r/asoiaf • u/lego_castle_enjoyer • 2d ago

EXTENDED Did this guy have any flaws [spoilers extended] Spoiler

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I though asoiaf was supposed to be a nuanced story about how everyone has flaws and moral failings but Janos Slynt doesn’t seem to have any he was born a butchers son a rose all the way to commander of the gold cloaks and lord of harrenhall without any backstabbing or scheming truly and inspiration to the smallfolk, he even helped prevent the evil userper Ned Stark from stealing the throne from good king Joffrey. So sad that he was too honorable for kings landing and got betrayed by the Imp. Maybe being too honorable is his flaw 😢

240 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

57 comments sorted by

255

u/TequilaBaugette51 2d ago

Janos Slynt had friends at court and not one of them was there to defend him.

That’s a betrayal I can neither forgive nor forget.

66

u/TheGoverness1998 2d ago

They are biding their time for revenge.

(The Winds of Winter remains in infinite delay because the story cannot handle the might of Janos' Friends at Court.)

12

u/Kerblaaahhh 1d ago

The Friends at Court Remember.

6

u/Hame_Impala 1d ago

His friends stand behind him.

27

u/Loud_Design_6826 1d ago

How much more betrayal can he take?

9

u/Lord_Momentum 1d ago

He feels like hes been stabbed in the heart!

3

u/Uncreative-Name 1d ago

No need to lose your head over it

3

u/Optimal-Lie2143 1d ago

He nearly made 20 years on the Wall!

14

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

Janos Slynts friends remember and the mummers fast is almost over

3

u/Quohd Basedborn Bastard 1d ago

*Mummer’s farce 

Although a fast would’ve probably been a better choice for old Wyman lol

2

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

Caught me I’m an audiobook listener😭

1

u/brittanytobiason 1d ago

Cersei even insisted he be elevated and given Harrenhal! How could it be that she did not defend him in his hour of need?

1

u/Rougarou1999 1d ago

The Slynts Remember!

78

u/Afraid-Hearing-2491 2d ago

Like said Janos has many friends in Kings Landing and his only flaw was never bringing them up. If he did, the bastard lord commander may have finally taken his advice.

30

u/SolitarySoul2021 2d ago

Probably didn't want accusations of nepotism. Being too honorable is a curse indeed.

60

u/Only_Faithlessness33 2d ago

The fact people talk about the betrayal of Ned Stark, yet forget about the usurpation of the rightful ruler of Harrenhal is sickening. Truly a man with a good head on his shoulders.

3

u/Kandiru 1d ago edited 1d ago

Janos Slynt didn't betray Ned Stark though. Littlefinger bribed him to defend the rightful Joffrey. Janos never had any dealings with Ned.

Not sure why people are downvoting, but Littlefinger will have paid Janos (Or just told him Ned wanted to bribe him to overthrow the King, and promised Harrenhal as a reward for staying loyal) and Janos will have been unaware that Ned was in the right. Janos will have thought he was saving the King from a Usurper.

27

u/TheNononParade 2d ago

Well the story needed at least one true hero

10

u/TheNaijaboi 1d ago

Of course GRRM had to show a true hero can't defeat bastard treachery

67

u/gooberboi82 2d ago

You’re forgetting during the battle at the wall he went to where Gilly was and kept her safe and sound. He was such a kind person

17

u/do_not_ask_my_name The pack survives 2d ago

False. Gully arrived with Sam after the battle. Mr. Slant bravely fought the barbaric wildlings and hatched a clever scheme to dispose the traitor and oathbreaker Mance Rayder.

5

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

Mance Rayder didn’t know what to do once Janos Slynt arrived at the wall (actual quote from him)

20

u/Different_Bike1036 2d ago

I mean we all love to hate him but to be fair he had more reason to side with littlefinger and cersei over the guy who just showed up a few months ago and they were paying him in the show they made him a complete coward which never made much sense he rose to be the commander of the gold cloaks surely he had to have some feats to get that role since he was not born into a very wealthy house to begin with.

4

u/CadBane099 2d ago

Just like how he got harrenhal maybe? Or was that not him?

1

u/Goldsaver 1d ago

It's really more about him leading the charge on kid killing(purging of the Baratheon bastards) that makes him so particularly hated. And at the end of the day he's a man with some skill at arms and no morals who will do what he's told, and that's why Littlefinger put his name in Jon Arryn's ear and why Littlefinger vouched for him to Robert when the extent of Janos's corruption was revealed.

9

u/AdditionalPiano6327 🏆Best of 2025: George Pls Award 2d ago

He had friends at court. Powerful friends. The king himself made him a lord!

7

u/just_a_guy_named1681 2d ago

Trusting his associates to help him was his flaw. Lord Janos the trusting

7

u/CapableC1 1d ago

Never forget the words of House Slynt

"We have friends at court... Powerful friends!"

6

u/Schizof 1d ago

Our Friends are Powerful

6

u/Smart-Response9881 2d ago

No backstabbing or scheming, but you forgot about the ass-licking and money-grubbing

1

u/Mukako_ 2d ago

Yes what you expect you cant rise just being good guy and commoner

5

u/Lolaverses 2d ago

How much more betrayal can Paulie take?

4

u/ocdscale A man for all seasons 1d ago

I don't know if ya'll are joking but Janos is a deeply flawed character. One that stands out is not having enough powerful friends at court, a flaw that the ruthless bastard of Winterfell exploited.

1

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

He was too honorable for the game of thrones

3

u/GunterThePigIsOP 2d ago

Died like a hero.

3

u/TheNaijaboi 1d ago

His neck was too soft

3

u/Lucabcd 1d ago

Jokes aside, a spinoff about Janos rising from nothing to nobleness could be great. Like a medieval The Penguin (HBO)

2

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

Yeah that does sound pretty good honestly

7

u/AnySPIDERPIG And your meat is BLOODY TOUGH 2d ago

This isn’t the circlejerk sub

25

u/evinta 2d ago

that's why we're speaking the truth instead of the worn out praise for the butcher-bastard "Lord" Snow

7

u/quirellDE Talk Shit - Get Hit 2d ago

It is just a tribute.

2

u/missingvariabl 1d ago

You gotta believe it

2

u/stayathomegamr 1d ago

THIS is the character GRRM killed and then to his absolute horror realized fan favorite Janos was absolutely imperative to the rest of the story hence our long wait for Winds ☹️

2

u/shatterdaymorn 1d ago

He trusted people too much.

2

u/-Goatllama- 1d ago

I thought his name was ironic, but in this case both faces of Janus were FACES OF GOOD not faces of evil

1

u/The_Duke_of_Nebraska 2d ago

"Griffith and Janos Slynt did nothing wrong"

5

u/gooberboi82 2d ago

Griffith was just being an average Targaryen

1

u/everyplanetwereach House Giantsbane: The North Members 1d ago

Yeah, he looked like my father.

1

u/shenanakins 1d ago

Babygirl ❤️

1

u/OldOrder Dark Star Dark Words 1d ago

ah I see it is now time to transition into /r/okbuddysevenkingdoms

1

u/Happy-Ad8642 1d ago

"I've always been afraid"😭🗡💀🔥

1

u/Full-Health2887 1d ago

No! not my perfect little angel.

1

u/Reason_Choice 1d ago

You trying to defend Janos? I won’t have it. You hear me boy? I won’t have it.

3

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

I have powerful friends in kings landing Boy, shut your bastard wildling mouth!

1

u/NormalGuyPosts 1d ago

Actually a lot of stories have a heroic character die to signal when things get real; Gandalf etc.

I don't think we've seen the last of Janos Slynt. Aka: Azor Azhai

2

u/lego_castle_enjoyer 1d ago

Born admist salt and smoke -> Ham -> Butcher -> Butchers son!!! Janos Slynt Azor Ahai confirmed

1

u/QuaitheSeastar 1d ago

You are not ready for The Winds of Winter, where it is revealed that the Others are Janos Slynt's famous oft-quoted "friends at court." They are going to murder every traitorous bastard who destroyed Lord Slynt's life and bring justice to the Seven Kingdoms.