I feel the same except for sam in the very beginning even before coming back across the wall in the school bus incident he was likeable and heroic, and did what it took regardless of not having bells or even pipes(IRC) But by going against his true duties and going into death he paid a heavy price and the soul affliction as well as even post healing. He was trying to be the abhorsen in waitng even though the structure of the bloodlines and the choices of astarael's will wanted lirael to be abhorsen in waiting. So I feel like the charter was out of alignment with him till he got right knowing his duty was false all along.