On the television, the final moments of episode twelve of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion were playing.
Rain fell from the sky as Shirley, dressed up for the occasion, stood alone under a streetlamp, getting soaked.
Lelouch approached her, holding an umbrella to shield her from the rain. He suggested they find shelter, but soon learned something that shocked him.
"Hey, Lulu... Zero is the friend of the weak, right?"
"Uh, yeah. That's what he says."
"Then why did he kill my dad?"
"Huh?"
"My dad was so kind... he never hit me, never did anything wrong... but he was buried alive... couldn't breathe... Why? Why did he have to die? I don't want this! No! Please, Lulu, help me."
As she spoke, Shirley threw her arms around Lelouch and kissed him.
Many viewers watching the episode at home wore strange expressions.
Where was the promised epic, satisfying ride?
This plot... it doesn't feel right!
During the great battle at Narita Mountain Range, Lelouch's decision to detonate the ley lines not only killed many of the Second Princess's soldiers but also buried innocent civilians alive. Shirley's father was one of them.
At the time, only a fleeting glimpse of Shirley's father had been shown, and he had only appeared once on television before. There were no scenes depicting the process of his being buried alive, so the audience didn't think much of it.
In the twelfth episode, Shirley remained unaware of her father's death and even invited Lelouch on a date. It was only on the day of their meeting that she received a call, rushed to the Narita Mountain Range, and confirmed the body.
That day, Lelouch led members of the Black Knights to meet with Kirihara Taizo, one of the leaders of the Kyoto Group. He put on a show, removing his helmet in front of someone other than C.C. for the first time. Because Kirihara Taizo knew him and his hatred for Britannia, he successfully gained his approval.
Then, upon returning from the Kyoto Group's base, came the ending sequence.
The thought that he had indirectly caused his friend's father's death made many viewers feel that the victory at the Narita Mountain Range battle had lost some of its satisfaction.
Of course, this alone didn't explain much; it only made them feel a slight unease. But the subsequent plot would be truly devastating.
The thirteenth episode began with a scene of Shirley's father's funeral.
Karen and the others offered apologies and condolences.
Lelouch lowered his head, remained silent, and returned to his residence. Because C.C. had noticed his wavering, he got into an argument with her.
While showering, he kept pounding the wall, various images flashing through his mind—he had indeed been shaken.
However, he quickly remembered Nunnally's words: "I hope the world can become peaceful," and recalled the reason for his existence. His resolve hardened once more.
The story then plunged into a battle sequence.
Second Princess Cornelia deployed the Marine Knights to plan the pursuit of the Japan Liberation Front members. The protagonist, Lelouch, led the Black Knights into the battle.
That evening, Shirley surprisingly appeared at the scene.
During the fierce battle, Lelouch was distracted by Shirley's presence. The mecha he was piloting was kicked away by Suzaku's Lancelot, and he was subsequently defeated in their duel, losing consciousness.
Fortunately, Karen intervened, luring Suzaku's Lancelot away.
However, Shirley, hiding in a corner, picked up a gun from the ground, her hand trembling slightly. She aimed at Zero, the persona of the Male Lead Lelouch, seeking revenge for her father. The scene ended on a cliffhanger: Zero's helmet fell, revealing Lelouch's true face.
Episode 14: The Story Continues
When Lelouch awoke, he had C.C. issue the retreat order in his place. However, Shirley was missing, and the scene suggested that someone else had been present besides her.
There were two people involved: the shooter and the victim.
To ascertain the situation, Lelouch and C.C. infiltrated Shirley's dormitory. After searching thoroughly, they found her cherished photos of Lelouch.
Using information from Shirley's notebook, Lelouch deduced that she might have gone to Narita.
Sure enough, Shirley was at the memorial monument in Narita.
She muttered to herself, "Lulu... why would you do something like this?"
At that moment, a strange man wearing headphones appeared. To their astonishment, he knew everything.
Through his explanation, the truth of that night was revealed.
Shirley had fired the shot, and the victim was an Imperial woman—the one whose Knightmare Frame Lelouch had stolen in Episode 2. This woman, suspecting Lelouch's connection to the Black Knights, had informed Shirley, leading her to be present at the scene that night.
Headphone Man relentlessly berated Shirley, leaving her slumped on the ground in tears.
A close-up revealed the Geass symbol in Headphone Man's left eye—the same mysterious power C.C. had granted Lelouch.
This meant Headphone Man, like Lelouch, possessed a supernatural ability.
Lelouch and C.C. arrived at Narita, but after failing to find Shirley, they split up to search.
As they searched, Shirley's phone rang. But when Lelouch answered, it wasn't her voice on the other end.
He turned around to see Headphone Man holding Shirley's phone.
"Where's Shirley?" Lelouch demanded.
"If you want to know," Headphone Man replied, "you'll have to play chess with me."
On the train, Lelouch faced Headphone Man in a chess match. Despite his expertise, he found himself losing to Headphone Man, who claimed it was his first time playing. This left Lelouch utterly astonished.
When the train arrived at its destination, Lelouch finally saw Shirley. But she was pointing a gun at him, saying, "Lulu, die. Atone for your sins. I'll die with you."
"What?" Lelouch was stunned.
Soon, he learned that Shirley had shot and killed someone to protect his secret. However, he suspected this was merely the Headphone Man's manipulation and that the person shot hadn't actually died.
He tried to reason with Shirley, but she fired a shot in his direction.
The bullet grazed past Lelouch's head, missing him but causing him to stumble backward. As he fell, the cherished photos Shirley had brought with her scattered across the ground.
Seeing the photos, Shirley's mind descended into chaos.
The Headphone Man hadn't anticipated this turn of events. Realizing he could no longer manipulate Shirley into killing Lelouch, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
At the critical moment, Shirley turned and shot the Headphone Man instead.
While verbally calming Shirley, the Headphone Man stepped onto the train. He then drew another gun, preparing to eliminate both Lelouch and Shirley.
But just then, C.C. arrived from the other end of the train and thwarted the Headphone Man's plan.
After the train carried the Headphone Man away, C.C. murmured to herself, "I never thought you'd come into the crowd."
The end of the fourteenth episode marked the first truly devastating moment in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.
Lelouch held Shirley, who was weeping with guilt, and said, "I'll make you forget everything. Shirley, I'm so sorry about your father. If there's a next life, I'll..."
As he spoke, he activated his King's Power on Shirley.
The melancholic song "Masquerade" began to play, perfectly capturing the mood of the scene.
"Lulu, no!" Shirley resisted, shouting.
Two photographs flashed across the screen: one of Lelouch sleeping on the grass, the other of Shirley with Lelouch in the frame.
Night fell.
At the memorial stone, Shirley, her memory of the events erased, turned and walked a few steps before stopping.
"Excuse me... did you lose family too?" she asked the person across from her.
The person was Lelouch.
"No, not family... but a friend... yes, perhaps... a precious..." Lelouch replied.
"I see," Shirley replied, not quite understanding.
"There are things we only realize once they're gone. I only now understand how much her smile saved me. We can't bicker like we used to, or laugh together like we did before."
"You... really liked her, didn't you?"
"Now, I can't be sure anymore."
"Dawn will come. I've forgotten why I came here, but maybe I just wanted to put an end to something. I have many memories I can't forget, and painful ones too, but dawn will come. So, don't force yourself to suppress these feelings."
"That's true. I think so too... Thank you for everything, all this time."
As Lelouch spoke, he turned and left, leaving Shirley in her confusion.
The earlier episodes could still be considered exhilarating, but the entire arc from episode twelve to fourteen completely contradicted the "exhilarating" label the official animation had promised.
It was undoubtedly deceptive marketing, and after episode fourteen aired, the audience erupted in heated discussion.
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