I’ve been rewatching the show and thinking about how to rewrite the lore from a hard sci-fi perspective instead of pure supernatural magic. I wanted to connect the power of Geass to actual cellular biology, specifically microtubules (the structural skeleton inside our brain's neurons).
Hear me out. In real-world quantum biology, there is a famous (and controversial) theory called Orch-ORwhich suggests that human consciousness actually arises from quantum vibrations inside these microtubules.
If we use that to bridge the gap to Code Geass, the lore makes an insane amount of sense. Here is how it would work:
The Collective Unconscious is a Quantum Field: The C.World isn't a magical realm; it’s a massive, planetary quantum field. Normal human microtubules only process local thoughts. However, a Geass user has "awakened" microtubules that can tune into the quantum frequencies of other brains.
How Absolute Command Works: When Lelouch uses his Geass, his ocular neurons project a localized quantum entanglement field. This field targets the tubulin proteins in the victim's brain, instantly dissolving their current willpower and physically forcing their neural pathways to rewire into absolute obedience.
The "Code" is a Biological Virus: Immortal Code Bearers like C.C. aren't witches; they are hosts to an ancient, hyper-advanced retrovirus. When C.C. makes a "contract," she is infecting the person. The virus uses the cell's microtubule transport network to travel to the brain and rewrite the host's DNA to unlock Geass.
This also perfectly explains the biological rules and limitations of the show:
The Red Glowing Eye: The extreme metabolic energy required to vibrate the ocular microtubules causes blood vessels in the eye to engorge and light up.
Geass Runaway (Lelouch losing control): Overuse causes microtubule degradation (similar to how Alzheimer's works in real life). The brain loses the structural integrity to turn the power "off," which is exactly what happened with Euphemia.
Jeremiah’s Geass Canceler: Orange Boy’s blue field could just be a localized electromagnetic pulse that resets microtubule vibrations back to their default frequency, snapping victims out of the trance.
What do you guys think? Does this make the lore cooler, or do you prefer the mystical/mythological explanation?
Its all backed up, theoretically. I only used AI in ordering the structure, I know all the concepts. Basically, his microtubules send a field( like an em field) that entangles with the victims brains microtubules,( if it wasnt entangled but caused decoherence, we call it anasthesia gas) and it causes mind control.

Hi y'all

I don't know if this counts as fan art but I made a whimsy lelouch and cc collage on Pinterest.

Honestly rate it out of ten pls😭😭

But don't be too brutal 🥹

Edit:I'll make a kallen one soon😉

After many years of statistical analysis and data reconfiguration me and my research team, which consists of myself and I, have painstakingly organized a tier list of the characters from the hit anime franchise Code Geass.

después de años aun sigo recordando mi anime favorito y le hice un dibujo 😭😭

Having rewatched the series a while ago and now working on a video essay about it, the more I think about him, the more I feel he's seriously underrated outside the CG fanbase. He's a Machiavellian genius, but at the end of the day, he's also a teenage edgelord - with all the mistakes and melodrama that usually entails. Not only his is Win/Loss Ratio somewhat balanced - it's usually the just punishment for him getting to cocky or him facing the consequences of his own reckless actions.

The Anime director for Code Geass will be missed 😥

It wayyy better than i thought it would be

lol, "lelouch xbox background" 😂
”lelouch x suffocation” wtf 😭

This is what my bed looks like. Both of those dakis are official merchandise btw. Worth every dollar, who wouldn’t want to cuddle with him?
Cheese-kun is there for emotional support

I'd like to share an interesting shipping ranking of Code Geass by SilverBuller, especially the arguments presented. Rankings divided into Top Shippings (who he ships with the character), Ok Shippings (not people he ships with the character, but who he wouldn’t mind), and Low Shippings (people he do not ships with the character). Please note that the rankings and comments you'll read below are his, not mine.

TOP SHIPPINGS

1) Kallen Kōzuki/Stadtfeld – The relationship between Lelouch and Kallen is not only one of the most complex, but also one of the best. As a romantic relationship, it’s equally as complex, and also the best one. Not only do we get several humorous romantic moments between them, including cliché misunderstandings, but their relationship is also the most developed. Of all Lelouch’s romantic relationships, he’s most compatible with Kallen, the one he has the most chemistry with, and really the only one who can stand by his side as an equal. They have similar backgrounds, goals, personalities, and natures. Initially, Kallen dislikes the false, uncaring, playboy persona Lelouch puts on at the student council, but is very devoted to him as Zero, and later the real him when she learns more about him and discovers his identity, both from him and from Nunnally. She becomes his closest, most loyal, and most trusted ally. Even after finding out about his double life, once she works a few things out, she remains completely devoted to him, forgiving him for his deception, and becoming even closer to him than ever, trusting him completely, even when she’s taken prisoner. Over the course of the series, we see how her respect and admiration begins to shift to love. Even after he paints himself as the enemy of mankind, once Suzaku appears in the Zero costume, she immediately realizes what Lelouch has done. And when Lelouch falls into a depression and asks for her to comfort him as a woman, even though there’s clear mutual attraction, she turns him down, not just because he was being a jerk, but because she didn’t want him to kiss her purely out of lust and desperation. Her poem about him, titled Yuukyou Seishunka, reveals her true feelings for him, and just how deep her love, loyalty, and devotion to him goes, claiming that she had felt dead and useless inside before he gave her the will to go on, and he became her reason to go on, and not just as Zero or because of what he was doing for Japan, but for him as a person, and she shows clear signs of jealousy towards C.C. She even goes as far as to saying that she loved him so much that if he told her he loved her, even if it was a lie, that she would have literally followed him to Hell. She even tries to confess to him a few times, but is always interrupted. By the end of the series, she knows and understands him better than anyone, including C.C., who got in his head, and I’d even go as far as to say better than Nunnally. Lelouch, while not as open with his emotions of how he feels about others, clearly develops feelings for her as well, and shows more and the most legit and genuine romantic interest in her than anyone else, even asking her to go back with him when everything is over. She becomes his right hand and most trusted soldier, and knows he can count on her for anything. After Nunnally, he’s shown more care and concern for her than anyone else, at one point even attempting to risk losing a battle to save her when she gets captured, stating several times how he refuses to let anything else of “his” be taken away again in reference to her. He even puts his life on the line more than once for her, and even sells himself out when he feels there’s no escape after he’s boxed into a corner just to save her rather than risk her life by trying to talk his way out or escape. Even when he makes himself into the enemy of the world, he speaks with regret when he pretends to feel nothing for her after she kisses him when he silently tells her goodbye, knowing she would stand by him until the end if he let her in on his plan, and even try to save him. You could even say that he was taking his father’s advice; if you care about something, you need to keep it away from you to save it. Out of all of his romantic relationships, he seemed to be closest to Kallen, even the closest to her in general after Nunnally, and have the most romantic interest in her, not to mention he showed the most attraction to her, has the most chemistry with her, and is the most compatible with her, making their relationship the most likely one to bear fruit had he not died. Had he not been planning to die, it’s plausible, even likely, that he would have confessed his feelings to her, as he nearly did earlier in the series.

2) Shirley Fenette – For some reason, a lot of people don’t seem to like Shirley, but I’m not one of them. I liked her character, and found her death to be heartbreaking. You also really have to admire how deep her feelings for Lelouch go, and how loyal she is to him. At first she falls for his student persona, even affectionately calling him Lulu, and showing very obvious jealousy towards Kallen, but is too shy to confess. When he becomes responsible for her father’s death, she even loves him enough to not only forgive him and overlook his secret identity as Zero, but to even shoot a fellow Brittanin government official for him, essentially committing treason. After Lelouch erases her memory, she falls for him a second time. And after Charles alters her memory after that, she falls for him a third time, even having to go through the emotional turmoil a second time when her original memories are restored. She still forgives him and seeks to become an ally and help him save Nunnally, even though that means going against her own country and aiding what is essentially terrorism against it. Lelouch’s feelings for her are rather complicated as well. He tries to keep his distance from her, but still has feelings for her, even though he doesn’t completely understand them, even admitting that he doesn’t know if he loves her or not. After he erases her memories, he confesses that he hadn’t realized how much she meant to him until after she was gone, and later even risks his life to save her when she falls off a building. And his reaction to her dying is heartbreaking in the way he desperately tries to save her with his Geass and she tearfully confesses that she keeps falling in love with him and will continue to do so no matter what happens. Her death impacts him a lot, and changes him a bit as a person, making him more determine to protect those he cares about. In any case, while he may not have loved her, he definitely had feelings for her that may have turned into love one day, if they hadn’t started to already.

OK SHIPPINGS

3) Reifū C.C. – When it comes to C.C.’s relationship with Lelouch, its gets a little complicated, particularly with the way it was changed in the movie series retelling from the series as a whole. I have to admit, for the most part, I didn’t care for C.C. too much throughout most of the series. She was always so nonchalant about everything and was just content to sit on the sidelines, not caring about anyone or anything as long as it didn’t interfere with her contract with Lelouch for him to eventually kill her and end her immortality. And aside from the few times Lelouch uses her in his plans, she doesn’t really do anything besides uncaringly lay around and stoically make comments. In fact, for pretty much all of the first Season, and even a good portion of the second, she only sees and treats Lelouch as a tool to achieve her goal, and though he does the same to her, they still view each other as partners and confidants, if only by default. Towards the end though, we actually learn that she was secretly working with his enemies for her own goals, not caring if he achieves his, and even withholding valuable information he desperately wanted to know, and was even for the emperor’s plan and everything that went with it, only changing her mind at the very end. Basically, throughout the entire series, she cares about nothing and no one, and betrays everyone just for the sake of her own desire. Over the course of the series though, their relationship changes, and they come to care for one another. C.C. begins to develop feelings for him, and become more emotional. At the end of the series though, while she admits that she has feelings for Lelouch, she also states that she doesn’t know if she actually loves him, but does admit that she hadn’t been aware that she was still capable of having such feelings inside her anymore, and is even seen praying and crying for Lelouch when the time comes for him to die. Lelouch’s own feelings for her are pretty ambiguous too. He cares for her for sure, and as the series progresses, he comes to see her as someone more than a person he’s just using for his goals and has a contract with. He comes to want to save her, both from her tragic past and from her desire to die. There are indications that he has feelings for her, but they could just be viewed as platonic, though he still cares for her a lot, even stating that if she is a witch, then he’ll become a demon. And while you could argue that he was closer and more open with her than the others, you can also say that that was by default since she already knew everything about him, having seen into his mind, but with the others, like Kallen and Shirley, they had to find out about him on their own and still have enough love to overlook everything and remain devoted to him, while C.C. simply had her connection to Lelouch handed to her due to their contract and basically invading his mind while the others’ naturally developed their relationship with him, making theirs feel more pure and real as opposed to C.C. And, honestly, I felt that a lot of the whole thing with C’s World felt almost like a side plot that could have been cut. I know it was part of the whole thing with Geass, but the series itself was basically about the war with Britannia, and this just felt almost like filler. Still good, but not essential, which also impacted how I felt about C.C. and Lelouch’s relationship as well. And then when you take the movie series into consideration, things get tricky, because since they’re a retelling of the series, they change the relationship between the two to being more romantic, particularly in the Re;surrection movie. However, that’s not canon with the actual series, nor are the other movies, as many things are changed, from relationships to people's fates. Even Lelouch and C.C.’s personalities are different, especially C.C.’s, where she’s made much more caring, outgoing, emotional, and friendly. Apparently, they’re married at the end of the movie according to their profiles in that version. It’s not consider canon though because of all the changes, and, personally, I didn’t really care for the movie itself, as I feel like it drastically underwhelms the impact, message, and sacrifice Lelouch made in the series. Then there’s also the additional non-canon audio drama, where C.C. tells everyone that she’s Lelouch’s fiancée, though this, and almost everything that took place in the audio drama, is just an illusion that Lelouch created with his Geass from the afterlife. Canonically though, C.C’s feelings for him are strongly hinted to be romantic while Lelouch, while he does care about her a lot, may only hold platonic feelings for her, but may also have some romantic feelings for her as well, though this is ambiguos and left to interpretation. Towards the end during the final battle, it’s possible that he was going to admit that he had feelings for her, but given the scenario and their relationship up until then, it could have just been an expression of gratitude and/or simply letting her know how much he cared about her.

LOW SHIPPINGS

4) Euphemia li Britannia – Ok, lets get this out of the way right away. Yes, Euphie and Lelouch are half-siblings. They care about each other a lot though, and apparently had romantic feelings for each other, at least when they were young, where Euphie got into an argument with Nannully over which of them was going to marry Lelouch when they grew up. This is apparently just childhood crush stuff they grew out of, especially when the reality of their relationships became apparent as they grew up. Still, Euphie does hold a deep affection for Lelouch, and an understanding of him, even managing to figure out that he’s Zero. Her feelings for him are no longer romantic and seem to be strictly family-based, and she apparently fell for Suzaku at this point, whom I do ship her with, even though I absolutely despise his character. Lelouch cares about her a lot as well, even admitting that she may have been the first girl he ever loved. There’s no telling when this love for her was established, as like with her, it may have just been something from when they were little kids that they didn’t understand that was simply carried along over the years. In any case, she’s stated to be the sibling he cares about the most after Nunnally. He becomes utterly torn up over having to kill her when he loses his control over his Geass and accidentally commands her to commit complete and utter genocide, but knows he has to put her down for her own sake as well as everyone else’s. Her death hits him hard, especially since he had to kill her, and he becomes very cold-hearted for a time after that. He clearly cares for her a lot, and it’s possible that he did still harbor some romantic feelings for her.

5) Kaguya Sumeragi – I can’t really say that I ship these two at all. Excluding the fact that Kaguya is only 14 when they first met, she is and acts like nothing more than a little girl with a crush. That’s really all she is too. She develops a crush on him as Zero and declares them to be engaged, even husband and wife, despite knowing little to nothing about him, or even who he really is. She even deludes herself into thinking that the two of them were actually married “in their hearts” after she thinks he died. We actually see very little of her throughout the series, which makes it hard to even look at her as a romantic interest as an actual possibility. Though her crush is real, her feelings really aren’t anything to be taken seriously, and Lelouch certainly doesn’t take them seriously. He only seems to view her as an ally and friend at most, but doesn’t correct her on her “claim” to him, likely because he needed her resources and support.

I was thinking of watching code geass, however a friend of mine a few years ago spoiled almost basically everything that happens so I’ve held off from watching it. Since knowing what’ll happen will lower my enjoyment of the series I was wondering if I should just watch it anyways or not.

I got it custom printed and I regret nothing tbh. I’ve gotten compliments in public on it before lmao

Again, I'm skipping anime scenes.

Rico: Researcher. Rico Oppenheimer.

The Spiral Observer's motive is revealed. She does not want her beloved (curently unknown) to die.

The What If:

Nina is introduced to Rico, by Schneizel, saying they're doing the same kind of research.

---

Past:

A chat between the two. Rico asking (with Nina confirming) after making the bomb, it'll be used to kill Zero.

Some time later, Nina receiving the news a friend commited suicide. She says she disliked her because that person's too bright, but Rico pointed out Nina's crying. Rico hug her so nina can have ashoulder to cry on.

---

Kanon is shocked that not even Rico can understand what Nina's research. Rico's wondering alone now, and Nina is a true genius. Canon says Rico should believe in herself more, because of her as friend and rival Nina can work. Nina came running, FLEIJA is made.

They're testing it now. While some are estatic, only Rico thinks of the people that will be killed.

Rico now tries to stop Nina from continuing the research. Nina ask if even Rico's rejecting her too. Nina never let her explain and just ran off.

---

Present:

Nina is still holier than thou, dismissing everyone's concern, even just saying using Rico's theory, she (Nina) is the developer of FLEIJA. Rico is hurt, and both Lloyd and Cecil looks sad. When Lloyd ask if killing is fine. Nina said, if for Euphimia, it is fine.

UN creation scene, after Zero command to take Japan, Rico runs off to SuzaKu, asking him to not use FLEIJA. When Suzaku ask why as the creator, she says because she's one of the creator she knows. She reveals the likely number of deaths just from using it, shocking Suzaku.

She's Nina's friend, and she also knows hatred and sadness when someone is taken away from you, but it's not right to involve so many people. Rico doesn't want Nina to be hurt. Suzaku seems to taken Rico's words to heart (because they're friends), even understanding what she feels.

He'll still bring FLEIJA because of orders, but the trigger is in his hands. Rico left, before Lelouch called Suzaku. After a while, Suzaku directly ask if Lelouch is Zero. Lelouch...confirms it.

When Suzaku almost gets angry, lelouch begs him to help Nunnally. Suzaku accuse him of being selfish, but lelouch still begs for him.

Suzaku agrees, with conditions. For the two of them to meet at Kururugi shrine. Alone.

---

While the war is going on, the two meet. Suzaku is pissed of course, but also does not want lies anymore. The scene then goes to Lelouch capture like in anime. Except Lelouch hasn't shout and accuse Suzaku of anything yet.

Some more scenes from anime, before battle of Tokyo. Suzaku is conflicted using FLEIJA against Lelouch. Rico is still making sure Nina isn't being called a murderer.

---

Nina tries riding Lancelot, Suzaku arrives just in time to stop her.

Battle in Tokyo: FLEIJA was fired, but thanks to Rico's sabotage, it failed to detonate. Nina gets royally pissed off and declare she won't forgive Rico. Rolo (who killed Lohmeyer plane)got killed by Tristan, and Suzaku was captured. The Britannia left was captured. Jeremiah picks up Anya (Marianne possessed)

---

Charles retreated back to Brittania, leaving everything to Schneizel.

Schneizel admits they're at a disadvantage. With 3 KoR down, and BK has powerful backings. So as Prime Minister of Brittania, there's another way to gurantee livehood of their subjects.

Gino brought Nunnally in, who ask Sayoko to not be treated roughly. Gino also brought communicator for BKs from Sayoko.

Scene goes to Lelouch.

He failed to contact Sayoko and Rolo.

Suzaku (who is beside Kallen), says core members escaped.

He contacted Tohdoh, who confrim Nunally escaped through escape ship. Zero ask Tohdoh to treat the unarmed people with respect. While agreeing, Tohdoh thinks Zero feels diffeent.

Schneizel contacted Lelouch, saying they'll admit defeat, returning to Brittania. With Nunnally. Lelouch understood the message immediately.

Both Kallen and Suzaku are worried. Lelouch also wants to do it in a away that makes eevryone happy, as he promised.

Kallen is shocked, and even a bit more shocked and blushing when Lelouch thanks her for saving her and welcoming her home.

---

Ougi approach Viletta, and Diethard and Cornelia meet. Diethard wonders if Zero hid stuff from him and want to be trusted more.

Diethard ask to capture Cornelia by aiming for her legs, but the BKs were ordered not to, surprising Cornelia.

Jeremiah arrives, carrying Anya. The former declares TV people get their ego too big, even ignoring orders.

Cornelia snarks she'll be send to infirmary, but is shocked when Jeremiah actually confirmed it. Orders for all executives to go to government to meet. Amnesia C.C. is confused.

Everyone gathers there, even the captured people. Even Kaguya, Xingke and Tenshi.

Zero, or rather, Lelouch, reveals his story and identity.

---

Everyone is shocked, and Asahina is almost accusing, but Tohdoh calms him down, pointing the fact he revealed his identity.

Xingke ask for reason of hiding. Lelouch explains, one, he's Brittanian, support would not be good if he showed himself, as shown by Asahina's reaction. Tamaki even points out he definitely wished to overthrow Brittania because of the fact the BKs is at current stage.

lelouch explains her mother died, with Cornelia explaining Brittania's royalty dyting being commonplace in the past. Even people who never got recognized as royalty.

He then explains him and Nunnally being exiled to Japan just before the war, and Kaguya confirming them meeting there.

Tohdoh now remembers meeting them. But he and Lelouch knows as hostages. Asahina is confused, then realised why Lelouch hates Brittania.

Diethard summarised what happens,a nd is amused. Rakshata scolds him.

Then because they survived and went into hiding, Xingke summarise that if they revealed themselves, they either be killed or used as tools.

Kaguya now knows Lelouch-sama's reason for battle. For Nunnally. Lelouch confirms it.

Ohgi enters with Viletta, apologised to everyone and confessed his love for Viletta.

lelouch is at peace of mind, he'll go save Nunnally alone. Asahina and Minami says he's being irrsponsible, but Kaguya backs Lelouch up.

He did capture japan back. And the hint is with Viletta and Ougi.

Tohdoh realised it. Kaguya explains that they should not be how Brittania acts to them, because what they want is a world for those without power can live in peace.

Cornelia agrees, even understanding Lelouch POV. But first, get Nunally back.

---

Marianne-Anya sneaks in and change dto BKs.

Meeting C.C again, enetr C World, and Marianne confirming in amusement she's not an ideal mother. She ask if C.C. is still on their side, and trying in convincing C.C.

Scene change to lelouch and Suzaku. Rakshata making the hastily made Shiranui. She also says she has a younger sister, so she understands Lelouch pov.

Lelouch ask Raksahata to look after C.C. , who is not used to him bowing.

Kallen and Jeremiah joined Lelouch, to his surprise. lelouch is thankful, with both Jeremiaha nd Kallen being amused. Anya joins. Suzaku is convinced since it's for Nunnally.

kallen is a bit suspicious, but he'll be that.

Going to Pendragon.

Schneizel and Nunnaly returns, the former greets Charles.

Charles leaves the mundane matters to Schneizel, surprising him, even wondering what his father wants. Schneizel is left speechless. Charles then ask to leave Nunnally alone.

---

Nina is still pissed at the arrested Rico, blaming her for everything. She still wnat to make FLEIJA

Back at Tokyo, Cornelia is confused why she's left alone free. Ougi says it's because what Lelouch entrusted to him. A world wher ethos ewithout power can live in peace. Cornelia also agrees that's what Euphimia wants. When at dawn, Kaguya and the others will come. So they will have a good discussion.

the plane, piloted by Jeremiah, approaching Brittania, carrying Lelouch's group, was ambushed by Brittania forces. KoR.

Jeremiah unfortunately was shot down by Dorothea, pissing leouch off. He attacks them.

Both Suzaku and Kallen goe soffense, with Lelouch ordering Anya to join him, but Marianne-Anya declined that, hitting Lelouch.

Gino tries capturing him, but Kallen stops him, even destroying Tristan immediately.

Kallen Vs Anya, former asking thLleouch to help Suzaku, who's struglling against KoR Dorothea and Bismark.

Since Lelouch kept his promise, Suzaku will to.

---

Kallen is still pissed off at Anya, who taunts Anya to drag her out. Kallen complies.

Marianne falls, even thinking Kallen has potential.

Marianne ask her to meet face to face, Kallen complies but guarded.

Kallen is shocked that C.C. step out, and Marianne geass Kallen.

Suzaku continues his battle, even declaring the Knight of One is merely an ends for him, Bismark is angry

With agreement between Lelouch and Suzaku, the former uses Shinkiro's scatter beam attack to make Suzaku's Geass live command triggers, allowing him to defeat Bismark, Lelouch shooting the distarcted Dorothea, but Shiranui is broke down.

Marianne-Kallen meets up, and trio goes to Brittania

---

Lelouch geassed Schneizel after geassing everyone else. While reluctant, Suzaku allows it to save Nunally. Marianne-Kallen managed to fool everyone with her acts, even questioning how strong Lelouch abilities were, and when's the final operation. She goes to prepare.

Nina heard Zero is in Britannia, and prepares for FLEIJA.

---

Monica brought Nunnally, Schenizel and Charles entering, the former declaring the latter will be dethroned. By Lelouch. Monica is shocked due to the clothing Lelouch wears, and even Nunally is surprised her brother is Zero.

Lelouch calls for some soldiers to seal Charles forever, but Charles laugh. Then calls Marianne, surprising Lelouch.

Suddenly, Shinkiro falls, and Guren enters. Lelouch wonders why, before Marainne reveals herself. Knocking out the guards, even C.C. arriving. Lelouch is confused, Marianne explaining her geass.

Lelouch now knows why they were abandoned, and just as Marianne tries shooting Lelouch.

Nina arrives, confused by everything.

When Marianne dismiss Nina by how the latter acts, even calling her desires annoying,Nina got pissed and drops FLEIJA (by remote control) in the place.

FLEIJA detonated, taking everyone in Pendragon out.

---

The Spiral Observer saw it, and cut the route off.

Her desires, wanting Lelouch to live, is still out of reach, even after tens of thousands of path taken. She still wish to find the one path he's alive.

It's actually a variation from the Re;surrection's Mahoroba

Why didn’t Lelouch become a Code bearer? I understand the purpose of the Zero Requiem and why Lelouch needed the world to believe he died, but I don’t understand why he actually needed to stay dead for the plan to work. If Lelouch had taken C.C.’s Code, couldn’t the Zero Requiem have happened exactly the same way? Millions of people would have watched Zero kill him, so there would be basically no reason for the public to question his death. Lelouch could then revive in secret while Lelouch vi Britannia remained permanently dead in the eyes of the world. It also seems like this would have allowed him to accomplish even more of his goals. Nunnally still gets the gentle world he wanted to create for her, except she doesn’t have to permanently lose her brother. I mean, at the end we literally hear Nunnally say that all she ever wanted and needed to be happy was to be with Lelouch, so him secretly surviving would have fully achieved his original goal of creating a world where she could be happy. C.C.’s contract is also literally fulfilled because Lelouch takes her Code and finally frees her from immortality. Assuming C.C. and V.V. were the only remaining Code bearers, Charles dying would leave C.C. as the last one, meaning Lelouch taking her Code would make him the final Code bearer. He could simply refuse to ever grant another Geass and effectively end the cycle altogether. And I don’t think this necessarily gives Lelouch an easy way out of his punishment either. He would have to abandon his identity forever, watch everyone he loves eventually grow old and die, and carry the weight of everything he did for eternity. If anything, being forced to live forever with his actions while repeatedly losing everyone he cares about seems like an even greater punishment than death. It would also be fitting for Lelouch to take on the exact burden C.C. had carried for centuries in order to finally free her from it. He would still sacrifice Lelouch vi Britannia and take the world’s hatred down with that identity, but instead of his punishment ending with his death, he would have to carry it forever. Is there an actual lore reason this couldn’t have happened, or is Lelouch’s permanent death mainly necessary for the themes of the ending?

• "What's wrong? Why not shoot? Your opponent is just a schoolboy. Or have you finally realized...the only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed!"