2008-04-08 00:13![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
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code_geass
inulovinkit.livejournal.com in code_geassWell, with R2 kicking off, I suppose it's as good of a time as ever to discuss Lelouch, and where we think his character is gonna go with Season 2.
The first thing everyone notices about Lelouch is that in ways of personality, he's practically a Yagami Light clone. Well, sure, they've got the sidekick that gave them the awesome power, the strive to create a better world, the intelligence, and the questionable sanity, but there was always one thing about Lelouch that seperated him from Light in my mind:
While Light would kill anyone, for even trying to catch him, or heck, if they insulted him and he got pissed (in the case of Lind L. Taylor), Lulu seems to still have retained a bit of his soul, and most of the time, does feel sorry about the more innocent people he has to kill. While I suppose "Lelouch Vi Britannia commands you to die", awesome as it may be, is still a bit shocking, usually, if Lulu is in a sticky situation, uses his Geass to get people out of his way instead.
That, and he also cares deeply for his family, and his friends (and Suzaku, though the hate!love there opens up many more layers that I won't be getting into), and at the end of it all, does feel sorry for what he has done to achieve his goal. (He did angst quite a bit with the Shirley and Euphie things).
And because Lulu is doing an arguably good thing, trying to defeat Britannia, which, I'm sure, we can all agree needs to be defeated, it makes me wonder if we're supposed to view him as a hero or an anti-hero.
While there are many connotations for the word "anti-hero", the most widely accepted definition is a protagonist that is doing bad things to achieve a goal that the audience may not agree with. Take Sweeney Todd for example. He went around killing people, yet we were supposed to sympathize, heck, even root for him.
So, applying it to Lelouch, it's not so cut and dried. True, he does do bad things, but is goal is of a more noble cause than most anti-heroes; he's not doing it for himself, but for someone else, and his cause is a righteous one. However, he does not fit into the archetype of a "hero" because "heroes" are supposed to be noble (Like Suzaku before he went apeshit at the end of season 1) and not manipulate people for the cause.
Which is why, for me anyway, it's hard to place Lelouch into either these categories. He stands up for a right cause, but he understands and willfully kills innocents for it (not to mention using the Japanese just so he could wage war on Britannia). And, while many anti-heroes seem to have "sold their soul" and will do bad things without a second thought, Lelouch always has his angsty "what have I done?" moments in the series.
He was created this way, I know, but it goes to show that sometimes, there really is no clean cut distinction between good and evil, unlike stories like Harry Potter would lead us to believe.
Also, the study of his character brings into the question of his sanity. There is a fine line between genius and insanity, I know, but Lulu...with this kid, you never know. He seems almost normal sometimes, in the happy schooltime episodes, and then he goes and starts cracking up and laughing his ass off when he finds out he's fighting his best friend. I suppose no one wholly sane could have pulled off what he did, but it also makes me wonder if Lelouch was like this from the start ("Suzaku...I will destroy Britannia!") or if it was a by product of his Geass and what he realized he had to do to achieve his goal over time. (And that Epic Grin in episodes 1 and 23...I'm sorry, but no one completely sane can make that grin).
If he's insane by Geass, then it makes sense...after all, Light Yagami could have been considered sane until he got his hands on the Death Note. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and all that. Or it could be that he thought it would be easier to deal with what he had to do for the sake of his goal if he cast aside most of his sanity.
If he was insane from the start...well, I'm not surprised. Given the amount of incestuous subtext in the Britannian Royal family, there's probably a lot of inbreeding going on there.
So, those are my thoughts, think of them what you will.
While Light would kill anyone, for even trying to catch him, or heck, if they insulted him and he got pissed (in the case of Lind L. Taylor), Lulu seems to still have retained a bit of his soul, and most of the time, does feel sorry about the more innocent people he has to kill. While I suppose "Lelouch Vi Britannia commands you to die", awesome as it may be, is still a bit shocking, usually, if Lulu is in a sticky situation, uses his Geass to get people out of his way instead.
That, and he also cares deeply for his family, and his friends (and Suzaku, though the hate!love there opens up many more layers that I won't be getting into), and at the end of it all, does feel sorry for what he has done to achieve his goal. (He did angst quite a bit with the Shirley and Euphie things).
And because Lulu is doing an arguably good thing, trying to defeat Britannia, which, I'm sure, we can all agree needs to be defeated, it makes me wonder if we're supposed to view him as a hero or an anti-hero.
While there are many connotations for the word "anti-hero", the most widely accepted definition is a protagonist that is doing bad things to achieve a goal that the audience may not agree with. Take Sweeney Todd for example. He went around killing people, yet we were supposed to sympathize, heck, even root for him.
So, applying it to Lelouch, it's not so cut and dried. True, he does do bad things, but is goal is of a more noble cause than most anti-heroes; he's not doing it for himself, but for someone else, and his cause is a righteous one. However, he does not fit into the archetype of a "hero" because "heroes" are supposed to be noble (Like Suzaku before he went apeshit at the end of season 1) and not manipulate people for the cause.
Which is why, for me anyway, it's hard to place Lelouch into either these categories. He stands up for a right cause, but he understands and willfully kills innocents for it (not to mention using the Japanese just so he could wage war on Britannia). And, while many anti-heroes seem to have "sold their soul" and will do bad things without a second thought, Lelouch always has his angsty "what have I done?" moments in the series.
He was created this way, I know, but it goes to show that sometimes, there really is no clean cut distinction between good and evil, unlike stories like Harry Potter would lead us to believe.
Also, the study of his character brings into the question of his sanity. There is a fine line between genius and insanity, I know, but Lulu...with this kid, you never know. He seems almost normal sometimes, in the happy schooltime episodes, and then he goes and starts cracking up and laughing his ass off when he finds out he's fighting his best friend. I suppose no one wholly sane could have pulled off what he did, but it also makes me wonder if Lelouch was like this from the start ("Suzaku...I will destroy Britannia!") or if it was a by product of his Geass and what he realized he had to do to achieve his goal over time. (And that Epic Grin in episodes 1 and 23...I'm sorry, but no one completely sane can make that grin).
If he's insane by Geass, then it makes sense...after all, Light Yagami could have been considered sane until he got his hands on the Death Note. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and all that. Or it could be that he thought it would be easier to deal with what he had to do for the sake of his goal if he cast aside most of his sanity.
If he was insane from the start...well, I'm not surprised. Given the amount of incestuous subtext in the Britannian Royal family, there's probably a lot of inbreeding going on there.
So, those are my thoughts, think of them what you will.
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I suppose there're not clear cut about things. As I always say, there're no right or wrong, black or white in this world. It's depends on what your motive is and how you bring it in action. But other people can't judge and decide it whether it's right or not. That's why I can accept both Lelouch and Suzaku for their action. They have the same motive but act differently. I think talking about whether it's hero or anti-hero is not neccesary here. Since they all are not the typical type of hero and anti-hero already and who can determine how a hero or anti-hero looks like? I think it's depends on people. If that person saved you before I think you'll view him as your hero but instead if he harmed you before you absolutely will view him as an anti-hero. And what do you think what have Lelouch do until now? (^ . ^)
I don't think Lelouch is insane. Take it into consideration of the situation and what happenned to him. You can't say you'll do the same thing unless you have the same personality with Lelouch. I can say that it's Lelouch personality decide what he looks now. He's not insane when he laughed after he know that hindrance Lancelot pilot is Suzaku. He's laughing at hmself of how pity he was for not realizing it soon. And before that, he wanna made him to Nunally's Knight but now all have to change. He know what he's doing at every moment taking he's a realistic and careful perosn. A person can't think carefully and detailed yet can make decision immediately in an insane state.
Also, I wanna bring this thing out since it mention about Lelouch's personality. I forget where I saw it, someone mention about the lost memories Lelouch's personality is sucks. Bur I think it's still the same Lelouch in Season 1 before he has geass. For seven years, he also lives his life meaningless without doing anything. But that time he had motive and waited for time for his revenge. But this time, this whole year his memories had been modified and he don't know he still need to revenge. He still dislike this world but he has no power. So what can he do? Just whine about it.