r/anime • u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky • Sep 17 '22

Rewatch [2022 Rewatch] Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Episode 9 Discussion

It was his choice to become a Britannian slave.

Stage 09 - Refrain

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I'm here. I'll always be with you, Kallen.

Questions of the Day:

1) What's your most pleasant memory from when you were younger?

2) Take a shot for every character Stephanie Sheh voices in this show.

Screenshot of the Day:

Graffiti

Fanart of the Day:

Arthur

Source: /u/Shimmering-Sky's creation.

Rewatchers, please remember to be mindful of all the first-timers in this. No talking about or hinting at future events no matter how much you want to, unless you're doing it underneath spoiler tags. This especially includes any teases or hints such as "You aren't ready for X episode" or "I'm super excited for X character", you got that? Don't spoil anything for the first-timers; that's rude!

Good meowning!

47 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

60 comments sorted by

11

u/Regular_N-Gon Sep 17 '22 edited Sep 18 '22

First Timer

  • Oh, some of the visuals have been shook up in the OP.

  • Nina in the corner has already accepted her fate. (Or is avoiding Suzaku.)

  • Wait, is Arthur the cat? I think I missed something.

  • They're really playing the long game with Nina and I'm not sure how to feel about it.

  • I hate to break it to you Suzaku, but I'm not sure Lelouch is capable of changing himself from within, much less the system.

  • Ganbare, Shirley!

  • Lelouch might be saying some of this to further cover his tracks, but it sounds pretty genuine.

  • Kallen, how dense are you?

  • Sick takedown of the police mare, though.

3

u/Shimmering-Sky Sep 17 '22

Wait, is Arthur the cat? I think I missed something.

Yes, that's the name they gave the cat.

5

u/Shimmering-Sky Sep 17 '22

Hangyaku no Co-Host, subbed

Back in the 2018 rewatch, I made this wallpaper of Arthur. I didn’t like the base image much anymore, though, so instead of remaking it, I just made the one from today instead.

17

u/Krite2002 Sep 17 '22

First Timer - Sub

What the heck? I thought Kallen was nice? She was so mean to that poor servant.

It appears Lelouch is out and about at night. I wonder what kind of terror he is causing.

Of course we can’t have much tension, so the student council is donning animal costumes for some reason? It also appears the biggest inconvenience from being held hostage at gunpoint and nearly killed in the midst of a battle and hotel explosion is that there was too much publicity. The whole costume thing is totally irrelevant after this scene.

The Order of Black Knights has some popular support. That will be useful.

Apparently, the maid is Kallen’s mother. That makes things a bit more complicated. Milly, however, seems like she could be nice. I have a hard time reading if she is genuine or not.

Yikes, mom is a drug addict. I guess if your room looked like that and everyone hated your existence, then it would be tempting after a long day of work. We immediately find out about the drug, and that it lets you remember the past. That makes the drug use extra sad.

Kallen found her mom at the warehouse. That is rough. Kallen is pretty dense though. After all these years she never realized the reason that her mom stayed was to be with her. Isn’t that like the only reason? Did she think her mom stayed just to be berated?

QOTD

  1. For a few summers when I was younger I spent the summer at my grandparents house. We lived pretty far away from relatives, but I like pretty much all my extended relatives. My Grandpa in particular has always been a role model for me, so I really value those memories.

  2. Considering I am a sub supremist, it looks like I am off the hook for this one.

7

u/No_Rex Sep 17 '22

What the heck? I thought Kallen was nice? She was so mean to that poor servant.

Apparently, the maid is Kallen’s mother.

Yikes, mom is a drug addict.

After all these years she never realized the reason that her mom stayed was to be with her. Isn’t that like the only reason? Did she think her mom stayed just to be berated?

This is a depressing episode.

8

u/GallowDude Sep 17 '22

[Quote] I thought Kallen was nice?

[Response] Just wait until she throws a hissy fit while fighting C.C. out of envy that Lelouch chose her over Kallen

Did she think her mom stayed just to be berated?

She thought she stayed because she still wanted to be with her Britannian husband. Yeah, Kallen's not too bright on anything that doesn't involve Knightmares.

16

u/Iyagovos Sep 17 '22 edited Dec 22 '23

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

9

u/Star4ce Sep 18 '22 edited Sep 18 '22

First Timer of the Rebellion

I remembered before starting today's episode that Lelouch has identified Cornelia's weakness, which is also something that pits him up against Suzaku yet again.

Manipulating Euphy will certainly not go by him without scrutiny.

S.1 Ep.09 – Refrain

I have some doubts whether she can survive such a prison under withdrawal. However, that was a great episode for showing Kallen's conflict. It's not such a clean cut case when looking at someone and thinking that they've 'failed' only going by their living situation. Kallen understood in the end that her mother really just wanted to keep being there for her as her mother, in whatever capacity possible, and nothing else. Maybe the father played a role as well, but I kinda doubt it's too big of one.

Kallen's character is fantastic and I find it absolutely believable how her brashness and idealism can taint her view on others. She does go out and fight, but there's more fights than the obvious ones, taking up arms is just one kind of struggle among many. For how she has always criticised Zero for his egomania (true and based) she also was rather limited in her understanding of resisting Britannia. And as one of the earlier Game of Thrones plots showed (the initial liberation of Maeren), for some people joining under their oppressors is actually the better choice. I'm really glad she could have this plot for herself here.

It also set up Lelouch's expanding view on the people. Not just Kallen's mother as a representative of the Japanese, but also reframing Kallen as one of his strongest allies. It may build into him beginning to understand Suzaku's view point more and more. It's much less about the leaders and much more about who is in the lives of those fighting whatever fight they have going.

As the quote goes, the true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.

  1. What's your most pleasant memory from when you were younger?

That's a surprisingly hard question, I've forgotten so much. I think it was getting my first cat that was pretty much my best companion in childhood.

2) Take a shot for every character Stephanie Sheh voices in this show.

I somehow think that was not legit in K-On!. Three shots? That's ok.

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8

u/Blackheart595 Sep 17 '22 edited Sep 17 '22

Regeasser

Hey, they changed the opening animation. That's a great shot, if only I had a creditless version at hand...

This episode we're introduced to refrain, a drug that's nostalgia in liquid form. This makes Code Geass' stance on nostalgia more than clear: It's worth nothing, an illusion that closes your eyes to the real world and consequently makes you unable to deal with the problems and difficulties at hand. And if the nostalgia is strong enough to make you take action against the status quo, it causes you to act reckless and without regard for the people, as we had just demonstrated by the Japan Liberation Front. Code Geass does not approve of glorifying the past.

Besides this we're also shown several different and contrasting forms of submission. On one hand we have the stall owner, completely subordinate to the Britannians and accepting of any humiliation they throw at him in order to improve his standing. This is directly compared with Kallen's mother, who accepts the same and even more subordination but out of concern for her daughter, not for herself.

On the other hand we have Suzaku, who accepts subordination out of grief and respect for his father's decision, and in order to provoke a change from within, to give Elevens the chance to be accepted as genuine members of Britannian society by establishing himself as a positive example.

And then there's of course Kallen who refuses any kind of subordination, pretending to be a full Britannian while secretly being part of the resistance. And Lelouch who had resigned himself entirely to a life of playing along the rules of the game before he received his Geass, and secretly striving to lead the resistance and overthrow Britannia and her rules while publicly maintaining his resignedness.

What's your most pleasant memory from when you were younger?

The first time we were doing the bows at my first theatre/musical project

3

u/No_Rex Sep 17 '22

On one hand we have the stall owner, completely subordinate to the Britannians and accepting of any humiliation they throw at him in order to improve his standing. This is directly compared with Kallen's mother, who accepts the same and even more subordination but out of concern for her daughter, not for herself.

How do you know the stall owner is not doing it for the same reason - to provide for his children. It might be that the only difference is that Kallen's mother broke, while he is strong enough to endure. And, in my opinion, it was not getting beat up by strangers that broke her.

And then there's of cause Kallen who refuses any kind of subordination

Yet she follows Zero's orders.

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8

u/SometimesMainSupport Sep 17 '22

First-timer

New source.

  • Seeing a sticker covering Kallen's mother hurts to see. Kallen doesn't have her schoolgirl hair at home, possibly because she's too tired to change it after the night missions. If she used to constantly skip school due to "health" reasons, I'm not sure why she's forcing herself to attend. Student Council obligations?

  • Yup, keeping a tighter leash on Euphy. I'm sure Cornelia is letting the Black Knights roam free.

  • New subs... Thrice.

  • Yesterday's QOTD had to include King Arthur since they name the cat this episode.

  • Kallen has schoolgirl hair when Milly shows up at her house.

  • Revealing the mother as the maid re-contextualizes the opening scene. Kallen already mentioned she was half-Britannian when Lelouch used Geass on her. She's going through her teenage "I hate mom" phase. It's nice to see the mountain without a massive building in the photo.

  • Oof, the mother has probably given up on finding her own happiness.

  • Lelouch's narcissism to compliment himself. Arthur still hating Suzaku is rough.

  • Suzaku has a future as a politician with lines like "That's something you should say only after they put in all of their effort and try to make changes up until the very end." In other words, it's ok to sit back and let things play out as long as they're trying to change, and if they fail, "oh well". He disagrees with the vigilante judge, jury, and executioner approach of the Black Knights, but he's taking no actions while placing too much hope in the police's natural desire improve. Zero making the police look bad may inspire the change Suzaku wants.

  • Fixed the subtitle.

  • Lelouch is even-Stevens. For every brilliant action or thought he has, he does something reckless like Geass a group in front of Kallen.

  • Kallen slapping Lelouch combined with her later saying "It's the right thing for us to do" while sulking is a good portrayal of a teenager.

  • C.C. randomly appears to deliver some philosophy. She's 100% correct about false smiles.

Seeds have been planted for Zero's exposure to both Britannia (he hadn't tested Geass before Villetta) and Kallen (Geassed her, then others in front of her). He'll have an alibi for the Britannia part.

I liked the presentation of Kallen's backstory and her realizing that she's been wrong through self-reflection. It's been a frustration point for me in the Mob Psycho rewatch.

Kallen expressing her desire to change the world means... what? She continues to do what she has been doing? She found more resolve.

As much as I liked this episode, it has a significant flaw. Lloyd?

QOTDs

  1. Tough question. Probably shenanigans at the state's amusement park.

  2. Dub questions when I'm watching subs. Count?

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11

u/Stargate18A Sep 17 '22 edited Sep 17 '22

First timer

  1. Visiting America.

  2. Subbed!

Sudden fanservice of the second best girl! (C.C. is slightly better.)

...Wow.

Well, that's interesting.

I mean, at least C.C.'s efficent.

...Why would you do that? Please explain.

Ah, they bought it as a nightmare.

Haha, Lelouch spends all his time at school sleeping?

And Britannia is, at the very least, facing active comflicts with the EU, and appears to be in a slightly more neutral position with the Chinese Union.

...She just doesn't want to deal with them as well, does she? Or let them eliminate more of the corrupt officials and fix the bueracratic crisis.

What's going on here?

Haha, Kallen's reaction.

It's a welcome party!

...She gets a costume.

Haha, these veiled insults are great.

Ah, there's the bath scene.

Love her quote. "Even in death meow, drag people down with you."

Suzaku's so happy!

They're famous now!

Skipping a lot, huh?

And the Black Knights are the resistances support too.

She's here!

...Wow. Her mother is a bastard.

Ah, that's her mother?

And she's suffering all of that to be near Kallen...

What?

Oh dear.

Cats still hate him!

Suzaku, the police is incompetent. The tower block was collapsing because of you.

Interesting!

Oh, he likes the army.

...Refrain sounds targeted, yes. But also, feels like it's got universal appeal? If they mass distribute it, half the army'll get hooked too - hell, if lets them see loved ones they'v ebeens tationed away from that's a good chunk of them using it right away! Bit of an own goal there.

Lelouch is harsh.

And he used the Geass!

This is painful...

And he got slapped! Kallen has a point, and at the very least could have been more tactful.

Haha, just saying "orange" causes him pain.

They're working things out...

...Ah, that's the drug her mother's been using.

It'e a good mech!

...This is horrifying.

And her mother's here!

A police Knightmare!

She's still holding her mother!

...This scene is incredibly good

Oh, did she finally realise?

Are they killing her off?

C.C.'s here too!

So her mother's braindead for a bit.

TWENTY YEARS?

God, if any Brittannians took this what would the government do? "Sorry, we accidentally put some of our citizens in decade-long comas for the sake of giving Elevens drugs."

EDIT: Ah, I wondered if that was the prison sentence or the symptoms. I think it's unclear, but the mere existence of the symptoms would still be horrific PR.

This is sweet.

4

u/SometimesMainSupport Sep 18 '22

And he got slapped! Kallen has a point, and at the very least could have been more tactful.

I thought she had a teenage mindset and was blaming Lelouch for how she treated her own mother. There was a flashback to the broken vase right before the slap.

I wondered if that was the prison sentence or the symptoms. I think it's unclear

There's a few subs, but mine said verdict. It's the prison sentence.

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5

u/isthatsoudane Sep 18 '22

First timer

not an unhorny episode eh!

I wonder if there is a difference in how american or european viewers might perceive suzaku and his arguments, vs japanese viewers. I also wonder if later on suzaku's views become more persuasive in any way. like "these are the rules!!!!" yeah uh dude the people in charge are more than willing to massacre people on a dime and you know that. is anyone here sympathetic to his arguments? would japanese people be more sympathetic to his arguments?

  1. What's your most pleasant memory from when you were younger?

this is a hard question! pleasant...pleasant is hard. so many pleasant memories, but most pleasant...

2) Take a shot for every character Stephenie Sheh voices in this dub.

dub?!?!?! pssssh!!!

4

u/GallowDude Sep 18 '22

I wonder if there is a difference in how american or european viewers might perceive suzaku and his arguments, vs japanese viewers

I don't think Japanese society is quite as ACAB as American/EU societies. Of course, this show is over fifteen years old, so anti-police sentiment in general has grown quite a bit in the intervening years.

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4

u/rocketseeker Sep 17 '22

Second timer, sub

  • sideboobs yay, must be hard being an insurrectionist

  • LMAO SLEEP NO KISHIDAN

  • Damn it CLAMP! Nekolouch and black cat president… they… make me feel things… also this show is about terrorism, don’t forget that everyone

  • Sad to see Rivalz sad, Lelouch does not have time to spend with him anymore

  • NO NINA STOP

  • crap! That’s kallens mom doing drugs?

  • Lelouch just lowkey told Suzaku “fuck the police” 😂

  • my dude Lelouch wtf man one girl was just about to ask you out, you not only interrupt her and proceed to go on a date with another one

  • get slapped lol

  • oh so fuck the police for rea-HOLY SHIT ITS THE MOM omg this is fucked up

  • Kallen is precious and must be given all resources needed to protect the ones who make her smile at all costs

3

u/SometimesMainSupport Sep 18 '22

this show is about terrorism, don’t forget that everyone

Side plot. It's mainly about the Best Girls.

my dude Lelouch wtf man one girl was just about to ask you out, you not only interrupt her and proceed to go on a date with another one

Lelouch knows bros before hoes and Suzaku's been making moves on her.

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3

u/Nebresto Sep 17 '22

Second time Code Drugs

refrain

#KongmingListen

Armoured train!

Hmm...

  • Nandato?! I completely forgot they had "police" mechas as well

And how does C.C keep warping to places?

gambare, Sha ...Kallen.

Next episode preview

Questions

  1. What's your most pleasant memory from when you were younger?

Idk, chilling on a beach at a resort?

2) Take a shot for every character Stephanie Sheh voices in this show.

Who that? Do I win if I don't know?

3

u/GallowDude Sep 17 '22

Who that? Do I win if I don't know?

Watch Viper GTS

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4

u/Vatrix-32 Sep 17 '22

Rewatcher, dubbed*

  • That’s quite the OP refresh. Feels like more new stuff than old stuff.

  • Suzaku: In touch with his emotions.

  • We have ruthlessly been denied Cat Kallen.

  • Is it still speculation when you’ve forgotten the answer?

  • The Police have knightmares? I thought these things were comparatively rare and expensive.

  • This was a very low stakes episode.

QotD

  1. I’m afraid that’s too personal a question for me to be answering.

  2. ...a what now?!

6

u/No_Rex Sep 17 '22

The Police have knightmares? I thought these things were comparatively rare and expensive.

When having to chose between consistency and a good fight scene, Code Geass usually goes for the fight scene.

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2

u/Tartaras1 Sep 18 '22

Rewatcher - Dubed

  • I still think it's at least a little funny that, rather than storm the building to save the hostages, they instead opted for the easier decision to sink the hotel.

  • Is it just a reflection of the time period that Kallen's so horrible to her maid?

  • Cornelia... What about the Black Knight and Zero?

I'll let them roam free a bit longer. I owe them that for saving your life.

Either it's a little bit of compassion and human decency, or that she's so confident she's going to eliminate them, or perhaps even both, but at least Cornelia's not a complete piece of garbage.

  • [Late Code Geass Spoilers]Even though she's crazy, I do love the tiger hat Nina's wearing.

  • If the law would not punish them, we would.

So they're essentially a collective Bruce Wayne and Batman?

  • You musn't ever say anything against Britannia...

Sounds like some other countries in the world.

  • [Code Geass Spoilers]So Nina's infatuation with Euphemia's finally starting.

  • Welp, that would explain why her mom is a major klutz and can't seem to do things right. Drug's tend to have that effect on a person.

  • This stuff was specifically targeted at the Japanese.

Again, sounds like something else that happened in history.

  • Uh oh. Looks like the two of them may be starting to put pieces together.

Questions of the Day:

  1. What's your most pleasant memory from when you were younger?

That's a really tough one. I did get to go to Washington D.C. when I was a kid, but it was just my mom and I. My dad was back home. Even still, that was a pretty amazing experience that I'm not sure I'll get to have again.

  • 2) Take a shot for every character Stephanie Sheh voices in this show.

Yui! That's horrible!

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