The Duke does order them. Indirectly, but his meaning is clear. Anna tells them not to, that Elsa's just misunderstood, but after she goes to talk to Elsa and her horse comes back without her, Hans figures someone else needs to go. The Duke still thinks Elsa's probably malicious, volunteers them to accompany Hans and tells them "Should you encounter the Queen, you are to put an end to this winter. Do you understand?"
I wouldn't recommend adding a trope just to make a point about a character, which can lead to shoehorning. But Anti-Villain seems to apply, and I think the villainous tropes that are on the page should be given another look. While Elsa does not deserve to die, their actual goal seems to end the perpetual winter, saving countless people. They only come across as villains because we feel so bad for Elsa. They don't even know Elsa Not Evil, Just Misunderstood, since the only indication they have that she didn't curse the land on purpose is that her sister says she doesn't think so. And from their perspective, Anna could be defending Elsa because she's "conspiring" with her, like the Duke suggests. Or mistaken. Or they might figure the lives of countless innocent people > the life of one person who may be innocent.
The body-guards seem like they need some sort of trope listed softening their "villian" status. While certain antagonists, Elsa was a threat (including to their charge) at the time they attacked her, and could have been argued to have abdicated the throne to Anna after a bloodless revolution. Can't remember if Anna ever actually told anyone to NOT attack her sister, but even if so, they certainly were protecting their charge.
Probably were ordered by The Duke on-screen? Might have neglected to require a declaration of war, but the situation is weird enough the law/custom of that would have been "above their pay grade", or even genuinely justified such things. Come to that the customs of the (somewhat nebulous) time period might have absolved them even IF one goes with the idea the Duke's orders were fairly obviously dishonorable (again: the honor is debatable).
Christian Furry Brony D&D gamemaster & homebrewer Hide / Show Replies