Code Geass Episode 1: Discussion!

[gods-debris.livejournal.com]

Sorry for posting this so early. I just know I will not have time all day on Thursday (well, technically where I am it is Thursday...). This isn't the normal for me--I'm your standard stay-at-home girlfriend at the moment--so this won't happen frequently. I'm so excited for this! I hope a lot of people participate. I'll check the comments Thursday night if I can talk my mother into letting me borrow her computer. :)

For those of you who haven't gotten the episode yet, check out the information I posted here. Anyways, onward!



Code Geass Episode 1: The Day The Evil God Was Born
We are reminded once again what happened to Japan and the power of Britannia—how they were able to invade and take over Japan with their new weapons called Knightmares, and how Japan was stripped of its culture and name; and renamed Area 11.



Once again we're thrown into the world of Code Geass with a melancholy Suzaku and a vengeful Lelouch!


How can you say no to that face?! (Lelouch's)

Lelouch always seems to carry himself in a different way from others. He's confident, charismatic and seems to know exactly what to say as far as speeches go. I feel we really get a taste for his character when Rival asks him why he moved his King first in the game of chess he had between the noble: "If the king doesn't move then his subjects won't follow."

While Rival and Lelouch are on their way back to school they're almost run over by Kallen who is part of the terrorist group against Britannia. I always somewhat felt that for a terrorist group they were awfully generous to swerve so they didn't hit them. I always imagined that a terrorist group on a mission would have no time to be merciful to those who got in the way of their plan, but it left a nice opening for Lelouch to run to the rescue and get caught up in the action.



You know, did Rival not see Lelouch climb onto the truck? Did he not see him fall into the opening on the top? Did he not see the truck drive away? If he saw all that, why does he stand around shortly after yelling for him and reminding him that they have to get back to school? C'mon, Rival. I know you're not that stupid!


There is so much win in these pictures... Anyone else happy for Spinzaku?

It's nice to see Lloyd doing what he does best which is sticking his nose into everybody's business while looking for data. I imagine him doing crazy silly things while yelling, "FOR SCIENCE!" In the end they didn't have a pilot for Lancelot... so what happened to the previous pilot they had lined up? Did I miss something?

Suzaku and Lelouch meet up again, but under interesting terms. Suzaku is now part of the Britannian army! It's nice to see that Suzaku is still putting others before him (covering Lelouch's face with his air mask when C.C.'s capsule opens up). Suzaku even ends up taking a bullet for Lelouch because he refuses to shoot him.



Also, you know, I love Shirley but there are times she can be pretty annoying. Could she have picked a better time to call? I guess it can't be expected to silence your phone when you are trying to dodge being caught. I like it because it's the human error. It makes Lelouch seem more human.



When Lelouch receives his power and uses it for the first time he seems surprised by his own actions. One of the many themes throughout this series is lies and the lies people tell. Lelouch tells us from that day on he's been lying to himself. I wonder what Lelouch is telling us this.



Lelouch, it's good to have you back.

Comments

[kusaja.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to add that the novels aren't automatically canon, to be certain, but the author did have access to earlier drafts of the anime scripts and other background materials, so it's not much of a stretch to say his interpretations are valid as educated guesses, if nothing else.

[nayami.livejournal.com]

I enjoy them as supplements. I just... do not always agree with the interpretations (see: Stage 4: Zero) so I cherry-pick details. This is one of the many I really like.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

I basically treat it like fanfiction, because after I read Stage 0 I felt like I had just read a fanfic. (One I paid for, but oh well) What you mentioned in the above comment - about excusing crimes in exchange for Noble title - actually is nifty and has potential, although it kind of changes Euphemia's motivation for her decision. (Well, technically we don't know her motivation from what I can remember, but it seems to be based more on principle rather than a means to an end. I also wondered if it was a way she could be with Suzaku without her family being like YOU CAN'T MARRY AN ELEVEN YOU'RE A PRINCESS)

[nayami.livejournal.com]

I don't think it actually changes them. Her motivations were always to make a place where Lelouch and Nunnally could live in peace. Pardoning Zero would have to be done in order for him to legitimately work with her on SAZ, as she requested.

[megalomaniageek.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do like the fact that it sort of patches up a plot-hole there.

[nayami.livejournal.com]

To be fair, I utterly despised most of "Stage 4: Zero" so whenever I found shiny moments of sanity, I cherished them. :(