Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 00:58, 23 May 2009

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) No issues specified. Please specify issues, or remove this template. (March 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Lelouch Lamperouge (ルルーシュ・ランペルージ, Rurūshu Ranperūji) is the Byronic protagonist of the Sunrise anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. Lamperouge is his assumed surname, while his real name is Lelouch vi Britannia (ルルーシュ・ヴィ・ブリタニア, Rurūshu vi Buritania), son of the 98th Britannian Emperor. His seiyū is Jun Fukuyama, and his child self is voiced by Sayaka Ohara. His English dub voice is provided by Johnny Yong Bosch with Michelle Ruff doing Lelouch's child voice.

He was chosen the most popular male character of 2006, 2007, and 2008 at Animage magazine's annual Anime Grand Prix. His seiyū Jun Fukuyama also won the "Best Actor in a Leading Role" award for his portrayal of the character at the first Seiyū Awards in 2007.

Character planning history

While first designing the concept art design for Lelouch, the series' original character designers CLAMP had initially conceived of his hair color as being white. Ageha Ohkawa, head writer at CLAMP, said she had visualized him as being a character to which "everyone" could relate to as being "cool", literally, a "beauty". During the early planning stages for Lelouch's alter ego, Zero, CLAMP had wanted to create a mask never witnessed prior in any Sunrise series. While developing the character during the initial planning stages, the series' core staff at Sunrise, director Gorō Taniguchi, writer Ichirō Ōkouchi, and the production team discussed numerous possible influences for the character with CLAMP, such as Kinki Kids and Tackey and Tsubasa.

Character outline

Lelouch is the son of the Emperor of Britannia, Charles zi Britannia, and the late Imperial Consort Marianne, making Lelouch the Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire. He was in line to be the seventeenth heir to the throne prior to his mother's assassination and his sister's crippling in the same incident. A ten year old Lelouch confronted the Emperor afterward and accused him of leaving his mother defenseless, even going as far as renouncing his entitlement to the throne. In response, his father banished him to Japan, where he was used as a political hostage in the Sakuradite conflict.

It was during his stay at the Kururugi household that he first met Suzaku Kururugi, with whom the young Lelouch did not interact initially in a friendly manner, before later becoming friends. However, when Britannia finally developed its Knightmare Frames fleet and decided to invade Japan to seize control of the Sakuradite mines, consequently discarding Lelouch's use as a diplomatic tool, Lelouch, fearing for his and his sister's safety, hid their true identities and sought the help of the Ashford family, who were his mother's allies.

His mother's death and his father's apparent lack of concern in regards to it were huge blows to Lelouch. He always felt that it was unfair for both his mother and sister, and therefore made it his goal to pursue a better world for Nunnally. He also seeks to discover the true reason for his mother's death, as she was murdered in the Ares Imperial Palace, a place terrorists would be unlikely to penetrate successfully without being noticed, if at all.

Zero

Shortly after gaining the power of Geass from C.C., Lelouch assumes the secret identity Zero (ゼロ), a mysterious, masked revolutionary dressed in a black helmet and cloak. The helmet has a retractable plate over the left eye so Lelouch can use his Geass. In this guise, he forms the Order of the Black Knights, initially composed of the members of Kaname Ohgi's resistance group. The goal of this vigilante group is a campaign against powerful individuals who oppress the helpless, which he eventually expands into reforming Japan as an independent nation.

Lelouch is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal, even if it means lying to his followers and using people as bait for the outcome he desires. However, he has trouble putting those he is close to in harms way for the sake of his goal, which is a weakness as a commander but a remnant of his humanity and sanity. His feelings for Nunnally in particular often hinders his plans, particularly at the end of the first season, where he abandons a massive war with Britannian forces to rescue her, and early into the second season, when he has trouble believing Nunnally is willingly waging a campaign for peace that interferes with his plans. Gradually, however, he has come to embrace the fact that he has to destroy before reconstruction can occur, even if it means harming those he cares about.

Originally, Lelouch is motivated by the desire to avenge his mother's death and construct an ideal world where his sister Nunnally can live in peace. After Nunnally becomes Viceroy of Area 11, and her wishes conflict with his goals, his friends help him to realize that his rebellion is no longer just for Nunnally, but for all the people of the world.

Character history

First season

Lelouch is introduced in the first episode of the series as a student of Ashford Academy high school, where he is a member of its student council. A brilliant thinker who is quite talented at chess, he lives with his younger sister, Nunnally, with their maid, Sayoko Shinozaki, at a house situated within the compounds of Ashford Academy, where they are looked after by the Ashford family.

Lelouch is soon swept into the conflict between the Britannian Empire and the pockets of resistance which oppose it when he accidentally boards a truck being used by Japanese resistance operatives. Within the truck is a capsule holding C.C., who sacrifices herself to save him from the military forces trying to recapture her. When it seems as if her sacrifice was pointless, C.C. suddenly touches his hand and offers him the "Power of the King", the mythical power of Geass. The Geass manifests itself in him as the power of absolute obedience, which allows him to make people obey his orders without question. He uses this power to order the Britannian soldiers to kill themselves in his name.

With his new power, Lelouch begins his rebellion against the Empire, starting by killing his half-brother, Clovis, after extracting information about the murder of his mother, Marianne. He later forms the Order of the Black Knights and takes up the identity of Zero to lead them, becoming a revolutionary and gaining popular support amongst the people.

The turning point in his rebellion comes when Euphemia li Britannia declares the region under Mount Fuji the Special Administrative Zone of Japan, giving the Japanese people their name and country back, albeit in a much smaller area. This effectively destroys any possibility of the Black Knights' rebellion; acceptance would render them powerless and refusal would make them pariahs. Lelouch confronts her at the opening ceremony and tries to have her shoot him, hoping to make himself a martyr. When she says she plans to give up her title, he surrenders and agrees to work with her. However, at this moment his Geass permanently activates without him knowing, and an offhand comment about ordering her to kill all Japanese forces Euphemia to do just that. Lelouch reluctantly kills her and uses the massacre as an excuse to spark the Black Rebellion, whereupon he declares Japan to be an independent nation and then leads an attack on the Tokyo Settlement. The attack goes well at first, but when Lelouch learns that Nunnally has been kidnapped, he abandons the battle, leaving his forces helpless against the entrenched and better organized Britannian military.

Lelouch and C.C. make their way to Kaminejima to search for Nunnally, where Lelouch is confronted by Suzaku Kururugi. Lelouch attempts to broker a truce, but Suzaku is distraught over the death of Euphemia and refuses to listen. An angered Lelouch draws his pistol and both Lelouch and Suzaku attempt to shoot one another. A single gunshot is heard as the screen fades to black, then Nunnally appearing with a sad look on her face, then the screen fades to black, at the end of the first season.

Second season

In the second season, set a year after the Black Rebellion, Lelouch is once again a student at Ashford Academy, as his memories were rewritten by the Emperor, who possesses a Geass power of his own. Erasing the part were Lelouch was never a prince of Britannia and had a younger brother, Rolo Lamperouge, instead of his sister, Nunnally Lamperouge. Lelouch's memories are restored by C.C., and he resumes leadership of the Black Knights.

When Nunnally is appointed as Viceroy of Area 11, and announces her plans to reestablish the Special Administrative Zone of Japan, Lelouch falls into depression since he would be impeding her wishes by continuing his rebellion. He nearly begins taking Refrain before Kallen stops him. With the help of Kallen and his friends at the Ashford Academy, Lelouch realizes that his mission no longer revolves solely around Nunnally, but concerns the rest of his friends and the Japanese people as well. To solve both concerns, Lelouch engineers the legal exile of the Black Knights by getting the Britannians to agree to exile Zero in exchange for bringing one million participants for Nunnally's new Japan. By having them all dress as Zero, he forces Suzaku to exile them all rather than order a massacre.

The Black Knights escape to the Chinese Federation, where Lelouch begins forging an alliance with the other world powers to create a force that rivals Britannia. He starts by destabilizing the Chinese Federation, returning control to Empress Tianzi from the High Eunuchs. Kallen is captured during the battle, and Lelouch works to free her from their custody when he returns to Area 11 while having the Black Knights subdue any resistance before locating the Geass Order, intent to use its research to his ends.

During his time in Area 11, Lelouch is targeted by Jeremiah Gottwald, now an assassin for the Geass Order. He indirectly restores Shirley's memories in his search for Lelouch. After Lelouch manages to win Jeremiah's loyalty, he finds Shirley dead with Rolo claiming to have killed her in defense. Knowing otherwise but unable to directly retaliate against Rolo, a grief-filled Lelouch changes his plan to wipe out the Order instead. During the assault, V.V.'s immortality is passed to the Emperor, and Lelouch learns the true nature of his contract with C.C., which is to take on her immortality as the Emperor has with V.V. However, C.C. has decided to spare him this fate by giving her immortality to the Emperor. Lelouch refuses to let her die unhappy and convinces her to live on, but the ordeal results in CC sealing the memories of her life after gaining Geass with Leouch believing it to be his.

Once Lelouch's new alliance, the United Federation of Nations, is formed, their first act is to liberate Japan. But learning that his father returned to the world as well, Lelouch arranges a meeting with Suzaku in an attempt to convince him to help ensure Nunnally's safety. However, in spite of takes full responsibility for his actions, Schneizel's troops reveal themselves as they move in to arrest Lelouch, convincing him that Suzaku sold him out rather than being followed. Though Schneizel assured a latent punichment, Lelouch escapes with the help of Guilford, whom he used his Geass on eariler and starts his attack on Tokyo while Rolo and Sayoko are sent in to retrieve Nunnally and Kallen. Though Suzaku warned Leouch that he possessed the completed F.L.E.I.J.A. bomb, Leouch refused to believe him before Suzaku is later forced to fire it while under the influence of the command Lelouch placed on him, destroying a large portion of the Tokyo Settlement. Nunnally is apparently among the dead, which leaves Lelouch heartbroken. This is only made worse when Schneizel convinces the Black Knights to betray him using recorded evidence from his meeting with Suzaku along with proof that he caused the Black Rebellion. Though Lelouch lost the will to live, Rolo evacuates him at the cost of life, with Lelouch coming to terms with his feelings for Rolo and buries him properly.

With nothing left to lose, Lelouch comes to the conclusion of defeating his father as last thing he'll ever do, using his Geass to cause a riot among the Britannian military at Kamine Island as cover to enter the Sword of Akasha through the Thought Elevator, leaving a bomb that destroys it and trap traps both and his father as a result. Facing his father, Lelouch learns of the Emperor's full plan to remake the world in such a way that no one will be able to lie to one another, thereby creating peace. He also learns the truth behind his mother's assassination, and that her soul lived on through her Geass power. He denies their new world, which would never move forward, and kills both Charles and Marianne. One month later, he installs himself as the 99th Emperor of Britannia and appoints Suzaku as his "Knight of Zero."

As Emperor, Lelouch establishes himself as an ally of justice, abolishing all the oppressive laws and class systems of Britannia, frees every colony (thereby abolishing the concept of "Numbers"), and puts down all resistance to his goals. However, the seemingly benevolent acts are a smokescreen for his intention to take over the world, which he calls the Zero Requiem. He announces that Britannia intends to join the U.F.N., and Kallen escorts him to the meeting. She tries to confront him about what she means to him along the way, but Lelouch remains silent on the matter, even when she kisses him. She bids him farewell when it becomes clear he won't respond, and Lelouch does the same once she walks away.

At the meeting, Lelouch takes the council members hostage after it is revealed that Britannia's large population would give him a majority voting block. This brings him into conflict with Schneizel and the Black Knights, the former bringing his F.L.E.I.J.A.-equipped floating fortress Damocles into the battle. The biggest surprise comes when Nunnally is revealed to be alive and declares herself to be his enemy. Though initially reluctant, Lelouch is convinced that he must fight her for the sake of his plan. He is able to take over Damocles and use his Geass on Schneizel, forcing him to serve Zero. He also uses his Geass on Nunnally to make her give up the control key to the fortress. With no one left capable of opposing him, Lelouch becomes the ruler of the world.

Lelouch arranges the public execution of the Black Knight leaders and the U.F.N. representatives. Suzaku, disguised as Zero, interrupts and kills Lelouch, the culmination of the Zero Requiem as they had planned. By directing the hatred of the world onto himself, Lelouch's death will serve to facilitate peace. He dies smiling, saying he is the one who both destroys worlds and creates them. Suzaku is left to play the role of Zero. The aftermath is narrated by Kallen, who ends up forgiving Lelouch and explains how the world is much better off with all the energy being focused on reconstruction. Writer Ichirō Ōkouchi explains that Lelouch's death was the price Lelouch needed to pay to create his better world. In addition, the name "Lelouch vi Britannia" is included in the magazine's final death list.

Abilities

Geass

Lelouch's Geass, given to him by C.C., grants him "the power of absolute obedience," allowing him to plant commands within a person's mind upon eye contact which they will obey without question. Activation of his Geass is visually represented by the manifestation of a Geass sigil in his left eye. Commands dictated in this state are written into the minds of the designated targets once the sigil projects from his eye to theirs.

Lelouch could initially toggle Geass activation at will, but subsequently loses this control. In the second season, C.C. gives Lelouch a contact lens that blocks his Geass, but indicates that his Geass will eventually grow powerful enough to render it ineffective. Lelouch's Geass evolves to cover his other eye in episode 21 of the second season, but he receives a second contact to compensate.

Of all the Geass abilities in the series, Lelouch's has been explored the most, as Lelouch takes the time to explore and experiment with his Geass thoroughly soon after he acquires it. Because of his thorough research, more specifics are known about Lelouch's Geass than with any other: including its side effects and limitations.

• Commands must be issued verbally.
• A line of sight between the Geassed eye and the victim's eye must be established for commands to be issued. The maximum effective distance is 270 meters. This line of sight can be direct (eye-to-eye) or indirect (via a reflection).
• Commands may be issued only once to any given individual, but any number of commands may be issued at initial application so long as eye contact is unbroken. Since Jeremiah's Geass Canceler negates all Geass effects, those exposed to it may be commanded once again.
• Commands can be limited or blocked by the victim's lack of physical or mental ability, though they will try to carry out the command to the best of their ability. For example, a victim will not be able to correctly answer a question they don't know the answer to, but will direct the user to someone who can if they are able.
• Commands that induce belief will override a victim's normal abilities and perceptions. Telling the victim to forget something, for example, will take effect despite the fact that the victim would not normally wish or be able to do so.
• Commands can be conditional and will remain latent until conditions are met, upon which the command activates and the victim must obey (for example, Suzaku's command to "live" only activates when he is in immediate threat of death). Eye contact is not needed during the command's latency or execution.
• Commands can be residual and will be obeyed for as long and for as many times as dictated, as long as any conditions are met. Eye contact is not needed to maintain a residual command once given. No upper limit has been established, but the command Lelouch gives Suzaku remains in effect at the end of the series, more than a year later.
• The victim's memories for the duration of command issue and execution are sealed and cannot be recalled, thus anyone affected by the power will not be able to remember anything they did while carrying out the command or who ordered them to do it.
• Commands must be obeyed, even if it goes against a person's normal character or is morally repugnant or reprehensible. Two victims have shown the ability to resist a command for a short period, but both were eventually forced to submit to their command.

So long as the above conditions are met, commands may be issued to anybody (including the user himself) besides those who have gained the power of immortality and to any number of individuals at once. Those under the effect of Geass have a red outline on their irises, presumably a visual cue for the viewer since the characters never point it out.

Intellect

Even without his Geass, Lelouch is a formidable opponent. He is highly intelligent, possessing a genius-level intellect, and is capable of devising and executing strategies with incredible speed and precision, as shown in his chess skill. As Zero, most of his leadership abilities come from his intelligence rather than his Geass. Rolo notes that operating the Absolute Defense Field of the Shinkirō requires complex calculations which he cannot perform, while Lelouch almost makes it look easy. In the audio dramas, Suzaku says that, when they were children, Lelouch devised a secret sign language containing over 500 words.

Lelouch is quick to deduce facts from simple clues. In episode 14, when Mao says C.C.'s name, Lelouch instantly comes up with fourteen different possibilities for Mao's identity, including the correct one. Lelouch is also able to perfectly predict the Lancelot's actions without actually knowing who the pilot was simply through his study of their past battles, allowing Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords to almost defeat it, had the battle not been interrupted.

Lelouch is also charismatic and persuasive; as Zero, he is able to win the support of much of Japan's population through well-delivered speeches combined with his ability to make miracles in almost any situation through his superior strategic planning. Mao repeatedly praises Lelouch's persuasive talent, and V.V. remarks that Lelouch is "a lot like his father."

Physical

Physically, Lelouch is underwhelming. He possesses the physical prowess of a teenager who engages in little to no strenuous physical activity. Thus, one of Lelouch's traits is the inability to run very fast or for any substantial period of time. Within the series, this is usually played for comedic effect, as Lelouch is constantly outpaced by his classmates in every situation, and even the most simple tasks requiring manual labor exhaust him before he manages to accomplish anything significant. This joke is taken to its logical conclusion in the second season, where it is revealed that Lelouch is supposed to attend remedial physical education classes, but skips them as often as possible. This creates problems when Sayoko poses as Lelouch: she is a master of martial arts, and hence far more athletic than Lelouch himself. However, Lelouch does have some decent skill with firearms.

Lelouch is shown to be very talented at domestic skills such as cooking and sewing; it has been stated that this comes as a result of his taking care of himself and Nunnally for seven years. He serves as the cook for parties held by the Student Council, both because the others (except Milly) are terrible cooks and nobody else can meet his exact requirements (such as measuring ingredients to three significant decimals).

Lelouch is capable of proficiently handling a Knightmare Frame, having learned how by being the pilot of Ashford Academy's Ganymede Knightmare Frame during school festivals before Suzaku's arrival. He rarely battles opponents one on one, instead usually attacking with coordinated groups or using clever deceptions to gain an advantage. Pilots such as Suzaku and Cornelia, both of whom are masterful Knightmare pilots and usually pilot more advanced Knightmares than his own, are commonly able to overwhelm him in single combat. Lelouch is typically accompanied by Kallen, who serves as his personal guard. After stealing the Gawain, Lelouch co-pilots it with C.C., controlling the weapons and command functions while C.C. handles navigation and flight. After the Black Knights are exiled from Japan, Lelouch pilots the Shinkirō, which has the most powerful defense of any Knightmare, but it requires his level of intellect to perform the complex calculations needed for this defense to be effective. This near-impenetrable defense allows him to hold his own against even the members of the Knights of the Round during the second battle of Tokyo.

Appearances in other media

Lost Colors

In Code Geass: Lost Colors, the video game for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, there are a several different endings and clips of Lelouch that involve the main character, Rai. If the player decides to use Rai's Geass on Suzaku to make him join the Order of the Black Knights, Lelouch becomes angry, having wanted Suzaku to join him of his own accord, and uses his Geass to put Rai into an eternal sleep, resulting in a game over. If the player follows the Blue Moon route and makes Rai and Nunnally fall in love, Lelouch will be reluctant to accept their relationship and will be with them during their first date, watching them closely as they go visit the Ashford Academy's garden.

If the player chooses to pursue Lelouch as a best friend, successful ending scenes will vary depending on which route the player is on. For example, in the Geass route, Lelouch and Rai both learn of each other's pasts and identities. Though they ultimately cannot be together, Lelouch discovers that Rai is all too much like himself, and understands him because of it. The Black Knight route involves Zero asking Rai to join him permanently in his fight against Britannia. Rai refuses, interpreting the words as an order, upon which Zero finally reveals his true identity as Lelouch and asks that the player join him not as a pawn, but an equal and true partner.

Nightmare of Nunnally

Lelouch receives a different Geass ability in the Nightmare of Nunnally spin-off series as a result of his near-death during the Britannian attempt to recapture C.C. Instead of the ability to control others, he receives invulnerability granted through a suit of black armor, transforming into a more heavily armored version of Zero. In the armor, Lelouch can fight on par with multiple Knightmares in single combat. As in the original series, C.C. often serves as his body double, but here is able to manifest the same Geass ability and fight on the same level as Lelouch. With his new abilities, Lelouch forms a different Black Knights and leads them directly in battle instead of planning strategies from the rear, though his fighting ability allows him to achieve the same ends. Lelouch's fighting skills are somewhat impressive as his fighting style matches that of Suzaku's, which isn't too surprising as the two used to live together and as such he may have learned the same fighting style, but mostly uses the armor's full power. The ability of Lelouch's armor functions almost the same as a Knightmare Frame, such as his cape can create multiple sharp black whips, which is similar to the Mark Nemo's Blonde Knives. Another ability it possesses is a system called D.O.M Hostia or the D.O.M. system, which has the ability to control and disable a Knightmare. Another ability is shown from it, but not yet identified.

He has a twin brother named Rolo vi Britannia, who is known as the Cardinal and is involved with the Geass cult. He was taken from Marianne as a baby.

Suzaku of the Counterattack

In the manga spin-off series, Lelouch obtain his geass in the same way as in the anime series, except that his Geass symbol is slightly rendered. Although Lelouch appeared as the villain of the series, he is not the series antagonist, but an anti-hero instead.

When Suzaku enrolls as a student at Ashford Academy, Lelouch becomes angry at the teachers and student who look down at Suzaku for being an Eleven. Growing more annoyed at Suzaku preventing him from help with the latter, fearing that his reputation could be affected and his identity as a Britannian Prince exposed.

After becoming the masked man Zero and forming the Black Knights, Lelouch is responsible for a terrorist attack that was specifically aimed Mariel Lubie and her father when a Black Knights faction had gone renegade without following his instructions. He later comes across the mysterious Lancelot, later discovering to his shock that it was in fact Suzaku.

Code Geass: The Manga

The manga follows the same basic plot as the anime, but with several differences. Knightmares do not exist. As for Lelouch's character, he is still the same as he was in the anime. He takes on the identity Zero, but largely focuses on his activities with the Black Knights. The manga does not share the same staff or creators as the anime and is often considered a different reality from the anime because of the many significant differences.

See also

• List of Code Geass characters

References

1. (Nightmare of Nunnally manga only)
2. Favorite Male Character, 29th Annual Anime Grand Prix
3. Newtype, May 2007 issue.
4. "Stage 3: The White Knight Awakened". Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. 2006-10-12. MBS. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |titlelink= ignored (|title-link= suggested) (help)
5. "Code Geass Picture Drama 1". Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion DVD 1. 2007-01-26. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |titlelink= ignored (|title-link= suggested) (help)
6. "Stage 1: The Day The Fiend Was Born". Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. 2006-10-05. MBS. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |titlelink= ignored (|title-link= suggested) (help)
7. Ichiro, Okouchi (2008). "Lelouch dead!? Was it a good one or a bad one!?". Continue. 42. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
8. http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/3955/000dhwrrjy1.jpg
9. Stage 9.725 - The Night Before the Decisive Battle. Retrieved on April 18, 2008.

• Articles with multiple maintenance issues from March 2009
• Code Geass characters
• Fictional activists
• Fictional commanders
• Fictional emperors and empresses
• Fictional mass murderers
• Fictional orphans
• Fictional princes