I understand the difference between a soldier and a surgeon, yes. But I don’t think that really means anything. You can’t conflate someone’s profession to explain their entire personality. Following orders might be in John’s nature because of his time in the military, but he was officer class, and giving orders is at least as big a part of his nature. Former soldier or not, he’s not a robot or under some kind of spell to obey each and every thing that comes out of Sherlock’s mouth, and crossing the room to get something out of Sherlock’s jacket pocket is a bit of a stretch, in my opinion.
That’s why I’m glad to see a depiction of Watson that doesn’t involve being quite so subject to Holmes’ whims.
Okay, honestly, honestly, the “He’s a soldier, he takes orders” thing is starting to drive me nuts.
Soldiers in a military of the UK’s calibre are trained NOT to unthinkingly take orders. They’re trained to think for themselves, adapt, question when necessary, and make their own decisions in a situation when there isn’t someone in higher authority immediately there to do it. Even a Private has the ability, the authority, AND THE OBLIGATION to question an unethical order and to make a call in an immediate emergency.
And John holds the rank of Captain, and is a doctor. We don’t know how much authority his particular position as Captain comes with, but NO doctor working in an urgent care climate (even if he was stationed at Camp Bastion, they have one of the most active and high-pressure urgent care facilities in the world) is going to stand there and wait for someone to tell him what to do to save a patient’s life. And to top it all off, when faced by Mycroft, or even by a stranger wielding clear authority IN THE MIDDLE OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE, John stares them straight in the eyes and meets them as equals.
In no aspect of his life does John take orders unthinkingly.
Except from Sherlock.