Code Geass R2 — Episode 14
“Why don’t you love me? ;_;”
Wow, I don’t know what to say. This episode is like watching two bullet trains collide head on, burst into a huge flaming ball of destruction, and the “survivors crawling out of the wreckage with third-degree burns. Okay, so that was a lousy analogy made in poor taste, especially since none of us has seen that happen before, but my point is that it’s a train wreck. It’s like a roller coaster ride: it’s exciting, it makes you sick, and you don’t mind going on another.
Summary
Rollo admits that he did it in the first minute of the episode, thus putting an end to any conspiracy theories about the incident. In an alternate universe, Lelouch would’ve been an Oscar-winning actor instead of a supervillain with an outrageous fashion sense. I wonder if Hollywood exists.
“Good job Rollo. Good job…”
Instead of taking responsibility and reflect on his past actions which led up to this tragic moment, Lelouch blames everything on the existence of Geass. He discards his previous plans and, with the help of Jeremiah, launches an all-out attack on the Temple in a bid to erase all traces of Geass. Except, of course, his own.
The state of modern animation: untextured 3DSM primitives
Apparently the Temple is full of women, old people and little children, so the attack looks more like a massacre than a battle. Despite some initial reservations, the Black Knight pilots carry out their orders anyway, because, you know, those children may just be terrorists in disguise! This is how the Holocaust happened, folks. (See: the Milgram experiment.)
Attaching the gun to the arm: makes more sense than giant handheld rifles
The researchers working at the Temple look quite happy to see C.C. again, right up to the point when they get blown up. From what I gather, C.C. used to be their boss and the BFF of Marianne, Lelouch’s mother, but those of you who scour the Internet for spoilers and rumours probably already know that. Judging by V.V.’s words, it seems like Marianne was quite involved with this whole Geass business, so her assassination was probably related.
C.C. back when she was young(er)
So anyway a fight breaks out between Lelouch and V.V., with Cornelia joining the fray on Lelouch’s side, which is certainly somewhat ironic considering that everything she is doing is supposed to help her avenge Euphie’s death, and Lelouch is at least partially, if not mostly, to be blamed for it.
They didn’t want to pay for another mecha design
Meanwhile, Suzaku believes that Lelouch is responsible for Shirley’s death and decides that it is the last straw: he’s going to rape Kallen and force her to confess under the influence of Refrain. Okay, so only half of that is true. Poor Kallen in any case. :(
Wait… Isn’t it too early for the climax?
The episode ends with a bit of a sci-fi “Luke, I am your father!” moment.
Thoughts
My brain blew up during this episode.
Kallen with her hair down <3
I want to say that it’s an awesome episode, but that’s not exactly true. It certainly is thrilling, but I am somewhat disturbed by the whole thing, especially since I don’t know which character I should empathize with now. Lelouch has clearly jumped the shark and gone bonkers due to the events in episode 13, Suzaku is still a self-righteous bastard, and Kallen is currently incapacitated and will soon undergo intense brainwashing.
I guess that leaves C.C. relatively untouched. Speaking of which, C.C. used to live in the Temple, right? Does Pizza Hut make deliveries to secret military underground research facilities?
“Hi, is this Pizza Hut? Please make a delivery to the United States of Japan.”
And considering that we’re only 14 episodes into the season, the story feels oddly close to end game, which by mecha-anime logic means that some kind of force-balancing reset must take place soon. My guess is that Lelouch will get his memories wiped again and a brainwashed Kallen will be sent undercover to capture C.C. by seducing Lelouch and using him as bait. It makes no sense but it will be awesome.
Screencaps
Guess who?
Greek/Roman ruins are everywhere in America
“Don’t worry Rollo, it won’t hurt…much”
Get a hair cut you hippie
Just so you know she’s gone for good
Surprise sex
This week’s Naruto
The Temple is seriously badly-lit for a research facility
No longer an important character
What the hell is that suit?
Why are the two of them eating apples in a hotel room with a double bed?
Why is she so cool?
Geass suffers from severe inflation
Lelouch’s mother O_O
How convenient
All CG girls should do away with weird hairdos and go straight
The cockpit is blown off but somehow the rest of it still works
Hmmm, maybe I’ll start rooting for Cornelia instead.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
The CCxMarianne thing - does it mean Marianne had a Geass? Just thinking loud.
And I still think it was stupid to kill the scientists, they could have been easily seduced to work with the Black Knights, since they seemed to trust CC a lot. Whatever.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I actually liked this episode. I didn’t say anything to the contrary if you read my post carefully.
Anyway, the Temple has thus far been portrayed as some kind of evil plan, but one of the things that this episode did is to humanize the organization and the people involved, and in doing so question Lelouch’s self-righteous quest to exterminate Geass.
That was the point of my Holocaust comparison. It doesn’t matter if the Temple is actually “evil” because the Black Knight foot soldiers know nothing about Geass. Therefore their justifying the apparent massacre of children is simply based on the fact that their supreme god-like leader, Zero, tells them that it’s the right thing to do.
It doesn’t matter if the massacre is actually justified from an overall perspective, since those are not the same justifications used by the people who actually carry out the executions. In that sense, a Nazi infantryman and a Black Knight pilot are pretty much acting under the same kind of mentality, even if Hitler and Zero may have different reasons for their decisions.
In any case, I think Lelouch’s decision will ultimately turn out to be a mistake, based on the fact that story chose to humanize the inhabitants of the Temple, suggesting than the purpose of Geass research may be more benign than purely world domination.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
“The CCxMarianne thing - does it mean Marianne had a Geass? Just thinking loud.
And I still think it was stupid to kill the scientists, they could have been easily seduced to work with the Black Knights, since they seemed to trust CC a lot. Whatever.”
The C.C. and Marianne thing is likely not that she had Geass (it’s too late in the series) more like C.C. was a friend of hers I don’t know, it’s yet unexplained. As for the scientists, everyone except for Bartley and his men was necessary, as for Bartley dying….I liked him to a degree and was slightly saddened by his death, he was the one most likely to turn to Lulu’s side.
“The fact that Suzaku’s moved to drugging (and raeping!?) a pretty much defenseless girl at this point leads me to the conclusion they’re building him up to be a properly ‘evil’ character as opposed to someone who you thought was misguided.”
Yeah they are grooming Suzaku for evil, but then again who wouldn’t be messed up if the person you loved was murdered (because someone forced her to kill her and then shot because of it, remember he didn’t know it was an accident) and then a good friend of yours is killed (Suicide! I don’t think so!). As for the rape…I don’t think that’ll happen, remember this isn’t cg hentai.
“I think Kallen will end up getting brainwashed and then Lulu will be used as bait … but I wonder, if Suzaku asks for CC in exchange for Kallen, what would Lulu do?”
No, hardly…NO! NOT AT ALL!!!! NO!!!!!!!
Kallen is not going to be used as bait! Nyah, all my money is on he’s going to rescue her in episode 17! So I shall prove you wrong in 3 weeks!
“In all actuality, who thinks Suzaku will die?? Who hopes he will-
Okay, stupid question, EVERYONE WANTS HIM TO, AND HE WILL DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I don’t want him to die…and here’s a reason (prepare to be mind blown) Suzaku is the main enemy in the series, he has been since episode 2 when he got the Lancelot, if by any chance he dies he’s going to die in episode 25.
“I actually liked this episode. I didn’t say anything to the contrary if you read my post carefully.
Anyway, the Temple has thus far been portrayed as some kind of evil plan, but one of the things that this episode did is to humanize the organization and the people involved, and in doing so question Lelouch’s self-righteous quest to exterminate Geass.
That was the point of my Holocaust comparison. It doesn’t matter if the Temple is actually “evil” because the Black Knight foot soldiers know nothing about Geass. Therefore their justifying the apparent massacre of children is simply based on the fact that their supreme god-like leader, Zero, tells them that it’s the right thing to do.
It doesn’t matter if the massacre is actually justified from an overall perspective, since those are not the same justifications used by the people who actually carry out the executions. In that sense, a Nazi infantryman and a Black Knight pilot are pretty much acting under the same kind of mentality, even if Hitler and Zero may have different reasons for their decisions.
In any case, I think Lelouch’s decision will ultimately turn out to be a mistake, based on the fact that story chose to humanize the inhabitants of the Temple, suggesting than the purpose of Geass research may be more benign than purely world domination.”
Masterfully said, as usual. I knew you didn’t say you didn’t like it, I, for one also enjoyed it, much better than episode 10 tyvm….don’t really have much else to say, I gotta say you’re one of the few people who can explain things so throughly I can’t think of a way to counter them…
Holy mother of “religious figure deleted”, this is my longest comment on this site yet! Though half of it is quotes…
July 14th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
“(because someone forced her to kill her and then shot because of it, remember he didn’t know it was an accident)”
I gotta pay more attention to small details in my typing, what that sentence is supposed to be is this.
“(because someone forced her to kill all Japanese and then got shot by the guy who ordered her to do it in the first place, remember he didn’t know it was an accident)”
July 14th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
“The CCxMarianne thing - does it mean Marianne had a Geass? Just thinking loud.”
Most likely not
July 14th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I have to admit…
Perhaps Marianne had the same geass as Lelouch, which when it came down to it. Someone with links to ALL who control a nation easily, wouldn’t that Geass be the most effective of them all?
July 14th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Suzaku has good reason to think that Lelouch is involved. He know Lelouch was in that area at the time of the incident. He also know about the Geass that Lelouch has. He also know that Lelouch killed Euphy. In Suzaku’s view, Lelouch in Zero role is someone that can kill a friend,
For this case, I don’t think Suzaku as evil but more of someone who want to find out about the cause of the death of a good friend and maybe avenge her. He is going to use the drug because that is a better option than the alternative like torture.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
“As for the rape…I don’t think that’ll happen, remember this isn’t cg hentai.”
In the origins of theatre in Greece, action or death scenes were never shown on stage. They always occured off stage, and they then had the chorus or a ‘messenger’ character come in and tell everyone how it went down. Carry that forward to now and we get censorship obviously. There could be a raping, or an implied rape, but it won’t be on screen. Suzaku’s probably not had any since Euphy, if he slept with her at all. Man’s got urges :P Besides, we can be sure that someone, somewhere will draw a little hentai of that scene -_-; Rules 34+35 of the internet my friend.
And something I forgot to note, Shinkirou/DM’s capabilities were somewhat expanded upon. Hadron…balls from the hands and it can fire the laser repeatedly, though probably not the crystal.
“Perhaps Marianne had the same geass as Lelouch, which when it came down to it.”
Do we have any proof for that? She was a ‘nice person’, an Empress, an expert pilot and apparently Lelouch learnt his poses from her (see DM’s screencap). But there’s no proof she had a geass of her own, as far as I know.
“For this case, I don’t think Suzaku as evil but more of someone who want to find out about the cause of the death of a good friend and maybe avenge her. He is going to use the drug because that is a better option than the alternative like torture.”
There are other ways to get information besides torture and drugs.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I think i would root for Kallen and Cornelia both.
July 14th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
With Lelouch being shown as more irrational and inhumane in this episode, it seems like the veil of justice has fallen (at least for us viewers). Somehow I have a feeling this is gonna end with a “Fallen / Misguided Hero” ending, as all we’ve seen are the wrongdoings of both the Black Knights and the Britannian Government.
Maybe Mariann and C.C were against the pact V.V and Charles made to destroy the gods (who/whatever that might be). That would make Charles ‘Everyone is a liar’ comment more understandable, but I still wonder what goal is he aiming for.
I’m expecting something more darker coming from C.C. The Temple has been this home for many GEASS users and researchers. She probably seen some bigger picture.. or at least something big to make her kill her past colleagues. That could also mean she had a clear insight of her future when she made a pact with Lelouch in CG R1.
For the best of this anime, ROLO MUST DIE! He’ll kill off the rest of the characters…
July 14th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
“In the origins of theatre in Greece, action or death scenes were never shown on stage. They always occured off stage, and they then had the chorus or a ‘messenger’ character come in and tell everyone how it went down. Carry that forward to now and we get censorship obviously. There could be a raping, or an implied rape, but it won’t be on screen. Suzaku’s probably not had any since Euphy, if he slept with her at all. Man’s got urges :P Besides, we can be sure that someone, somewhere will draw a little hentai of that scene -_-; Rules 34+35 of the internet my friend.”
Eh? True I guess, never did much research on Ancient Greek theatre but I’ll take your word for it. In either case the only possibility of an implied rape is if she starts crying when she next see’s Lelouch (and I’m serious if she does that when he resuces her I am totally gonna call it). As for men having urges…wait how the hell did I start talking about implied rape and Suzaku’s sex life on a cg blog?
July 14th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Two choises in the Lulu will die or will live without his left eye. Why? Becous i think thet geass wont make to the end of sesone. Geass must desepier. CC i think wiil also die or bekome a normal human (dont foget thet immortal can also die(till exemple in the fire))
July 14th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Another question which came up this episode: Who are the “gods” V2 and Charles are referring to - or is it just to make it more dramatic? Most things which jump to my mind point to the latter, but maybe I am overseeing things that were “hinted at” (Yeah, Sunrise subtlety. Sure thing.) in previous episodes.
And I don’t think there will be rape, even if just implied, in Code Geass in the nearer future. It just doesn’t fit the concept at all.
Maybe Suzaku merely bluffs with the Refrain and his (dumb-looking) “pokerface”. Maybe he isn’t corrupted yet. Maybe there still is hope. Maybe Kallen joins him to show Lulu his own faults, that he is no better than Britannia (And currently, his behavior resembles the Emperor’s a lot, I think)
July 14th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
“I’m expecting something more darker coming from C.C. The Temple has been this home for many GEASS users and researchers. She probably seen some bigger picture.. or at least something big to make her kill her past colleagues. That could also mean she had a clear insight of her future when she made a pact with Lelouch in CG R1.”
There is a possibility that her wish in her contract with Lelouch is the eliminate the source of Geass. She did say something like “Maybe this is what Lelouch and I …….”, the sentence was not continued.
“Kallen is currently incapacitated and will soon undergo intense brainwashing.”
There is something blur about this. As far as we know, drug distributions have been controlled tightly. So, the only drug existent in the series is Refrain and even Refrain do not brainwash. It does something more like making someone become a psycho and hallucinate.
If it is about the Emperor’s Geass, I doubt that he will waste time and effort with someone so insignificant to him. He rather do something else with Lelouch like what he just did.:)
July 14th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
ep14 so far.. made me think a lot of possibilities since the 2nd OP..
1st - the new wings of Kallen’s Guren and Lancelot might mean that those were made by Rakshata. (basis was the Glide Wings seen in EP 06, though they differ in the number of “feathers”Lancelot having 3 while Guren have 4 of each wing)
2nd - in the new OP, knightmare frames were shown, 1st was Shinkiro(Zero), then Shenhu(Xingke), then a new Tristan (new coz the horns on its head were colored red, and its float system was different than before, it was same as Rakshata’s Glide Wings, weapons became dual swords), then Akatsuki(Chiba Nagisa?[the girl with Todoh), then Zangetsu(Todoh), then Mordred(Anya), lastly Vincent(Rolo). My point here is.. the upgraded version of Tristan might mean that it was either captured(wrecked>found by BKs>remodeled by Rakshata) or Gino joined Zero’s side and have Tristan remodeled.
3rd - since Lelouch was brought to the Sword of Akasha, it may mean that Lelouch might be brainwashed yet again by Emperor Charles.
4th - combining the 1st and 2nd it may “also” mean, Gino, Anya, Suzaku joined the BK.
5th - contradicting on the possibility that gino, anya, suzaku joining BK. Lloyd might had copy the float system of the captured Guren. (though that won’t explain why at the new OP Guren and Lancelot having similar “new” Float System)
6th - as one stated the possibility of Kallen being brainwashed and thus joining Britanian Army, it may mean that Lloyd upgraded the Float System made by Rakshata and thus putting it on Lancelot and Guren.
7th - I think it will have season 3, coz of the fact that there are 12 knights of the Knights of Round. As seen in EP 12, Bismarck (Knight of One, the one-eyed grey haired man) having a talk with Charles. (This made me thought about this) what’s the need of having 12 Knights if only 3 of them have the most screen time, and yet 8 out 12 are named (I believe that they have a more interesting role than just cameo appearances)
just possibilities made inside my head while watching CGR2 halfway through.. ^^
EDIT: wow the random avatar pic matches.. (it looks like thinking)