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Code Geass was a series that was crafted with a vision no one saw coming. A character as smart as Lelouch choosing to take on the Britannian army while still being a high-schooler seems more like a fever dream. However, for someone with his wit, it was more than possible. He had the mind to execute the most overly thought-out missions that would put Aizen’s plans to shame.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion | Credit: Studio SunriseIn only two seasons, the series managed to show us viewers what it is like to see someone as young as Lelouch grow and fall. To strive for a rule of absolute freedom to becoming what he hates the most, the series perfectly summed up the line ‘You either die a hero or you live long enough to become the villain.’
Code Geass Gave All the Burden to One Man
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion’s ending is something no fan can get out of their head. The way it caught everyone off guard was a testament to how perfectly the writers had captured the audience within the story. During an interview with Animage (via Tumblr), co-creator Ichirou Okouchi talked about how Lelouch becoming a villain in the end and writing his own fate was the perfect imaginable ending.
Lelouch Vi Britannia | Credit: Studio SunriseIn my opinion, the show had a happy ending, not a bad one. In episode 7 of season 1, during Lelouch’s conversation with C.C., there is this line: ‘There is no meaning to a life in which you’re only just being alive.’ Lelouch saved his beloved sister and realized his own version of a kind world. His life had not been in vain. This is the reason why Lelouch smiled in the end.
Throughout the series, Lelouch only had one goal, to free Japan from the Britannian rule. First, he created a symbol of fear and rebellion: Zero. Then he built on that image to start an entire coup against his father and all those who had wronged not only him but also everyone he cared for.
In a sad reality, Lelouch vi Britannia would have made the perfect ruler. However, as fate would have it, Charles’ death alone couldn’t make the Britannians and Japanese people live in unity. They needed a figure to fear, someone who could ensure that only under an iron fist would the world join hands. That person was the protagonist himself.
Give the World a Symbol of Unity
Lelouch gave up his own life for the sake of everyone around him. In the process, it he broke the hearts of every single person who ever cared for him. It was only Suzaku and Nunally, who had learned to feel emotions through touch, who understood why he became a ruthless dictator. Icihirou Okouchi addressed how fans wouldn’t find the ending to be a happy one.
Suzaku Kururugi kills Lelouch Lamperouge | Credit: Studio SunriseThere are probably a lot of people who think of it as a bad end, a tragedy, considering the protagonist’s, Lelouch’s end as well. However, Lelouch says in the first episode: ‘Only those prepared to be shot are allowed to pull the trigger themselves.’
If you were to think of that as his pride, then I think his getting shot (killed) in the end was a logical end. Of course, I understand that not all of the viewers will accept this ending. There were people who wanted a happier ending, after all.
Many would think it to be a horrible ending, considering that no one wants to see their beloved protagonist die at the hands of his best friend. People may find their hearts broken upon seeing what happened but there is an unsaid understanding about why there was no other way. Lelouch was burdened by his cause.
He knew that once he started his journey towards freedom, he alone might be the one who could not live to see it. The act in itself was beyond selfless. For the audience, he was a hero. Characters like Suzaku and Nunally, who mattered the most to him, also knew. His journey was one of sacrifice and turmoil, and as said by the protagonist himself, sacrificing others for a cause is only fair when one can sacrifice oneself too.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
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