Sherlock Holmes

Perhaps Sherlock's most notable trait is his tendency toward boredom. He is constantly agitated by a lack of work and describes peace as "odious." Even if offered a case, he won't accept it unless he finds it sufficiently appealing (though it's worth noting that he seems to lower his standards as he becomes more desperate). Lacking a job that meets his criteria, he will go to great lengths to keep himself occupied, such as repeatedly shooting at his apartment wall with live ammunition, and even resorting to drugs in more extreme situations; he claims to be a "user" of narcotics on more than one occasion, which helps to enhance his thought process. He even went so far as to accuse the criminal class of laziness, considering that the reason for his boredom. He labels himself a high-functioning sociopath, but it is more likely that he has Asperger's syndrome.

Sherlock also displays a blatant disregard for rules and etiquette. Once, at Buckingham Palace, he was wearing only a sheet and was prepared to leave naked, which greatly embarrassed Mycroft.

He seems to have a sense of humor, although he is very sarcastic and can sometimes be quite dark. Sherlock is particularly amused by the stupidity of others compared to himself. He also often makes jokes at his brother Mycroft's expense, usually about his dietary habits or his elegant job. However, Sherlock is not at all amused by John's blog. He thinks the titles John gives his cases, such as "The Geeky Interpreter" or "The Speckled Blonde," are ridiculous, and he finds the fame that comes with being an "Internet phenomenon" both distasteful and amusing. He was also put off by the prospect of having to wear his now-iconic deerstalker in public on camera. In "The Lying Detective," he puts it on before going out to eat cake for his birthday, saying, "I'm Sherlock Holmes. I'm wearing the bloody hat."

Although he presents a cold and gruff exterior, Sherlock has a kind and caring side. Despite telling John that not caring about people makes his job easier, Sherlock does care about the people involved in his cases. During one of his early cases, when John's girlfriend, Sarah, was kidnapped by Chinese smugglers, Sherlock focused on saving her rather than catching the smugglers and gently comforted her as he untied her, even though he hadn't seemed to like her much beforehand. And again, in one of his early encounters with Moriarty, he is visibly shaken when he is unable to save the life of an elderly woman.

But Sherlock was affectionate with Nieves, although he always acted as if he were taking care of his friend who always visited him, denying that he loved Nieves, but the truth is that he didn't want to put her in danger.

However, Sherlock is most protective of those closest to him. Although he often seems to pay little attention to Mrs. Hudson, he becomes enraged when he discovers that an American agent has mistreated her, going so far as to tie him up and throw him out of a window so many times that he "lost count." Later, when John insists that he stay with his sister for a while, Sherlock tells him that if Mrs. Hudson were to leave Baker Street, "England would fall," as he puts an arm around her in comfort. This protective nature extends to all his friends, to the point that he is willing to fake his death to save them.

Sherlock is a tall, slender man who appears to be no more than thirty years old, with pale skin and dark, curly hair. His appearance is designed to stand out in contrast to John, who is shorter, with straight blond hair. His eyes can appear silver, blue, or even green depending on the light. Sherlock's iconic attire consists of a long trench coat with the collar turned up (which John calls part of his "cool" image) and a dark blue scarf. Underneath his coat, he always wears a black suit with a dress shirt, but no tie. In the mornings at his apartment, he sometimes skips his suit jacket and instead wears a dressing gown in camel, crimson, blue, or tartan. Sherlock can also be seen wearing the famous checkered deerstalker hat. He has been known, on occasion, to wear nothing but a bedsheet.