability: To be added

"

Ah, there we find the boxing champion of Cambridge. — Sherlock Holmes to Moriarty

"

• Master martial artist: Moriarty, despite mostly reposing on his brains instead of brawns, is still an extremely skilled and formidable martial artist, enough for winning a boxing competition in his youth. During a simulation Sherlock Holmes and him made during their final confrontation, they both came to the conclusion that Moriarty would win in a hand-to-hand fight, although it should be noted that Sherlock was handicapped by his shoulder injury at the time.

Relationship

Sherlock Holmes

To be added

Quotes

See: James Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes movies)/Quotes

Gallery

See: James Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes movies)/Gallery