Code Geass R2 – The unintentional cruelty of Lelouch

Ep 21-23 had me believing that CG R2 was hurling towards a GSD-class wreckage. In those eps, I saw the classic SUNRISE syndrome of plot driving cast - characters making choices inconsistent with their motivations just so that the story could be steered into "WTF!?" territory. The tale, it seems, was no longer a culmination of coherent choices made by credible characters but confluence of convenient circumstances conjured by the very cynical in SUNRISE. (Yeah, the usual Gundam fare of ridiculous mecha upgrades, secret ultimate weapons and reckless/unconvincing shifts of allegiances.) If I was to judge R2 from those eps, I'd wish Code Geass never happen. (Sorry Kaguya chan! I meant almost..).

But ep 24-25 turned those thoughts around, rescued mainly by Lelouch/Nunnally exchanges and Lelouch death. Lelouch's death signified a breakthrough in SUNRISE pensmanship. I wished they has possessed the same testicular fortitude with Mai HiME's end. The only way for Lelouch to retain any shred of dignity as a man was to atone for his sins through meaningful sacrifice. And surely it was the most painful of paths he chose, denying all to build the 'perfect' world for Nunnaly. While Lelouch exhibited a seemingly noble and almost selfless love for his precious sister, I thought the truer tragedy was his failure to grasp, in turn, the extent of Nunnaly's love/need of him.

I understand the motivations behind Zero Requiem and indeed it may have seemed sound after the Charles/Marianne's revelation in C world. Given that Lelouch has presumed his sister dead and that Marianne has turned out to be an immensely selfish mother while in cahoots with his hated father, Lelouch was left with completing what he set out to do if only to make Nunnaly/Euphemia/Shirley's deaths worthwhile. But the subsequent discovery of Nunnaly should nullify the justifications for Zero Requiem, at least for Lelouch. Maybe that's what got Lelouch into this mess anyway - his failure to realise what was truly important to Nunnaly. Nunnaly didn't need a gentler world. She just need to be with her oniisama. If Nunnaly had to choose between heaven without Lelouch or hell with her oni-oniisama, she'd undoubtedly choose the latter without batting a lid (Not like it's something she does often actually.) Lelouch, through Zero Requiem, you have been more cruel to Nunnaly than yourself and caused her more pain than any person or evil system, could possibly inflict.

Zero Requiem may have finally created the utopia befitting of Nunnaly's smile but never again would true joy grace her blessed countenance for a world wrought through the deep sins and untold sacrifice of her very dear brother. May Lelouch's soul find rest in harem-spinoffs from a tanuki's fantasies.

Pre Trainwreck Shirley Disorder

(source) Having persuaded me to pick up Code Geass, it was not without some irony that Stripey lost his enthusiasm for R2 much earlier than me. It was particularly acute after the conclusion of Ep 13.

But, apparently, it seems that the gentle-souled tanuki is not the only one who's suffering from PTSD. The creator of the Code Geachu parody comic (also the one behind the hilarous A's/StrikerS Nano! parodies) recently announced he has decided to stop making his much-loved funny four panel comics; chief among the reasons was that what happened to Shirley saddened him so much that he's been unable to continue.

How widespread is PTSD among Code Geass viewers? Have anime fans experienced a comparable condition in other series?

Code Geass R2 Ep 21

Chi! Dr Freud would be having a field day with this episode!

Code Geass R2 Ep 19

Cornelia's happy outburst just reminded me of that really weird moment when she blushed after Schneizel praised/teased her in the first season. Yuri siscon and anii-ue-con simultaneous operation!