It's really sort of cruel that less than two weeks after we celebrated the ridiculously-long-awaited return of Sherlock, we're getting ready to mourn its departure again. In just a few days' time, series three will be over and another agonising hiatus of doom will begin.

But let's all try to delete that particular piece of information from our mental hard drives for now, and instead focus on what's to come in Steven Moffat's series finale 'His Last Vow'. Our lips are pretty much sealed, but here are 12 carefully chosen hints to tide you over until Sunday.

WARNING: The below hints are deliberately vague and free of concrete spoilers, but for anyone who wants to know absolutely nothing about 'His Last Vow', turn back now!

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1) If the warmer, more human Sherlock in 'The Sign of Three' left you unnerved, fear not: he's as close to stone-cold sociopath as he's ever been for at least 30% of this episode.



2) "Facts are for history books. I work in news."

3) An early scene parallels the very first moments of 'A Study in Pink'.

4) We knew that Steven Moffat's script was based on the short story 'Charles Augustus Milverton', but it also draws heavily on elements from 'His Last Bow', the chronologically final Holmes story.

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5) There is at least one very significant character death.



6) A lot of 'The Sign of Three' will play very differently on a re-watch in light of the events of 'His Last Vow'.

7) "Here be dragons."

8) Despite being series three's most plot-heavy episode, 'His Last Vow' is also a character goldmine, delving deep into the psychology of Sherlock and especially John.

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9) Molly is fierce.



10) You may already have heard whispers of a shocking development in Sherlock's life, but it won't be so shocking to anyone who has read 'Charles Augustus Milverton'.

11) "It won't be the first time your habit has interfered with their line dancing."

12) We always knew John Watson was a badass, but here he's given perhaps his most straight-up BAMF moment to date. It's really, really great.

'His Last Vow' will air on BBC One on Sunday, January 12. The third series of Sherlock will be released on DVD on January 20.

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