Code Geass: Is Lelouch a Hero?

[GWOtaku]

[Note: By necessity, this thread will contain spoilers up through the 23rd episode of Code Geass. This is also post #3000--hooray!]

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/8046/lelouch2ys2.jpg
Ever since that day, I suppose I've been craving destruction and loss. Yes, before creation there must be destruction. If my soul stands in my way, I'll toss it aside. Yes, I have no choice but to move forward. So.... -Lelouch

I was very late in discovering Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. Yet since that final shot and those last words it has managed to capture my thoughts and attention in a way that many shows don't, and it's not even over. Weeks later, I'm still in awe at what's happened to the character of Lelouch.

An obligatory young boy hero in an obligatory revenge plot against an obligatory evil empire that started out as nothing more than a horribly transparent caricature of the British Empire that, oh, by the way, uses giant robots. It all could've been so expected and derivative, a hand-me-down Gundam plot that didn't make the cut.

Instead we have what's fundamentally a tale of a genius who ended up in the right place at the right time, using nothing but his own cunning and newfound power to fulfull his ambition of destroying the Empire that wronged him and changing the world. He took a small, disorganized resistance and transformed it into a veritable army. He even built the political clout to lead his planned "United States of Japan."

But at what price? One way or another he's estranged himself from his friends, including Suzaku obviously. His actions are marred with unintended consequences and death, especially with the tragic accidental hypnosis of Euphemia and the resulting slaughter of Japanese. There's seemingly little chance for peace now, or for Suzaku's ambition of reforming Britannia from within.

In theory Lelouch and Suzaku believe in the same type of justice, while disagreeing on the methods to get it. Yet we know that Lelouch truly hates Britannia and is driven by revenge, particularly against his father the Emperor. We've seen that he'll do anything to get that revenge, from manipulating his allies (in a way to their benefit, granted) to taking advantage of a tragedy like Euphemia's massacre to start a popular revolution. At the same time, he does hate his father's ideology and despises the concept of the strong dominating and abusing the weak.

There's also the fact that every step of the way he's expressed strong regret at the sacrifices that have been made along the way. He despairs over the Euphemia affair most of all; if it hadn't gone wrong he would have in fact managed both independence and peace for Japan. In the end though, he pushes forward. There's nothing he doesn't attempt to use to his advantage.

I suspect Code Geass may be traveling a road not taken: a protagonist descending into ever deeper levels of immorality that threatens to betray the goals of justice and equality he swore to fight for if he goes too far.

In the dictionary, the first definition of a hero is "A man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities." I find myself questioning the "noble qualities" part. Is Lelouch good? Is he doing what's necessary or doing evil? Can he accomplish his ideal after what he's been through or is he just on a path to bloodshed? Even if he succeeds, can he be considered a hero?

[Juu-kuchi]

Code Geass's system of resistance and rebellion works differently than that in other anime like Gundam. One can't aspire to be somebody like Kira Yamato or Lacus Clyne, fully visible political leaders and motivators whose altruistic intentions and rhetoric if in a Code Geass universe would probably make them taken unseriously by anybody despite all their flowery ideals.

The Geass works on a different level due to the setting and the desperation of those who are oppressed. The rebellion is filled with cynical, over-emotional, splinter groups who care less about words unless they have action, and are essentially disjointed. Lelouch if he was in the pure sense of the word 'hero', would have used his idealism or something to appeal to their better sides and work for 'peace', and not used any of his rather destructive tactics. But no, he hides himself under Zero, and uses his force of will and material benefit to convince people to rally to his cause, and has action to back it up. The people he's fighting for no longer appeal to the kind of reason that would compel them to stop hating. He utilises their insecurities, their fears, and their hate for Britannia (and Britannans to an extent) to make his way through, and needs to manipulate these cynical people to meet his ends.

I wanted to opine on that, but yes Lelouch works as a hero in a couple of ways. Politically he is a hero, since he is able to work in a fashion that does risky operations that are quite brave and daring, and noble in the sense that he wants to create a world where his sister can live in peace. But it's not noble in a sense since the United States of Japan is just a means to an end to some degree for meeting the goal he set out for taking care of his sister. But his world doesn't work that way. He can't be a pure and noble hero when both sides are like that, so he must manipulate, he must coax, and he must deceive in order to get his way. So in the purest sense of the word, he is not that kind of hero. Politically he is a hero, but heroes tend to stand for something more than what Lelouch stands for, and their scope for their ideals spread much farther than a world where one person of note can live in peace.

That said, I want to see Lelouch fall. It's been fantastic seeing him rise to power (although I somewhat prefer Suzaku's way of doing things), now it's time for a spectacular fall. I don't think that he can stop after seeing what he did to Tokyo in Episode 23, and once he's in power, I don't think his government will be a kind fit for the United States of Japan.

Dammit why isn't there a concrete release date for 24 and 25 yet?

[FlyByNite77]

I loved this series and some of the darker storylines and consequences shown in it. Reminds me of Tomino's darker days of work on series like Zeta or Victory Gundam.

The character of Lelouch really isn't a hero because his main goal isn't in overthrowing the empire for the betterment of humanity IMO. His goal is to defeat and destroy it for wronging him and he doesn't care who gets hurt in the process (Well short of nunalee I'm hoping).

The clear line of where this series would/could go was definitely when Lelouch was with Euphie before the massacre. I NEVER expected that to happen, I was expecting Lelouch's geass to trigger after he said something to Euphie "I could tell you to stop loving Suzaku and you would", but to turn her into a genocidal crazed killing machine and lead to her death :eek:

I also believe the Emperor knows A LOT of what's going on and knows about Lelouch. I think he's having him develop the way he is to try and groom him to be his successor.

[Pepperidge]

Totally off topic, but have you guys watched the beginning of the latest ASOS Brigade video?

http://one.revver.com/watch/310444

I think you should watch the beginning of the latest ASOS Brigade video.

[Vallen Valiant]

A hero, at the end of it all, is not made through his actions. Rather, it is through other people's opinions after the dust settles.

First and foremost, to be a hero Lelouch had to succeed in making future populations praise him. But whether this will happen actually have nothing to do with the means, but the ends. You can talk about "the ends don't matter" and all that, but how everything end up is all the population will care about.

If (intentionally or not) the final result of all he has done came out favourable, then Lelouch Britannia will be a hero. He just have to keep himself together and remember what he fought for; which is harder than it sounds, but within his capabilities.

In the end of it all, Lelouch is the ultimate example of the ideal Britannian; completely ruthless and cunning, with the will to go all out and use everything he has to get what he wants, as well as to bend the rules in ways that let him get away with everything. Britannia society had sharpened a sword called Lelouch, and now this perfect example of Britannian might has turned on it. You reap what you sow.

[The Weed Of Cri]

If a random burglar had put a bullet in Hitler's brain in 1932, would that man be a hero? He would not have been acknowledged as such, although many people may have wished it had happened. I don't think actions alone decide who is an isn't a hero. A police officer can kill an unarmed man in the line of duty and still be considered a hero, taking into account what his actions might have halted and might have prevented. Motives, frame of mind, projected intent, extrapolation of probable consequences all factor into the definition of heroism, and positives in one area can outrank negatives in another.

Lelouch is motivated primarily by revenge, not necessarily a noble goal. But he also wants to create a safe world for his sister to live in. In addition to battling Britannian conquerors, Lelouch also fought Japanese rebels who had taken innocent people hostage and were prepared to kill them.

If Lelouch is a villian:
--then so is Nelson Mandela, who fought a similar oppressive government, sometimes violently, and with an equal degree of absolute certainty of the rightness of his actions.
--then so is Malcolm X, who sought social justice "by any means necessary". Was there ever another political slogan so open to misinterpretation and rationalization.
--then so is Harry Truman, who gave the order that caused 25,000 deaths at Hiroshima and Nagisaki, in order to accelerate the end of a war that might have led to million of more deaths.

What Vallen Valiant says is true. History largely defines heroism, and even history can change its mind. Custer's Last Stand was never cosidered an hallmark of military incompetence until the 1950's. Before then, Custer's final battle was consider a major act of heroism, a courageous delaying action that allowed a fractured and separated fighting force to regroup and fight another day. History may be written by the winners, but it can be rewritten by sore losers.

[GWOtaku]

Thanks for the responses so far, there's a lot here I want to take more time to think through. One point I do want to make for now is in regard to the idea that popular perception defines one's heroism. The issue is that perception isn't necessarily in line with the truth, and there's a lot Lelouch hides even from his closest followers. I doubt any of his secrets are enough to cause disloyalty within his movement--they know he's Britannian after all, which was a major secret--but still.

Though Lelouch is likely a hero to the cast and to the Japanese however things play out in the next two episodes, unlike them we the viewers have an omniscient view of everything that's happened. So we can and should observe and judge the complete man, taking into account both the bad and the good & the complete truth.

Thanks again for the great thoughts, its all very helpful as I sort through my mixed feelings on the character.