Shirley was the best character in Code Geass.

[doctorcasey.livejournal.com]

Anyone agree?

Comments

[apapazukamori.livejournal.com]

In the series itself, sure. But in terms of the audience, it seems sort of lazy to me. Marianne had reasons for what she did. They were incredibly misguided and the disappointment comes at the end when she doesn't understand that. But, she clearly loved Charles, and was a role model for Cornelia, and was admirable enough to command Jeremiah's loyalty so long after her "death". And as a commoner who attained nobility, she was probably an inspiration for a lot of people. She also didn't seem to be half bad as a parent, though that was cut short by V.V. She's not irredeemable, just deeply, deeply flawed.

Sadly, we don't get enough about V.V. to really know what was going on with him. Certainly in the beginning, he had noble goals. It seems he fell victim to jealousy when Marianne entered the picture. Again, it's more fun for me to explore possible motivations than to just hate a character.

[schneizel.livejournal.com]

I think you give Marianne way too much credit. I think Charles had reasons for what he did, and they ended up being misguided, but it only showed Marianne to be an incredibly self centered person. I don't doubt she loved Charles, but I also think she probably considered herself and her own feelings more important. You also can't say she didn't seem that bad as a parent because we really know very little about what she was like, except from Lelouch who was just a kid and idolized her, particularly after what happened with the Emperor.

I don't know about noble goals, maybe naive (at least in the beginning). Charles grew up and he didn't.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's lazy to think that there are certain actions and/or motivations that lie beyond a moral event horizon, beyond which you can no longer feel sympathy or affection for the character (or at least beyond which a character must go through sacrifice and hardship and redemption before earning sympathy and affection).
I don't consider jealousy to be a reasonable excuse for selfishness. I don't like V.V. and I don't like Rolo (but at least Rolo has some redeeming moments that made me feel some sympathy for him).