Two completely different opinions regarding John's OOC 

in The Lying Detective

 (Sherlock meta by thanangst and thecutteralicia)

thanangst:

[...] S4 raises a thousand unanswered questions, unless you just dismiss common sense and six years of character development. I have one burning question which was NOT explained, unless one thinks character assassination is a good idea: WAS THE BEATING AND KICKING JOHN GAVE SHERLOCK REAL? OR A DRUGGED DELUSION? If John truly beat Sherlock bloody like that, unreasonably believing that Sherlock was responsible for Mary’s death, then his character is totally OOC and in direct opposition to the John we were shown prior to S4. Flooring Sherlock in The Empty Hearse was *nothing* next to John’s insane rage in the morgue scene, and by his actions he would be adjudged an ABUSER. Seriously? John Watson? Is that what Moftiss think of John?

thecutteralicia:

[...] It’s your opinion that John hitting Sherlock is out of character. It is not to me. John is a soldier and an adrenaline junkie. He previously punched Sherlock for a case and then was high on adrenaline he couldn’t stop (A Scandal in Belgravia). And that’s when he was healthy and happy! In The Lying Detective, John was pushed to the brink. He wasn’t sleeping and was drinking. He was depressed and grief-stricken. He was already angry about Sherlock’s drug abuse back in His Last Vow and The Abominable Bride and here it continued and got even worse. Now John, already at the edge, saw a deranged and high Sherlock attempt to kill another baddie after having seen Sherlock shoot another person in the head already. John broke. Was it pretty? No. It wasn’t meant to be. We were meant to see two characters who love each other be - at their lowest points - cruel and awful to each other.

The reason I like this version of John Watson above all others is because of the fact he’s complicated. He’s not warm and fuzzy despite the fandom portrayal of him. He’s always been capable and loyal and haunted and quick-tempered. The things going around fandom now about it being an “abusive relationship,” GTFO with that. Seriously. That is an offense to all domestic violence victims.