[Breaking News! We just discovered something shocking — the infamous boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni Sakaki, actually appeared in Sherlock Holmes! (Warning: multiple images ahead!)]
When Edward began filming Sherlock Holmes Season 3, a certain post suddenly exploded across the entire internet.
Although Giovanni's character, Professor Moriarty, didn't have much screen time early on — and Edward hadn't even listed his name in the official cast credits — the situation quickly spun out of control.
Giovanni had far too many eyes on him lately. His distinctive facial features were impossible to disguise, and before long, people online had unearthed the truth: Giovanni had secretly played a role in Sherlock Holmes!
Once that discovery was made, fans immediately realized that the old professor who had raised the question of "The Three God Riddle" was, in fact, the very same person. The internet promptly went wild with speculation about the plot of Sherlock Holmes.
Conspiracy theories flew left and right. Some self-proclaimed analysts solemnly declared that Giovanni's character must actually be Sherlock Holmes's father, pointing out that the professor's intellect and wisdom were on par with Holmes himself.
Clearly, they reasoned, that kind of brilliance had to be hereditary.
Others insisted Giovanni's character was bound to be a key figure later on. But the majority dismissed such ideas — after all, Giovanni's real identity had already been exposed to the world. Unless the man had completely lost his mind, there was no way he'd go out of his way to appear in another film or TV show. That would basically be walking straight into a trap.
Still, the arguments raged across the internet. Everyone had something to say. Some even joked that Giovanni must have "awakened his inner darkness" while filming Sherlock Holmes, and that this was what led him down the path to becoming a notorious villain.
Of course, nobody really believed that theory.
What a joke! This was Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket!
There was no way things were that simple. Team Rocket had dominated the Kanto region's underworld for years, their influence even stretching as far as Johto. Many online commentators considered them the most powerful criminal organization in existence.
After all, to survive the joint pursuit of two regional Pokémon Leagues and still remain active — that alone proved Team Rocket was no ordinary organization.
But regardless of how people felt about it, Giovanni's sudden exposure had undeniably boosted the popularity of Sherlock Holmes.
There had always been a group of people who weren't interested in watching TV dramas — they preferred films. But now that they learned Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket himself, had acted in Sherlock Holmes, curiosity got the better of them.
"What kind of role did that man play?" everyone wanted to know.
As a result, the show's advertising fees skyrocketed yet again. The hype surrounding Sherlock Holmes Season 3 reached an all-time high, and industry insiders predicted that when the drama finally aired, viewership numbers would be nothing short of explosive.
…
"Boss, someone's offering to sponsor an exclusive broadcast," Zoroark said as it approached Edward.
Edward raised his brows in surprise. "An exclusive broadcast sponsorship? In this day and age? Which company's that rich?"
After all, Sherlock Holmes Season 3's advertising slots had already reached astronomical prices. Even so, Edward still had to carefully screen potential sponsors before accepting them.
The most enthusiastic sponsors were luxury fashion brands from the Pokémon world. They had not only custom-tailored outfits for Damu but also paid extra for product placement. From casual wear to pajamas to formal attire — every outfit Holmes wore was custom-made by one of these brands.
And it paid off handsomely. Many viewers had fallen in love with Holmes's wardrobe, flocking to stores to buy similar outfits. The brand's recognition and prestige skyrocketed as a result.
But securing exclusive broadcasting rights for the entire series? That was another level altogether — one that required unimaginable sums of money. Everyone in the industry knew exactly how much status and prestige came with being the brand behind Sherlock Holmes Season 3.
Still, Edward shook his head firmly. "No. I don't want to hear something like, 'This program is exclusively brought to you by so-and-so company' every time the show airs. It sounds tacky."
For Edward, the charm of Sherlock Holmes lay in its tight, intellectual mystery plots — and in his signature, seamless brand placements.
Every single one of Edward's product integrations had been so natural that most people didn't even notice them. In fact, hunting for these hidden ads had become a game among viewers — a little Easter egg hunt woven into the detective story.
Sure, adding an exclusive title sponsor could earn him more money, but Edward valued reputation above short-term gain.
After all, Sherlock Holmes was one of Ghost Films' flagship IPs.
"Understood," Zoroark said, feeling slightly disappointed but not daring to argue. It politely declined the company's proposal for exclusive naming rights, while Edward continued directing his shoot.
At that point, Edward had reached the latter half of The Accidental Murderer. The plot focused on how the protagonist's family, under police interrogation, began to reveal subtle clues, which gradually led the investigators to uncover the truth — stirring massive public outrage.
However, since the story was being retold through the lens of Sherlock Holmes, these events were framed as flashbacks from the protagonist's memory. Holmes's ultimate task was to expose the man's deception and bring him to justice.
Edward knew this ending would stir controversy. The protagonist of The Accidental Murderer was written as a morally gray "everyman hero" — someone who killed to protect his family. Audiences tended to root for him, so having Holmes expose him would naturally provoke debate.
If Holmes let him go, people would accuse him of moral corruption — "How can Holmes allow a murderer to walk free?" they'd say.
But if Sherlock Holmes arrested him, others would argue, "He was just defending his family! Where's your empathy?"
No matter what choice he made, someone would be unhappy.
To strike a balance, Edward revised the script: during Sherlock Holmes's investigation, the protagonist would gradually notice his eldest daughter developing a disregard for law and morality — influenced by his own cover-up. After Sherlock Holmes revealed the truth, the protagonist, wracked with guilt, would choose to turn himself in.
It wouldn't please everyone, but Edward could live with that.
After all, perfection was impossible. Even money — something universally adored — had its critics. He'd once seen a man on TV, sitting on piles of cash, saying, "The happiest time of my life was when I had nothing."
"Well," Edward thought wryly, "if that's what unhappiness looks like, I wouldn't mind being miserable for a bit."
…
Meanwhile, deep beneath the earth in Team Rocket's underground headquarters…
Giovanni sat calmly in his chair, gently stroking his Persian's head. Across from him stood Archer, one of Team Rocket's top executives, grinning nervously.
"Boss, the whole internet's talking about you," Archer said lightly.
Giovanni's expression didn't change. His cold, sharp gaze silenced Archer in an instant.
As the air in the room grew heavy, Giovanni began pondering one pressing question: How, exactly, had his cover been blown?
He had always been meticulous — cautious to the extreme. He knew the Pokémon League's power was vast, almost unfathomable. If they ever investigated him seriously, even he might struggle to escape.
That was why, for the past few years, Giovanni had intentionally kept a low profile, avoiding unnecessary trouble. Yet now, his identity as Team Rocket's boss had been exposed, and the evidence was so conclusive that denial was impossible.
Someone had even uploaded the information online.
Now, the entire League — no, the entire world — knew that Giovanni, the Viridian Gym Leader, was the mastermind of Team Rocket.
Could it have been the League's doing?
That was his first suspicion. After all, who else had the resources and intelligence network to pull something like this off?
But Giovanni quickly dismissed that theory.
If the League had discovered the truth, they would never have made it public. They would have suppressed the information immediately, stripped him of his Gym title, and quietly handled the matter behind closed doors.
After all, the revelation that a Gym Leader — a League representative — was also the head of the world's largest criminal organization would be a massive scandal. No official body would willingly expose such a stain on its reputation.
Therefore, Giovanni concluded with near certainty that the leak didn't come from the League. The probability was simply too low.
His second suspect was Edward Stone.
It sounded far-fetched, but Giovanni couldn't shake the thought. When Edward had invited him to play Moriarty, the role's description had struck him like a bolt of lightning.
He's describing me! Giovanni had thought at the time, stunned.
He'd even tested Edward subtly back then — but the man hadn't revealed anything suspicious. Still, looking back, Giovanni found some details unnerving.
Why had Edward been in such a rush to film all of Giovanni's scenes back-to-back, instead of spacing them out like usual?
Could it be that Edward knew his real identity — and wanted to finish filming before the League eventually came for him?
That possibility gnawed at Giovanni.
On the other hand, if Edward had known, he could've easily reported it to the League and earned massive rewards. Yet he hadn't. And Edward rarely even visited Kanto.
So, Giovanni reluctantly ruled him out.
Which left… only one possibility.
"Have there been any updates about that Pokémon who escaped from New Island?" Giovanni asked coldly. His hand paused on Persian's fur.
That creature — that Psychic-type — was immensely powerful. Giovanni didn't know much else, but a gut feeling told him that only it could have done something like this.
Edward wouldn't dare.
Edward was heir to the Devon Corporation. His family had deep ties to the League; it was impossible for him to risk open hostility against them.
But the escaped Pokémon — that Mewtwo — had both the power and the motive.
"No, sir," Archer replied, his tone turning serious. "We've completely lost contact. But based on our investigations, the laboratory housing that test subject had numerous financial connections to Devon Corporation."
Giovanni froze. His hand on Persian went still.
Devon Corporation… again. And Edward… again.
"Edward… he's filming in Kanto right now, isn't he?" Giovanni asked after a pause.
"Yes, boss," Archer said quickly. "He's working on Sherlock Holmes, the same one you appeared in."
Giovanni stared at him blankly. Archer realized too late that his attempt at humor had been… ill-advised.
Under his leader's chilling stare, he coughed awkwardly and shut his mouth.
After all, Giovanni wasn't just the brains of Team Rocket, he was also its strongest enforcer. And no one survived long by making him angry.
"Edward…" Giovanni muttered, his brow furrowed.
Edward was no fool. The man was rich, well-connected, and protected by an elite private security team. Ordinary Rocket grunts wouldn't even get close to him.
But Giovanni couldn't rest easy without answers.
Now that his identity had been exposed, the League would inevitably intensify its crackdown on Team Rocket. That was unavoidable.
If he wanted to resist — to fight back — he would need new power. Greater power.
Mewtwo.
That creature was far beyond ordinary Pokémon. Perhaps even on par with the Legendary tier.
If Giovanni could find and control Mewtwo again, the balance between the League and Team Rocket might shift entirely.
Only then could he turn the tide.
(End of Chapter)
TN: For the movie Drishyam, I'll be using the English translation for it so that it's understandable. I'll be calling The Accidental Murderer.
Drishyam (2015) - a Thriller/Crime film.