Episode 22 Discussion

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

Just finished watching Episode 22... I'm so heated up I had to take a shower after this.  It's a very brilliant and tormenting episode.

In episode 21, Euphie announced her brilliant plan and though a simple and crazy idea it appeared, if accurately executed, there is a possibility it can work.  Of course, all sides doubt the success of the plan - the Japanese people themselves, the group in Kyoto, the E.U. & Chinese federation, the Black Knight Organization, and even within the Britannians there seem to be other people with different agenda.  However, Euphie's image - the innocent and kind hearted princess - seems to win over people trust and finally the whole world have their eyes set on the event that might alter the fate not only of the Elevens/ Japanese people but also the rest of the world (because Japan is not Britannia's only colony).

The event is all set to go but there is still an empty seat left for Zero.  Finally Zero appeared riding the knightmare.  He demanded to talk to Euphie alone and so Euphie and Zero relocated to the room.  Zero asked Eupie to shoot him and Euphie went (?).  Well, if Eupie shoot him, then Euphie's popularity will go down and there will be riots so in this way Zero can proceed with his original plan - to create the country.  All his previous obstacles were cleared ... until this plan.  However, Euphie wanted Zero to cooperate with her and she told him that to exchange for the permission of creating the special administrative region Japan, she gave up her rights to succeed the throne.  Lelouche's geass was about to break at that point but Euphie's annoucement soothed him down, especially when Euphie said she was doing this not for his sake but Nanali because Nanali would be satisfied as long as she had her brother.  Lelouche softened and agreed to cooperate with Euphie but made it clear he's not her subordinate.  He also started joking that if he ordered people to do things, they can't refuse.  Sadly, his joke went too far and when he said if he ordered her to kill Japanese people... that point Euphie was influenced by geass.  She struggled because she did not want to kill the Japanese people but she lost and then she went beserk.  She even shot the Britannian soldier who was trying to question her behavior.  Since she fired the first shot and ordered the rest of the Britannia army to do so, the soldiers obeyed her order and thus what initially would have been a celebration for the Japanese people for reganing their identity turned up to be the opening ceremony of a war the people would never forget.

Back in his knightmare, Lelouche realized the adverse consequences of using a dangerous weapon as geass.  Sadly, all he could do by then was to order his black knight organization to start hunting for Euphie (in tears) ...
And KILL HER.

That's the main storyline.  Other developments:
C.C.: While Lelouche and Euphie were talking alone, she sensed the changes in Lelouche's geass.  At the same time, she also realized that Suzaku seemed to have an affiliation with geass as well...

Suzaku: When Lelouche and Eupie were talking alone and Lelouche's geass started altering, he saw a figure on Lelouche's knightmare.  Then, when C.C. realized Suzaku might have something to do with geass as well, she came out of Lelouche's knightmare.  When Suzaku touched C.C., he saw the girls from C.C's tribe (?) and then she saw Lelouche's mom in something like a priestess outfit?  He then fainted.  The rest of the soldiers tried to approach C.C. but that's when geass went beserk.  After he regained consciousness, he couldn't believe Euphie ordered the massacre and started searching for Eupie.

Emperor of Britannia: He was laughing when Euphie ordered the massacre.

Schnizel: This guy was just shocked and could hardly react ...

Cornellia: Swiftly reacted and brought her soldiers and knightmare to the scene of the massacre.

My impressions:

Sorry for this summary (Crowd: You call this crap summary?)
I watch this raw and heck... my Japanese is as good as a kindergarten kid so ... ^_^;;

Anyway, the initial reaction is ... AWE.  Having said that though, from a scan I saw on 2ch, it's already printed that Euphie had to die and frankly, I think killing Euphie is the best thing Lelouche can do now.  Even if Euphie's not dead, when she's lifted of geass' control and realizes what she'd done, she woudl (a) commit suicide, (b) become crazy and end up in mental hospital.  What a brilliant way to get rid of an annoying princess Okouchi san! Euphie's innocence annoyed me to no end.  Yet, to see how a kind-hearted princess who loved her siblings and the people around her to meet such a tragic end... I must say it's VERY DEPRESSING.  Thanks to this now I love Euphie... A LOT!!!!!

Next, move on to Lelouche.  This is where the brilliance lies.  At first, I thought the Mao arc only served to reveal that (a) there are other geass users out there and (b) Suzaku's secret of killing his own father.  Now it seems I'm wrong.  The whole Mao arc served as a WARNING to Lelouche... that there is a chance you can't switch off Geass.  Sadly, Lelouche was too confident of himself and dismissed that warning.  The outcome? The bloodshed and the loss of another sibling.  I suppose those tears we see in the end of this episode says it all.

Next to C.C.  Nothing much more is revealed about C.C. than the fact that now she realizes Suzaku seems to be linked to geass.

Next to Suzaku. I suppose it's been speculated before by many fans that Suzaku could be a geass user.  Whether or not he is one is still not confirmed.  However, he definitely has been in contact with geass before ... or at least a geass user.  If Suzaku is a geass user, what's his power then? Every time he comes into contact with C.C. he seems to see flashback of the past.  Could it be that his power has something to do with seeing the past? Another thing that bothered me... why would a child like Suzaku go and kill his father thinking it would achieve peace? It's quite unusual a child would think like that.  Someone might have put the idea into his mind (probably?)... interesting.  At any rate, without Euphie, Suzaku's position in the Britannia army might change.  Will he return to being a normal Britannia solder? Or will he leave the Britannia army and join the Black Knight Organization <- but I don't see that happening... the future of Suzaku is certainly interesting.

Next to Cornelia & Schnizel.  I thought in an interview before, Okouchi said Schizel's a good guy.  I suppose after this episode it's safe to assume he's NOT HARAGURO (actually from the point when they casted Inoue a.k.a. Master Keaton as Schnizel's seiyuu, he can't be evil).  Still, considering he's the MOST INTELLIGENT & OUTSTANDING among all the royals... his reaction is a bit hetare (laughs).  Compared to him, Cornelia KICKED SO MUCH MORE A$$.  I just love Cornelia but I wonder what she'll do in the next episode and how she'll confront Euphie ... alive or her body... hmmmm....next episode might also mark the end of Cornelia... who knows?

Next to the Britannia Emperor.  He is the one that bothered me the most throughout.  In episode 6 if you recall, he mentioned about he just spoke to Clovis.   That was after Clovis' death though.  What did he mean by that?  Could he have special power that would allow him to speak to the dead or to see flashbacks to the past like Suzaku by touching Clovis' body or something? Then in this episode the laughter. Actually, I have a strange thought ...just a speculation.  I think the Britannia Emperor is actually being controlled by some mysterious group (mainly the masked people surrounding him).  The basis for my speculation is that almost all his children so far are kind hearted.  I'm not arguing the Britannia Emperor is kind hearted but I thought he might be just an ordinary man who used to have feelings as well.  He would fight for glory, fight to defend his family ... but he's not "crazy" as one who would laugh when he saw people being slaughtered ... hmmm....

Next ot Lelouche's mother.  So far, all we know is that she's one of the earliest pilot in the early development of knightmares.  Because of that, she became a noble and ultimately got married to the Emperor and gave birth to Lelouche and Nanali.  However, we also know from this flashback that she's got something to do with the mysterious girls (probably geass related people like C.C.)  It's funny because if she's a pilot, then she must have good reflexes but Lelouche sux and can't pilot knightmares.  On the other hand, Suzaku has that ultrahuman ability.  Then there is Nanali... at the moment Nanali is handicapped but probably if she weren't, maybe she would also inherit the genes and be a good pilot? Dunno.  Now, back to my previous speculation... if the Emperor is controlled by this mysterious force and the mysterious force thinks Lelouche's mom is a threat, then they order her assaination.  That's the reason why the Emperor felt no emotion for her death and even drove Lelouche siblings away... make sense?

That marks the end of my babblings and please correct me where I'm wrong and shout out your views toward this episode.

Comments

[zalem.livejournal.com]

Absolutely AMAZING episode. Read the spoilers from fake Okouchi but was NOT expecting Euphie to go around actually shoot people. O_O

It's really tragic the way it played out. I mean they were on the verge of totally reconciling. Lulu had basically GIVEN UP and was going to work with Euphie....and THIS happens. How messed up is that? As they were talking and laughing I was cringing cause I knew the wonky geass order was coming up. I'm really feeling so bad for Lelouch and Euphie now. And this will definitely bring about a permanent gap between Lulu and Suzaku. I just don't see them EVER working together again. Suzaku should be able to figure out that something isn't right and that Zero did something. Darlton figured it out afterall. And if Suzaku learns more (which is inevitable), he will never forgive Lelouch. Of course, I don't think Lelouch will ever forgive himself. It's always going to be in the back of his mind.

Other things that I noted...Schneizel was really shocked and horrified. I guess this means he really was just using the plan to put the Black Knights in a political bind and not to actually physically do anything to them. The Emperor....damn. I'm starting to think that Lulu is actually just the Emperor's pawn.

Interesting note, we see Marianne in C.C.'s flashback again. People already theorized that perhaps she was a geass user. It seems she knew or had a connection with C.C. so that guess may not be far off.

I don't think Suzaku is a geass user. At the ruins site he stepped onto the ruins and it did NOT react. It was said previously that the ruins react to all geass users and C.C.'s people. It only reacted after Lulu actually stepped onto it. Suzaku did have an odd reaction to the ruins though and he was able to see C.C.'s image in this episode. He definitely has some weird connection to C.C.'s people...we just don't know what it is yet.

This whole episode has totally convinced me Lelouch will die by the end of season 2. There's no way they will let him live after this. And he's not even finished "his path towards ruthlessness". There's more to come. Even if it was an accident in this case, I just don't see him coming out on top in the end. He's in for a huge fall. *sighs* I was really hoping he'd win, but I guess that's not to be.

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

But Suzaku has no right to "forgive" or "not forgive" lelouche. After all, Suzaku murdered people just like Lelouche... and Lelouche didn't even INTEND for the massacre but Suzaku voluntarily murdered the innocent people in episode 1 + his own father...

Schnizel... he's definitely ust a good old folk like Okouchi said.

I'm not sure if Suzaku ain't a geass user just coz the platform didn't react when he stepped on it. On the very contary, I think Suzaku is more than just a geass user. He might be an alien himself (which explains his superhuman reflexes) and not human.

Marianne ... I dont' think she's just a geass user. I think she's one of C.C. type of being... probably even a priestess. Guess what, maybe Marianne IS like Suzaku... who tried to CHANGE Britannia from WITHIN and that's why she volunteered to be a pilot and stuff but when she became the lady in court and knew too much, she had to be silenced.

Lelouche will die - I have no doubt about it. If he doesn't, then maybe he'll be geassed and have no memory whatsoever. Alternatively, he might end up like Camus in Gundam Z (a.k.a. become mental). More likely than Lelouche to die though is Suzaku. Regardless, I don't think both will be main in the second series. There's got to be a third person as main.

Say if Lelouche is Dark Vadar and Suzaku Obiwan then we'll have Luke & Han (another pair) in the second season... the Luke-to-be will kill Dark Vadar ... and Obiwan will die before that... something like that.

[zalem.livejournal.com]

But if Suzaku is one of C.C.'s people the ruins would have reacted to him as well. It was specifically pointed out that the ruins react to both geass users and the ones they contract with. But like I said, Suzaku definitely has some weird connection. Not geass, but something else...

After this also think that Lulu will have the upper hand by the end of this season. It also makes me think there is a chance the focus might shift to Suzaku next season. Meaning we might very well see "Suzaku of the Counterattack" 2nd season. Lelouch will take up his role as the main villain. That could happen, but I hope it doesn't because I REALLY like having Lelouch as the main character of the series. It's one of the things that makes the series refreshing and different from all other mecha series.

lol. Nunnally will open her eyes and be horrified by Zero and help bring Lulu down. That would be ironic since Lulu is doing everything mainly for her. Though I do honestly think she knows a hell of alot more then we think.

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

But he could still be an alien without being EITHER the contractor or the one who's contracted with. Anyway, the contrator seems to be female only (?) to me ...

Well, the focus could be on Suzaku but I don't think Suzaku is MAIN if you know what I mean? It's possible the story will be told ON HIS SIDE rather than one sidedly on Lelouche. Why I think this way is because if they plan on making Suzaku MAIN next season, they would have made him less annoying this season.

Ahh... that's possible. Instead of a wonderful world, it's a bloody world Nanali will wake up to. But who knows... maybe then it's Nanali's turn to protect his brother?

[zalem.livejournal.com]

Actually fake Okouchi said V.V. is a boy (despite his girlish appearance). So contractors can be boys too.

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

Really? I thought it's a girl... V.V... okay.

[zalem.livejournal.com]

Just realized that we don't know V.V. is a contractor...though he is actively talking to C.C. and definitely has a connection to Suzaku in some way...

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

Well, need to wait to see if he's actually a contractor then...but the V.V. thing.. and C.C. thing suggests to me he very well might be...

[ax-sky.livejournal.com]

>>>There's got to be a third person as main.

What about the "Lelouch of the Rebellion" then? ^^".

[prides-tears.livejournal.com]

SOMEONE WHO SUPPORTS MY SUZAKU ALIEN THEORY. YAAAY. XD;

I think Suzaku and Marianne are alike in a lot of ways. Being approved because they were a good pilot and becoming a knight. If this episode didn't happen, maybe Suzaku and Euphie might have married.

What I fear is that Suzaku getting killed while saving Nunnally. XD; History repeats?

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

I do think Suzaku is an alien... a guy so annoying can't be from Earth (explode).

Whether or not Suzaku & Euphie got married, I hope they at least have slept with each other by now. It's kinda annoying if Suzaku didn't even get the chance XDDD.

Hmmm... or maybe the other way round... like Nunnally getting killed saving Suzaku?

*same person, different journal*

[chansonxchou.livejournal.com]

XD HE IS AN ALIEN WHO WANTS TO ACTUALLY TAKE OVER THE EARTH. YUP.

XDD I get this feeling Suzaku isn't really a virgin.

Suzaku being wheelchair'd and blind? XD;

Re: *same person, different journal*

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

Neh... I'm totally positive Suzaku ain't no virgin...
I mean Suzaku's a really creepy alien you know... geh.
Ahhh... not a bad idea... in the end Lelouche go to h*ll with his geass, Nanali died protecting Suzaku and with the live command and ultra alien body, Suzaku was crippled... close his eyes as he didn't want to see the world without people he loved ... and just basically went NUTS XDD

Re: *same person, different journal*

[chansonxchou.livejournal.com]

Suzaku in a constriction jacket is love.

[may-neuma.livejournal.com]

I don't think Suzaku is a geass user. At the ruins site he stepped onto the ruins and it did NOT react. It was said previously that the ruins react to all geass users and C.C.'s people. It only reacted after Lulu actually stepped onto it. Suzaku did have an odd reaction to the ruins though and he was able to see C.C.'s image in this episode. He definitely has some weird connection to C.C.'s people...we just don't know what it is yet.

I sooo agree with you; moreover, C.C had stalked Suzaku and Lulu ever since they were 10 right? We just need to wait what's his connection with Geass which might be revealed on the second season.

As much as I hate to see him dead, the possibility for Lelouch to ever be the same confident evil cackling youth and prevail is almost to none. His relationship not with Suzaku but also with Nunally is bound to be doomed since sooner or later his Zero-ness will be revealed. That if he isn't eaten up by his own guilt first. Lulu's the kind of people who takes responsibility on whatever happened to his closest ones.

~ m a y ~

[magical-poof.livejournal.com]

I think the connection thing might be right on. His mother sure appears a lot, and that makes me sometimes think she's a contractor like C.C. I also find it incredibly strange/creepy how the Emperor was laughing. He must know that Lulu is alive and he also must know about C.C.'s existance, at least, but he sure seems to be plotting something. (On the otherhand, I would die of joy if Lulu ended up Emperor)

However, on a whim, I felt like rewatching the first episode. I was surprised to see that when Lulu first climbed onto the truck with C.C. in it, he heard her saying "I found it. My..." which might mean that Lulu does have some reasonance or something with Geass.

I don't think Suzaku is a Geass user, either. Mostly because of my prejudice against him being the goody-two-shoes hero-complex character, who has no right to pwn over the main character, who is beyond cool. Anyway, he can hardly be a user, considering he hasn't come in contact with a contractor, either. I suppose he has the potential, but I'm pretty sure that just about anyone can be one.

On the more squee-ish note: LULU'S EYE IS STUCK! OMG! Alright, I admit it, I'm a sucker for angst and suffering. I can't wait to see how this ends up. Will he have to quit school? Unless he just goes around and Geasses everyone...

I truly hope Lulu doesn't end up dead until the end of the show, but I guess he might. But really, it is his show, it's freaking named after him, I don't think he's allowed to die half-way through. Sure, in Death Note, L dies, but Light/Kira was really the main character, anyway. In my book, Lulu's gonna make it 'til the end. Suzaku on the other hand...

[nayami.livejournal.com]

I find when most people think of Suzaku as a user, they automatically assume he's going to get some awesome control ability like Lelouch. Although I don't know if the theory is true, if Suzaku already has the geass, it's his Superdude strength. We see it all the time. It already totally PWNS Lelouch in every way possible so I don't see how this would be much of a change unless it evolved and even then I don't know what that would do. I think Suzaku might have met his contractor at a younger age. We see from the beginning that C.C. stalked Lelouch when he was around 9 or so. The only reason I want Suzaku to be a user now because I don't want him to have power in addition to his asskickery. The ruins requirement shoots the theory in the foot, but everything else related to the geass really supports it. This episode showed particularly strong points, with Suzaku sensing C.C. and resonating with her geass symbol. He also did freak out at the ruins even if his stepping on the symbol didn't activate them.

[nanya-hime.livejournal.com]

You make it seem like the contractor are pedophiles... stalking kids ^^;;

[nayami.livejournal.com]

Hey, they might be. Mao was pretty young too. You have to cultivate your prey from a young age. That's what Seishirou taught me.

[magical-poof.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I was under the impression that all Geass powers were displayed through the eyes when in use. You know, the little red bird thing. And I also think that all the powers have to do with screwing around with someone else's mind. Reading minds, controling minds- they're the only examples we've got so far. But that may just pertain to C.C., which would be wicked cool if other contractors could do other things.

I have no idea what's up with Sukazu. He can run faster than an automatic gun can shoot, WTF?! So what if there's a five second delay?! Anyway, I would have to murder the writers if they gave Suzaku any more super powers. The kid's got enough crap he doesn't need. Anyway, I think Lulu's mommy's got something to do with all this in a very weird way, like when C.C. said Sukzau must have met "her," too! Plus she was the "commoner" princess... She could be from the Village of Geass People! XDDD

[zalem.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's not that he has geass currently, but that he has a very strong potential to be a geass user. He did see C.C.'s image just like Lelouch did in episode one. So maybe he just needs to meet up with the right contractor. That would explain why the ruins didn't react to him.

Or it could be the "Suzaku is really an alien" theory, but I'm less inclined to believe that one.

He is will become a geass user or he has some other weird connection with C.C.'s people imho.

[zalem.livejournal.com]

Oh I don't think he'll die at the end of this season. In fact I think he will win the upperhand. But I think he is going to be very dead at the end of season 2. Villains don't win in anime and if the creators are dead set on making Lulu the bad guy of the series then I just don't see him living at the end. Of course, he still has goodness in him and might redeem himself...but even then I think he'll die.

I'm not sure about Suzaku...see he's not the main character, but he's the classic mecha hero that one usually sees. And those rarely get killed off. Then again I never thought they'd kill the pink princess of and they did...so maybe they'll surprise me again.

[firey-ashes.livejournal.com]

if his eye is stuck ... can't he just cover it with an eye patch? it's only one eye and his geass doesn't work unless he's directly looking at someone with it. if he covers it up (and says he had eye surgery or something), i figure he'd be safe from doing a euphie again.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

......
Shoot. I know you can't put lj-cuts in comments, but...
*cries at being spoiled for Death Note*