Fans were already well aware of exactly how many episodes remained in the second season of Code Geass. The only real mystery that lingered was whether it would return for a third season. However, as the plot hurtled toward its climax, hope for a continuation began to wither.
Lelouch's father, Charles, had already been struck down. His Ragnarok Connection, a plan to melt the world's consciousness into one, merging the living, the dead, the past, and the future, had been utterly dismantled.
The second season essentially presented three different visions of how to achieve world peace.
Charles's plan involved the fusion of all human consciousness. This would make everyone omniscient and omnipresent, sharing every secret and elevating the human spirit to a level where petty desires and wars would cease to exist.
However, the cost was stagnation. The moment this collective consciousness was born, humanity would lose its drive to evolve. While the spirit might be fulfilled, the universe remains a material place where a single stray asteroid could wipe out a planet. Without progress, mankind would simply be waiting for an inevitable extinction.
Lelouch's brother, Schneizel, took a more pragmatic approach. Controlling a stockpile of nuclear weapons, the F.L.E.I.J.A., he intended to force the world into submission through overwhelming military might. He was confident that under his absolute rule, war would vanish. While he might have been an efficient dictator, his peace was tied to his own existence. The moment he died, the world would likely spiral back into chaos.
Lelouch, of course, rejected both paths. He didn't just criticize them; he took physical action to stop them. Whether Lelouch was "more correct" than his father or brother remained up for debate, but in this world, the result was all that mattered.
From episode twenty-two onward, the pacing of the anime accelerated significantly.
After dealing with his father, Lelouch used his status as a prince of the Britannian Empire to seize the throne and crown himself Emperor.
As for why the various factions within the Empire supported a "hollow" prince who hadn't spent any time building a power base? The answer was simple: Geass. If you use Geass to control the several hundred people at the top of the ruling class, the military and the common citizens have no choice but to follow.
Once he was crowned as the legitimate Emperor, Lelouch declared Schneizel a traitor. Previously, Lelouch had been Zero, leading the Black Knights against Britannia. Now, he was the Emperor, leading his own imperial forces against Schneizel and the United Federation of Nations in a global struggle for absolute power.
For the younger viewers, this turn of events was incredibly cathartic. Watching a teenager become the ruler of half the planet, and potentially the lord of the entire world if he won the war, was an absolute rush. However, older viewers with a bit more life experience found the plot holes hard to ignore. Could an entire empire really be usurped that easily? Even with the power of Geass, it felt a bit too convenient.
Despite these doubts, most people weren't about to get hung up on realism in an anime. Seeking flawless real-world logic in a show like this felt like missing the point.
In the heat of the battle between Schneizel and Lelouch during the twenty-second episode, Schneizel played his trump card once again: he used Lelouch's sister, Nunnally, as a hostage. This development caused a segment of the fanbase to lose their minds.
"Seriously, Nunnally is so annoying! She's been useless since the first season. Her only role is to get kidnapped so Lelouch has his hands tied."
"I finally understand what people mean by a 'useless character.' Honestly, it would be better if she just took herself out of the equation. If it weren't for her, Lelouch would have ended the war in the first season, and we wouldn't have seen so many people die in the second. It's frustrating to watch."
"I used to hate Suzaku the most, but now I think Nunnally is the real problem. In this episode, she's being held by Schneizel and doesn't even realize she's being used. She has the nerve to condemn Lelouch as a dictator for starting new conflicts as the Emperor. It's hilarious. Who does she think he's been fighting for this whole time?"
"Lelouch knows that as members of the imperial family, he and Nunnally would eventually be used as political tools and discarded. His only choice was to overthrow the empire. Meanwhile, Nunnally plays the saint, acting like she's above it all and telling Lelouch to drop his sword. It's ridiculous."
"Whatever, she's not the female lead anyway. It's just painful to see someone as brilliant as Lelouch held back by her. If he were colder, if he could just abandon his sister, I'd call him a true King."
"That would never happen. A character without a weakness feels fake. Lelouch feels human precisely because he has a blind spot like Nunnally."
"I still don't get what Lelouch and Suzaku are planning. I never expected those two to reach a secret agreement in the final episodes."
"Only two or three episodes left. I just hope the author gives us a satisfying ending. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece; it just needs to be solid."
"The ratings for Code Geass are already the highest in history. If the ending is even halfway decent, it will be legendary. I hope he doesn't let us down."
"I'm actually going to miss it. The show is ending in a few weeks, and it feels like saying goodbye to an old friend."
"Don't worry about it. Once Code Geass is done, we still have his four new projects to look forward to."
By March, the fandom felt a sense of mission accomplished after the show surpassed the ratings of Madoka Magica. The fervor of the online discussions began to cool slightly as the story reached its natural conclusion.
Haruto, who hadn't participated in television interviews for nearly six months, finally made time for a few exclusive specials on major networks to provide a final promotional push for the finale.
Generally speaking, while Code Geass had overtaken Madoka in viewership, Haruto knew the numbers were slightly inflated by his own growth. His current following was on a different level compared to four years ago. He openly admitted that the success of Code Geass was built on the shoulders of the fans he gained through Madoka and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Because of that, Haruto was determined to give Code Geass a grand stage for its final act. He wanted to go beyond just beating past records; he wanted to set a benchmark that would be nearly impossible for anyone other than himself to reach in the future.
The animation studio and Tokyo TV1 were pulling out all the stops for the promotion.
They were betting everything on the final episode.
Inside the studio office, Haruto had just finished the script for the latest episode of Slam Dunk when Yukino walked in.
"A TV station wants you for an interview tonight regarding the Code Geass finale. That's the third one this week. Are you going?"
"I'll go," Haruto replied, his voice sounding a bit weary.
Seeing him like this, a flash of sympathy crossed Yukino's eyes.
Even though Haruto was her boyfriend, a part of her still saw him as that high school boy from a few years ago, her cute, straightforward younger brother figure. But ever since he started his ambitious six-project plan, he had been buried in work.
While Pokemon and Doraemon were expensive, their brand building was a long-term process that didn't put an immediate, heavy burden on him.
However, writing the scripts for Slam Dunk, Gurren Lagann, Bakemonogatari, and Fullmetal Alchemist all at once was a massive undertaking.
"Don't worry," Haruto said with a tired smile.
He pulled Yukino down to sit beside him and wrapped an arm around her waist, idly twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. It was a habit they had developed, and she had grown used to it.
"It's just scriptwriting, but when you add in running the company, meetings, and the manga and light novel deadlines, it does get a bit heavy.'
"But humans have an incredible capacity for adaptation," Haruto mused.
"After a while, you get used to the pace. Besides, I have a great team helping me carry the load."
"However," Haruto added, "this is pretty much my limit. If I take on any more, I might actually collapse."
"You're just now realizing you're at your limit?" Yukino gave him a look. "Do you know what people in the industry are calling you lately?"
"What?" Haruto looked at her.
"A lot of people think you're an alien," Yukino laughed, covering her mouth.
"Especially among the screenwriters. They see you managing a company as the CEO while simultaneously writing novels, manga scripts, and four anime series, all while meeting with your university professors for your graduation project. Honestly, I'm starting to wonder myself."
"Haha, well, you caught me. At night, I reveal my true form as an alien who's going to eat you up." Haruto's hand shifted slightly higher on her waist.
Feeling the shift in his mood, Yukino quickly stood up and moved to the chair across from him.
"The company needs you, but you shouldn't push yourself this hard. You said you wanted to rest for a year or two, but now you're doing more than ever. This is a far cry from your original plan." Yukino's face was slightly flushed, but she kept her composure.
"I haven't changed my mind," Haruto smiled. "I still plan to take at least six months to a year off after graduation. But since the people here rely on me, I have to set enough work for them to do while I'm gone."
Yukino blinked, realization dawning on her. "So you're trying to finish all these scripts as fast as possible so you can be a hands-off boss and let them work freely?"
"I can't let them go completely free; I'll still have to supervise the quality. But I won't be in the office every single day," Haruto explained. "I've spent my entire four years of university working. I don't want my life after graduation to be the same." He looked at her intently. "You don't want to spend every moment buried in company either, right? Honestly, I feel like I owe you for making you work so much."
"At least you know," Yukino teased, then softened.
"But I did it willingly. When I'm handling these things, I'm usually right by your side. We might not have as much time for the 'normal' couple stuff, like deep talks about life, but I think we're doing okay."
"I've been thinking. By the time I graduate, I'll have achieved everything I wanted in the industry," Haruto said. "It's time to start thinking about things outside of work."
"Like what?" Yukino asked curiously.
"Well, once I'm no longer a student, I'll be an adult in the eyes of society. I need to start thinking about starting a family," Haruto said, looking directly at her.
"Starting... a family?" Yukino's mind momentarily went blank. It was so sudden.
"What, you don't want to?" Haruto asked, feeling a bit nervous.
"It's not that... it's just... you're already thinking about marriage? That's so far off!" Yukino, usually composed, was suddenly tripping over her words.
"Of course. You didn't think I was a natural-born workaholic who puts career above everything, did you?" Haruto laughed. "In my life plan, career success is secondary. Getting married before I'm thirty is a priority. I've made all this money, and I certainly can't spend it all myself. If I don't have a family to share it with, I might as well retire now. Why work if I could be out enjoying life?"
"But you're only twenty-one," Yukino pointed out.
"But you're twenty-nine. I can wait until I'm thirty, and I know you'd wait for me, but your parents..." Haruto sighed. "I'm worried they'll start pressuring you because of your age, and I don't want to make things hard for you."
Yukino felt a warmth spread through her chest, but she remained stubborn. "Who do you think I am? I don't let my family dictate my life."
Haruto didn't argue. He reached out, took her hand, and asked directly, "So, what's your answer?"
"Hey, what is this? Is this a proposal? Where's the ring?" Yukino's face was bright red.
"It was a sudden topic, so I don't have one right now. I'll make up for it later," Haruto said with a shameless grin.
"You..." Yukino paused. Looking at his smiling face, her heart began to race. Just as she was about to speak, the office door swung open.
Yukino's expression froze, and she immediately pulled herself together. Haruto glared at the door. Who would barge in at such a critical moment? If it was one of the assistants, he was definitely docking their bonus this month.
However, when he saw who it was, his irritation vanished instantly.
"Reina? You should really knock," Haruto said awkwardly.
Yukino, whose back was to the door, went rigid.
Reina had been around frequently lately.
With the massive budgets involved in Haruto's new projects, her signature was required for many of the financial processes. Usually, her office was on a different floor and she didn't disturb him.
The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward.
Haruto felt guilty; Yukino felt embarrassed. They
both knew how Reina felt about Haruto, but they valued her friendship from high school. As long as she wanted to remain in their lives, they didn't want to lose her. But talking about marriage in front of her felt like rubbing salt in a wound.
Had she heard them?
"I did knock, you just didn't hear me," Reina said, looking between the two of them.
Haruto and Yukino exchanged a glance. They had been pretty intense; it was plausible they missed it.
"Did you hear what we were talking about?" Haruto asked with a cough.
Reina was silent for two seconds, her gaze lingering on Yukino. "Was it something secret that I wasn't supposed to hear?"
Both Haruto and Yukino exhaled in relief. The three of them spent a few minutes discussing the company's direction before going their separate ways. Haruto let out a long breath once they were gone, but a bitter smile remained. He was starting to feel a psychological pressure whenever he saw Reina.
As for Yukino, her feelings regarding her best friend were complicated. She cared for Reina, but she could tell the other girl hadn't given up on Haruto. If she had, she would have moved out of the apartment they shared with Haruto long ago. Reina was restraining herself, but how long could that last?
Yukino sighed. Haruto had millions of fans, and more than sixty percent were female. Even if only a tiny fraction of them were actually "in love" with him, that was still tens of thousands of rivals. Haruto was the ultimate catch, rich, talented, and handsome. If Yukino viewed every girl who liked him as an enemy, she'd be fighting a war forever. She wasn't going to turn against her friend over a one-sided crush.
The only person who truly mattered was Haruto himself, and as long as he only had eyes for her, there was no real threat.
After a few brief words in the hallway, Yukino returned to her office.
Meanwhile, Reina stood alone, Haruto's voice echoing in her head. 'So, they were already talking about marriage?'
Behind her calm, beautiful face, a storm was brewing. She had always harbored a quiet hope that Haruto and Yukino would eventually hit a rough patch and break up. It happened to nine out of ten university couples. That was why she hadn't given up even after being rejected. She figured he was just into someone else for now, and she would be there when that changed.
But the conversation she overheard through the door had left her reeling. She had walked in deliberately to stop Yukino from answering.
"I can't just wait anymore," Reina whispered to herself. Waiting wasn't going to produce a good result. Either she had to give up, or she had to take a different kind of action, regardless of their relationship status. She took a deep breath, looked back at Haruto's office, and then at the empty hallway where Yukino had disappeared. Her mind was made up.
Two days later, episode twenty-four of Code Geass aired.
The episode focused on the final confrontation between Lelouch and Schneizel. Under the threat of Schneizel's nuclear F.L.E.I.J.A. weapons, Suzaku fought a desperate battle to create an opening for Lelouch to board the enemy flagship for a decapitation strike. Lelouch couldn't match Schneizel's raw military numbers, but he used his intellect, and a well-timed persuasion, to convince the creator of the nukes, the scientist Nina, to develop a counter-measure.
Schneizel was cornered, but he had one last card to play. The firing key for the remaining warheads was in the hands of Nunnally.
If she kept firing, the world would be consumed in a nuclear holocaust. Lelouch wouldn't win, and Schneizel wouldn't lose.
The revelation that Nunnally was actually willing to fire the weapons, willing to kill her own brother for the sake of Schneizel's twisted peace, sent the fans into a tailspin. Only Lelouch's genius and Nina's counter-weapon had kept him alive. Lelouch eventually used Geass to command Schneizel and made his way to Nunnally's ship to take the firing key by force.
This episode set the stage for the grand finale, and Nunnally's popularity hit an all-time low. The audience, having a bird's-eye view of the story, knew everything Lelouch did was for her sake. And yet, after being influenced by Schneizel for just a few days, she was willing to sacrifice Lelouch's forces to save the world.
At the end of the episode, Lelouch stood before Nunnally. The siblings were meeting face-to-face, but this time, they were enemies.
The hatred and disgust on her face as she faced her tyrant brother, the man she saw as the source of all chaos, crushed the fans' last hopes.
Lelouch had traveled this long, bloody road... for what?
He had pursued power and become the player on the chessboard specifically so his sister would never again be used as a pawn by politicians. But in the end, his own sister was his final opponent, and regardless of who won, she would hate him forever.
The very first line of the series rang through the minds of every viewer.
"The power of the King will condemn you to a life of solitude."
Was this the author's final blow?
To strip Lelouch of the one thing he loved most, the trust and affection of his sister?
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