On May 10th, at 11 PM, the nineteenth episode of the second season of Code Geass aired.
Koji Uchida adjusted his posture in front of the television and watched intently.
He'd initially started watching the anime because it was cool and stress-relieving. He never expected that just as he was getting into it, Euphemia would die, followed by Shirley and Nunnally.
The cool parts were truly satisfying, but the heartbreaking parts were genuinely devastating, leaving him with a love-hate relationship for the series.
He couldn't bring himself to drop it—the anime was simply too good, even with its brutal moments. Yet continuing to watch felt increasingly frustrating.
He now had two things he eagerly awaited: when Lelouch would rise again to utterly destroy the Britannian Empire, and when Rolo would finally die.
Suzaku used to be his most hated character, but Rolo had surpassed him. After Rolo survived in episode 14, Koji would post in Code Geass discussion forums before each new episode: "Rolo, just die already!"
After episode 14 aired, one netizen commented, "Rolo has to die within five episodes, or I'm dropping this show."
Tonight's episode, the nineteenth, would bring the total to five.
Koji Uchida wouldn't stop hunting Rolo just because he survived, but he believed many others would feel the same way.
This time, I hope something happens to Rolo.
Instead of a recap, the TV program began with a brief overview of the global reactions to the nuclear detonation.
Survivors were shaken, and both warring factions were deeply shaken, feeling this was no longer a war.
Lelouch ordered Toudou to land the entire army and search for Nunnally.
His tone was harsh, which secretly displeased Toudou. So many of the Black Knights brothers are dead, yet Zero doesn't care at all. Even now, he's obsessed with finding Nunnally. It's too much.
Due to the horrific power of the nuclear detonation, both sides temporarily declared a ceasefire.
Rolo supported Lelouch back to the base, constantly trying to comfort him. But when Lelouch answered the phone, the heart-shaped charm on Rolo's phone reminded him of Nunnally.
Lelouch snatched Rolo's phone and roared, "Why do you have this?! This was supposed to be for Nunnally! For Nunnally! How could something like you ever replace Nunnally?! You imposter!"
With that, he furiously slammed his phone to the ground.
Rolo kept his head down, silent.
"Don't you get it yet? I hate you! More than anyone! I've wanted to kill you so many times, but I've never managed to do it!" Lelouch erupted, his self-destructive outburst complete.
Rolo looked up, his voice trembling slightly. "Brother...?!"
"Get out! And never show your face to me again!" Lelouch roared, pointing at the door.
Rolo's eyes widened, his expression one of disbelief.
"Get out!" Lelouch roared again, his voice filled with rage.
Meanwhile, Second Prince Schneizel arrived at the Black Knights' base. While Lelouch was away, he exposed Zero's true identity and revealed the existence of Geass. He then presented the Black Knights with files on individuals who had allegedly been subjected to Lelouch's Geass power.
The Black Knights were stunned to discover that Zero had used Geass even against their own members.
They had already harbored suspicions about Zero due to past events. Now, learning this "truth," they saw him as a despicable person who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Their loyalty wavered, their faith shaken.
The scheme to sow discord proved effective. Schneizel seized the opportunity to request that Lelouch be handed over to him.
The Black Knights hesitated, but ultimately, they were short-sighted. Ougi, as the second-in-command, made the decision to agree, but with one condition: Neon must be returned to them.
They never considered the problem of whether they could even hold onto Neon after handing Lelouch over.
The deal was struck, but it was all done behind the backs of Karen, Lelouch, and the others.
Unaware, Karen found Lelouch and led him to Warehouse Four. However, Ougi, Toudou, and the others had already set up an ambush inside.
Wanting to stand by Lelouch, Karen whispered, "Answer me, Lelouch. What am I to you? If I'm with you... answer me!"
Just as Lelouch was about to respond, he suddenly noticed Schneizel lurking in the corner.
If this had been a rebellion instigated by the Black Knights alone, Lelouch might have found a way to resolve it. But Schneizel was the one orchestrating everything.
Lelouch knew Schneizel's capabilities all too well and realized he had no move left.
Not wanting to implicate Karen, he laughed loudly. "You're only realizing this now? You were all just pawns in my game, tools to be used. Karen, you were a particularly excellent pawn. Everything was just a board, just a game."
"Is that so?" Karen's voice was filled with disappointment.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she didn't argue further. "Farewell, Lelouch," she said, turning to walk away.
Only after she had put some distance between them did Lelouch murmur, "Karen, you have to live."
"Huh?"
Karen suddenly realized something was wrong.
She whirled around, but by then, countless bullets were already streaking toward Lelouch.
In that critical moment, Rolo appeared in his Knightmare Frame, shielding Lelouch.
"Brother, I'll protect you!"
With that, Rolo activated his Geass and charged out of the base with Lelouch.
As soon as the others realized what was happening, they gave chase, firing at Rolo's Knightmare Frame.
Leader V.V. of the Geass Order had once called Rolo a "flawed product." When Rolo used his Geass, his heart would stop beating, and using it on a large scale could even prove fatal.
Lelouch, already heartbroken over Nunnally, was now crushed by betrayal and the knowledge of Rolo's Geass's flaw. He kept repeating, "Rolo, enough. I have no reason to keep living."
"No, Brother, because..."
Rolo, one hand controlling the Knightmare Frame and the other clutching his chest in agony, continued to activate his Geass. "I've always been someone else's tool—first the Order's, then yours."
Images from his past flashed through his mind, accompanied by the music box melody of "I'll Become a Little Bird," creating an atmosphere of profound sadness.
"True, I was just being used. But those times... they were real."
"Thanks to that memory, I finally... I finally lived like a person."
"So, I already... I already..."
"I... am not... a tool!"
"This... this is my... personal will!"
By the end, he was practically roaring.
He pressed a button, and the Knightmare Frame unleashed a beam of energy that obliterated the enemy's escort carrier.
Having temporarily escaped his pursuers, he piloted the Knightmare Frame into a dense forest, carrying Lelouch with him.
As Rolo lay dying, Lelouch asked, "Rolo, why did you save me? I was just going to..."
"Because, Brother, you love to lie," Rolo replied. "You were lying, weren't you? Saying you'd kill me, saying you hated me."
"I see. You saw right through me. Just as I'd expect from my brother."
"I... I understand everything... when it comes to you, Brother..."
As he spoke, Rolo closed his eyes, his head slumping weakly.
"Ah, that's right."
Lelouch murmured softly, placing the phone with the heart-shaped charm in Rolo's open hand. "Your brother is a liar."
Koji Uchida was numb in front of the television.
That was a foul!
He had wanted Rolo to die quickly, but he never imagined it would be like this. How could he still hate him now?
This death offered no satisfaction; instead, it almost made him cry. Especially when paired with the melancholic music box BGM, the tear-jerking effect was overwhelming.
A perfectly good action-packed anime had turned into a tragedy, and now it had become a tearjerker.
"Damn it!"
Koji Uchida shouted, his emotions a tangled mess.
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