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By whose authority did Jon kill Janos Slynt?


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When Ned kills a deserter of the Night's Watch he kills him under King Robert's authority.

His father peeled off his gloves and handed them to Jory Cassel, the captain of his household guard. He took hold of Ice with both hands and said, "In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I do sentence you to die." He lifted the greatsword high above his head.

Bran's bastard brother Jon Snow moved closer. "Keep the pony well in hand," he whispered. "And don't look away. Father will know if you do."

Bran kept his pony well in hand, and did not look away.

His father took off the man's head with a single sure stroke. Blood sprayed out across the snow, as red as summerwine. One of the horses reared and had to be restrained to keep from bolting. Bran could not take his eyes off the blood. The snows around the stump drank it eagerly, reddening as he watched.


When Robb kills Rickard Karstark he does so under his own authority as King in the North and King of the Trident

"Rickard Karstark, Lord of Karhold." Robb lifted the heavy axe with both hands. "Here in sight of gods and men, I judge you guilty of murder and high treason. In mine own name I condemn you. With mine own hand I take your life. Would you speak a final word?"
"Kill me, and be cursed. You are no king of mine."
The axe crashed down. Heavy and well-honed, it killed at a single blow, but it took three to sever the man's head from his body, and by the time it was done both living and dead were drenched in blood. Robb flung the poleaxe down in disgust, and turned wordless to the heart tree. He stood shaking with his hands half-clenched and the rain running down his cheeks. Gods forgive him, Catelyn prayed in silence. He is only a boy, and he had no other choice.


However when Jon killed Janos

"You are refusing to obey my order?"
"You can stick your order up your bastard's arse," said Slynt, his jowls quivering.
Alliser Thorne smiled a thin smile, his black eyes fixed on Jon. At another table, Godry the Giantslayer began to laugh.

"As you will." Jon nodded to Iron Emmett. "Please take Lord Janos to the Wall - "

- and confine him to an ice cell, he might have said. A day or ten cramped up inside the ice would leave him shivering and feverish and begging for release, Jon did not doubt. And the moment he is out, he and Thorne will begin to plot again.

- and tie him to his horse, he might have said. If Slynt did not wish to go to Greyguard as its commander, he could go as its cook. It will only be a matter of time until he deserts, then. And how many others will he take with him?

" - and hang him," Jon finished.

This is wrong, Jon thought. "Stop."

Emmett turned back, frowning. "My lord?"

"I will not hang him," said Jon. "Bring him here."

"Oh, Seven save us," he heard Bowen Marsh cry out.

The smile that Lord Janos Slynt smiled then had all the sweetness of rancid butter. Until Jon said, "Edd, fetch me a block," and unsheathed Longclaw.

By the time a suitable chopping block was found, Lord Janos had retreated into the winch cage, but Iron Emmett went in after him and dragged him out. "No," Slynt cried, as Emmett half-shoved and half-pulled him across the yard. "Unhand me ... you cannot ... when Tywin Lannister hears of this, you will all rue - "

Emmett kicked his legs out from under him. Dolorous Edd planted a foot on his back to keep him on his knees as Emmett shoved the block beneath his head. "This will go easier if you stay still," Jon Snow promised him. "Move to avoid the cut, and you will still die, but your dying will be uglier. Stretch out your neck, my lord." The pale morning sunlight ran up and down his blade as Jon clasped the hilt of the bastard sword with both hands and raised it high. "If you have any last words, now is the time to speak them," he said, expecting one last curse.

Janos Slynt twisted his neck around to stare up at him. "Please, my lord. Mercy. I'll ... I'll go, I will, I ..."

No, thought Jon. You closed that door. Longclaw descended.


He doesn't invoke anybody's authority, not even his own, in his decision to kill Janos. At least tacitly though Jon has Stannis' approval

Jon glanced back at Stannis. For an instant their eyes met. Then the king nodded and went back inside his tower.


But that's after Jon already killed Janos.

Basically: does Jon have the authority himself to kill Janos like Robb does when he kills Rickard because he's king, or does Jon have the authority to kill Janos because he has been granted the authority to do so by virtue of his position as Lord Commander like Ned has the authority to kill Gared by virtue of being Robert's Warden of the North? Is it an inherent power or a granted power stemming from another authority?
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He was acting under his own authority. Ned invoked Robert's name because the former is a stickler for formality and technically the execution was happening in King Robert's domains.

Jon was executing Slynt on Night's Watch land, and as the head of the NW he only needed to invoke his own authority. Being less formal than Ned he didn't bother saying that out loud.
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I see the difference in the following analogy-

 

Ned was carrying out the execution of a criminal for the state.  In this regard he is no different than an officer of the correctional facility that carries out the death sentence. 

 

Jon is a general during a war.  Deserters are hung- traitors are hung twice.  Failure to obey and insubordination are things an army cannot have.   

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In his own name, as Lord commander of the Nights Watch. Stannis's approval is just a nice bonus to him.

As previously mentionned, the NW is not sworn to any king but to the realms south of the wall' regardless of who rules them. Pre War of the Five Kings, there was only one king south of the wall, meaning they were de-facto servants of King Roberts Kingdom (from a certain point of view, that is).

As for Ned's execution of a deserter, it's simple: deserters are to be excecuted. Robert was Ned's king, any legal duty is performed in the King's name.
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The following link leads to a pair of threads that can serve as a discussion aid for this topic.

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/123817-jon-snow-evil-for-what-he-did-to-janos-slynt-v2/#entry6669205

Or, if you want even more information from a different "angle," for variety: http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/131566-is-janice-slynt-a-victim/

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I'm not saying that he didn't have the authority to kill Janos, just I'm wondering how he would have justified the decision if anyone asked for a formal explanation

Like would Jon have said

"In the name of Stannis of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I do sentence you to die."

or would he have just said

"As Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I do sentence you to die"

Is his power stemming from his office which is the highest authority, or his power stemming from someone else having granted him that power through his office? Because while the Night's Watch is largely independent, I feel like they still are subservient to whoever rules Westoros and therefore Jon would be killing Janos by their authority in that they granted the Lord Commander the power to do so. So for me Jon would be saying the first option in that he would have justified that Stannis/Tommen gave him the authority to do so
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I'm not saying that he didn't have the authority to kill Janos, just I'm wondering how he would have justified the decision if anyone asked for a formal explanation

Like would Jon have said

"In the name of Stannis of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I do sentence you to die."

or would he have just said

"As Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, I do sentence you to die"

Is his power stemming from his office which is the highest authority, or his power stemming from someone else having granted him that power through his office? Because while the Night's Watch is largely independent, I feel like they still are subservient to whoever rules Westoros and therefore Jon would be killing Janos by their authority in that they granted the Lord Commander the power to do so. So for me Jon would be saying the first option in that he would have justified that Stannis/Tommen gave him the authority to do so


Then he'd be picking a side. The Watch takes no part. Saying by the Authoritiy of King Stannis would be to negate the Authoritiy of King Tommen and vise versa.
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I'm not saying that he didn't have the authority to kill Janos, just I'm wondering how he would have justified the decision if anyone asked for a formal explanation

You're answering your own question.

 

Jon couldn't invoke anyone's authority without "choosing" a king, which he obviously didn't want to do.

 

That, and I guess Lord Commanders don't need to anyway.

 

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He did it by his own selfish authority. He needed men like Janos, the realm needed Janos.


Yes the realm needs a selfish, scumbag who would follow the orders of a corrupt monstrous house(Lannisters)who is evil and selfish and cares nothing about Westeros.

Really stop making Slynt out to be a wronged individual that would have benefitted the realm. Shit would benefit the realm before Janos Slynt will or ever could.
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Yes the realm needs a selfish, scumbag who would follow the orders of a corrupt monstrous house(Lannisters)who is evil and selfish and cares nothing about Westeros.
Really stop making Slynt out to be a wronged individual that would have benefitted the realm. Shit would benefit the realm before Janos Slynt will or ever could.


With a username like "The Wolves," I find your response unsurprising.
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