Code Geass’s protagonist Lelouch vi Britannia has earned countless fans through his charisma and genius. After he is given the supernatural power Geass by the witch C.C., he embarks on a quest to overthrow Britannia. His revolution against his tyrannical father Charles captivated the attention of numerous viewers that cheered for him in his self-appointed mission.
But as clever and charismatic as he is, Lelouch is still only a 17-year-old. He has as many flaws as he has qualities; his genius is often set back by his arrogance. This is why many of his plans go awry. Ironically, Code Geass may actually be most memorable for Lelouch’s massive failures, instead of his successes.
10 His Desire To Protect & Make Nunnally Happy Only Leads To Her Misery
Lelouch’s desire to destroy Britannia is motivated by the attack on his family which apparently killed his mother and badly crippled his sister Nunnally. While his vengeful nature often gets in the way of his sense, his love for Nunnally makes him truly endearing. She is the most important person in his life and he genuinely wishes to protect her and build a kind and gentle world for her.
Unfortunately, things don’t turn out as planned. As events spiral out of Lelouch’s control, he is forced to resort to drastic measures which earn him Nunnally’s enmity. In an attempt to stop him, Nunnally ends up staining her own hands with blood by using the F.L.E.I.J.A. missile. In the end, Lelouch dies in her arms and her heart-wrenching sobs make the success of his scheme feel like a Pyrrhic victory.
9 His First Battle Against Cornelia Could Have Easily Led To His Capture
Upon first receiving the Geass from C.C., Lelouch registers great success by overcoming his brother Clovis’s forces in the Shinjuku Ghetto. In the aftermath of Clovis’s death, his sister Cornelia becomes governor over Area 11.
Cornelia recreates the Shinjuku scenario in the Saitama Ghetto, effectively pinpointing Lelouch’s moves and managing to pin him down in a knightmare. If C.C. hadn’t intervened and drawn the attention of the Britannian forces by using the Zero suit, Lelouch would have easily been captured.
8 His First Confrontation With Mao Fails To Fully Neutralize The Threat
Lelouch isn’t the only person who receives a Geass from C.C. Using his mind-reading abilities, Mao manipulates Shirley Fenette into attempting to kill Lelouch. Lelouch is unable to find a solution to his predicament as Mao’s Geass is the perfect counter for his strategic mind. Fortunately, Shirley can’t bring herself to go through with the act and Mao ends up leaving them alone.
Lelouch later manages to overcome Mao’s power by distracting him and ordering the police to shoot him. Unfortunately, he fails to specify the necessity of Mao’s death. Mao survives through Britannian medicine and comes back to kidnap Nunnally. Without Suzaku Kururugi’s help, Lelouch may have not been able to save his sister.
7 He Underestimates Li Xingke & Loses The Battle Of Xiaopei
Season 2 of Code Geass sees Lelouch traveling to the Chinese Federation, embroiled in a conflict between the High Eunuchs controlling the young Empress Tianzi, Britannia, and the Chinese rebels. Lelouch chooses to kidnap the Empress and, as such, is pursued by the leader of the rebels Li Xingke.
In the ensuing confrontation, Lelouch massively underestimates Xingke. Kallen Kozuki is captured due to her Guren shutting down mid-battle. Lelouch attempts to save her, but his strategy is foiled by Xingke’s superior knowledge of the terrain. The Black Knights are forced to retreat, leaving Kallen in the hands of the Chinese rebels.
6 His Failure To Secure The Trust Of His Subordinates Leads To Their Betrayal
Despite being a talented and charismatic leader, Lelouch as Zero has a massive flaw: he doesn’t truly understand the importance of the individual and often sees the Black Knights as chess pieces in his grander schemes. Because of this, he fails to keep even the high-tiered members of his organization informed of his motivations and plans. This is part of the reason why it becomes very easy for his brother Schneizel to turn them against him.
The Black Knights’ betrayal is fueled a lot by the failure of the second attack on the Tokyo Settlement, the concept of Geass, and by Kaname Ohgi’s relationship with Viletta Nu. However, Lelouch definitely has his fair share of the blame — if he had been more straightforward, this type of situation wouldn’t have appeared.
5 The Failed Black Rebellion Leads To Him Being Brainwashed Twice
Season 1 of the Code Geass ends with a dramatic display of chaos as Lelouch leads the forces of Japan into an uprising against Britannia. Triggered by the SAZ Massacre, the first assault on the Tokyo Settlement manages to take down Cornelia and almost completely take over the city. Unfortunately, Lelouch is distracted mid-combat when Nunnally is taken captive by V.V. He leaves his subordinates behind to go save his sister.
Without him, the forces of the Black Knights lose their advantage, unable to come up with a coherent strategy. As the Britannians recover, most of the rebels are arrested or killed. Lelouch himself is captured by Suzaku and taken to Emperor Charles. His father uses his Geass on him twice, erasing his memory. Lelouch even ends up serving Britannia under the guise of Julius Kingsley before finally being rendered into harmless bait for C.C.
4 His Attempt To Manipulate Suzaku Ends With A Disastrous Geass Command
After his second confrontation with Mao, Lelouch learns a dangerous secret about his friend-turned-rival Suzaku. Suzaku actually killed his father in an attempt to stop further hostilities between Britannia and Japan. His self-hatred over his patricide makes him suicidal. While on Kaminejima Island, Lelouch attempts to use this knowledge against Suzaku to get him to join the Black Knights.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t work. Following Britannian orders, Suzaku attempts to kill them both. Lelouch is forced to resort to his Geass and casts the ‘Live’ command. It saves his life, but it will later cost them very dearly.
3 The Second Attack On Tokyo Ends With The FLEIJA Missile Strike
The Second Black Rebellion in Season 2 peaks in another attack on the Tokyo Settlement — one that ends even worse than the first. Angered after a previous confrontation with Suzaku and his perceived betrayal, Lelouch orders Kallen to kill Suzaku. In the process, he ignores something very important: Suzaku’s Lancelot is carrying the F.L.E.I.J.A. missile.
Pushed into a corner by Kallen’s much superior Guren S.E.I.T.E.N., Lelouch is forced by his Live Geass to fire the missile. The ensuing explosion results in 35 million casualties. Lelouch’s sister Nunnally is thought to be among the dead and in the aftermath the Black Knights betray him.
2 The Zero Requiem Costs Too Much For What It Accomplishes
The ending of Code Geass may very well be one of the best in anime history. Through the Zero Requiem, Lelouch becomes the enemy of the world, then commits assisted suicide at Suzaku’s hand. The concept offers a poetic ending to Lelouch’s story and is also meant to provide absolution for Lelouch and Suzaku’s past crimes. However, the Zero Requiem costs far too much for what it accomplishes.
The rivers of blood Lelouch spills only earn the world one year of peace, as confirmed in Lelouch of the Re;Surrection. The plan itself may be a success, but the outcome is less than ideal. If Lelouch had wanted redemption, he’d have been better off earning it by being a good emperor, not a demonic one.
1 His Loss Of Control Against Euphemia Leads To His Ultimate Doom
The uprising against Britannia is a failure, but the incident that actually triggered it is much worse. Perceiving his sister Euphemia’s Special Administrative Zone as a threat, Lelouch plans to use Geass on her to make her shoot him. He changes his mind at the last moment, but in their ensuing conversation, his ability goes out of control. Through a foolish ill-timed joke, he commands her to massacre the Japanese.
Under the Geass’s sway, Euphemia herself orders and pursues the deaths of countless innocents. Lelouch is forced to kill her. This leads to a permanent rift between him and Suzaku, as well as his own feelings of self-hatred — both of which massively impact his ultimate decision to go through with the Zero Requiem.
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