What if the world's most famous detective's real challenge wasn't cracking cases at all — but figuring out who they actually wanted to be? That's the quiet heart of Enola Holmes, and it's exactly why her story sticks with you long after the mystery is solved.
In the Netflix films, Enola is independent, endlessly curious, and more than a little stubborn — and yes, she just happens to be Sherlock Holmes's younger sister. But after a while, that detail fades into the background. What stays with you is something far more familiar: she refuses to live the way others insist she should, even when standing her ground costs her.
This year, Enola is back. The third film has arrived, bringing new mysteries, fresh adventures, and that unmistakable Victorian atmosphere. I love all three, but if I had to pick, the second one is still the strongest for me. By then, Enola isn't just trying to prove she's as good as her famous brother. She's searching for her own path — and, almost without meaning to, handing the rest of us some genuinely good advice along the way.
1. You don't have to live the way others think you should
Enola grows up in a world with very firm ideas about how a young woman is supposed to behave. Somehow, she never quite fits the picture.
It's a familiar bind — it just looks different today.
Nobody's telling us how to conduct ourselves at a ball anymore. Instead, we hear when it's supposedly "time" for marriage, for kids, for a career change, for buying your own place — or simply for finally "taking yourself seriously."
One of Enola's best qualities is this: she doesn't always know exactly what she wants, but she can feel it clearly when something isn't her path. And sometimes, that's enough.
2. You can be brave and still be scared
Enola is bold, but she's not some emotionless superhero. She gets frightened, makes mistakes, lands in awkward situations, and every now and then loses the thread completely.
And still, she keeps going.
Maybe that's one of the most important differences between courage and recklessness in real life, too. You don't have to wait until you feel completely sure of yourself. Before a new job, a move, a breakup, or even a hard conversation, we rarely think, "Okay, now I'm ready." Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply start.
3. It's okay to need other people
Enola likes to handle everything herself. Sometimes, maybe a little too much.
That's exactly why it's satisfying to watch her realize that leaning on others doesn't make her any less independent. You can be strong and self-reliant and still have people you can count on.
We don't always have to be the one who carries everything alone. Knowing when to ask for help — or simply letting someone stand beside you — is its own kind of strength.
4. Ask the questions, even when everyone else stays quiet
One of Enola's greatest strengths is her curiosity. She doesn't accept things just because someone said "that's how it's done."
She watches, she asks, she pieces the details together. Often she reaches the answer precisely because she's willing to look at the same situation from a different angle.
It's a habit worth holding onto in everyday life.
"Do I actually want this? Is this really right for me? Am I doing it because I want to?"
These aren't always comfortable questions. But sometimes a single thought like that is all it takes for something to shift.
5. You don't have to be someone else to be enough
And maybe this is Enola's most important lesson of all.
Right beside her stands Sherlock Holmes — a name that's practically legend. Yet Enola never simply wants to follow in her brother's footsteps. She doesn't want to be a "female Sherlock." She wants to give her own name meaning. That, I think, is where the real power of her character lies.
It's so easy to start measuring ourselves against others. Against the friend who's already married. The colleague climbing faster at work. The person with the nicer apartment, more money, or who seems to have their life more figured out.
Enola reminds us that a good life is still possible even if we're not walking the same road as everyone else. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to have every answer. And it's okay if, sometimes, you're not entirely sure where you're headed. What matters is that you don't lose yourself along the way.
Maybe that's why it feels so good to keep coming back to Enola's story. Beneath the mysteries and the adventures, there's a young woman trying to find her own path — even when she doesn't always know which way to turn. And let's be honest: that's a mystery the rest of us could stand to solve, too.
Where can I watch the Enola Holmes films?
All the Enola Holmes films are available on Netflix, including the third installment that arrived this year.
Do I need to watch the earlier films to enjoy the new one?
Each film brings its own mysteries and adventures, but watching the earlier ones helps you appreciate how Enola grows and increasingly searches for her own path.
What is the main message of Enola Holmes?
At its heart, the story is about a young woman refusing to live the way others expect her to, and choosing to give her own name meaning rather than following in her famous brother's footsteps.
Which film is the best in the series?
That's a matter of taste, but for many the second film stands out, because it shows Enola moving beyond proving herself and truly searching for her own way.
