Question about reactions to ep 6

[sumeragiskank.livejournal.com]

I seriously loved this episode and all of the great Lloyd and Suzaku moments in it. But I'm kinda scratching my head after reading some reactions to it that make no sense to me. I've not been very involved in Geass fandom and am rather shocked at some of the prevailing attitudes ^^;;;



I'm rather confused as to why everyone thinks Nunally has been brainwashed by Suzaku. After all, he's not the one who actually uses an evil brainwashing power to murder people. That's Lelouch. He's never used someone important to him as a political tool. Again, that's Lelouch. And if you want to argue that he used Lelouch, I think he had more than enough right to do so after Lelouch murdered Euphie and completely fucked over his country and plans for peace.

I'm glad to see Nunally taking some initiative and for them to develop her character more. I also am eagerly awaiting to see her reaction to learning Lelouch is Zero. I was glad she told him he was wrong. Because he is. And I do not think that, even as much as she loves her brother, she is going to take very kindly to the knowledge that he has been murdering people left and right and committing all sorts of atrocities all in her name. She'll likely be horrified and so far, no Britannian telling her has been a mercy. Lelouch has made this bed for himself and he seems awfully upset that now he has to lie in it. Poor baby. This is me feeling completely not sorry for him.

I like Lelouch as a character, but I hold no illusions that he's a nice person in the least. He puts selfish goals ahead of the plight of an entire nation of downtrodden people, nevermind lying to, manipulating, and using people who honestly care for him. Along with murdering family members and innocent people in cold blood and all of that. I don't think the ends ever justify the means, and while he had good intentions at some point - is he now going to fuck over Nunally for his own goals and ego or will he let her lead her own life - I think Lelouch's pretty far along on his trip to hell. I jiust don't understand why everything Suzaku does wrong is picked apart and held against him while Lelouch's various crimes, which are a much much much much longer list, are immediately forgiven. I understand that he's the main character and all, but I just can't give him that leeway and have to hold him to the same standards as every other character.

Comments

[tungwene.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say Nunnally is brainwashed. Horribly misguided, misinformed, and left in the dark from knowledge pertinent to the situation by the people who are supposed to be protecting her, yes. My annoyance with Suzaku in the matter is he hasn't explained peep about Lelouch, if not outright lied to her about him, and for now I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he hasn't worked up the guts to tell Nunnally that her brother killed Euphie, because Nunnally will want to know why and even Suzaku doesn't know why.

Yes, Lelouch has been doing the exact same thing to Nunnally in season one but he honestly believed it was for her good and I'm sure Suzaku believes it's for her own good too which is why it's so frustrating watching Nunnally get fucked over by someone she cares for and trusts so strongly, again. I know Suzaku's just trying to protect her but I think Nunnally has the right to know. It would be one thing if she were just a princess holed up in her palace but right now she is the goddamn Governor-General and if she's going to govern properly she should have vital information and not giving her all the information she needs is going to hobble her ability to rule. I'm pissed at Suzaku because he's being NO BETTER than Lelouch.

I don't feel too sorry for the predicament Lelouch is in either because he did dig himself into this situation. Nunnally asking questions and disagreeing with him is something that always had a potential of happening. I think Lelouch can be best described as childishly optimistic. He's smart but he really doesn't think everything through and he lets his emotions get the better of him. When he's really angry his conscience gets overridden but it always comes back to haunt him when he's calmed down.

He killed Clovis, brother or no, because he ordered the slaughter of innocent civilians to cover up his own screw up and save his own neck and I think that was something he did deserve to die for but even afterwards the next day Lelouch felt sick about what he had down. Killing Euphie was taking responsibility for what he had done to her. It was an accident but I think Lelouch felt that he had to be the one to put her out of the misery he had subjected her to. I think this was what he meant when he said to Suzaku in episode 25, "I had to kill her." I think in Lelouch's mind it would've been much worse if Euphie were gunned down by terrorists thinking she had betrayed them. At least if Lelouch fired the shot it wasn't an execution but a mercy killing.

I think both Suzaku and Lelouch have their right points and their wrong points. I like them both as characters, but Suzaku had to grow on me awhile before I could like him. I just don't think Suzaku is as righteous as he thinks he is. I think the difference between Lelouch and Suzaku is Lelouch acknowledges the things he is doing is wrong but goes ahead and does them anyway but Suzaku honestly believes what he's doing is right because he's following a very complicated self-imposed moral code even though he is as bad as Lelouch in some ways.