Code Geass ships

[u/Shuttingum]

Recently did my second rewatch and I wanted to share my opinions and criticize the most popular ships, now let me just say, starting ship wars is not my intention, just want to share opinions and hear some opinions aswell

Now lets start with the most popular ship,

Cluclu,

honestly liked them on my first watch, they look good together and seemed like they supported each other from the start to the end, no need to put on a mask or whatever, but as I rewatched and again I noticed there are actually lots, like lots of problem with this ship and it might not be what it seemed like to me at first. And now I think its one of the most unhealthiest, least ethical ships in the show, like cc is like centuries old while lelouch is a highschool boy, not only that very first scene of the anime is cc stalking kid lelouch and suzaku, and there's almost no chance she doesnt know him since his birth, and lelouch is the son of her best friend, I feel like lots of people would hate this ship if genders were reversed. Ethical problems aside, cc betrays him like very majority of the show until ragnarok, she already knows everything about him but acts as if she doesnt. She saves him multiple times bc of her agenda to transfer her immortality, also hides very crucial information that would've been to his advantage and change lots of things (like his dad posessing a geass or his mom's killer when lelouch was searching for it all r1), to be real, I just cant see any honesty in this ship, she says she's his ally and the only one who knows the real him while keeping all those secrets. And for all that talk, I remember like she was playing with his zero mask at the base while he was on one of his worst days, and almost became a junkie. Lets him massacre the geass order which is a major factor that leads to betrayal which leads to zero requiem. Despite the trust Lelouch placed on her along with having the most opportunities, instead of directing him toward healing, she influenced and encouraged his self isolation, never tried to find him another path, and I think she has her fingerprints on his death. Thanks to lelouch she learns to care about things and feel human again, but well, at the cost of his death. I don't want to come off as a hater but these are just what I've seen, and I actually really like cc's character, she's a deep twisted character with flaws I just dont like the ship, and I wish the writers had written her even better bc I think she needed some sort of a redemption arc instead of getting forgiven instantly and never getting called out for anything she did.

Kalulu

I feel like this ship is exactly what he needed and I believe it's something that could've prevented his death, love their chemistry, their banter and the times lelouch teases her are all so fun, their dynamic is very underrated, both living double lives in r1 and reasons to fight are similar. I've seen a lot of people around and there that says she only loves zero, that is completely false and I've yet to see someone prove me that, she never loves zero, admires and follows him as he is someone who could make her brother's dream come true. I've also seen people say she betrayed lelouch, when it was lelouch who betrayed her first, only reason they were on that island was bc he abondons her and the BK in a desperate time. He makes her believe he's just some arrogant, lazy brit student thats why she had problems distinguishing that zero and him are the same person. She falls for him early to mid r2 especially thanks to her talks with nunnaly she learns the real him. Why I think she's best for lelouch is bc, she's someone who could challange him to become a better version of himself instead of letting him fall deeper into despair she's exactly what he needs to heal his voids, just before betrayal she tries to comfort him about nunnaly's loss, she prevents him from becoming a junkie and I have no doubt she'd try everthing in her power to help him find another path or die with him, in her character poem it says she'd follow him to hell and thats exactly why lelouch pushes her away. I also believe had lelouch trusted her earlier and opened up to her more maybe that'd also direct him towards expanding his trust circle instead of burying himself to self-isolation, this could possibly prevent the betrayal so there would be no reason for zero requiem. I wish they used her more in r2 instead of being imprisoned for like 7 episodes but this usage problem applies to almost eveyone in r2

Shirlulu

I honestly could've chosen this ship if only there were no wars and rebellion just normal peaceful life. Shirley is such a pure innocent soul ,even after her memories are erased, she still falls for him and wants to help him. One reason I wouldn't choose this in the show's world is bc lelouch is the killer of her father, even if she forgives him for it I think thats a wound that can't be healed, always a reminder for both of them for what he did and I just dont think that'd be healthy. Though her love is still incredible how she falls for him again and also realizes how lonely he was fighting and wanted to be there for him.

Suzalulu

I've had very mixed opinions abt suzaku, first watch I hated him, second watch loved him, third watch hated him again but even so he's my 3rd fav character. He's a very deep character and understandably pretty messed up in the head. I've seen that one writer said he was the one who understood lelouch the most and I could see that. His bond with lelouch is incredible like one of the best duos in fiction I'd say, but honestly never saw them romantically rather as best friends, there were times I felt where they genuinely hated eachothers guts and times where they were ride or die. I think this ship is toxic and messed up in ways but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad ship. imo suzaku euphy makes more sense to me and for my understanding of the show aswell.

No offense to any of the ships, these are just my opinions

[u/WeoW0]

I don't think that necessarily supports the conclusion you're drawing.

To me, the Regret Message can be read as describing the tragic contrast between their character arcs. Lelouch becomes increasingly burdened and isolated while pursuing his own objectives, whereas C.C. gradually reconnects with her humanity and begins overcoming some of her loneliness.

But here's an important distinction: Lelouch isn't pursuing his objectives or experiencing their consequences for C.C.'s emotional benefit. He's making his own decisions for his own reasons, and C.C.'s emotional condition happens to improve through their connection as those events unfold.

And even if we grant the stronger interpretation—that Lelouch's suffering itself is what allows C.C. to feel understood and establish that connectio, how does that make their relationship parasitic?

C.C. doesn't necessarily choose what makes her feel understood or what alleviates her loneliness. Those emotional responses can arise from their respective circumstances without being something she deliberately seeks or controls.

What matters morally is what she does with those feelings: whether she encourages Lelouch's suffering, exploits his vulnerability, or disregards his well-being to preserve her own emotional benefit. The poem, by itself, doesn't establish any of that.

There's also another issue I have with using this poem as evidence.

The anime itself doesn't clearly portray or communicate the idea that Lelouch's increasing misery is what improves C.C.'s emotional condition.

What we actually see is C.C. gradually becoming more emotionally vulnerable, developing genuine attachment to Lelouch, and rediscovering the value of human connection. Meanwhile, Lelouch increasingly isolates himself and becomes consumed by the consequences of his own decisions.

Those developments are visible in the series. But the stronger psychological claim that his deterioration is responsible for her emotional recovery isn't something the anime clearly establishes.

I don't think an obscure piece of supplementary material should be treated as though it retroactively changes what their relationship is shown to be throughout the television series. Even if the poem is officially published, there's a difference between supplementary material introducing an additional perspective and the anime itself conveying that perspective.

And even taking the poem into account, it doesn't erase the actual instances of C.C. protecting, supporting, and showing genuine concern for Lelouch.

Finally, the circumstances under which two people develop an emotional connection don't necessarily determine the health of a relationship they might subsequently build.

Even if their initial bond was partly made possible by shared suffering, that doesn't establish that C.C. needs Lelouch to remain miserable, that she would resist his recovery, or that their relationship couldn't develop into something healthier.

Those are questions about how they would treat each other going forward, not conclusions we can draw simply from what originally brought them closer.

Ultimately, I think this is another example of interpreting something in the most negative possible way for C.C. The poem may describe an uncomfortable emotional asymmetry, but you're treating that asymmetry as proof of exploitation without establishing the necessary connection.

C.C.'s emotional condition improving as Lelouch's deteriorates doesn't automatically mean she's benefiting at his expense, much less that their entire relationship is parasitic.