The ending was surprisingly good. Rather than the trainwreck I was expecting, it really delivered a pretty good solid ending that exceeded my expectations and made me cry. Some elements didn't make much sense, but I'm not about to complain. The bigger picture made up for the lack of explanation of the smaller details.
So... rather than a good 20 minutes of fighting -- which was what I was actually expecting -- we only get half the episode of confrontations and battling. Kallen and Suzaku have one final confrontation and she proves to be quite a match for him, as even his "live on" geass is having trouble keeping him alive. At the end of their skirmish, Kallen's Guren shuts down but she manages to pierce Suzaku's sakuradite core, which causes his Lancelot frame to explode with him inside of it. Since Kallen's knightmare frame no longer has any power, she falls off the edge of Damocles and is caught by Gino's Tristan despite how beat-up it already is.
Meanwhile, Anya and Jeremiah are locked in a pretty heated battle, which ends with Jeremiah tearing off the cockpit covering and about to stab Anya when she says that she has no memories. He realizes that she's been geassed before and uses his geass cancellor on her.
At the same time, Lelouch did not disappoint me at all in any way with the way his character development has gone. When confronted with the choice of geassing Nunnally or not, he actually chose to geass her and take the key to Damocles. If this had been some other story, the main character usually becomes weakened in front of their loved one and fails to carry out their plan so then everything fails and they die. However, the nice thing about Code Geass is that the writers made sure Lelouch stayed true to his character and he actually geassed Nunnally to get the key. He did so after learning of her intentions being the same as his, and due to his promise to Suzaku of carrying out their "Zero Requiem" plan, he had to have the key by all means so he geassed her. Right before she breaks free of the trance, he tells her that he loves her, which she doesn't hear. When she snaps back and sees the key in his hand, she tries to chase after him in the floating chair, but cannot move any further at the stairs and falls down. Lelouch only keeps moving away and then declares to the world that he is now the ruler of the world, meaning that he's won the war.
Two months later, Lelouch controls everything in the world and is known as a dictator. He parades through Japan with Schneizel and Nunnally chained to his float (almost reminds me of Princess Leia from Return of the Jedi). The world news has no choice but to report everything he does as justified since he will kill anyone who defies him. All of the people who have rebelled against Lelouch are now also paraded out to be humiliated and killed, except for a few who managed to go into hiding (like Villetta whom stayed behind in Peng Lai and Cornelia plus Guilford). When Villetta sees Ougi tied up in a prisoners trap, she wants to rush out and save him, but Cornelia stops her.
Just then everyone notices a familiar figure in the distance and sees that it's Zero. The Black Knights and everyone else are shocked, and even Lelouch looks astonished. Jeremiah orders for the Knightmares to fire at Zero, which he successfully dodges with quick speed and agility -- in that very familiar zig-zag that we all remember quite well of some other athletic being than the former. Jeremiah then decides to take on Zero, but he successfully jumps on him, lands on Nunnally's platform before launching himself up to where Lelouch is. Zero takes out his sword and takes the stabbing pose after swiping Lelouch's gun out of his hands. Milly, Rivalz, and Kallen all look shocked to see this, but Kallen then understands Lelouch's true aim as she sees Zero ready to kill Lelouch.
In a flashback, we see that this has all been a part of Lelouch's plan. Suzaku survived his Knightmare explosion despite the fact that the public views him as deceased -- there is even a gravestone set out for him -- and in the flashback, he asks Lelouch if it's really ok with him to die. Lelouch says that the world now directs all their hatred toward him and so all it needs is for a hero to kill him. He hands Suzaku the Zero mask and tells him to give the Black Knights the legend of their hero. He also promises to die at Suzaku's hands (as a way to atone for Euphemia's death). He also tells Suzaku that he believes geass to be a wish-bringer. Because one cannot do some things, the geass asks of others to do it for them. So he believes the geass brings about wishes and the wishes of the people are for tomorrow.
Back in the present, Suzaku as Zero stabs Lelouch and the emperor collapses against the masked hero. Suzaku is crying inside the Zero costume, while Lelouch looks content as he leans against him. Lelouch tells Suzaku that this is a punishment for Suzaku as well (Lelouch dying and Suzaku living are their ways to atone), that Suzaku has to live forever behind a mask and be the hero of the people. He can never go back to being Kururugi Suzaku and will sacrifice his happiness forever for the people. And upon hearing this, Suzaku tells Lelouch that he definitely accepted this geass (meaning the wish of bringing justice to the people). Suzaku then removes the sword from Lelouch's chest and Lelouch staggers to the edge where he tumbles and slides down the slope to where Nunnally is chained to. Eyes wide and shocked, she notices his satisfied and dying expression and takes his hand. After-images of Lelouch's plan with Suzaku and C.C. are revealed and Nunnally understands her brother's true aim. She tells him that she loves him and begs for him to open his eyes. Meanwhile, C.C. is praying in a church and she cries for Lelouch's death as well. Back on the parade float, Lelouch's last words are "I destroy words and create them..." When he finally dies, Nunnally sobs while the rest of the crowd breaks into joy and chaos as they release all the prisoners and chant, "Zero." Toudou is shocked and in disbelief, but Kallen says that Zero (Suzaku) is Zero (their hero), to keep Lelouch's plan going. The scene is incredibly heart-breaking as we listen to Nunnally's sobbing throughout the chanting.
Much later, Kallen narrates all that has happened since Lelouch's death. She is now attending Ashford Academy once more and her mother has moved back in with her. The world has become a much better place and uses words over violence to solve matters. Nunnally is now a major politician with Zero as her advisor and Schneizel (under geass) serving them. Villetta and Ougi have married and now own a bar. Tamaki and the rest of the Black Knight members help out at the bar (or frequent it as well). Meanwhile, Jeremiah and Anya work at an orange plantation (what irony) and Damocles is destroyed. Elsewhere, C.C. is dressed in countryside garments and resting on top of a hay wagon and she talks to a dead Lelouch about how the power of the geass should make one alone, but he has proven that that is not the case. The screen pans to a small origami crane and thus concludes Code Geass.
Impression:
Very well done and I'm very satisfied with the ending. If they ever do anything else with this series, it will most likely be C.C.-centered and an OAV, but for now the series is definitely over. C.C. didn't get to die like she wanted to, but perhaps this leaves some room for Sunrise to make an OAV to end her story as well. For now, we have ended Lelouch's part. After all, it's technically Lelouch of the Rebellion that we've just watched. In any case, even if they don't make any more of anything for this series, that's ok 'cause I like it the way it is.
As for Suzaku living as Zero for the rest of his life, I really think it's a good way for him to live in a way 'cause he's wanted to die all this time to atone for killing his father, so what other good way is there to die than to live as someone else for the rest of your life? It's sad, but I felt that it was very fitting. Someone has to look after Nunnally after all, and Lelouch needed to die to atone for his own sins so it was perfect. I guess in the end, all I want to say is that I'm so happy that Suzaku didn't die T__T. He really is my favorite character regardless of any of his flaws.
Listening to all the other people rant and rave about Lelouch dying despite being the title character while Suzaku, Ougi, Nina, and Villetta lives is kind of stupid. I mean really... I personally don't find much fault in any of the other characters other than Nina, but since she's been redeemed, I can't really hate her all that much. With all that Villetta and Ougi went through, it's no wonder that they'd betray Lelouch, so hearing people badmouth them is kind of dumb. I personally like the couple and am glad that they survived.
I'm always such an oddball, I like all the characters that others hate... But yeah... I loved the ending ^_^
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