Colonel Sebastian Moran is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
in the stories written by
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
. An enemy of
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
, he first appears in the 1903 short story "
The Adventure of the Empty House
"The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. It was first published in '' Collier's'' in ...
". Holmes once described him as "the second most dangerous man in London", the most dangerous being
Professor Moriarty, Moran's employer.
Fictional character biography
In "
The Adventure of the Empty House
"The Adventure of the Empty House", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 13 stories in the cycle collected as '' The Return of Sherlock Holmes''. It was first published in '' Collier's'' in ...
", Sherlock Holmes looks up for biographical information about Sebastian Moran in his index of criminal biographies. According to these data, Moran was born in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1840, the son of Sir Augustus Moran,
CB, sometime
Minister to Persia.
He was educated at
Eton College
Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...
and the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
before embarking upon a military career. Formerly of the 1st Bangalore Pioneers (Madras), he served in the
Jowaki Expedition
The Jowaki Expedition was a British punitive expedition in India, occurring between 1877 and 1878. It started when the British government in India proposed to reduce the payment of the Jowaki Afridi tribe in the Northwest Frontier. The Jowaki wer ...
of 1877–1878 and in the
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ps, د افغان-انګرېز دويمه جګړه) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the l ...
, seeing action at the
Battle of Char Asiab, 6 October 1879 (for which he was
mentioned in despatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
); the
Battle of Sherpur, 23 December 1879; and at
Kabul
Kabul (; ps, , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into 22 municipal districts. Acco ...
.
A devoted sportsman and highly skilled shot, he was author of the books ''Heavy Game of the Western Himalayas'' in 1881 and ''Three Months in the Jungle'' in 1884, and reportedly once "crawled down a drain after a wounded man-eating tiger". Although there was no open scandal after his turning to crime, he was obliged to retire from the
army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and return to London. Outwardly respectable, with an address in Conduit Street,
Mayfair
Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world. ...
, and membership of the (fictional) Anglo-Indian Club,
the Tankerville Club and
The Bagatelle Card Club, he was nevertheless recruited by
Professor Moriarty, and served as his
chief of staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
. Ultimately he is used solely for assassinations that required his peculiar skill with the rifle; Holmes mentions the killing of a Mrs. Stuart in 1887 which he suspects (but cannot prove) Moran was involved in. In "
The Final Problem
"The Final Problem" is a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring his detective character Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom, and ''McClure's'' in the United States, under the title ...
" (set in 1891), Moran escaped incrimination, and followed the Professor to
Reichenbach Falls
The Reichenbach Falls (german: Reichenbachfälle) are a waterfall cascade of seven steps on the stream called Rychenbach in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. They drop over a total height of about . At , the upper falls, known as the ...
, where Moran attempted to kill Holmes by rolling boulders upon him.
Thereafter Moran earned a living in London by playing cards at several clubs. When one of the other players,
Ronald Adair, noticed that Moran won by cheating and threatened to expose him, Moran murdered Adair with a
silenced air rifle
An air gun or airgun is a gun that fires projectiles pneumatically with compressed air or other gases that are mechanically pressurized ''without'' involving any chemical reactions, in contrast to a firearm, which pressurizes gases ''chem ...
that fired revolver bullets.
Dr. Watson
John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle f ...
and the returned Holmes having taken the case, Moran attempted to kill Holmes by firing the air rifle from a vacant house opposite the detective's residence. Holmes having anticipated this, Moran shot a wax effigy of the detective, while Holmes, Watson, and
Inspector Lestrade
Detective Inspector G. Lestrade, or Mr. Lestrade ( or ), is a fictional character appearing in several of the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Lestrade's first appearance was in the first Sherlock Holmes story, the novel '' ...
all hid nearby to seize the would-be assassin.
In "
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client" (1924) is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and one of the 12 stories collected as ''The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes'' (1927). It was first p ...
", Holmes mentions Moran as still alive (in September 1902). Moran is also mentioned in "
His Last Bow
''His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes'' is a 1917 collection of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, including the titular short story, " His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Hol ...
" as an example of Holmes's many adversaries who have futilely sworn revenge against him.
Colonel Sebastian Moran was also the villain in Doyle's Sherlock Holmes play ''The Crown Diamond,'' written in the early 1900s but not performed until 1921. When this play was adapted as the short story "
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone" is one of 12 Sherlock Holmes short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle in ''The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes'' (1927). It was first published in ''The Strand Magazine'' in the United Kingdom in October 1921, and w ...
", Moran was replaced by 'Count Negretto Sylvius'.
Other appearances
Literature
*Moran appears in the ''
Flashman Papers
''The Flashman Papers'' is a series of novels and shorter stories written by George MacDonald Fraser, the first of which was published in 1969. The books centre on the exploits of the fictional protagonist Harry Flashman. He is a cowardly Bri ...
'' novella ''
Flashman and the Tiger
''Flashman and the Tiger'' is a 1999 book by George MacDonald Fraser. It is the eleventh of the Harry Paget Flashman, Flashman books.
Plot introduction
Presented within the frame of the supposedly discovered historical Flashman Papers, this boo ...
'', and as a boy in the novel ''
Flash for Freedom!
Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Fictional aliases
* Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed:
** Flash (Barry Allen)
** Flash (Jay Garrick)
** Wally West, the first Kid ...
'', by
George MacDonald Fraser
George MacDonald Fraser (2 April 1925 – 2 January 2008) was a British author and screenwriter. He is best known for a series of works that featured the character Flashman.
Biography
Fraser was born to Scottish parents in Carlisle, England, ...
. (Fraser gives him a birth-date of 1834, and the full name "John Sebastian 'Tiger Jack' Moran".) In ''
Flashman and the Tiger
''Flashman and the Tiger'' is a 1999 book by George MacDonald Fraser. It is the eleventh of the Harry Paget Flashman, Flashman books.
Plot introduction
Presented within the frame of the supposedly discovered historical Flashman Papers, this boo ...
'', on the retreat from Isandlwhana to
Rorke's Drift
The Battle of Rorke's Drift (1879), also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was an engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War. The successful British defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenants John Chard of the ...
, Moran demonstrates amazing speed and unearthly accuracy with a
Remington Model 1875
Remington Model 1875 Single Action Army (a.k.a. Improved Army or Frontier Army) was a revolver by E. Remington & Sons. It was based upon the successful New Model Army ( Remington Model 1858) with both revolvers having the same size, appearance, a ...
.44 revolver.
*In ''
Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds
''Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds'' is a sequel to H. G. Wells's science fiction novel ''The War of the Worlds'', written by Manly Wade Wellman and his son Wade Wellman, and published in 1975. It is a pastiche crossover which combines H. G. ...
'', the Artilleryman from ''
The War of the Worlds
''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells, first serialised in 1897 by ''Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and by ''Cosmopolitan (magazine), Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US. The novel's first appear ...
'' is said to be Moran's son.
*In Martin Powell's short story "Sherlock Holmes in the Lost World" (collected in ''
Gaslight Grimoire
The ''Gaslight series'' is a set of four anthologies of short fiction combining the character of Sherlock Holmes with elements of fantasy, horror, adventure and supernatural fiction. It consists of ''Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherloc ...
'') Moran attempts to rebuild Moriarty's criminal empire after the latter's death, but is killed by
Professor Challenger
George Edward Challenger is a fictional character in a series of fantasy and science fiction stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Unlike Conan Doyle's self-controlled, analytical character, Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger is an aggressive, ...
.
*Moran is the antagonist in the novel ''A Soul of Steel'' (formerly published as ''Irene At Large'') by
Carole Nelson Douglas, the third in her
Irene Adler
Irene Adler is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A former opera singer and actress, she was featured in the short story " A Scandal in Bohemia", published in July 1891. Adler is one of the ...
series. He is presented as a spy and double agent who betrayed the British and goes by the code name 'Tiger' and pseudonym Captain Sylvester Morgan.
*Moran appears in several works by
Kim Newman
Kim James Newman (born 31 July 1959) is an English journalist, film critic and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's ''Dracula (1931 ...
:
**As a
vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
in the
alternate history
Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
horror novel ''
Anno Dracula
''Anno Dracula'' is a 1992 novel by British writer Kim Newman, the first in the ''Anno Dracula'' series. It is an alternate history using 19th-century English historical settings and personalities, along with characters from popular fiction.
...
''.
**In the short story "The Man Who Got Off The Ghost Train",
Richard Jeperson
Richard Jeperson is a fictional character created by British horror / fantasy author Kim Newman. He appears in many of Newman's short stories as both a central and background character, primarily within the Diogenes Club series; however, an altern ...
is dispatched to investigate a decades-old mystery in which Colonel Moran played a brief but memorable part.
**In the book ''
Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles'', a collection of related stories, Moran is deliberately portrayed as a
foil
Foil may refer to:
Materials
* Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine
* Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal
* Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food
* Tin foil, metal foil ...
to Watson, whose relationship and history with Moriarty parallels that of Watson's with Holmes, from their first meeting in "
A Volume in Vermilion" to their final parting in "
The Problem of the Final Adventure". Moran, nicknamed 'Basher', is portrayed as debauched, violent and as something of an
adrenaline junkie but also as educated and not entirely without morals. As the title suggests, the stories feature guest appearances by many of Moriarty and Moran's fictional contemporaries. Around half the stories in the collection had previously been published separately: "
A Shambles in Belgravia" in BBC Online's Sherlock Holmes anthology, "A Volume in Vermilion" in ''Sherlock Holmes' Mystery Magazine'', "
The Red Planet League" in ''
Gaslight Grimoire
The ''Gaslight series'' is a set of four anthologies of short fiction combining the character of Sherlock Holmes with elements of fantasy, horror, adventure and supernatural fiction. It consists of ''Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherloc ...
'', and "
The Adventure of the Six Maledictions" in ''Gaslight Arcanum''.
*Moran appears in two stories in the anthology ''
Shadows Over Baker Street
''Shadows Over Baker Street'' is an anthology of stories, each by a different author and each concerning an exploit of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes set against the backdrop of H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. The collection is edited ...
'': "
A Study in Emerald
"A Study in Emerald" is a short story written by British fantasy and graphic novel author Neil Gaiman. The story is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche transferred to the Cthulhu Mythos universe of horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Gaiman describes it as ...
" by
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...
(reprinted in Gaiman's collection ''
Fragile Things
''Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders'' is a collection of short stories and poetry by English author Neil Gaiman. It was published in the US and UK in 2006 by HarperCollins and Headline Review.
Most of the stories in this book are repr ...
'') and "Tiger! Tiger!" by
Elizabeth Bear
Sarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky (born September 22, 1971) is an American author who works primarily in speculative fiction genres, writing under the name Elizabeth Bear. She won the 2005 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, the 2008 Hugo A ...
. In "
A Study in Emerald
"A Study in Emerald" is a short story written by British fantasy and graphic novel author Neil Gaiman. The story is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche transferred to the Cthulhu Mythos universe of horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Gaiman describes it as ...
", a reimagining of ''
A Study in Scarlet
''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would become the most famous detective duo in literature. The book's title der ...
'' set in an alternate world, Moran takes on the role of narrator usually given to Dr Watson, as he takes up residence in Baker Street with a
consulting detective – although from then on events turn out very differently.
*In
David McDaniel
David Edward McDaniel (16 June 1939 – 1 November 1977) was an American science fiction author, who also wrote spy fiction, including several novels based upon the television series ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''
Biography
David McDaniel w ...
's ''
Man from U.N.C.L.E.
''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by MGM Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who wo ...
'' novels, Moran is identified as having founded an organization known as
THRUSH after Professor Moriarty's death at Reichenbach.
*Moran appears as a minor character in
Alan Moore
Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and ''From Hell' ...
's comic book series ''
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume I
''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume One'' is a comic book Limited series (comics), limited series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill (comics), Kevin O'Neill, published under the America's Best Comics imprint of DC Co ...
'', as an underling of Moriarty, where they are both agents of the
British Secret Service
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
, assigned to create a criminal empire through which the government can control the criminal underworld. After Moriarty is promoted to the Directorship of the Service, Moran maintains control of the underworld on his behalf.
*In
T. S. Eliot's poem "
Gus: The Theatre Cat" (which became one of the songs in ''
Cats''), it is said that Gus once played a man-eating Tiger pursued by an Indian Colonel down a drain.
*In
John Gardner's novel ''The Return of Moriarty'', Moran is stated to have taken temporary charge of Moriarty's organization while The Professor was away from London following the events at the Reichenbach Falls (which are explained as never having happened as Watson
nd later Holmesdescribed them). The events leading up to and of "The Empty House" are told from Moran's point of view. Naturally, The Professor is not pleased to hear of Moran's actions and arrest, and has Moran poisoned while in police custody to prevent him from talking.
*He appears briefly in
Michael Kurland
Michael Joseph Kurland (born March 1, 1938) is an American author, best known for his works of science fiction and detective fiction. Kurland lives in San Luis Obispo, California.
Writing career
Kurland's early career was devoted to works of sc ...
's novel ''Death by Gaslight'' as an associate of Professor Moriarty, and in a much larger role in the later ''The Empress of India'', where he enlists Moriarty's help in retrieving a golden statue.
*In
Jamyang Norbu's novel
The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes
''The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes'' (published in the United States as ''Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Years'') is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche novel by Jamyang Norbu, originally published in India in 1999.
The novel is an account of Holmes's adventu ...
, Moran is portrayed as the inheritor of Moriarty's criminal empire, pursuing Sherlock Holmes across India.
*He appears in
David Stuart Davies
David Stuart Davies (born 1946) is a British writer. He worked as a teacher of English before becoming a full-time editor, writer, and playwright. Davies has written extensively about Sherlock Holmes, both fiction and non-fiction. He is the edi ...
's ''The Veiled Detective'', a novel based mainly around a retelling of part of ''
A Study in Scarlet
''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would become the most famous detective duo in literature. The book's title der ...
'', in which Dr. Watson is planted in Holmes's life by Professor Moriarty in order to monitor and report back on him.
*In the anthology ''My Sherlock Holmes'' edited by Michael Kurland, a collection of stories told from the viewpoints of minor characters from canon, ''A Study in Orange'' by Peter Tremayne recounts how Moran partly outwitted Holmes on a case. Moran also appeared in Tremayne's ''The Affray at the Kildare Street Club'' in ''The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures'' where he was foiled in a petty theft by a young Holmes.
*He appears as a minor character in the clockpunk/steampunk novel ''
Whitechapel Gods'' by S.M. Peters (as does the blind mechanic Von Herder, the manufacturer of Moran's air rifle).
*A female version of Moran appears in Liar-soft's 2008
visual novel
A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...
''
Shikkoku no Sharnoth ~What a beautiful tomorrow~'' as one of the principal characters.
*Moran appears in the
Italian comic book ''Storie da Altrove/Stories from Elsewhere'' (a spin-off series of ''
Martin Mystère
''Martin Mystère'' is both the title and protagonist of an Italian comic book. Created by writer Alfredo Castelli and artist Giancarlo Alessandrini, it was first published in Italy by Sergio Bonelli Editore in 1982.
Dark Horse Comics has publi ...
''). In 1910, he unsuccessfully attempts to kill Sherlock Holmes. In the end, he was killed by Sherlock's brother Sherrinford who was possessed by a demon from another dimension.
*Moran appears in the book ''The File on Colonel Moran – Volume One: The Lure of Moriarty'' by Vernon Mealor, published by The Clyvedon Press, the first part being a first person account by the colonel of his pursuit of Holmes and his arrest for the Adair murder, the other two stories being accounts of his early days with Moriarty, presented as stories related by a reporter who conducted interviews with him.
*Moran appears as the main villain in the 2012 Sherlockian
pastiche
A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking it ...
“Charlie Marlow y la rata gigante de Sumatra” (Charlie Marlow and the Giant Rat of Sumatra), a novel by Spanish author Alberto López Aroca, set in Mist Island (an alternative name for
Skull Island
Skull Island is the name most often used to describe a fictional island that first appeared in the 1933 film ''King Kong'' and later appearing in its sequels, the three remakes, and any other King Kong-based media. It is the home of the eponym ...
). This novel also features many other fictional characters from
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
works, as
Fred Porlock and Parker (two
Moriarty Gang Members),
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, ; 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Poles in the United Kingdom#19th century, Polish-British novelist and short story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in t ...
’s
Charles Marlow
Charles Marlow is a fictional English seaman and recurring character in the work of novelist Joseph Conrad.
Role of Marlow in novels by Conrad
Marlow narrates several of Conrad's best-known works such as the novels ''Lord Jim'' (1900) and '' C ...
,
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work.
...
’s Peachey Taliaferro Carnehan, and an ancestor of
C.C. Beck’s
Doctor Sivana
Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, the character is a recurring enemy of the superhero Captain Marvel/Shazam, both of whom first appe ...
(misspelled “Sivane” in the novel), among others.
*Moran appears in the 2014 novel ''Moriarty'' by
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony John Horowitz, (born 5 April 1955) is an English novelist and screenwriter specialising in mystery and suspense.
His works for children and young adult readers include ''The Diamond Brothers'' series, the ''Alex Rider'' series, and ''T ...
. He is only revealed to be Moran at the end of the book but has a few appearances throughout.
*In ''
Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell
''Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell'' is a Sherlock Holmes pastiches, Sherlock Holmes pastiche by Paul Kane (writer), Paul Kane. The book thrusts Sherlock Holmes into the world of Clive Barker's ''Hellraiser (franchise), Hellraiser''.
Pr ...
'' by
Paul Kane
Paul Kane (September 3, 1810 – February 20, 1871) was an Irish-born Canadian painter, famous for his paintings of First Nations peoples in the Canadian West and other Native Americans in the Columbia District.
A largely self-educated artis ...
, it is revealed that Moriarty was able to escape his demise by using an incantation to transfer himself into the realm of the
Cenobites
Cenobitic (or coenobitic) monasticism is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. Often in the West the community belongs to a religious order, and the life of the cenobitic monk is regulated by a religious rule, a collection of prece ...
, where he is transformed into the 'Engineer' of the Cenobites, intending to mount a new assault on Earth, eventually recruiting Moran for this purpose. In a confrontation in Hell, it is revealed that he is responsible for the death of Mary Watson, Watson's wife, as he attempted to poison Watson during Holmes' three-year absence but Mary took the poison by accident. During the confrontation in Hell, Holmes is able to make a deal with the master Cenobites to transform himself into a Cenobite to oppose Moriarty's forces while Watson is aided by Mary's spirit, with Mary destroying the transformed Moran to avenge her own death before her husband and friend defeat Moriarty and return to Earth.
*In ''The Thinking Engine'' by
James Lovegrove
James M. H. Lovegrove (born 1965) is a British writer of speculative fiction.
Early life
Lovegrove was educated at Radley College, Oxfordshire, and was one of the subjects of a 1979 BBC television series, ''Public School''. A follow-up progr ...
, set in 1895, Moran is revealed to have escaped prison, and Holmes and Watson realize that he is acting as an agent to an initially-unknown employer to advise certain criminals in the city on how to commit particularly elaborate crimes. They soon determine that he is working for Moriarty – who survived the confrontation at Reichenbach in a hideously crippled state – and Watson manages to capture Moran in a final chase after Moriarty's role is exposed, with Watson shooting Moran in the left arm and shooting off his right index finger in the subsequent stand-off.
*In ''Moriarty Unmasked: Conan Doyle and an Anglo-Irish Quarrel'', Stanford argues that Moran, 'a fierce big man' was inspired by
John O'Connor (North Kildare MP)
John O'Connor (10 October 1850 – 27 October 1928) was an Irish Nationalist revolutionary-turned Irish Parliamentary Party parliamentarian MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Irish ...
, a Fenian leader.
*
Donald Serrell Thomas
Donald Serrell Thomas (18 July 1934 – 20 January 2022) was a British crime writer. His work primarily included Victorian-era historical, crime and detective fiction, as well as books on factual crime and criminals, in particular several academ ...
's 2013 novel ''Death on a Pale Horse'' features Moran's elder brother Rawdon "Randy" Moran as its chief
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
. Holmes's biographical report conflates the histories of the two Moran brothers, crediting them both with distinguished actions in the British Army in Afghanistan and India, co-authorship of the two memoirs on hunting, and shared service to Professor Moriarty. In his report to the British government on the elder Moran, dated shortly after the events of "The Adventure of the Empty House", Holmes also mentions that Sebastian was
executed by hanging for Ronald Adair's murder.
*Moran also appears in the manga and anime ''
Moriarty the Patriot
is a Japanese mystery manga series written by Ryōsuke Takeuchi and illustrated by Hikaru Miyoshi, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ''Sherlock Holmes'' series. It focuses on the youth of Holmes' nemesis, William James Moriarty. An anime t ...
''.
Television
*Moran was played by
Eric Maturin
Eric Bagot Maturin (30 May 1883 – 17 October 1957) was a British actor whose acting career began in 1905 and whose first film appearance was in 1919 during the era of silent films.
Early life
Maturin was born in Nainital, India in 1883, in the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'' (1951), the first television series adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.
*Moran's younger brother Jasper appears in the novel ''
'' written by Gerald Frow, and its Granada television adaptation.
*Colonel Moran appears in two episodes of the 1983 television series ''
. In this Moran is shown in flashback attempting to shoot Holmes at the Reichenbach Falls, rather than rolling rocks upon him as in the original story.
**A similar event occurs with Moran in the
with the alias "M.", who Holmes believes responsible for the murder of Holmes's lover
. In captivity, "M." reveals his real name to be Sebastian Moran (
, providing Holmes with the first clue to the existence of "Moriarty". Moran admits to his other crimes, but convinces Holmes that he is innocent of Adler's murder, and, realizing that Moriarty set him up to be captured, willingly goes to prison in the hope that Holmes will track down Moriarty. Holmes is later tricked into showing Moran a coded message in prison, informing him that his sister will be killed next unless he kills himself. Moran slams his head against the mirror in his cell, and is last reported to be in critical condition.
*"
. He is ordered to carry out the bombing of the
, but his plan is ultimately stopped by Holmes. The actor who portrayed this version of the character is unknown.
*"A Study in Sherlock", one of several episodes of the Canadian historical drama ''
'' to feature Arthur Conan Doyle, also features a character named Sebastian Moran who is implied to be Doyle's inspiration for the villain of "
'', Moran shows up as an assassin working for "The Professor".
as Sherlock Holmes. In ''
'' (1931) he is played by Louis Goodrich. In ''
. He then appears in a larger role as Moriarty's right-hand man in ''
'' (a.k.a. ''Murder at the Baskervilles'') (1937), played by
) appears as Moriarty's tall bodyguard and has a scar down one side of his face. His weapon of choice is a
''. Moran was renowned as one of the best marksmen in the British army, but following a "
" (a mistaken reference to the procedure for expelling enlisted soldiers, rather than officers) he became a mercenary in the employ of Professor Moriarty, on whose orders Moran undertakes several assassinations throughout the film. He remains at large after the end of the film.
'', Colonel Moran was played by Rex Evans in "The Tankerville Club Scandal" (1946), and by Barry Thomson in "The Adventure of London Tower" (1948).
*Colonel Moran was played by
adaptations of "The Final Problem" (1992) and "The Empty House" (1993).
*Steve Manning voiced Colonel Moran in the 2009 ''
'' radio drama "The Return of Sherlock Holmes", adapted from the short stories "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House".
*John Banks voiced Moran in the
audio dramas "The Final Problem" and "The Empty House", released in 2011, and the 2018 drama "The Master of Blackstone Grange".
*Moran was played by Angus King in ''Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason'', an
audio drama released in 2020.
''.