This is it! Episode 25, the last episode of R1. This episode pissed me off more than the average episode because of C.C.'s role in it. She flaunted nearly every possible reason you should hate her in this one episode, so whether you feel pure hate for her for every possible reason, or you only hate her remotely as much as most of us do and for only one reason, you probably found yourself searching for a quick way to handle your frustration. I know I did the first time I watched it, and now that it's in English, the episode is just as despicable. Isn't it great how consistent a "good" show can be, despite the language barrier?
Anyway, here's "Zero". It's my longest review thus far. Oh, and brace yourselves for R2, It kinda opens up with a molotov cocktail, and there's a lot more gratuitous violence and smexicalicky in R2. If I have to watch these episodes again to review them, I'll be watching them with one blind eye and one deaf ear. So pardon any inaccuracies as we dive into this disaster zone.
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Episode 25: "Zero" (Season Finale)
In the last episode, Ledouche and Cornelia were fighting, and thanks to some convenient Geassing of one late General Darlton, Ledouche got the upper hand and won. So now we pan down to Cornelia's wrecked Knightmare and possibly even moar wrecked body. She's bleeding everywhere, but that's not why her breath is short. She speaks in rasps because Ledouche just revealed himself. His identity I mean. He drops the bomb and reveals his plan: A whole new world where Nunnally can be happy. One that's peaceful and happy and bright and stuff. Cornelia thinks that killing all of the people he killed wasn't worth a "new world", the same crap Spinzaku kept harping about (the whole "justified means" bull). Ledouche could debate with her on why he thinks he's right and should be able to do what he wants, but instead, he'll just Geass her. Now's the time to find out who killed his mom. That's what he was originally after, anyway. But he gets nothing out of her. She doesn't know who did it. For reals. As Ledouche tries to "argue" facts out of Cornelia's head, C.C.'s spidey sense starts tingling. Nunnally's in danger. Yeah, she can track Nunnally like that. Anyway, they've got to go rescue her, because as you recall from the last episode, V.V. took her away. She's on Kaminejima now. But before Ledouche can calmly walk to the Gawain, who should appear, but Jeremiah? He rises up in some kind of orange-shaped (but not orange colored) Knightmare(?) called a "Siegfried", screaming "ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!!!" Yeah, you wish he was that cool. Wait until R2. For now, though, he's bent on killing Ledouche. Lucky for Ledouche, Jeremiah finds him just as he puts his mask back on. Like Euphie, he kindly asks Ledouche to die. But Jeremiah hasn't got the cordial charm of Euphie, and Ledouche did not agree. In Schneizel's lab-or-a-tory, Bartley and the rest are distraught at Jeremiah's blasting off to go police the settlement. What will Schneizel think? Whatever happens, it's Bartley's ass. Roll OP!
After that, we find the Avalon, with a still shell-shocked Lloyd talking to Cecile, who is suiting up for battle. Cecile wonders why Lloyd tried to stop Spinzaku. Personally, I would have liked to see Spinzaku kill Ledouche, but it would come at the price of Spinzaku being happy. Besides, resistance's sake got Lloyd punched pretty badly, so yeah, stopping him has its upsides. But Lloyd's main reason was not that it was against orders (even though that's the first reason he gives), the main thing he cares about is Spinzaku being a willing pawn for his science experiments. I didn't expect Lloyd to care about the law, so I'm not that frustrated by his ranty palaver here.
Down on the ground, Spinzaku's Knightmare is still powerless. The Black Knight's are can-opening it, and Spinzaku realizes the ** quack ** is up. Up in the sky, Ledouche and Jeremiah are still fighting. As the battle rages on, Ledouche calls Ohgi. He gets Minami instead. Because Ohgi's been shot, the Black Knights are awfully clingy tonight, and they want to know what they should do. But Ledouche isn't concerned with Ohgi. He can go die. What he wants to know about is "...the girl in the wheelchair" (who is secretly Nunnally). The Black Knights are confused as to why Ledouche would care about some student, but whatever, they don't know where she, or any of the students are, anyway. So Ledouche calls Rivalz. He's a student, right? Rivalz tells Ledouche they left Nunnally in the student government common area. Rivalz then tries to demand some info as to what's going on, but Ledouche hangs up. Rivalz's outburst costs them their cover, and they get carted away by a Black Knight.
Ledouche tries calling other people who Nunnally might be in contact with, but no dice. C.C. decides to be stupid and reaffirm her "friendship" with Ledouche, telling him that she's his "...ally" and not just an "...accomplice". Some ally she is. She lies around and questions his every move and motive. If it were me behind the Gawain, I would sooner turn myself in and let Britannia bring the hammer down on the settlement. And that would fly even if I had never met her. But even if she was trying to finally be of worth to someone and live up to all of the undeserved praise the drool-cup fanboys and fangirls of Animage gave her, it would be an even greater offense, as it would be more than she ever gave Mao. YES, I'M BRINGING UP MAO AGAIN. Either way, Ledouche doesn't believe her yet. Casual indifference is a lot more than I'd give to a monster like her, but he doesn't care, he doesn't see what she is.
As Ledouche and Jeremiah keep fighting over near 12th Street, the Lancelot is still getting examined and prodded. They can't get it open. As they rack their tiny Eleven brains as to how they can open it, another terrorist comes by with gifts of delicious Ashford student concubines. Tamaki is in charge of what happens to them. The first thing that came to mind when I learned that their fates were in his ill-qualified hands was an "Oh god...", because Tamaki has been dying to make an example out of the Britannians. Then what came to mind was an "Alright!", because Tamaki has been dying to make an example out of the Britannians (that means three dead race traitors under the Christmas tree this year). Shirley tries to negotiate, saying that "Zero" is a good guy and wouldn't kill bad Britannians, and they're the good guys. Tamaki says otherwise. Apparently, he and "Zero" were "...tight", and anyone who's a risk must go down. But before he can light them up, Spinzaku pops out. He heard what was going on and will try to spinkick Tamaki and save the day. Tamaki thinks Spinzaku is a traitor and should die. Besides, no one needs him anymore. Ledouche doesn't want him in the Knights anymore, and they only wanted the Lancelot, now it's time to die. But Tamaki's trigger lust is denied yet again, because from nowhere, Arthur screws everything up and attacks Tamaki, knocking his aim off. I used to like Arthur, but the way he concedes to that dirty Eleven whore Kallen, I knew it wouldn't be long until he gave up and "allied" with Spinzaku. I thought he was trying to eat him! But if Arthur has developed feelings for Spinzaku, he's chow mein. He can burn in Cat Hell for all I care. In fact, I do care. Upon seeing this transpire, I wanted him dead, as much as I want everyone else on Code Geass dead. Respect for this "pussy" dropped to "Zero".
A frustrated Tamaki orders everyone dead. The Ashford guys, Spinzaku, and Arthur the Cat. Just then, the Avalon shows up. Cecile, in her own Knightmare, shoots up the place and saves Spinzaku. I told you Lloyd didn't care about rules. "Military contractor" my fat ass. Go and save your precious robot and your damn chink playtoy. But don't pretend like you're worth a damn to the morals of your country you pudding-fed faggot. Of course, I knew this would happen, so my hopes were never existent long enough to be that dashed. Rakshata's hopes, however, were. She was also surprised, because she knows Lloyd, and him standing on the front lines, even when he's not actually on them and protected by a flying fortress that could geist out of the area just in time for "Sex & the City", is something that he's too cowardly to do. Rivalz and the gang zip off while their captors are gone, and Tamaki fires after them. But Cecile stands in his way. She blocks his shots and blows up the field generators deactivating the Lancelot, making Spinzaku mobile again and able to go after Ledouche. Sure he doesn't have clearance, but whatever, none of the "good guys" care about rules anymore. Lloyd and Cecile never cared anyway. They might as well be Spinzaku's parents the way they coddle him. Spinzaku goes after Ledouche and tells Lloyd and Cecile to rescue the students. As soon as the plans are underway, Spinzaku gets a message from Cornelia. What does she have to say? Can't be much, she's bleeding to death.
Meanwhile, the Black Knights are standing their ground. Ledouche decides he's got to go finish off Jeremiah then find his sister. So he puts the entire battle in Tohdoh's hands, and all of the rest of the work (Ohgi's job) in Riethard's hands (I wonder if nursing a boner for Viletta is a part of his new job?). He then tells him goodbye until the end of the battle, and to stay frosty. Tohdoh proceeds to soak his Zangetsu with urine.
As students evacuate, Black Knights attack with only their guns and resolve, Jeremiah rises again without a scratch, and carnage rules throughout the settlement, Cornelia is still chillin' on top of the government bureau. Her message to Spinzaku was to call him over to her side. This makes two sisters he's seen bleed to death (too bad Cornelia doesn't die here)? He might as well be a friend of the family. Seriously. Why? Because Cornelia decides to abandon the policies of her nation and rely on Spinzaku. Well, looks like all that crap she was spewing about "discrimination against the Numbers" was meaningless. Like all of the weak, when she's backed into a corner, she'll bail. A bitter irony, seeing as she was the one who admonished Euphie about the VERY SAME THING, about the VERY SAME MAN. Lying, traitorous bitch. Why does everyone who used to be cool end up turning? It was at this point that I decided any rhetoric from Cornelia where she pretends to love her country should just be tuned out, and any soldier that believes in her is as deluded as the many legions of people who still don't know Ledouche's true identity. My god, I've never seen someone jump so fast from "One Of The Few Remaining Good Ones" to "Completely Despicable Piss Ant". Anyway, he's promoted from Warrant Officer, to Knight Of Honor, just like that. Just because Cornelia was desperate. Swallow that, if you can. God dammit, we're owed 1 Dead Cornelia for this, she promotes the dirty Eleven, and she only SEEMS like she's dying? And Spinzaku kneels before her with that tight grip on nobility, like he was somehow worthy of being a knight. I don't know who should be crushed first. The worthless lap dog, or the desperate slag that brings him water.
News hits that Ledouche left his Knights high and dry. Everyone's worried now. Especially Tamaki. Poor Tamaki. Too long without knowing that you can go cry to your fearless leader and you crap yourself. Kallen is scared as well, and wonders what to do. Just then, she gets a call from Ohgi, who tells her to follow Zero. She deduces where she is by noticing that Spinzaku is flying away, which could only mean one thing (actually, it could mean several things, but she's not L, she doesn't have time to consider every possibility): Ledouche must be in front of him. So she heads after Spinzaku, who is chasing Ledouche, who is chasing Nunnally's captor, all while Jeremiah tries to get in edgewise.
Siege still takes the Academy. The Black Knights' entire ransom of students escapes onto the Avalon while the Black Knights try to take down Cecile's Knightmare using only their guns. While Cecile puts the sword and shield to them, something comes out of the basement hatch of the school. What could it be? Hey, it's Nina in the Ganymede! But what could that rusted, outdated worthless piece of polyton garbage do? Lloyd knows. So, like the preteen pop star conflictophobe with all of the answers to world peace that he is, he desperately urges everyone to stop fighting (a laughable proposal, I would sooner die than side with an enemy so acutely against me, who ruined my life entirely. Blow me up, I don't care.), lest Nina activate her new "project" that is all his fault. Y'see, Lloyd gave her some Sakuradite, and she used it to rig up a revenge valentine in the form of a suicide bomb that could kill millions in the settlement. Lloyd reveals this to everyone, much to their unanimous doubt. But Rakshata chimes in a la Naruto ( "Believe it!" ) to support her "buddy" scientist and confirms his story. Out of fear for their lives, a temporary ceasefire is declared. Nina produces the trigger and asks where Ledouche is, or she'll blow everybody up. I honestly waited for her to press the button. It would have made my day.
In Kaminejima's space, Ledouche ponders what this whole thing would be for if he lost Nunnally. Seriously? This whole thing was for her? None of it was for "justice", or at least for your mom? Whatever. It's not like I didn't expect as much. As Ledouche heads for the island, V.V. and Nunnally wait there, boring. Eventually Ledouche lands, and asks for a debriefing from C.C. She doesn't know much, and feels sad that she let Ledouche down so much. Hmmmmmm, I wonder how she felt about twisting Mao around? Why'd she even do it in the first place? Because she's a horrible person? Because the show is poorly written? Or maybe a little of both? No time to ponder such questions, as "wonky flashback" energy snares the Gawain, sending Ledouche and C.C. into a place that looks a little like The Construct from "The Matrix". But not before they see a bunch of visions from C.C.'s past.
Looks like it’s WAY in the past. Those are single-man tanks, which are kind of outdated even by our 2008, non-Code Geass-standard technology. We also see some kind of cathedral, and the writhing, tortured form of C.C. being burned at the stake, like a witch. It's played to the sweet sound of her screaming like she's never screamed before. Usually C.C. is a boner shrinker, but hearing her suffer made everything alright again. I need to find a way to make those screams my god damn ringtone, because I can't get enough. During the flashback, they throw spears, the iron maiden, and the guillotine at her, so how is she still alive today? By now, Ledouche, and everyone in Japan and America who watches this show, should see from these flashbacks that C.C. is some kind of magical immortal witch who never dies.
Remember my rant a few episodes back about the recoil effect of a really great moment when it comes to spite? I can't explain why it happens, but somehow, it always does. No logic explains it, but I have yet to see this epic. Even now. As I'm chillaxin' to the smooth sounds of C.C. In Despair, Ledouche roars like a petulant child, begging the memories to "STOP IT!!!" which killed my euphoria something fierce. I need to get those screams recorded in stand-alone. But the recoil's not yet even begun, folks. Just then, C.C. goes on some self-righteous self-pitying tangent about how she outlives all of her friends and enemies and they go on to the "afterlife" without her. "Utterly alone", she coins it here. I thought I was sick of her before. Even further is the annoyance of this moment escalated when Ledouche promises to somehow be immortal too. Good luck. Maybe he'll actually do it. C.C. wraps up their crazy feathery naked trip to The Construct by curtly remarking, "Odd thing to say at a time like this..."
Have you ever felt a rage so powerful that you punched your TV (or computer monitor, depending on how and when you watch your shows), knowing that it wouldn't do very much good, but you did it anyway because you needed the closure so badly? This is what C.C. does to me. Just like that, I was back to square one. How dare she? The past lives of monsters like her are not important. Who cares how "alone" you feel? Did you care about Mao? Apparently not enough to tell him the truth. Besides, even if she never dies, she has her magic telepathy to talk to people, whether they're dead or alive. That was a whole hell of a lot more than what Mao got, he really WAS alone. It frustrates me so much for C.C. to even entertain the thought of seeking something out for her own personal gain, considering what a stupid, sadistic, abusive, fucking whore she is. She can do whatever she wants, and somehow she can blame it on ignorance? On not knowing what human decency is? First of all, that's not even ignorance. What she does can't be scapegoated like that, it's too specific. She ruins lives for no reason, at no gain to herself, the things she does are NEVER explained. Secondly, even if by some wild, magical stretch it could be attributed to some kind of lack of human grace, it still wouldn't excuse her. All of the bull she harps on about regarding responsibility for your actions? Yeah, she talks a good deal, but when does she own up to what she did? What will she ever do? No wait, let's go a little further. Forget actually doing something, what does she even WISH she could do? Let me save you the frustration of trying to figure her out: Nothing. The only thing she considers her fault is giving him Geass. I will say it again: THE ONLY THING SHE CONSIDERS HER FAULT IS GIVING HIM GEASS. She pities his going crazy, but blames it only on him losing control of his Geass. All of that love? An "invention" of his craziness. She only wishes that he didn't have to go crazy, and she's going to leave it at that. And just who the hell does Ledouche think he is? Let's say hypothetically that C.C. really is alone. Let's disregard her weird telepathy and say, for now, that it's "not enough". I'm not questioning his thinking that he could somehow live alongside C.C., I'm questioning the even bolder idea that he somehow deserves it more than the others that came before her. More than Mao, who sacrificed WAY more to be with C.C. than Ledouche ever did. What did Ledouche do? Hell, he had to expend effort to get AWAY from her. And now, all of a sudden, it's, "C.C., we're 'accomplices', so that means only we have a special bond, one that I intend to honor." Not even close to the bond she and Mao had (or were supposed to have had). But of course, the main culprit here, is C.C. Mao intended to do the very same thing, and C.C. rejected him. But Ledouche does the same thing, the VERY SAME pledge of madness to try and be with her forever, and somehow Ledouche is nobler for it? WHAT THE FUCK??? Oh no, don't try and escape Ledouche for doing this, but totally ignore Mao for years at a time. Heartless? Pshaw, that's just her being awkwardly unaware of human nature, right? Let's all just IGNORE it. She treats one person like crap with NO POSSIBLE end profit for anyone, and treats someone who shoots for the very same prize to open arms? Plain and simple, C.C. is a frustrating beast wrapped in hypocrisy. Her actions are disgusting, cannot be explained with normal logic, and SOMEHOW she's shown equal remorse, in her, Ledouche's, and all of her many fans' opinions. And no amount of white-knuckled, teeth-gnashing, fist pounding, screen-shattering objection will ever change that. The subject of Mao, and consequently, anything else that makes her such an impossibly despicable "human" being is no longer up for discussion. What makes it so sickening, is that EVERYONE'S BUYING IT! And not just normally, like they do with everyone else, C.C. is, in their eyes, an outstanding character. Even considering all of the atrocity she has under her belt? If this is what the anime fandom has come to, then I trade in my otaku points, because this is bullshit. Screw C.C. and screw the fans, they're all an illness that will literally be the death of me.
(If there's anything more to say about her, we can discuss it later, maybe even do a spillover into the C.C. Hate Club, which now probably only exists as a front and satellite for the Code Geass Hate Club, which encompasses a lot more that just C.C.)
Anyway, the flashbacks are over and Ledouche and C.C. have their clothes back. They're still in the Gawain. Ledouche, now totally flaking on his original stance of passive cooperation with C.C., is now on pins and needles, wondering if she's okay. She remarks inquisitively, "Don't you know who you're talking to?" Yeah, we get it. Hundreds of years of isolation have made you hardened and strong. You're so tough and tragic; you don't need the world, do you? Good, then go drive one in, you worthless, cunting pariah. Do us all a favor. As if springing to our rescue, Jeremiah rises from the dead to fight him again. This time, Ledouche is losing. He wasn't really "winning" before, as he never slighted Jeremiah's hand in battle. But now, Ledouche is losing even more. What's more, the Hadron Cannon only has one shot left in it. Looks like the Gawain isn't so invincible, even with its Death Hax Cannon. They decide to fire the cannon into the ocean while Ledouche disembarks on land to find Nunnally. The Gawain isn't looking too good, and Ledouche, following his usual suit, gets worried again. Following her usual suit, C.C. decides to be annoying again. But she's got one last card to play before she bows out forever: She's going to kiss Ledouche. If I wasn't so painfully reminded of how shafted Mao was by her kissing him, and how he got absolutely zero nada from C.C., I'd be laughing at how ludicrously frustrating C.C. has been up to this moment. I won't go on about it; I'll save it for later. This review is getting long anyway, but this is exactly what I was talking about; about how not only is C.C. a heartless witch, but a BLATANTLY obvious hypocrite. If you wanted to know what it would be like if Ledouche's goading was true back during the Mao arc, this is how it would sting. But C.C. doesn't seem to care about Mao anymore. Doesn't the stinging RESOUND??? Ledouche tells C.C. to try and avoid dying, and C.C. says her usual annoying things that I'm trying to run away from right now, and will not be recollected. But Ledouche can't seem to get enough of it. Whatever. Ledouche runs off, and the battle continues with Jeremiah still thinking that Ledouche is in there. C.C. locks the Harkens onto Jeremiah's orangeish Siegfried, and blows them both up. Jeremiah and C.C. are dead. No questions asked!
Things might be bad in your space (if you hate C.C.), but rest assured that things are bad for Ledouche too. For you see, the moment he steps out, things decide to go straight to hell. He wasn't even gone that long! And somehow, things turn out their worst? Then again, they've never been in a battle like this. But what did Ledouche do besides order them around? Tohdoh can't do the same? Riethard says no. Ledouche had the one thing that Tohdoh doesn't have: "Charisma". Huh. So, let's say two teams have brilliant tactical generals. One of those generals is charming and dazzling and liltingly ghey. And that... makes their team win? I don't know. I don't care; I just like to see the Black Knights fall. Now's my turn to not ask questions and ignore things. 
While all of that goes on, Ledouche reaches the thought elevator on Kaminejima. He looks for a way in, but before he can work his voodoo on the door, Spinzaku finally catches up to him. He fires a warning shot, and then orders Ledouche to turn and face him. Ledouche tries to pin the blame on Euphie again, but Spinzaku knows that Euphie would never be a "racist" Britannian, no, she's a good guy! Besides, he heard the whole story from V.V. She was Geassed, just like so many others who people thought were acting of their own volition. It was all Ledouche's doing. Ledouche wasn't counting on him knowing that. As Kallen waits in the shadows for her shot, Spinzaku points out that he can see her. He proposes to everyone in the room that he reveal Ledouche's true identity. Like Spinzaku, Kallen is afraid of the truth. But Spinzaku fires anyway. He chips Ledouche's helmet, and it breaks in half. Ledouche's face is reveal-ed.
Kallen can't take the pressure. "Zero" was a lie; all of the things she thought were being done naturally were because of Geass. Lots of people died, and it was all because Ledouche made it so. But what's she crying about? Everything she's fighting for is being realized. She has absolutely zero damage. He never said he didn't care about a free Japan, so he technically wasn't "using" anybody. He was doing what Japan wanted him to do as well. Spinzaku's taking it a little better than his sniffly counterpart. Spinzaku says that what Ledouche did was wrong because he lied to everyone. I don't get it though. Because Ledouche is Zero, somehow everything he did was wrong now? I can see how they might be mad about Geassing Euphie, but they seem to be okay with the rebellion itself (except Spinzaku, he never liked the rebellion). Everything that happened without Geass was okay, it seems, but when it's shown Ledouche is behind it, they're offended? I don't get these people. Ledouche can't concern himself with trifle matters like this, as Nunnally is in trouble. So now he wants to team up with Spinzaku (again) to save Nunnally (again). A laughable proposal. Spinzaku says he'll handle it himself because Ledouche is gonna die. Spinzaku wanted Ledouche to leave Euphie alone and support the Special Zone. Maybe that's why the two of them are so butthurt. But Kallen didn't like the Special Zone anyway. What? Ledouche says the past is over with anyway. He'll apologize later. You mean like how C.C. apologized NEVER for a thing that was not only on purpose, but POINTLESS??? Anyway, Spinzaku says no. Spinzaku says that (like C.C.), Ledouche doesn't care about anyone. Remorse won't come at all for either of them. Ledouche responds by not considering Spinzaku's allegations and says, "Even if I am heartless, killing a villain such as myself won't do anything." He then dares him to shoot him dead in the heart, which has a Sakuradite plate on it that will blow them all sky high if Ledouche ever dies. He could shoot him in the head instead, but it's rigged to blow up no matter where he shoots him because there's some kind of precussion timer that runs only while Ledouche's heart it beating. Who did he get to rig his very heart muscle with a Sakuradite bomb? The only person who knows about crazy doomsday devices is Nina. Ledouche asks Spinzaku if the person who made him wise to his game was the one who stole Nunnally. But Spinzaku won't budge. Nunnally is Spinzaku's business now. Ledouche is a virus that needs to die. Ledouche takes offense at Spinzaku trying to be the one to love Nunnally, even though Ledouche himself considered the very same thing not long ago. They draw guns on each other, and fire.
Both die, stopping his Sakuradite heart timer and killing Kallen. C.C. and Jeremiah die in C.C.'s kamikaze attack, Cornelia is discovered dead on top of the government bureau, the Black Knights fall to Britannia, and everyone lived happily ever after. There is no R2.
ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!!!
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