Code Geass Ending Explained: Here’s What Happens to Lelouch
One of the most popular anime series of all time is Code Geass, as it is consistently rated as one of the best anime on anyone’s list due to the many different dramatic scenes and intelligent storytelling prevalent in the anime. But the thing that confuses a lot of different fans is the way that Code Geass ended, as some of them don’t know what happened to Lelouch in the ending. And there’s a good reason for that.
The original Code Geass anime had an ending that was left open-ended in a way that allowed fans to think and speculate about what could have happened to Lelouch after the dramatic ending scene. Nevertheless, the confusing part came due to the release of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection movie. So, with that said, let’s look at what happened to Lelouch at the end of Code Geass.
What Happened To Lelouch In The Code Geass Ending?
If there’s an anime series that has stood the test of time and is still one of the best stories when it comes to its twists and turns, then we can’t help but talk about Code Geass. This anime series is one of the most intelligently told stories, as it was able to showcase the strategic brilliance of the different characters involved. But it was Lelouch’s mindset and ability to control the battlefield, as well as the minds of the people he works with, that made the anime so interesting.
Throughout two seasons, we saw the rise of Lelouch vi Britannia as the perfect antihero due to the fact that he seeks a grandeur and somewhat altruistic goal while making use of unconventional and somewhat conventional methods. Equipped with the power of Geass, which he obtained from the immortal woman named CC, Lelouch has the ability to give an absolute order to any person once. And because he is a strategic genius, this power was dangerous in the hands of Lelouch as he sought to bring down the Britannian Empire of his father as the mysterious rebel named Zero.
While he was successful at bringing the Britannian Empire, Lelouch needed to find a way to unite the entire world. That was when he became the new emperor and decided to become more tyrannical than his father ever was.
Using the power of his Geass, he was able to force the world to its knees by abolishing all the oppressive laws and class systems of Britannia, freeing every colony, and putting down all resistance to his goals, all while convincing his best friend and former enemy, Suzaku, to join him in his plans.
Nevertheless, the UFN and the Black Knights that he formerly led in secret as Zero opposed him. Led by his older half-brother Schneizel, who made use of Lelouch’s younger sister Nunnally as a bargaining chip, they forced the emperor to slightly change his plans. Schneizel also had control of a large ship called the Damocles, which had the power to fire FLEIJA warheads, which were weapons of mass destruction.
But with the power of his Geass, Lelouch was able to force his older brother Schneizel to heel to his command by making use of the power of his Geass. He ordered his brother to obey Zero. Meanwhile, in the battle against the Black Knights, Suzaku was believed to have been killed.
As Emperor Lelouch was prepared to execute the leader of the Black Knights and the UFN in front of the people in Japan, Zero suddenly appeared out of nowhere. However, this version of Zero was actually Suzaku in disguise, as he used his athleticism and superior combat abilities to get to Lelouch and kill him by stabbing him with his sword.
But this was all according to Lelouch’s plan, as only Suzaku was privy to the Zero Requiem that he had been planning the entire time. The only reason why Suzaku, who used to be loyal to the Britannian Empire, agreed to help Lelouch out was that this was the only way to facilitate peace throughout the entire world.
Lelouch took his seat as the new emperor so that he could direct the world’s anger toward him. Of course, the only way for him to become the most hated person on the planet was to commit actions that the world did not agree with. The first step was to defeat the UFN and the Black Knights, as they were seen as liberators of the world. He also made sure that Schneizel, the only man smart enough to oppose him, obeyed Zero using the power of his Geass.
So, with that, Zero (who was secretly Suzaku) was able to become the hero of the world by killing the tyrannical Britannian emperor. This meant that Nunnally was going to become the next empress, as she was the best for the job due to her kind heart. As such, Lelouch was able to achieve a good future for his younger sister while ensuring that the entire world and his friends were safe and at peace. And he was able to atone for his sins by sacrificing himself as the enemy of the world.
Is Lelouch Still Alive?
After the completion of the Zero Requiem plan, CC was seen traveling on a cart as fans were quick to point out that she probably wasn’t alone. This allowed fans to think that Lelouch was alive all along and was able to fake his death. However, for many years, this was never confirmed by the creator of Code Geass as the ending was left open-ended.
Nevertheless, due to the fact that Code Geass was still popular more than a decade after it concluded, a set of films that summarized the two seasons were released to pave the way for a new movie called Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection. But there were several changes that were introduced in those movies, and the most striking change was the fact that Shirley’s death was retconned.
Shirley, whose family was influential in the Britannian Empire, needed to be alive in the summary films due to the fact that she was important to the impending revival of Lelouch in the new movie. In that regard, Lelouch did indeed die at the end of Zero Requiem but was subsequently revived by CC before the events of Lelouch of the Re;surrection after she obtained her body from Shirley, who was able to take custody of the fallen emperor’s corpse due to her family’s influence.
So, while CC was able to find a way to resurrect Lelouch and bring him back to life in the latest movie, the thing that fans need to know is that the summary movies and the Lelouch of the Re;surrection film all take place in an alternate universe where Shirley survived the events of the storyline and Lelouch did indeed die at the end of Zero Requiem.
However, as far as the main timeline of the original Code Geass is concerned, Lelouch’s fate is still up in the air, as fans still believe that he never actually died at the end of Zero Requiem. It might sound confusing, but that is what happens when the creators of Code Geass decided to create two separate universes where there are slight changes to the storylines.