Thinking about icebrood again. I think Smodur's downfall could have been really, really good if they had presented it slightly differently. I think Smodur was so terrible a war criminal because he was so good a charr. The legions are at a turning point where they're not fighting against everyone anymore. They've made peace and now allied with humans. They've reunited with the flame legion. The nature of their society is changing in ways that are, historically, very un-charr-like, and Smodur is pretty much the model for a perfect charr. Instead of having him be reckless and aggressive in a way that doesn't quite fit his earlier characterization, it would make more sense if he was coming from a place of "We've never shown mercy to our enemies before. Why should that change just because the enemy is other charr? It's standard in the legions to kill your superior to take their rank. Killing our brothers and sisters is nothing new. Didn't you yourself just attack Bangar at the all legion rally, Rytlock?" It's not that he changed for the worse, it's that the world is changing around him. The only thing separating him from the dominion isn't a difference in ideology, just that the dominion happen to be traitors to the legions, and traitors get executed. It's his job to execute them. "Why do you all look so horrified at me now? I'm just doing what we've always been doing. You do it too. Don't act like you feel guilty." There could have even been unique dialogue for charr commanders challenging them, for example if they chose to execute their father in the personal story
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