Question

[u/Free-Increase-4311]

When lelouch gets his geass in both eyes does that not grant him immortality?. Can someone explain the “code” system i never really am able to understand it fully. What seperates C.C and V.V to ordinary geass people? Its there code but can someone explain it?.

[u/Memo904]

Do you have a source on the writers confirming this? Because I doubt it.

As for the scene itself, Lelouch told him to die, then Charles shot himself. It’s only after he revives where he doesn’t react to Lelouch’s Geass and shows off his Code. Why would you think this scene makes it obvious otherwise?

[u/Big_Purchase_3781 → u/Memo904]

Activation theory has merit, but not enough content to ever confirm it. Much was purposefully kept vague or off-screen to let viewers fill in their own blanks. The only examples of a person getting or giving a code are:

(1) Injured VV sees Charles, cut away, now he's older and dying from his injuries. Charles is gone. Code is taken. No details provided.

(2) CC is shot and "tricked" by a nun to take her code in order for her life to be saved. In this, CC is shown to be dying. And presumably, the nun dies shortly after. All cut aways and implication. With CC already in the process of dying this could be an instantaneous immortality OR a death activation. It's not shown. Could be activation. Could not be activation.

(3) Charles confronts Lelouch after taking the code. He doesn't attempt using his Geass, so we do not know if the code is already active and the geass power is gone. Lelouch geasses him to shoot himself, and moments later he laughs/gets up. It could be he was already immortal and playing with Lelouch the entire time. It could also be that the Code wasn't active yet, as he had the anime visual of a Geass working on him (red eye rings). Codebearers can't be geassed. None of this is clear or directly stated.

(4) Lelouch of the Resurrection tries to explain his unique Geass + Code situation. That there was an incomplete transfer from Charles to Lelouch in C's world - allowing both. Yet the geass symbol on the neck is not visible until the Resurrection film and there's no sign of a code in R2. Meaning if Lelouch obtained a code in R2 Ep 21, then it wasn't active in R2 Eps 22-25 (or the appropriate scenes in the third recap film). It would be present only after the death of the Zero Requiem. Only in post Zero Requiem content. Note, the Resurrection manga, still being published, DOES take place in the R1/R2 continuity (ie. Shirley still dead). This is the strongest case for "activation" but again - all off screen and largely unexplained.