On the internet, many viewers were speculating about the ending of Code Geass:
"Based on our experience with Death Note, I suspect Schneizel wasn't actually controlled. He might just be pretending, and in the end, he'll probably die with Lelouch, leaving Nunnally to become the Imperial Emperor. The Black Knights will continue to uphold justice in the world."
"That's unlikely. Schneizel isn't L. He doesn't have L's courage or charisma. What makes you think he'd have the guts to die with Lelouch?"
"I agree, it's not very probable. It's more likely that Lelouch will win, cause widespread destruction and rebuilding across the globe, and then, after the New World is born, pass the throne to Nunnally. After that, he'll fulfill his contract with C.C., become immortal, and continue to protect the world as Zero. That seems more plausible."
"Oh right, there's also the contract with C.C. If that's the case, wouldn't C.C. have to die in the end?"
"Please, no! After all the suffering he put Lelouch through, if they kill off Queen C.C. in the end, Old Thief Lin should watch his back when he goes out."
"Queen C.C. is too popular to die. Even if Karen dies, she definitely won't. So I think we can rest easy on that point."
"Honestly, I think you're overthinking it. The final episode probably won't be that complicated. It's more likely that Lelouch will snatch the Freya controller from Nunnally, win the war, use his overwhelming power to destroy and rebuild the world, and then deal with the contract with C.C. But C.C. definitely won't die. The most likely ending is that Tyrant Lelouch grows old and dies peacefully with C.C. by his side."
Various theories circulated, but the most widely supported one was that after the New World was born, Lelouch would abdicate the throne to Nunnally, continuing to protect the world as Zero.
Of course, not everyone expected a perfect ending. Some expressed concerns about the final episode or disappointment with the Code Geass animation:
"Ever since the Black Knights' betrayal, I felt the anime went off the rails. No matter how it ends, I don't think it can tie everything up properly."
"The Black Knights' betrayal still felt somewhat plausible. What truly broke the story was Lelouch becoming the Imperial Emperor. Once his rebellion succeeded, the tension just vanished."
"Watching him ruthlessly crush his enemies was thrilling at first, but it lost its appeal when those enemies became former comrades or friends. Especially the part where he rounded up all the United Federation of Nations representatives—that was just uncomfortable to watch."
"The ending of Death Note was perfect. This time, it feels like Lin Zhiyan clearly lost control of the narrative."
"When Code Geass was competing with Gundam SEED, the second season premiere had an average rating of 6.0%. As a loyal Code Geass fan, I was thrilled. Now I'm just disappointed."
"The early parts were decent, truly rivaling Gundam SEED. But now I have to say, Code Geass has been utterly defeated."
Worry and disappointment are perfectly normal reactions, as Lin Zhiyan made virtually no changes in the final episodes.
This wasn't because he couldn't make changes, but because he deliberately chose not to.
In fact, Lin Zhiyan had analyzed Code Geass's ending long ago.
From the Black Knights' betrayal in episode 19, the animation team had likely been setting the stage all along, everything leading up to the final "Zero Requiem."
The technique was to first build up and then tear down: first, they made Lelouch stand in opposition to the Black Knights, portraying him as a "villain," making him reviled by those who didn't understand. Then, in the final episode, they delivered the "Zero Requiem," bringing Nunnally—who had turned against Lelouch—to tears.
In web novel terms, this is a "regret-driven narrative" style.
But how could Nunnally's regret alone be enough?
To break the fourth wall and make the audience regret it too—only then, when the final episode perfectly tied everything together, would those who felt discomfort after watching episodes 20 through 24, believing no ending could satisfy them, become even more excited, more passionate, and fanatically praise the conclusion.
If episodes 20 through 24 were consistently above the overall quality level, the audience's expectations for the final episode would rise, leading them to view the "Zero Requiem" as merely a very good ending, rather than a truly legendary one.
The level of audience expectation is crucial.
Moreover, while episodes 20 through 24 might not have been as engaging as other parts, they weren't so bad that they couldn't be overlooked with a little leniency.
Unlike the post-L arcs of Death Note, which most viewers felt declined in quality, requiring a major overhaul, there was no need for such drastic changes here.
When a work is already good enough to be considered legendary without major revisions, attempting to overhaul it can backfire, diminishing its divine status.
As for the claim that Lelouch was crushed by Gundam SEED in their rivalry, this wasn't solely due to Lelouch's episodes 20-24 being in a "holding back" or "building up" phase, which suppressed its popularity. It was also because Gundam SEED's plot had become far more exciting in its middle and later stages compared to its earlier parts.
This animation actually employs a dual-protagonist system, with one named Kira and the other Athrun. The story primarily revolves around three major factions: the Earth Alliance, the PLANT, and a neutral third party represented by Orb. It also features the distinction between Naturals and Coordinators.
Coordinators are humans who have undergone genetic modification and represent the PLANT faction. Naturals, on the other hand, are unmodified humans who represent the Earth Alliance.
Naturals and Coordinators mutually despise each other and seek to annihilate one another, leading to an endless war between the Earth Alliance and the PLANT. Orb, a nation that welcomes both Naturals and Coordinators, maintains neutrality and refuses to participate in the conflict.
The protagonists, Kira and Athrun, were childhood friends and both Coordinators.
The story begins when Kira, due to unforeseen circumstances, joins the Earth Alliance military and pilots their Gundam. His enemies are the ZAFT forces belonging to the PLANT, where Athrun is stationed.
The ZAFT forces pursue Kira and the crew of his battleship, chasing them from outer space to Earth. For the early part of the story, it's essentially a cat-and-mouse game of pursuit and evasion.
However, in the mid to late stages of the story, Kira left the Earth Alliance and, along with his comrades from the battleship he had previously piloted, went to the neutral third party, Orb.
Initially, the Earth Alliance tolerated Orb's neutrality, but they later issued an ultimatum: join their ranks, or face annihilation.
Orb refused, and Kira and his group clashed with the Earth Alliance forces.
In episode 38, Athrun, who had been sent to hunt down Kira and recover the stolen Gundam, hesitated before ultimately helping Kira.
For Gundam SEED fans, seeing these two brothers finally fight side-by-side was incredibly exciting, and the series' popularity continued to soar.
Fortunately, this was only the original version's episode 38, not the remake's. Even if Lin Zhiyan had concentrated all his promotional resources on the final episode, he might still have struggled to compete with Gundam SEED.
In the current situation, however, it remained possible.
Even if Lelouch failed spectacularly now, it would only be temporary. The outcome after the final episode aired remained uncertain.
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