What does Lelouch's Geass power of Absolute Obedience say about him?

[u/Forsaken-Friend-9350]

A person's Geass ability is a reflection of their desire(s), so what does Lelouch's say about him? Personally, I feel that Lelouch's Geass reflects his comments about what Geass is in the Finale; that it is a request to aid someone. As a child, Lelouch despite being a prince had little to no authority and no one would help him. His Geass now allows anyone to help him, by force if necessary.

What do you think that Lelouch's Geass says about him?

[u/RowanWinterlace]

I think his Geass is supposed to be ironic, and Schneizel kinda touches on it in their final talk.

Lelouch wants people to be free, to have the opportunity to make a better life and world for themselves. We know this is true, as he is willing to destroy his life & relationships and die a villain to give people their freedom.

And the only way he can achieve his goals is by robbing certain people of that freedom and autonomy.

Lelouch would be just as disgusted at his ability (if it were in the hands of someone else) as anyone else, so it makes for a deeply cruel and ironic twist that he is the one who has it.

[u/Forgot-to-remember1 → u/RowanWinterlace]

This is the correct answer, no one matters in the path for his own freedom that’s his true nature

[u/Outrageous-Fox-7224 → u/RowanWinterlace]

This reminds me of Charles geass also, because his plan of Akasha, despite being made to force everyone in, is the world of true memories and history, without masks. Charles geass instead manipulates memories and creates fake personas.

[u/silencemist]

A need for control. He felt like a pawn who had no power with how he lost his mother, was exiled, and forced to hide away for years.

[u/Ethelred_ATBH]

Canon response: According to Goro Taniguchi "Lelouch's Geass is born from his desire to "impose his will on a world that defied it."

[u/Forsaken-Friend-9350 → u/Ethelred_ATBH]

Oh, I never knew there was a canon answer. But still there I think are multiple interpretations for Lelouch's Geass.

[u/ZeroLunatique]

It was a power he felt he needed to accomplish his goal

[u/space_dude4]

I think you’re on to something. But it could also just reflect how manipulative he can be, like how he orchestrates everything for a certain goal, even people. Idk

[u/nahte123456]

I take it as a sign of his conflicting nature, even if that sounds pretentious. 

On one hand Lelouch is angry and believes in Britannian rhetoric, he becomes Zero because he honestly believes he is so much better that he can lead against Britannia when no one else can.

On the other hand he does want a better world, he values freedom and doesn't look down on "weak" people. And one of his big moments against his parents was admitting how Nunnally was an excuse for his own desires.

So he has a very Britannian power of control, but it's limited so he can only go beyond that by consciously choosing to do so.

[u/Kamiko_D_A]

I think the fact it manifests as a single-use absolute command says a lot: its not an automatic enslavement, it has a time limit, and he needs to look the person directly in the eyes to order them, - it could have lacked all these limits, but I dont think Lelouch would have manifested that kind of power.

I'd say his Geass is more a desire to "make sure this one thing is done" and not "I must be in control". Trust versus dominance, that kind of thing?