I remain of the opinion that SYG laws are a solution in search of a problem. The standard of armed self defense remained stable from the end of Weregeld at the start of the common law era across more than 1000 years. There was nothing wrong with it that required the drastic changes of SYG and, I believe, the reasons for SYG were because proper self-defense requirements were too restrictive to those who wish to have the ability to kill the “other” without cause or fear of the law.