Code Geass R2 — Episode 22
“ICHI-JOU!”
It’s cool that Lelouch is all anti-hero and I-am-the-boss now, but there’s just something wrong about this whole situation. Too-busy-for-haircuts Charles was a much more interesting antagonist than pretty-boy Schneizel, mainly because Norio Wakamoto is also the voice behind Onsokumaru and that hard-boiled penguin from Gunparade Orchestra.
Summary
Everyone’s like “ALL HAIL LELOUCH” now, but no one ever said “ALL HAIL CHARLES”
It’s time for world domination. Having done away with titles and nobilities, Britannia is now a socialist dictatorship with Lelouch as the Dear Leader. Now that he has total control of the Fatherland, discretion is no longer a necessity and finesse is for pussies.
“I can’t believe I came all this way just to voice one line!”
In less than 5 minutes of airtime, the remaining Circularly-Shaped Knights fall at the hands of the great Japanese-born Knight of Zero, Saitou Hiraga. Some of them have waited the entire season to make their debut only to be blown apart after delivering just one line of predictable cliché, but that’s life for you. It’s not these people’s fault for failing so hard in life; it’s the changing paradigm, the evolution of technology, and that goddamn noob, Suzaku, cheating in his new ride powered by the almighty plot device.
“Democracy is for noobs. Let’s decide this with good old hoop-shootin’”
Lelouch wants Britannia to join the United Federation of Nations and for the whole world to unite as one big happy family ruled under his iron fist. Kaguya, torn between her pubescent feelings for Zero-sama and her duty as the Leader of The Free World™, is highly confused and somewhat aroused by Lelouch’s aggressive advances.
“Please insert brain(s)”
Some people (”the sheep”) see Lelouch as the defender of justice who has successfully reformed Britannia and freed the Numbers of the world, and are eager to let the reborn Britannia into the exclusive club of democratic nations, while others remain sceptical. Tamaki is an exception in that he has no opinions of his own and is merely a hollow apparition feeding on the hopes and dreams of others.
IT TOOK HER LONG ENOUGH
Kallen bids a sad symbolic farewell to the object of her sexual affection, but we all know that she will come around by the next episode. I mean, didn’t she go through this whole melodramatic routine like ten times before? Oh, Lelouch, you’re such a fool. Unlike other love comedy male leads who have to make tough decisions and choose one girl from dozens, your load is a lot lighter thanks to Sunrise’s wanton killing of side characters. Just pick one already you bastard.
They got rickrolled by Schneizel
The episode ends with some shenanigans from the Schneizel camp. But seriously, after the entire Geass issue was abruptly “settled” in the last episode, Schneizel’s oh-look-at-me-being-evil thing just pales in comparison. So what if he has a flying fortress that can blow up entire cities? He has no glowing eyes!
Thoughts
How did he convince those people to put on those clothes without using his Geass?
Uh. So will we ever find out where Geass came from? Or will the rest of the episodes simply play out between too-cool-for-britannia Schneizel ratface and bad-fashion-sense-redux Lelouch? Frankly, I was expecting something deeper and more philosophical at the end. Considering how much they’ve been hyping the personal relationships surrounding Geass over the course of the series, I would be sorely disappointed if the ending turned out to be some gigantic mecha battle gibberish and explosions.
She’s out of a job
Like, what’s C.C. supposed to do now that the faux-social-darwinist human-instrumentality-project Charles and his lovely wife are trapped for good in the infinite beyond. Look cute and make snide remarks? (That said, I do like it better now that C.C. is back to her usual cynical self.)
“Obey me for ever! And overlook this huge plothole!”
Also, How the hell does Lelouch remove both his contacts so quickly? There aren’t even enough finger space to go around! Remember back in Season 1 when Euphie died (omg spoiler) and we were all like “ZOMG LELOUCH CAN’T CONTROL HIS GEASS NOW?” Well, I feel cheated. :(
Screencaps
Just to remind folks that he’s still alive
Pizza Hut didn’t pay enough for the animation budget this episode
Wing Zero
Where is Ougi’s left hand?
She’s not so annoying now
;)
Black Knight, the old SS
Kallen is pondering whether she should rape Lelouch round the next bend
“I hungeerr forrrr brainzzzzz”
He looks like one of those magical CLAMP characters from Tsubasa
Someone forgot to forward him the memo about wearing formal attire
Thousand-year-old stereotypes ftw
Hasta la vista
They are the good guys now, sort of?
Her eyes say no but her heart says yes
Initial drift!
My exams are this week and next week. I should be doing maths now, lol.
September 15th, 2008 at 4:05 am
How they explain Nunally’s survival makes me feel they are taking us for idiots. =
And some way to kill Cornelia. Gotta love pathetic deaths.
September 15th, 2008 at 5:49 am
C.C. gets a pink Lancelot.
That is all.
September 15th, 2008 at 8:04 am
My thoughts on the episode: (it’s long, but I have alot to say)
I’m starting to switch back to C.C.xLelouch after watching their scene together…argh…I can’t make up my mind, and after seeing that preview with her smiling… DAMN IT NOW I WANT C.C.xLELOUCH!
Anyways, this episode has that R1 flare that I like so much, aside from Cornelia’s useless death and Tamaki’s amazing ability to be useful really late in the show, it brings out the tactics battling that we having seen in so long (when was the last full scale tactics battle, episode 11 of season 1? Narita? It was awesome.)
I really love this series, mainly because there are good guys on both sides, and we know it, even if they don’t. I was actually having trouble sympathizing with Lelouch after seeing the geassed soldiers rushing to their deaths and intercepting the FLEIJA, even though that dissipated soon after remembering that Schniezel was using the Black Knights in a very similar way. The amazing thing I noticed was that Schniezel’s character changed DRAMATICALLY. In the first season he was kinda cold and dedicated towards getting the job done, but he cared for his subordinates. In the beginning of the second season he was much the same but following episode 17-ish he became heartless, like Lelouch except…he has no underlying and noble plan, he’s just in it for power, which is something that the people on Schniezel’s side think of Lelouch.
The preview suggests that Kallen will be joining Lelouch next episode, or maybe 25…which would fit since they could have an awesome final battle sequence of Suzaku, C.C. and Kallen kicking ass with their 9th generation frames an destroying the Damocles and killing Nunnally (I still hate her) and Schniezel. The reason is because there is a shot of the Guren crouched over him with the gold arm extended, like she’s about to kill him. So unless that is the scene I predicted when Suzaku finishes her off, I think they finally get a chance to talk and he can explain his intentions.
Tamaki might just get some usefulness in the next episode. Well Amnestic, your getting your wish, Tamaki might just do something major in the storyline after all, maybe he sacrifices himself for Zero/Lelouch after turning back to his side? I dunno, I have a feeling he’s gonna last till the end.
The ironic part in this is how Lelouch goes from being tied with Schniezel, to losing, to losing REALLY badly, then he suddenly flips things around and mindfucks us with blowing up Mount Fuji, effectively destroying the entirety of the Black Knights and decimating his own ground forces. Amazing eh? The Black Knights are finally gone. Oh then suddenly Schniezel launches the FLEIJA’s which the aftermath will form the basis of nest episode.
Final thoughts: C.C.’s Lancelot is more Albion than Vincent. Due to the absence of conventional air glide wings it looks like it’s going to be 2 on 1 when it comes to 9th generation frames. Oh and, did anyone else notice the dramatic difference of Suzaku’s character lately? Now he’s entirely set on killing Nunnally!
Now to rewatch the episode!
September 15th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Maybe the person saying the wings thing at the ending song is right.
C.C, Nunally, Suzaku, Schniezel has wings at the ending song - i think they are all going to die. T_T
Most likely Lulu is going to end up with Kallen.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Saying this only because Rolo and Shirley had wings in the ending song and they both died too afterwards. >_>
September 15th, 2008 at 10:19 am
C.C, Nunally, Suzaku, Schniezel have wings at the ending song. Sorry for the typo error.