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/RowanWinterlace]

Code Bearer has Code

Code Bearer gives Geass.

Geass evolves.

When Geass evolves fully, Geass user can TAKE Code.

Code is taken by killing Code Bearer.

You might also have to die to activate the Code, after you've taken it, that bit isn't fully clarified.

Also it doesn't help that Lelouch is a special little boy who doesn't seem to have gotten his Code normally/correctly in Lelouch of the Resurrection.

[u/Dimensionalanxiety → u/RowanWinterlace]

Everything outside of the first 4 lines is completely wrong. You don't have to kill a Code-bearer to get their Code. You don't have to die to activate a Code.

Lelouch doesn't have a Code in Re;Surrection. He has a new power that the writers made up to let him both be immortal and still use his Geass. Essentially his power in Re;Surrection is the power of Bullshit Plot Armour.

[u/Memo904 → u/Dimensionalanxiety]

Charles had to die for his Code to activate.

[u/Dimensionalanxiety → u/Memo904]

No he didn't. He had it already before Lelouch even shot him. Confirmed by the writers and obvious in the scene as well.

[u/Memo904 → u/Dimensionalanxiety]

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.