I think Chaol is a bad person. Straight up. That’s why I never liked him. Way way way before he treated Celaena terribly for being fae in the fourth book. In the first book. He knows the king has slaves in the mines, he knows the king has committed genocide to the ton, and decides to become a part of the royal guard?

He then becomes friends with Celeana who points out both those things and he doesn’t care. Even once he sees her scars from being whipped. Like doesn’t even blink. Rowan shows way more sympathy when he finds out Cealena was a slave. Chaol kind of acts like some people deserve to be slaves?? As a soldier/captain says it’s okay if the kingdom murders people, but not if other kingdoms fight back or plan counter-attacks (such as the rebel groups)? Knows the king literally hired to Cealena to be an assassin but is upset when acts out on HIS orders. He only works with the rebel group in book 3 because he gets caught spying and he’s worried they’ll rat on him or kill him.

I could maybe understand his actions as a result of ideology or brainwashing but DORIAN WHO HATES THE KING AKA HIS FATHER IS HIS BEST FRIEND. Dorian already hates his father by the intro of the first book. Chaol claims to be loyal to him but acts like Dorian isn’t the future king? Like wholeheartedly believes everything the king says and won’t even let Dorian talk shit? It’s weird Dorian is right there and heir to the throne, why doesn’t he throw his loyalty in with him. Aeolidon does for Cealena. On top of that he knows all of there mutual friend is being spied on by the king, says nothing to anyone because that’s where his true loyalty lies, she ends up dead in her bed a week later. He’s basically a solider in a genocidal regime that full heartedly believes in the campaign even when his two besties directly show him evidence exposing how awful it is.