Code Geass R2 11

Thursday, 03 July 2008

Code Geass R2 11
Hearing that Milly is safe relieves everyone at Ashford. Shirley was especially worried, so Lelouch offers her a handkerchief. Rolo then asks to talk to him and they make their way to the secret base of operations where Rolo tells him that he is being too friendly. However, Lelouch replies that he was instructed to keep personal relationships running smoothly, but Rolo thinks he is overdoing it. Lelouch removes his mask and reveals himself to be Sayoko and she says she understands. Vilettta then informs them that Schneizel has arrived at the Chinese Federation/Black Knights battle. Meanwhile, Suzaku appears in the same area where Kallen is being held captive.

The Chinese Federation then begins attacking, which Zero recognizes as a sign that the Eunuchs have given up on the Empress. Xingke tries to stop them, but the Eunuchs overrule him, declaring that they will bury the current Empress and use a new one. Furious, Xingke tries to attack but the Tristan interferes. Zino tells him that he owes him something for defeating the Guren. Todo, Asahina, and Chiba arrive at the battle. C.C. says she will go out in the Akatsuki Frame, but Lelouch tells her to come back if things go wrong. Shortly after, Suzaku and the Lancelot arrive in the battle while Anya fights the Chinese "rebels."

On the Avalon, Nina says that the Mordred's Stark Hadron cannon would destroy the mountain tomb and the Black Knights in one shot. However, the others tell her that they don't want to be the ones responsible for the death of the Empress.

As this is happening, Zero contacts the Eunuchs in an attempt to get them to stop the attack. But when he invokes the Empress, the Eunuchs say she is replaceable. Zero is disgusted that they would cede territory for Britannian titles, and that the Eunuchs don't care about the people. They consider Zero an idealist for his feelings and think that there will always be people since they are like insects. Zero is furious, calling it noble obligation.
Wanting the fighting to end, Tianzi runs away from Kaguya and makes it to the deck of the Ikaruga and yells for the fighting to stop. Xingke sees that she will be killed and hurries to protect her, though the Tristant tries to hinder him. He uses Shen Hu as a shield for her and tells her to run. But she refuses to leave without him. Xingke doesn't know if he can save her now that he's under fire and thinks that everything for the last six years was for her.

Out of options, he cries for someone to save the Empress, and to everyone's surprise, Zero, in a brand new Knightmare, answers the call. The Knightmare Frame is Shinkirou and it uses the Gawain's Druid System. It has the world's best defense as well as good offense with an energy blast that emanates from a crystal in its chest. From the Avalon, Schneizel wonders why Zero came out with this specific timing.

Zero tells Xingke that he is pitiful for being betrayed by his countrymen and being unable to save one person. However, he says that Xingke should now understand that only they can work together. Zero knows that Xingke has the ability to lead a country, but Xingke doubts that Zero could change the course of the war with one Knightmare. Zero replies that the course of war is not determined by tactics, but strategy. It is then the Eunuchs find out there is an uprising in Shanghai and 14 other locations, including Beijing and Islamabad. This was because Zero's conversation with the Eunuchs was leaked. Xingke is shocked that Zero realized the Eunuchs would betray their people. Schneizel, upon hearing the conversation, realizes that Zero already had this planned. Zero, along with Diethard, had managed to cause a civilian uprising to coincide with the coup.
Meanwhile, C.C. and Chiba are fighting Anya. As C.C.'s Akatsuki attacks the Mordred, the Geass mark on C.C.'s forehead suddenly reacts and she flashes back to Marianne and young Lelouch while Anya has her own reaction. Anya's distraction allows Asahina to slash the Mordred's wing, which caused the Mordred to crash.

The remaining Black Knights then emerge and Schneizel orders a retreat. Because a country is defined by its people and the Eunuchs have lost the support of their people, they no longer qualify as representatives of the Chinese Federation in Britannia. Lelouch isn't surprised that Schneizel called for the retreat but wonders what the Emperor would have done in his place.

On the main Chinese ship, Xingke has executed the Eunuchs. However, when Zero arrives to retrieve Kallen, Xianglin tells him that Kallen was given to the Knight of Seven. Lelouch is angry because he thinks that Suzaku wants to take everything he cares about from him. Instead, he swears to rescue Kallen.

Meanwhile in a location far away, Bartley and his men have been summoned by V.V. because they were the ones who first reconstructed Jeremiah to reproduce C.C.'s power. They are to make the final adjustments to Jeremiah now, and he thinks that it should be an honor for them.

The next day, Xinkge and Tianzi are reunited on the deck of the Ikaruga and promises to protect her forever. Diethard thinks they should announce that the engagement has been annulled and suggests to Zero that they should have her marry someone Japanese instead. Kaguya strongly disagrees, saying that this is a matter of love rather than politics. C.C. and the other women take Kagauya's side, and Zero earns a reprieve from making a decision when Tamaki appears. Under the guise of speaking with Tamaki about his position, Lelouch calls Shirley. Shirley wants to talk to him about Milly's graduation, but Lelouch asks her about breaking up a couple that doesn't want to be.
Shirley tells him that love is power and you always think of the person you love and you would go far beyond anything for that person. Lelouch realizes that his feelings for Nunnally are like that. Understanding a bit better, Zero decides against a marriage and tells Tianzi that her future is hers. Diethard argues but Zero says that their power comes from the heart. Xingke tells Zero he thinks he understands him a little more now, and they shake hands.

Back at Ashford, Shirley is in the library and thinking that Lelouch has been acting strange lately. Sayoko, dressed up as Lelouch, just emerged from the secret base and Shirley is dangerously close to seeing the entrance, so Sayoko kisses her.
Meanwhile, Lelouch and C.C. reach their quarters and Lelouch tells C.C. that he's returning to Area 11 for awhile since the uprising of the people keeps him from worrying about the Chinese Federation. And now he can focus on the original goal of the religious organization that creates and studies Geass users. Having control of this organization would cause him to surpass the Emperor when it came to Geass. C.C., though, tells him that the organization is carefully hidden. Every time the leader changes, so does the location, and she heard from the leader that came after her--V.V.--that the current location was in the Chinese Federation. However, the Chinese Federation is huge and Rolo doesn't know the group's location either. Lelouch, however, is sure there is a way to trace them, such as power supply or communication records. C.C. thinks that Lelouch plans to find them using the power of the Chinese Federation. Lelouch tells her to stay in the Chinese Federation to look for them and let him know when they find something out.
Returning to Japan, Lelouch is greeted by Rolo and Sayoko. When asked about his absence, Sayoko replies that she's written up a report. As they walk back, Lelouch tells Rolo that he needs something to use against the Knights of the Round since now he has to deal with the Tristan and Mordred as well as the Lancelot, which was enough trouble on its own. When he gets back on campus, he runs into Shirley. She is down and wants to talk about yesterday--which Lelouch doesn't know about yet--but they are interrupted by the last two people Lelouch wanted to see.
Zino and Anya are wearing uniforms as they have enrolled in Ashford as well.

The wrap-up of the fight was pretty badass here. Lelouch leaking a conversation where the Eunuchs basically hang themselves was brilliant. I'm not surprised Xingke and Lelouch ended up allies after all, since Xingke has been painted a good guy at this point. Lelouch's knew Knightmare is pretty kickass too, though I couldn't help but think of Death Note when he activated it, what with all the flourishing.

I'm still waiting for Suzaku to actually get his character back. Turn 8 did a really nice job of giving him some development for season 2 and he's had about four lines per episode since. It's kinda annoying to see him randomly glare at Kallen or give a random line for fighting when he is a main character. Hopefully that turns around soon, since this was admittedly more of a Lelouch-centric time. But still... main character and all.

Also, going into this episode I was expecting some huge fanservice debacle the way people were talking about it. Turns out out it really wasn't that bad. Kallen was put in a compromising position a few times but they were blink-and-miss-it. The big offender was obviously C.C. talking strategy with Lelouch in her underwear. I mean, really? Was that absolutely necessary? Good grief. And with next episode being an Ashford episode, I can only assume the fanservice will increase dramatically. I just hope that means stuff is going to get real intense afterwards, since that seems to be the pattern following more light-hearted episodes.

Also, I could not stop laughing when Anya and Zino appeared. Lelouch's expression was priceless. I absolutely adore Zino. Seriously, he's awesome. "Senpai!" Bahaha.

Pictures from Random Curiosity.