So the policeman that conveniently enters as AJ seems about to SNAP and kill Mary? He’s been trailing AJ the whole time.

It’s completely ridiculous that he sees 3 people in a room with a guns and just shoots one of them. Like, oh no ma’am, sir, you’re just fine! This brute here has been dealt with, no need to sheath your weapons, have a nice day. He doesn’t call for backup, he doesn’t ask questions. And he looks like he just bought a police costume at a fucking party city. He’s an assassin. Specifically, he’s Alex.



Back to the AGRA flashback - we see all 4 members. Curiously, AJ and Rosamund have very covered masks, but they later remove these to reveal their identities.

Mary’s very concealing mask

Alex and Gabe, however, have different, more revealing masks.

Gabe, wearing a different, more revealing mask

A coincidence, or a clue? They want us to be able to see a snippet of their faces. They also cast Alex and Gabe with noticeably different body types so we can keep track of them.

Alex is a bit slimmer than Gabe

So, let’s compare faces. Here’s the policeman:

Alex’s slimmer body type matches up with the dude on the left down here. That’s Alex. vvv

Another Shot of Alex

I know what you’re thinking. You’re looking back and forth between these pictures, saying to yourself, “ehhhhhh…. maaaayybbeee…. the lighting is kinda different….” And I’ll give you that, it is. But look how much you’re pausing. Look how you can’t instantly deny this is the same face. You’re flicking between the eyebrows, the eye shape, the spacing between features.. they do look AWFULLY similar… You look between Gabe and Alex’s faces… yes no you can DEFINITELY tell those faces apart, you don’t have to pause for a second to know those faces are distinct from one another.

I’ll help you out, though. Take another look.

YEAH. THE POLICEMAN IS FUCKING ALEX.

Keep in mind AJ’s view is unreliable as he doesn’t SEE Alex die, only hears what he thinks is his back breaking. We can’t trust his interpretation of events. It’s very possible Alex was tortured briefly and let go, or has even been there all 6 years. Doesn’t really matter besides that Moriarty is monitoring this situation to make sure nobody who isn’t supposed to get shot gets shot…… yet. For all we know Gabes out there somewhere too, perfectly fine.

it’s just another sniper chain, exactly like TRF. Moriarty’s method of dealing with messy, loose end freelancers. Just set them all up to watch each other. It’s exactly his style. snipers planted to watch and shoot each other down if they misstepped with sherlock in riechenbach. alex trained on AJ, trained on mary.

perhaps then, the better question is - not just who let AJ go… but WHY? Punishment from Moriarty? Revenge? Questions.