Sherlock agrees to take a case from a man claiming to be Moriarty, hoping it will bring him closer to finding his nemesis. Meanwhile, Gregson encourages Joan to give up the dangerous line of work she has chosen and go back to being a sober companion.

As Sherlock reels at the reappearance of his former lover, Irene Adler, a series of flashbacks unravel the tumultuous events that led to his downfall into addiction. Meanwhile, he and Joan once again find themselves in the crosshairs of the enigmatic Moriarty.