Got the game. Will do a run down of every stage Geass is significant in. And sure enough Geass is actually the first stage of the game. Well prologue of the game.
Spoiler for SRW Z2 Rebirth chapter. Prologue stage 1 "The Black Rebellion":
Shortly after the events of the first game, after defeating the destruction king Gaioh and disbanding Zexis, the Black Knights are in the middle of their battle for control of Japan, although they have since lost Votom's Chirico, and the colony built Gundam's from their ranks as Chirico had a person to go meet, and the Gundam's had decided OZ was a bigger immediate threat to the colonies than Britannia was. Kallen reveals herself to the student council, Ougi gets shot etc (pretty much exactly like the show, word for word).
Battle begins. The chapter one mainstay Geass PCs minus Ougi since he's shot (Lelouch and C.C., Kallen, Tamaki and Todou are up against Cornelia, Guilford and a bunch of Sutherlands. Turn 2, Suzaku and Jeremiah arrive. They are actually much weaker enemies than in part 1 (Jeremiah only has 5000 HP instead of 30,000) because well...it's the first stage and your PCs have been reset and dropped to level 10ish. Like in part 1 Zero has his special tactics ability that allows him to boost damage, boost evasion, or greatly boost damage but lower evasion at the cost of skipping his own combat turn. Kallen has her insanely powerful Radiation wave that ignores armor differences and pierces barriers. Todou is....a decent melee character, and Tamaki is a terrible pilot but can restore energy. The objective is just to take out Cornelia, but if you beat everyone first it will flag something for later in the game that nobody's quite sure of, but I'm assuming it's the good Geass ending so I'm going for it.
Suzaku and Jeremiah retreat when beaten, while Guilford bails out and the random grunts just die. After beating Cornelia she recovers and goes about beating on Zero, until Dalton shows up and attacks her from behind like in the series. Zero thinks about how he Geassed him back during the massacre incident (which actually brings up a major plot hole, because that was at least 2 months ago if no longer in this game. He was apparantly Geassed to give Cornelia to Zero for 2 months and didn't act on it until now.....huh) and blows them both away. Dalton dies, Cornelia gets interogated and reveals.......that she has no idea who killed Marianne. Only that the guards were lowered that night as a request from Marianne herself. C.C. chimes in that Nunally's captured, and Lelouch runs off. Appearing on the battlefield, he says he's leaving the rest to Todou and flies off, ignoring Todou's demands for an answer as to why. He tells Kallen to go after him, while Cornelia contacts Suzaku and tells him to as well.
Lelouch arrives at the island, Jeremiah shows up, C.C. kisses Lelouch then tosses him out and tackles Jeremiah into the sea. Suzaku confronts him in the cave, Kallen sees who he really is. SUZAKU! LELOUCH! BANG! In the aftermath, C.C. is MIA, Zero is reported captured and executed (yeah right) and all the Black Knights have been inprisoned and are pending execution minus a certain female ace pilot who happened to evade capture. chapter done.
Pretty much word for word like the series, but I guess they had to have the first Black Rebellion failure at some point to get R2 rolling. Of course it could have been different had they not waited for Zexis to disband, but then again, the Wing boys and Chirico left the Black Knights anyway, so Zexis probably wouldn't have participated. Especially since every time a Geass plot point came up it was usually only Crowe who came along while Zexis did other things.
Goodbye Gawain, Guren, and Gekka. You served me well in part 1, but it's high time for an upgrade.
Prologue stages 2 and 3 have no Geass what so ever. But to summarize
Stage 2: 00 and Wing Gundam characters get owned hard, and scatter to the winds. Stage 3: Gurren Lagann, and Shin Getter Robo try to stop Dr Saotome from nuking the earth. They succeed, but create a time space distortion that cuts their whole continent. A year passes.......
Ok now to get into the actual present of the game.
Spoiler for Rebirth Chapter stage 1 and 2:
Shortly after the Gundam's are taken out, 00's Ribbons Almark confronts Charles in his little sky palace thing. He greets him friendly enough, and when asking Charles why he isn't freaked out Ribbons found his super secret lair Charles offhandly comments that Veda (Ribbons super computer that Charles obviously shouldn't know about) probably told him. Both impressed with each others abilities to be sneaky masterminds that somehow know everything, Ribbons formally invites Charles to have Britannia join the Alaws his peacekeeping but secretly evil organization.....of evil. Charles says sure, why not, if it will keep Ribbons from bothering him about his master plan. He can have Britannian forces in his organization, but he certainly better not be expecting Charles to run it himself. No Schinzel deals with annoying tasks like that. A deal struck, Ribbons leaves Charles to his scheming.
Stage 1: No Geass stuff here, but we feature the debut of our new original heroine, Esther Elhaas. Once a minor NPC in the last game, she wanted in on the action so bad she worked hard to become a test pilot. She works as a Dimensional Beast Buster for a guy named Carlos, also from the first game. Esther blows up some weak Dimensional Beasts that were kept as a demonstration (A dimensional beast is an original enemy that is a dimension traveling monster that is created when a pilot is infected with a nanovirus of unknown creation that fuses the pilot and mech and turns them into a raging monster, with the person no longer in control.) before some stronger ones warp in (they have an annoying tendency to do that.) Fortunately Esther is rescued by Duo and Quatre of Gundam Wing, who have been on the run since OZ ambushed them. Esther, more or less free to go and bust as she pleases, loads them into her supply plan and heads off, as a way of thanks.
Stage 2: Finally some Geass action. But not quite yet. Esther and co reach a Federation checkpoint, and as Gundam's are considered to be exclusively used by terrorists, obviously that would give them away, so Duo pretends to take Esther hostage to keep her uninvolved. Esther hangs in the plane, while the Gundam's take out the federal forces, but real terrorists show up and Esther deploys. One turn later, Duo mentions he's picking up two Knightmare Frames approaching.
And it's the Guren (with the crappy spare claw arm) and Zero's Burai! Kallen says finally, she's been looking all over for any Zexis member she can find. Duo says it's been a long time, it's good to see Kallen and Zero. Zero especially, wasn't he reported as executed? Oh wait it's not Zero it's that anti social blond that followed him around but barely spoke to anyone else. Esther oddly, squees with joy upon learning it's THE Kallen Kozuki, that just arrived. Kallen's asks Duo who this girl she doesn't know is, and he replies she's a student of Crowe's (the part 1 main character who fought with Zexis). If she's with Crowe than she must be an ally, Kallen muses, and Esther replies with an extremely hyper affirmative, that mildly freaks Kallen out.
Kallen and C.C. join the battle. Guren isn't quite the deathmachine it used to be thanks to stat drops due to the spare arm, but it's effective enough, and Kallen's stats are just as powerful as the last game. This is actually the first time C.C. is a playable PC as in part 1 she was only a co pilot (can cast effect spells only) for Zero in the Gawain. She has a special ability that lets her recover some MP every turn, but the Burai is a piece of junk so she's not useful just yet. But no matter, the terrorists are dealt with.
Meeting back in the ship, Esther is extatic to meet Kallen Kozuki, Ace of the Black Knights. The female demon. The horrifying red monster who dismembers and shows no mercy to anyone on the battlefield. (This is all part of a running joke where Crowe gave Esther an extensive rundown of everyone in Zexis and only told her exagerated versions of their worst character traits or just outright wrong info, either because that's how he really saw them, or just to mess with her).
None the less Esther fangirls hard over Kallen, because Esther wants to be an action girl herself, and continuely squee's over how awesome she is, while Kallen makes a mental note to punch Crowe the next time she sees him. Kallen abruptly shuts her up mid rant, and says she doesn't enjoy killing, and doesn't need a fangirl. But...she adds kindly, she's a little short on friends for the moment so.... OMG Kallen wants to be fri....she means sure, Esther's cool with that.
C.C. pipes up that she thinks its cute this girl admires Kallen so much. Shut up witch, replies Kallen. Esther says she must be C.C. that...blond anti social woman...who didn't seem to really talk to anyone but Zero. Yep, replies C.C. and leaves, without talking to anyone. Out of earshot, she wonders if Charles has any idea where she is.
Kallen was looking for Zexis because Ougi and the other black knights were arrested and are pending execution. She doesn't plan to let them die. Also rumors of Zero's death might be an exageration and there's a certain jackass Britannian student, who might, possibly be able to get them in touch with him, Kallen coughs nervously. But obviously Kallen and C.C. can perform a jail break on their own, they decided to look for their old friends to pitch in, and bust them out. Of course they'll need more than just the 5 of them too. But for now, since Esther's transport only has spare parts for her mech, and Guren isn't a heavily armored Gundam that doesn't need regular maintainace, Kallen needs a lift to Singapore to acquire some Knightmare parts. Since they've got nothing better to do and Esther wants to help her new BFF, off we go.
So if anyone's reading this, you might want to comment, or say you're reading it, or...something please? So I'm not just talking to myself and bumping my own topic to talk to myself?
That's actually not true. As expected the alternate ending is actually a secret. You have to do certain things during the game to unlock the option. Otherwise it defaults to the usual Geass end. And one of the requirements to unlock the new ending
Spoiler for Rolo and Shirley:
Is to prevent Rolo from killing her, accomplished by the negotiator Roger Smith, of the Big O, who follows Rolo there and convinces him not to do it.
Exactly how to do this we're still not sure.
Right then, onward
Spoiler for more SRW:
Stage 3: While Kallen is getting her spare parts from a shady business guy, Esther is given a side job from her employer. Be a bodyguard to Ranka Lee, of Macross Frontier. Alto Saotome and Luca are also on that detail and Esther is glad to meet the "beautiful girlishlooking boy, Alto", while Alto curses Crowe's name into the heavens. Before Esther can reveal what horrible moniker Crowe gave Ranka and Luca, Ranka gets mobbed by fans, directed over by a boy named Shotaro, who was causing a distraction because Ranka is about to be targeted by the robot Mafia Branch.
Fortunately Shotaro is a member of ICPO and uses his remote control to summon the almighty Tetsujin 28 (aka, Gigantor) to hold them off while Esther and co get Ranka to safety. Kallen, C.C. and the Gundams show up next turn, along with Brera Stern of Macross Frontier, and on turn 3 Esther and the Macross boys arrives in their mechs next turn.
Branch is no match, but there's a new problem, when Tetsujin turns on Kallen and the Gundams. Even though they helped, the Black Knights and the Gundams are flagged as terrorists, and Shotaro will have to bring them in. Alto is pissed that he'd dare say that about his old friends who helped save the world, but Kallen tells him it's alright, that's just how this wrong world that they failed to change works. Fortunately Shotaro is abruptly ordered to stand down by his superior who tells him to let them go. Kallen and co take their leave from Esther, saying they appreciate her help, but their wanted, and Esther shouldn't accociate herself with them. It's been fun, but she's better off, sticking with the legitimate military and the lawman. Esther get the dialogue option of either wishing Kallen well and saying they'll meet again, or going with them anyway. Naturally I picked to go with them anyway.
Esther flies over to Kallen's group, saying she doesn't care what the corrupt governments say. They were heroes, and helped her out. She's not ditching them that easily. Kallen tries hard to dissuade her new pal from siding with wanted terrorists, but Esther is doing what she thinks is right. They take their leave from Alto, who apologizes, saying they deserve better.
Meanwhile Esther has to choose again. The Gundam boys got a fix on Trowa Barton and wish to check in and see if he's alright, while Kallen and C.C. plan to take a short tour of duty for a group named Assemble EX 10, as they heard Votom's Chirico Curvie, their old friend and temporary Black Knight is with them at the moment. I choose to go with Kallen and C.C., leaving me with only Esther, Kallen and C.C. on my roster.
Stage 4-D: Upon arriving Kallen is greeted by Gotho, another Votoms characters, who says it's good to see her again. Gotho assisted the Black Knights in business matters back when Chirico was with them. C.C. greets him, and we are again reminded of how everyone from Zexis barely got to know her. Esther demands to know who this old man is, because apparantly Crowe didn't mention Gotho at all which kind of hurts his feelings.
Kallen C.C. and Esther report for duty. The guy there is not exactly happy with them, saying he wanted soldiers not a bunch of little girls. He's then told that one of them is the feared heavy hitter of the Black Knights, which Kallen confirms. That shuts them up. They are then introduced to Ru Shako who will be working with them. This giant man actually intimidates Kallen. Apparantly he's from a planet named Quent and they are naturally very large there. He also looks at C.C. for a moment in interest before saying it's nothing when she asks why he's staring at her.
Chirico walks in, and Kallen greets him happily although he replies with his usual stoicness. He wasn't expecting to run into her. The Assemble guys have a problem with Chirico because he used to be a Red Shoulder, a battalion known for being so violent and ruthless they are borderline war criminals. Kallen defends him, saying he's not with them anymore. Kan Yu, their apparant CO comes in to break up the scuffle, saying it's time to deploy. Kallen asks Esther if she's sure she wants to do this, and Esther replies affirmatively. While Chirico pines for Fyana, a woman he met in the last game, but was constantly seperated from.
Everyone deploys, and....thank God, finally we get some freaking Votoms units that aren't Chirico. Chirico is awesome and all, but for part 1 he was (except for two stages were we had one stage only units) literally the only Votoms PC in the game. Chirico deploys in the Marshydog, a new unit for him, and still has his special ability where his stats get an insane boost if he goes under 10 percent HP. Ru Shako gets his Bersega, and you get 3 other grunt ATs that kind of suck and I suspect won't be around long.
Enemies show up and Esther is ordered to take point, since her mech is both twice the size of everyone elses and can fly. Esther agrees, but Kallen argues she's not at the level to do that yet. They argue and Kallen tells her she doesn't have to prove anything to her, but Esther wants to prove to herself she can do it. Chirico ends the debate by taking point himself without orders, and without saying a word. Kallen has a hunch why and goes to back him up. And the grunts all die, because nobody important is on the enemy side this stage. The EX 10 guys are impressed with Esther's aerial combat skills, causing her to squee, although she quickly gets annoyed that they keep refering to her as "little girl". Meanwhile Kallen asks Chirico why he went on ahead and he confirms he was looking to see if one of the enemies was a "perfect soldier" ie, Fyana, confirming her earlier hunch.
Back at base Kallen asks if Esther's ok, causing her to say she's fine, she doesn't need fussing over. Kallen says she doesn't need to try to go it alone, but Chirico comes in and mutters Kallen never had a problem doubting allies skills before . Kallen gets all sad, and C.C. points out that she's afraid for her because the other Black Knights ended up imprisoned in Britannia, something Chirico was apparantly unaware of, though Kallen perks up and says they're gonna save them all, and aren't gonna take anymore casualties. She thanks Chirico for making her realize that. Chirico's buddies show up, and they reunite.
Kallen asks Esther what Crowe told her about Chirico, and she mentions he was apparantly an immortal pilot who survived everything that was thrown at him, which Kallen thinks is about right. Crowe never mentioned Chirico's buddies though, figures he wouldn't really notice them.
You can get Rolo, though you only get to keep him for good (meaning you can use him freely, and not just for one stage only) very late in the game. He's only got 3 attacks though, but his hit and dodge rate is very good.
Just out of curiosity is everyone familiar with any of these series other than Geass?
Spoiler for More Z2:
Chirco and friends hang out a Gotho's bar while Chirico pumps them for info. Sure enough, there's a Blue AT that shows up from time to time with inhuman piloting skills. Most likely a perfect soldier, and the only perfect soldier Chirico knows is Fyana.
If he meets her in battle, he can sure talk her down.
At this point Kallen comes in, dressed as a bunny girl. Chirico's friend stares at her, while Cocona asks her just why she's dressed like that. Why, for spywork of course! The enemy is seemingly frequenting a local casino, so Kallen and the girls will go undercover and check it out.
C.C. promptly comes in, not dressed as a bunny. Kallen freaks out and tells her to stick to the plan, but C.C. changed her mind, she wouldn't be caught dead dressed like that. Esther isn't either, she's too boyish looking to fill it out properly. So it's all up to Kallen.
Kallen is debating how to maim C.C. for this (Cocona reminds her that as a bunny waitress she needs to smile!) when the attack alarm goes off again. Time for battle! No time to change for Kallen either.
Out in the field, Kallen points out this outfit is not comfortable to be piloting Guren in. Esther decides to help her out and pulls out a triangle instrument (this is call back to part 1 where Esther had a triangle, a gong, and later a full drum set on hand for dramatic fanfare whenever Crowe reported back with a successful mission report).
Esther rings the triangle and chants that Kallen will not be uncomfortable. She will not be uncomfortable. No, the bunny suit will make her pilot better! Kallen decides Esther's lost it, the other men decide all women are crazy, Chirico says nothing like usual, while C.C. finds this all hilarious.
Dimensional beasts show up, these ones with odd control implants apparantly on them. Who could be controlling them. Who cares? Esther is a DM buster, and she's gonna kill them. Kallen is beginning to suspect Esther has a personal grudge against them. She does, as Esther's whole town and entire family was leveled in a DM attack years ago, with Esther as the only survivor.
Crowe killed the beast that caused the most damage, which Esther codenamed "Moby Dick" but apparantly she's still got some pent up anger. Note that Kallen doesn't actually know any of this, as this was exposion she wasn't present for in part 1.
In this mission whenever an animation shows Kallen in the cockpit, she's in the bunny outfit from R2 episode one.
Beast's are down, the Assemble guys praise Esther for her busting skills, and she gets all tsundere about it again. Kallen finds her mood shifts amusing (she's not really one to talk). When opposing ATs appears, including the dreaded blue AT with the PS. Chirico thinks its Fyana, and approaches but it shoots at him, and forces him to fall back. Battle time again.
After taking down the blue AT, Chirico demands Fyana come out. The pilot does open the cockpit, but it's not her. It's some guy, who says his name is Epsilon, another perfect solider. Fyana is here. But Chirico isn't fit to see her, and he punctuates that by blowing Chirico's Marshdog to bits. Chirico surives cause he's got almost inhuman luck when it comes to surviving, but Epsilon leaves and a strange woman (not Fyana) appears to cover his escape.
Esther's worried about Chirico, but Kallen and Chirico's buddies sort of take it as a fact that the dude is simply immortal. The lady commando is apparantly one of the Assemble dudes sister, but he's resolved that she's the enemy and he'll have to kill her, which sets Esther into a rage (her family is all dead remember?) though she calms down before actually mentioning that. Esther thinks about her family, while Kallen again berates C.C. for ditching her in the bunnygirl plan.
Meanwhile Epsilon is ordered by his boss to kill Chirico, while Fyana, who's a captive of theirs watches in horror.
stage 6
Chirico wakes up, slightly bruised but unharmed, and gets chewed out by the Assemble commander for acting recklessly. Cut to some other Assemble higher ups, who muse on the state of the world, and whether Oz or the Alaws will move against them, and other exposition stuff. Epsilon and Fyana are hanging out at this ruin, and Epsilon questions why she's so into this Chirico guy. She's just a PS like him, her only job is to fight.
Fyana believes in more than that after meeting Chirico, so Epsilon resolves again to kill him (this is getting redundant.)
Our heroes arrive at the battlefield again. Chirico has apparantly been promoted, and is now in command of the unit instead of the other guy, much to Esther and Kallen's relief as they weren't fond of the other guy. Chirico expects the blue AT to show up, and sure enough it does, with backup.
Battle time. If Kallen attacks Epsilon, he mutters with shock that she's equal in skill to both him and Chirico.
When Epsilon is down he tries to escape. Chirico persues, and Fyana appears in a helicopter trying to break up their battle. However she gets caught in the crossfire and crashes. Chirico chases them, and their old commander follows him while Kallen and company are cut off by the Alaws showing up. Britannian forces are among them, so Kallen is happy to tear them apart.
Unfortunately while the Sutherlands are no match, the Alaws GN-X III's are bit too much for KMFs and AT's to handle, and Esther isn't skilled enough to fight them. However suddenly a horribly mangled yet still active Gundam appears and takes down a GN-X for us despite having only one arm, and a broken weapon at that. Kallen recognizes it as the Gundam Exia, which can only be operated by Setsuna F Seiei. He confirms his identity to her. The Assemble guys aren't exactly trusting of Celestial Being, but Kallen and C.C. vouch for him, while Esther is in awe at meeting a Gundam Meister.
Exia is barely holding together and is hardly the death machine is was in part 1. I needed several restarts. Note to those playing. Do not destroy Alaws on an enemy turn. After 2 are down it will trigger Setsuna's appearance and the GNXs will swarm him and kill him before he can get a turn, failing the mission. Also of note, Setsuna now has a ???? skill in his first skill slot. This generally means it's a unique skill that needs to be unlocked through plot. Obviously it's his innovator ability, but lets pretend I haven't already seen 00.
They're down, and Setsuna immediately runs off, before Kallen can stop him, telling her that Alaws are the distortion of the world, and they need to take them down. C.C. isn't surprised. Kallen only hopes Chirico and Fyana are alright.
Meanwhile at Fyana's crash site, our old CO wants to capture her and get a promotion by bringing in a PS since Epsilon got away. Chirico is obviously not cool with that, and CO becomes an enemy. And Chirico one shots him. Loser.
Chirico and Fyana reunite while Kallen and company search for them. Kallen explains Fyana to Esther finally. The muse on the Alaws, and Setsuna showing up etc. Kallen expects Chirico to leave with Fyana, and silently wishes him well.
Chirico and Fyana chat, while Fyana's keeper are enraged at her loss, and are even more annoyed when Treize from Gundam Wing contacts them, and says he heard about their little run in with the Alaws....
Stage 7.
Chirico's friends are wondering if he's coming back, when the Alaws start raiding their base. They flee in panic.
Meanwhile Chirico's fighting his way back, with Fyana in her Brutishdog alongside him (Yay. Hopefully she stays longer than 1 stage this time.) Fyana has the special "Genius" skill so she's yet another heavy hitter for the team.
Kallen's group appears a turn later. Kallen greets Fyana, who remembers her as one of the Black Knights, who was skilled enough to match her. Kallen holds no grudges. Well she does, but Fyana isn't Britannian so not for her anyway. Unfortunately Epsilon appears in a new AT, which is seemingly a custom AT for Perfect soldiers.
To make things worse, Alaws appear as well, being lead by our old friend Suzaku. Kallen greets him with an enraged roar, while Suzaku isn't too happy to find her among Assemble EX 10, and while he's not happy, he'll have to take her down. He uses his new authority as the Knight of Seven to order the Britannian forces to attack both sides, which they acknowledge.
Suzaku politely requests the non Britannian Alaws to assists as well, since he has no authority over them. Having heard of this number who became a knight, they agree to follow his lead. Kallen tells Suzaku he's become like the others, abusing his power to oppress others. Suzaku doesn't deny this. Esther recognizes the Britannian white armor as the Lancelot. The Assemble grunts (I should really learn their names, but I'm pretty sure they won't be around much longer) feel they're in over their heads. Epsilon challenges Chirico and here we go.
Epsilon wants a piece of Chirico, while Suzaku goes right for Kallen. Kallen demands to know why a Japanese person would not only be helping Britannia, but Alaws as well. Suzaku says that as the knight of seven it's his duty to serve Britannia and its allies, which the Alaws currently are. Kallen only gets angrier upon seeing him further selling his soul to Britannia, but unfortunately they may have been evenly matched before, now Suzaku currently outguns her with his Conquesta powerup, while the Guren has to make due with spare parts.
Having Esther attack Suzaku will cause him to ask why Crowe is throwing his lot in with terrorists and mercenaries when he seemed like a resonable man. Esther's mecha is similar to Crowe's so Suzaku thinks he's him, remembering Crowe from his brief time he served with Zexis in part 1. He's momentarily confused when an unknown female responds instead but since he's got no idea who she is and she's with a terrorist, he'll have to take her down in the name of justice. No in the name of justice Esther's gonna take him down since there's nothing just about Britannia or the Alaws! They briefly argue about justice before Suzaku decides it's a lost cause.
C.C. tells Suzaku she's aware of what he did to gain his title. Does he even feel guilty? Suzaku says what's done is done, and he has to live with it.
Unfortunately Suzaku's just a bit too powerful to take down, since the Lancelot Conquesta now has a barrier (Core Luminous Cone). Kallen can't beat him like this, but it doesn't matter because Chirico can take down Epsilon, at which he point he bails, with Chirico and Fyana in persuit. Shako tells Esther, Kallen, and C.C. to go after him, as Assemble EX-10 is being pounded by the Alaws. Kallen's not thrilled about ditching them, but she's told she's too important to get wasted with a bunch of grunts. Suzaku doesn't plan on letting her go, but the 3 girls dash by him anyway.
As they're leaving Suzaku demands to know exactly what Kallen's still fighting for, when Zero is dead, and Black Knights are finished. She should just leave the Guren behind and walk away from the world of battle. Is being a rebel that important to her when there's nothing more to gain from it? Kallen promptly tells him to shut his face, she's fighting because the world is becoming rotten to the core, but there's still those who would withstand it. And she knows the Black Knights aren't finshed yet. Suzaku ponders whether or not Kallen really knows where "he" is. But he's left to face Shako and the Assemble Guys.
Chirico and Fyana confront the guy who was holding Fyana captive, when Epsilon shows up again and trashes yet another one of Chirico's ATs. Epsilon get out to confront Chirico hand to hand causing his master to board Epsilon's Strikedog to kill Chirico personally while he's helpless. Fyana destroys it, killing him, but a bunch of AT's show up and surrond her attacking Chirico. Kallen arrives and pulls Chirico out of the line of fire, but Fyana is taken away....again (Damn it).
Assemble EX-10's leader is killed in the attack, so they're basically done.
Kallen apologizes that she couldn't save Fyana, but Chirico tells her its fine, she would have only gotten them killed. Besides Kallen wasn't the one who messed up, it was him. He should have just let Epsilon go. Shako and the Assemble Guys show up, with Chirico's 3 NPC pals in tow, glad everyone's save..except Fyana, she got captured again. Esther's sure Alaws would have taken no prisoners at the Assemble Base, but it turns out a certain Gundam appeared again and drove them off. They also were contacted by Quatre, who wants to meet up. Assemble guys and Shako don't plan on joining them, but wish them well, telling Kallen to go back to her friends, and Esther that it was an honor fighting with her.
The traitorous CO randomly appears again, for some reason, ordering everyone to attack Chirico but the Assemble guys promptly blow him to bits. Huh that was weird. Kallen, Esther, C.C. and Chirico take their leave from Assemble EX-10, wishing them well, and regroup with Quatre and Duo, who have since picked up Tieria Erde, Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton, Kamille Bidan, Fa Yuiry, Shinn Asuka, and Lunamaria Hawke.
Well they weren't kidding when they mentioned Kallen was the SRW staffs favorite Geass character. If I didn't know better I'd think she was the main, since she gets so much interaction with everyone, while Lelouch had yet to even appear.
But finally, Lelouch returns to the story here.
Spoiler for SRW: The return of Zero.:
Stage 8
We're now in our new mothership for the moment. Celestial Being's Ptolemaios 2. Kallen's happy to see Tieria surived the reported purge of CB, and he's even got a new Gundam Serevee as well. Sadly Christina and Licty are not among them. They died during the attack, much to Kallen's horror. But she's at least relieved Tieria survived, to which he points out that Allelujah, survived as well although he was taken into custody. Kallen mentions she ran into Setsuna back with EX-10, which confirms Tieria's suspicions he survived as well.
More importantly Kallen wonders just how the hell Heero survived a self destruct. And why his Wing Gundam looks in very good condition for something supposedly destroyed. Turns out Zech Marquis had it repaired, much to everyones surprise. Kamille, Shinn, Fa, and Luna reveal that they, were working for Oz, in order to determine exactly what their plans were. It failed rather miserably, since they quickly came to blows with Alaws, and turned out to be not much better, so they promptly left with CB asap. Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala are still with Oz though, as they were stationed for colony defense instead. Amuro was with them, but they lost track. Quattro meanwhile seems to have taken Oz's ideals to heart, and is currently with Zech's squadron, much to Kallen's shock.
Well, Esther points out, Alaws and Oz might be tough, but now they've got the Zeuth (Z1 protagonist group) Gundam's and the colony Gundams with them so they should....wait....weren't there 5 colony Gundams? Yeah nobody knows where the heck Wufei wandered off to.
At any rate, Kallen points out that the time to rescue the Black Knights is growing shorter. So her friends are first in her life, she's just like Setsuna, Tieria muses. But he admires that. Tieria's a hell of a lot nicer than Kallen remembers. Yeah he's been told that by alot of people.
In the briefing room they're met by this girl nobody knows. Oh she's Millena, Ian's daughter, she mentions. Ian has a kid?! Kallen yells.....Ian's married?! Yes he is, why does everyone have a hard time believing that. Anyway they plan to hit an Alaws prison. Which is currently being supervised by some guy called the knight of seven, which makes Kallen growl. A Knight of the rounds? Those elite Britannian guys? There must be a VIP there or something.
But who's this Knight of Seven guy? They've never heard much about him, he must be newly appointed. It's Suzaku, Kallen bitterly mutters. Suzaku? That honorary Britannian that was with Zexis for a little while? That Suzaku? Kallen proceeds to explain again in detail how much she hates him, while Esther watches concerned.
In said prison, Saji Crossroad is being interrogated for his connection to terrorist group Kataron. B...but he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's a colony worker! He's not part of Kataron! Yeah sure kid that's what they all say.
Mr knight of seven himself comes in. He'll take over from here, and promptly kicks the Alaws dude out. Saji (who knows Suzaku from Ashford) is initially glad to see him as surely he believes him. But Suzaku doesn't, for Saji hasn't been back at Ashford since the Black Rebellion. This makes him a Black Knights sypathizer or worse, an actual member. Saji just wanted to start work, because he wanted to help people, but Suzaku doesn't buy it. Saji gets no support from his former friend, nor does he have the info he wants.
Saji is horrified at how Suzaku has changed but before Suzaku locks him up and throws away the key, Kataron actually does attack. Which doesn't help Saji's case, but whatever.
Suzaku easily trashes the weaker MS's in the Lancelot, while Andrei and Louise look on. Louise is surprised Suzaku a number, came so far in the system. She knows him? Yes they went to school together. Before Louise's life was destroyed, by Gundams. No sooner that that is said, does Setsuna appear in still trashed Exia. Louise goes nuts at the sight of a hated Gundam.
Suzaku thinks Setsuna's nuts for fighting in a machine barely holding together. And for no purpose. Although Setsuna claims he fights for justice. There's no justice in Celestial Being. All they brought was pain. Louise would still have her family if it wasn't for them.
Setsuna can't beat Suzaku with the Exia as it is. He tries to make a run for it, but Suzaku cuts him off and goes for the kill shot. However reinforcements arrive, and I can finally pick who I want to use. Which means C.C. is fired. Sorry C.C., get a better unit and we'll talk.
Tieria tells Setsuna to get to da ship, and he does so. So now Kallen's with CB now, Suzaku notices. Guess she's dead set on being a terrorist. No, she's with the good guys she counters. Looks like the Gundam's alliance with Oz didn't last long either. Shinn attempts to talk some sense into Suzaku but Kamille tells him not to waste his breath. It's just how Suzaku is.
Meanwhile Louise froaths at the sight of more Gundams while her CO tells "Lt Halevy" to calm down. "Halevy?" Suzaku mutters, it can't be.
A turn later, Setsuna is shown fretting in the hangar wishing he could help. But Exia's battle days are clearly over. But that's ok, says Ian, appearing. He's got something new for him. Two GN drives? This is madness!
Or this is 00 apparantly, which rushes onto the battlefield. Tieria tells him to get out, 00 still hasn't been able to work properly. If he activates the twin drive it could overload and blow up. Setsuna begs it to work anyway, and Heero encourages him in his usual Heero way. And sure enough, the 00 season 2 theme starts to play as 00 activates. First order of business? Taking down Andrei and Louise's CO who retreats.
Kallen's happy to see Setsuna has a new instrument of justice, while Kamille....suddenly feels pressure from Setsuna? A newtype? No....it's something else. Whatever it is, it's gone now.
So Setsuna F Seiei's regained his power to oppress people Suzaku says. The Knight of Seven of Britannia is hardly in a positon to accuse him of that, Setsuna shoots back. Suzaku fights for justice, but Setsuna's justice will be stronger!
Chirico fighting Suzaku causes Suzaku to remember the AT pilot who was part of the Black Knights, while Chirico mutters that he's improved both his skills and his machine.
Shinn doesn't want to fight Suzaku, but if that's the case, why did he leave Oz? The world needs hard justice to keep it undercontrol, Shinn should know that. That's not justice, Shinn replies angrily, which actually does seem to reach Suzaku if only for a moment. Shinn's following his own will for what's right, and Alaws and Oz aren't a part of that.
Kamille tells Suzaku he's letting his grief control him. He's seen that, it's not pretty. But the people of the world are suffering. Kamille should know all this.
So it's Suzaku Heero muses. If Suzaku kills him, Relena will be sad, so Heero should stop this nonsense and get out of his Gundam. Heero claims he doesn't care what Relena thinks.
Esther expects no less from the Knight of Seven, and Suzaku asks her what the hell a civillian DM buster is even doing with these people. They're Esther's friends, and she's taking him down.
Kallen and Suzaku have their usual arguement. She should quit, no she's fighting for justice, etc. Kallen hates people like him. etc. I get the feeling they'll be going at this for a long time now.
Kallen damages Suzaku and he retreats, but swears to the Gundam's and Black Knights that they are enemies of the peace, and their day will come. Shinn's rather sad at how far Suzaku has fallen. Kallen says their justice is the right one.
Andrei and Louise retreat without futher incident but afterwards a shuttle departs the complex and explosions are heard within. Apparantly the Alaws siced automatons to kill the remaining people inside. Saji's seconds from getting his head blown off when Setsuna comes in and saves him.
The two of them recognize each other. If Setsuna's here he must be Kataron? Actually he's in CB Setsuna replies. Bad choice of worlds, because Saji starts ranting about how CB messed up the world. They might have helped take down the Imperium, but that just lead to rise of the Alaws, and CB killed his sister, and ruined Louise's life. Kallen runs in, and recognizes Saji from Ashford.
Ribbons Almark is chilling in his mansion. And he's got a special guest. Amuro Ray. He asks Amuro what he knows of the GN drives, but Amuro only knows little. They didn't have them in his world. He has no idea where the new Gundam with twin drives came from. Ah well. Ribbons would be much more interested in talking about....Newtypes. How does he know? Well he's Ribbons.
Stage 9.
Everyones shocked by the brutality of the Alaws. More importantly they've noticed a significant flaw in their strategies. They don't have any. Back in Zexis they had the incredible pair of Zero and Sumaragi Lee Noriga to flawlessly predict what would, and did happen.
But neither of them are here now. Sumeragi apparantly quit CB in despair and hasn't been seen since. As for Zero, he's dead. He certainly can't help them. As the ponder exactly where they can start looking, Kallen repeatedly looks like she desperately wants to say something, but can't quite spit it out.
C.C. tells her to come out and say it. And Kallen finally spits out that Zero isn't dead. The report was a lie? Yep. Zero's actually in Area 11 right now. And how exactly does she know all this Heero asks? Obviously women's intution replies Esther. Quatre's not so sure, but he trusts Kallen. Well then, CB will deploy to Area 11. The mission is....retrieve Zero!
C.C.'s surprised Kallen didn't say more, just how exactly is she going to get them to Zero without saying who he is? And how will she restore his memories? Nah don't worry, C.C. has her secrets. Kallen meanwhile, finds her thoughts turned to the one thing she hasn't wanted to think about. That Zero is actually Lelouch.
In Ashford, a cheerful Lelouch evades Viletta. He doesn't plan on attending the make up gym classes she insists he needs. Rivalz and Shirley sigh that they're at it again. Milly surmises that Shirley and Lelouch must be over their fight where she pretended not to know him then. Shirley gets all embarassed as usual, while Rivalz ponders how lonely its gotten. Saji and Louise dropped out, as they were too shaken up by the deaths of Saji's sister and Louise's family to continue on.
Relena Darlian returned to the colonies, and Nena went to work for Schinizel. Those Heero and Duo guys vanished, and ever since the Black Rebellion most of the original student body was pulled out to return to the mainland. Milly's family had to go nuts enrolling more students so the place didn't shut down. But at least those Black Knights are done. They've all been locked up, and their leader was executed. So it's just good old president Milly, VP Lelouch, Rivalz, Shirley and Rolo who's left from the old gang. Right Rolo? You've always been here....
Lelouch promptly runs over and tells Rolo to prepare the escape strategy, before grabbing him and running off.
Meanwhile Kallen sadly locks Saji up for the time being. Until he calms down he can't have free run of the ship. Saji asks her how many other friends of his were in CB. Was everything in his life just a lie. She's BK actually, but wasn't Saji in Kateron? Why does everyone keep saying that? He hates both Kateron and CB, and the Black Knights too. You'd expect Kallen to rage, but if anything she just seems to feel sorry for the guy. However she insists she was with the BK to take back Japan. She's not a terrorist for the fun of it, and she really did enjoy her time with the Ashford people.
Yeah right, everyone is against him. Even Suzaku betrayed him. He met Suzaku recently? Yeah he interrogated him and marked him as a terrorist without any proof at all. Kallen's heart goes to out to him for that, and her reasons to hate Suzaku meter fills higher. In the meantime, Saji's got a red Haro to keep him company. So he's a prisoner then? It's for his own good, as the Alaws have him marked. But he's not Kataron! Saji loudly claims. Kallen believes him, but she's sorry to say, people like the Alaws won't care. So they're going out to murder more people then?
They're going to oppose Alaws and Oz. Saji's surprised, but she points out the Automatons that nearly killed them. That's what the Alaws do. Saji's world comes crashing down, and he continues his rants, while Kallen finally starts to lose her patience but before she can say anything, Lasse come in and tells her to just let it go. He'll understand soon enough. Kallen tells Saji that she and her comerades aren't bad people who like killing. But the world is falling apart, and they need to fight against it, even for people like him who don't understand. Saji finally starts to understand what she's trying to tell him.
He calms down, while Kallen has to take her leave. Can he talk to her again some time? Of course, Kallen replies warmly.
Like in R2 episode 1, Rolo is taking Lelouch to a chess game. Lelouch ponders on elevens, and the Black Knights and how the world is fake and controlled by the royals who abuse their power. Zero was a fool for opposing them etc. Rolo asks him if playing chess for money is that important, but he's really just bored.
Bunny Kallen enters but Lelouch naturally doesn't recognize her. She apologizes for bumping into him and expects him to yell at her because she's an eleven and he's Britannian and....honestly this is pretty much word for word exactly like the show. You guys know how it goes. The only difference is that, for just a second, Lelouch actually does seem to recall he's seen this girl before.
Governor Carales enters and yells at the eleven girl, for no real reason besides he's evil and it's his job. But Lelouch cuts him off, by reminding him of their game. Before that however, someone starts firing outside, because this is SRW and every stage needs that.
Esther, Chirico and the Gundams arrive, apparantly the cause of the distration. Britannian and earth federation forces mobilize in response, among them Guilford in his Vincent, and Patrick Colasaur in a GN-X III. The "Immortal Colasaur" named as such because he'd been shot down against CB at least a dozen times, and always came out with minor injuries, tells Guilford to leave it to him, but Guilford tells him to please not be reckless. He doesn't need to get shot down again to prove a point.
As the battle rages, Lelouch get's seperated from Rolo. Kallen C.C. and a bunch of Black Knight grunts. Including...Urabe? I know its part of the plot, but where the heck has he been until now? Urabe and company go off to follow "the plan" while Carales orders Guilford to take down the Gundams and Black Knights in his name, which gets a Yes My Lord, from our dashing knight.
Chirico remembers back when he was last in Area 11, fighting Britannia with the BKs. It was also where he first met Fyana. Meanwhile Shinn's group is again getting flak for leaving Oz for the terrorists.
After a few more enemies go down, Esther calls Kallen to see if they're done yet as it's getting hostile out here. Inside Lelouch runs around trying to find Rolo, but instead runs into C.C. who says she's been looking for him. Lelouch demands to know how she knows him, and she mentions their contract. Lelouch again sort of almost remembers her, but C.C.'s cut off from their conversation by a bullet to the face. Man I hate when that happens.
J Random Enemy walks in and congratuatles Lelouch on helping them catch her, and recites his daily schdule, causing Lelouch to realize he's been spied on. That's right Lelouch Lamperouge....or should he call him Zero. Lelouch thinks he certainly isn't Zero. He'd remember that. The guy prepares to kill him, and Lelouch rages. Screw this! Power! If he only had power he'd.... Oh so he wants power? C.C. pipes up. She can do that.
Lelouch isn't able to wander how this woman that he just saw get shot is up again before C.C. kisses him, restoring the "power of the king". Power of the king? Yes.....yes he does have that....because he's Zero!
Random guy recovers from the shock just in time to hear that Lelouch Vi Britannia wants him to die. Yes your highness, he cheerfully replies as he caps himself in the head. Now back in his right mind, Lelouch remembers that Suzaku captured him back during the Black Rebellion and presented him to Charles. In exchange for a promotion to KOR, he held him down while Charles revealed his own Geass and erased his memory. C.C. immediately replies she didn't give Charles his Geass. She also has no idea what happened to Nunnally. But Celestial Being and the Colony Gundams might be able to help him find her.
They came for him? Of course, they did, he thinks, they can't stand this rotten world either. Nor would the rest of Zexis. All he needs to do is find who gave Charles his Geass, and find Nunnaly. At this point Lelouch suddenly realizes that Rolo person is not his brother. Before he can ponder that further though, Kallen runs up and asks if he's Lelouch. The real Lelouch. He certainly is. He sends C.C. off, while he takes the Burai for himself. But before that he's got some explaining to do for Kallen. He's a two faced liar, he tricked her into thinking he wasn't Zero, he has the power of Geass. Did he Geass her to make her fangirl over him, cause if he did....
Lelouch just cuts her off with laughter. No. He didn't Geass her. Her feelings were her own. Feelings strong enough for her to believed in him when Suzaku didn't. No Kallen doesn't, she replies. She doesn't believe in him? Of course she believes in him! If she didn't, she wouldn't be here. But she believes in Zero. Not Lelouch. Lelouch has a hell of a lot of work to do. Lelouch can live with that, after all she wore that bunny outfit just to save him. Kallen eeps and tells him not to look. That's hardly a way to talk to Zero. No she's talking to Lelouch, the pervert. And at this point I'm starting to get the feeling the SRW staff supports LelouchXKallen. But anyway, time for Zero to get to work.
Lelouch, now dressed in a Zero outfit he apparantly got from hammerspace, returns to the battlefield. Urabe pops up again, and since he wasn't a PC in part one, he's probably gonna die. Esther asks if he's the real Zero, and Kallen replies that he is. Duo's actually glad to see the guy, but pleasantries can wait because the Lancelot....no a yellow Lancelot look alike has just shown up. He promptly attacks Lelouch, and Duo asks him why he isn't dodging. What? He couldn't even see it move Zero replies. Heero points out there's something clearly not normal about this pilot as Rolo (yeah they aren't even bothering to hide it) attacks him again. Rolo goes to finish him off, but Urabe takes the hit, and telling Zero to save Japan and Kallen to follow him, self destructs.
Urabe died, I'm so shocked. Poor guy didn't even get any voiced lines. However it is enough to cause Rolo to retreat, allowing Zero to take command once again. He is Zero, the miracle man, Lelouch proclaims to the world.
Unfortunately the Burai is still a horrible unit. But Zero's got his tactical command ability as usual, so he can boost other units stats for a turn.
Patrick is as useless as ever, and adds another shoot down to his record. Guilford is not happy to see the resurgance of the Black Knights, and can only hope his precious Princess is safe.
With all enemies down, Zero greets his old allies, saying he apprciates the assist and he's got big plans, and they'll be playing a major part in it. Before he gets any further another Britannian squadron appears, lead by Governer Careles. He plans on making a major name for himself by personally commanding the unit that takes down all the terrorists. Except now he's dealing with the miracle man Zero. Careles thinks he's just an imposter since Zero is dead. Zero promptly proves himself the geniuine article by setting off charges that drops a building on Careles. Goodbye Governor.
Patrick and Guilford are brooding over their losses, when Zero hijacks the airwaves and annouces his return. To the Japanese, he has returned. To Britannia and those who use their power to abuse the weak, they are now his enemy. To the rotten corrupt world, he'll be changing it, for he is Zero, the man who will take down and rebuild the world. Guilford isn't totally convinced this is the actual Zero, but it certainly looks and acts like the real deal.
Back at Ashford, Villeta watches the speech, convinced its the real deal, and Rolo walking in and mentioning he lost track of Lelouch seems to confirm this. When all of a sudden Lelouch calls Rolo on his phone, asking him if he's alright. He's been looking all over for him. Zero didn't get him did he. Well this complicates thinks, since Zero has still been ranting on TV the entire time, Lelouch can't be Zero...could he? Rolo actually seems relieved.
Back on the ship, Shinn and Kamille assist C.C. with a pre recorded message of Zero, but at the same time they're wondering. How CAN they be sure it's the same guy? They didn't even know who he was the first time. C.C. calls them idiots. Of course it's the same guy. Who else could drop a building on someone? Duo says they'll just have watch him work, and if he keeps them winning, he's the real deal. Speaking of Zero where is he? C.C. says due to certain...circumstaces he needs to operate indenpendantly for awhile, but don't worry, C.C. and Kallen will be keeping Celestial Being company.
C.C. ponders on how Lelouch will be walking a difficult road, while Heero thinks to himself that Zero obviously went back to Ashford Academy, because Lelouch Lamperouge is Zero. Heero's apparantly known this all along, but kept, and still keeps it to himself.
Meanwhile Charles brings Suzaku to his skycastle, and asks for an update on C.C. She's with the terrorists, but they're too strong and operate too sporadically to just rush in and take her. And Zero? No idea if he's Lelouch. Rolo reports that Lelouch contacted him while Zero was making his speech, suggesting a no. But Lelouch is crafty. In order to know for sure, Suzaku will need to return to Ashford.
stage 10.
Rivalz goes on about how horrible it must have been for Lelouch and Rolo to be caught up in that mess. Rolo thanks him for his concern, while Lelouch inner monologues about how much he hates Rolo for being a fake, Viletta for keeping him trapped in this farce, and Charles for taking Nunnally away from him. And based on Rivalz, Shirley and Milly's attitude towards Rolo, he must have Geassed them as well. But he promises sweet sweet vengence on the man oh yes.
They then debate whether Zero is still the same guy, and Lelouch figuring venemantly denying it will make him look suspicious, says it doesn't really matter if its the same guy or not, so long as they both do the same thing. Rolo honestly can't tell if he's gotten his memory back or not. Lelouch asks him what he looks so serious about, and Rolo replies nothing. Ok then Lelouch cheerfully replies, while inner monologing about how Rolo is going to pay for taking Nunnally's place.
Back on the ship, Kallen's visiting Saji again, and he's glad she's alright after all that business in area 11. He knows? She asks. He was following the news with Red Haro. Zero's back huh? He then asks Kallen about why she's really fighting, did Lelouch and Nunnally know she was with the BKs etc? Whoa whoa, what is he a reporter now? Saji says both his father and sister were journalists. Oh yeah, Louise told Kallen his sister was following Celestial Being. Yes she was, until someone killed her...
This floors Kallen, who hadn't heard about this. He's been researching. The reason his sister died, the reason Louise's family died, the reason Suzaku's become such a dark person, and the reason Kallen became a terrorist, it's because the world really is wrong. Now he gets it, Kallen says. ......she'll talk to the crew about them letting him out. Kallen trusts him.
Meanwhile Setsuna confronts a man named Lyle, indentifying him as Kateron. Lyle thinks he's a cop, but Setsuna replies he's CB. A Gundam Meister, like he's going to be. Lyle Dylandy, or Lockon Stratos. Lyle has no idea what he's talking about, until Setsuna mentions that Neil Dylandy was Meister as well. His brother was a Gundam Meister? He never told him that. Wait...why is he telling him this....is....is Neil dead? Sadly he was, killed towards the end of the Imperium conflict.
So...he expects him to replace Neil? That's right. He should have similar aptitude to Neil, and like Neil he should have his reasons for wanting to change the world. Lyle is confused, they're just gonna let him join a super secret organization like that? Setsuna tells him to think about it, and leaves.
Meanwhile in Billy Kategiri's apartment, Lisa Kujou, aka Sumeragi Lee Noriaga is moping about depressed. Billy tries to strike up conversation about Zero's return. Sumeragi barely responds in reply but before Billy can try to get her talking again, someones at the door. As he leaves Sumeragi thinks that Zero must have gotten his resolve back. Good for him, but....she can't do it. Not anymore. She got Lockon and Chris and Licty killed. Setsuna promptly barges in and greets her as Sumeragi, which confuses Billy, who says her name is Lisa.
No it's her codename, because she's part of CB. As Setsuna stupidly just up and announces this Billy starts freaking out. Setsuna ignores him, and tells her she needs to come back.
Kallen is waiting outside, and Setsuna basically throws Sumeragi at her, and tells her to cheer her up and get back on her feet. What? Why? Well they're both women obviously. Setsuna promptly runs off, causing Kallen to facepalm at his wonderful logic. ....well that's how it is, she points out. Kallen came back too? Yep. And why do they all keep bothering her?
Kallen is kind of at a loss. Sumeragi goes on about how she's a failure, and she quit CB. She couldn't do anything right, and she certainly failed at carrying out Aeolia's plan. Kallen protests, Celestial Being is still active. She knows that doesn't she? She knows. But what does it matter? They failed. The world just got worse. So what's the point. She doesn't care anymore.
Kallen's tearing up at the sight of the strong willed woman she remembers so broken. Why is Kallen crying for her? Because she's acting just like Kallen's mother. Her mother was Japanese and when Britannia took over her mother just gave up. Or so she thought, but even though Kallen hated her mother her mother was really just staying close to her. Kallen was all she had left.
That's why Kallen is fighting. For her. Because everyone has something left somewhere. But Sumeragi doesn't have anyone. She's got Kallen and all their friends in Zexis. They'll be what she's fighting for, and they'll be fighting for her. This seems to move her, but before more tears start falling, Setsuna walks up with Lockon in tow. Lockon? He's supposed to be dead!?
Man them too? He can't look that much like his brother can he? Brother? Yep he's Lyle Dylandy. But now he's Lockon Stratos, Gundam Meister. Before this gets any futher a sunglassed man approaches them. Lt Quattro? Why is he here? Right now he's Quattro Bagina, a member of Oz. And he's come for Sumeragi. Trieze wants her abilities for Oz. Setsuna and Kallen aren't thrilled with this.
Kallen asks him how he can betray them. He was just faking like Kamille and Shinn wasn't he? Apparantly he's becomes quite the Trieze fan. But Kallen tells them to knock it off, Sumeragi isn't doing any commanding anymore. She said so herself. Then he'll have to take her by force. Setsuna doesn't plan on letting that happen.
Lockon wonders what the hell he's gotten himself into but he's ordered to get Sumaragi clear, while everyone else deals with the arriving Oz forces. Zechs is with the, as it Quattro in the might Sazabi.....wait no he's still got the Hyaku Shiki. Oz is too cheap to make him a new MS. Every takes their turn to gape at the ressurected Lockon only to be told in short order the real story.
Kamille wonders what the hell Quattro thinks he's doing, while Zechs is looking foward to clashing with Heero again.
After one of them goes down, Dimenional Beasts show up. Not just them, but mysterious mechs too. They refuse to identify but the team is saved from trouble when Lockon and Ptemy appears and snipes one away. Seems Lyle is catching on quick. Sumeragi took Kallen's words to heart, and orders everyone into formation. Quattro and Zechs would continue the battle, but taking out the beasts gets proirity.
Things get even more complicated when a certain female knight appears. She is Margaret, an old foe from the Imperium war, who helped Zexis win the day in the end. Shinn thanks Margret for the assist, but she refuses to speak, silently aiding as a NPC ally. Esther of course is thrilled to kill some DBs.
Esther demands to know how Maragret knows Crowe, but she just ignores her and leaves, pissing her off. Oh well. Quattro clearly a lost cause. So everyone leaves him with Zechs.
Treize assigns Athrun Zala, and Kira Yamato to guard over Lady Une.
Esther's still stewing about Margaret, but everyone insists she can be trusted, since she helped them last time in the final battle against Destruction King Gaioh. Crowe trusted her too. This sets Esther off, since she starts thinking Crowe are Margret are close, and the team quickly tries to salvage the situation. Crowe and her weren't like that etc. They realize Margaret never really told much about the Imperium, beyond Gaioh destroyed it.
Lyle walks in, and everyone thinks he's his dead brother again, much to his annoyance. Tiera and Feldt aren't impressed however by this guy pretending to be him.
Zero's just a ruthless as ever, while still retaining his upped heroic qualities that he gained in part 1 as a result of hanging around the Zexis people.
It's also starting to look like the staff supports LelouchxKallen as their favorite pairing.
Well guys this is probably gonna be my last one for awhile. I played through several stages while on a trip to the city the other day, and I didn't have access to a computer to take notes. So until I get to a replay, there will be a notable gap. If I can get in the important Geass stages I will, but for now, this is all I've got.
Spoiler for SRW-Kallen becomes a lord of death again.:
Stage 11
Claus and Shirin of 00, chat about their spy they've recently placed in CB refered to as "Gene 1" (gee I wonder who it could be?). Claus also has bad new for Shirin. A recent Alaws prisoner as been identifed, as princess of Azidistan, Marina Ishmail. At said prison, Nena Trinity is scoping out the situation, under orders for Wan Lu Min, apparantly to feed into to CB. Nena of course, is as unpleaseant as ever.
Wan chats with her manservant about the state of the world, and all the various factions in them. She seems to think she can get away with playing every side for maximum beneift. Her servant doesn't think this such a good idea.
At Ptetmy Allelujah's exact locaction has been confirmed. He's been held at a facilty, along with the remaining Black Knights, much to Kallen's joy. This is info from Wan, so it's trusted. New Lockon doesn't know who this guy is, and everyone else is still getting over how New Lockon looks just the old one, but acts nothing like him. Sumeragi still isn't sure she can command like she used to. Setsuna tries to convince her to create a plan, but Kallen tells him to lay off her for awhile, they can just have her and the Gundam's break in and free everyone.
But Sumeragi will do it. Kallen says she believes in her, as does Shinn, Quatre, and...just about everyone. Esther doesn't know this guy, but if he was a friend of Crowe's she'll certainly help out. Everyone moves out, as Lockon wonders why Feldt is staring at him. Haro chimes in that Feldt was fond of the old Lockon, but Lyle say's he's not his brother and shouldn't be expected to be. Feldt runs off distraught while Shinn starts to yell at Lockon for his treatment, only for Kallen to tell him to lay off. New Lockon shouldn't be expected to act like the Old one. However, it's rude to treat a girl so coldly.
Andrei, Soma Pieres, and some guy named Barack Zinin, report to Kati Manniquen for Alaws posting. Soma is surprised to see Andrei, she didn't know his father, Colonel Sergei Smirnov even had a son. Yes, but he hates Sergei, for vague reasons involving his mother. Before Soma can get upset that her father figure is being badmouthed by his own son Kati promptly intervenes and changes the subject to why they are all there. There are important prisoners in this facilty, notably, the captured Black Knights.
In their cells, Tamaki and Ougi are chatting about how far they came last time. Zero lead them far. Chiba tells him not to bring up his name, for he betrayed them, only for Tamaki to insist he didn't. Ougi thinks he must have had his reasons, the other holy swords demand to know what reason a commander could have for abandoning his troops. Before an arguement breaks out, Todou promptly tells them all to drop it. Zero is dead. Debating why he left is no longer relevant. A strange man in a mask promptly walks up and addresses Toudou, asking him if he's the fabled, miracle Todou of the Black Knights. Who wants to know?
The man says his name is no longer relevant but he can be refered to as "Mister Bushido". "Bushido?" And odd choice as he's clearly not of Japanese decent. No, but he is a knight of the Alaws, and understands the samurai's spirit as taught by his master. Oh? And who exactly in the Britannian Union could possibly have understood the way of the samuari Todou wants to know. Homer Katagiri, Bushido responds. Todou actually has heard of this guy, a Japanese man who went to the Britannian Union but kept his heritage alive. Indeed, and Bushido intends to use his teachings to fight with honor for the Alaws. Only one problem with that Todou says, Honor, because the Alaws have none.
Zero's not exactly a fair fighter himself, Bushido, replies, before telling Todou they'd meet again. Everyone else is rather confused by this strange caucasian man who just walked up and ranted about their countries own pricples to them. Todou however, thinks this guy wasn't just all talk.
Al's in his cell, which looks like it was more made for Hannibal Lecter than a Gundam pilot, when Soma walks in and addresses Subject E-57. Al insists she's really his old friend Marie, but she doesn't remember having that name. Al insists he's right, but she's only Soma Pieres. Before he can start on how they've brainwashed her, two weird twins show up, followed by Epsilon. They're rather rude to her saying Epsilon as a perfect soldier is far superior than Soma, who's only a super soldier. Well the twins do. Epsilon just stands there silently. He finally speaks once he hears Al mutter Marie's name again. That's her name? It is, even if she doesn't remember. And he's fighting for this woman to return to her real self? Inded.
Epsilon and this guy might be more similar than he thought. He asks for Al's name, and after Al introduces himself, he explains he's a Perfect soldier. Al seems to recognize the term, but before they get any further more explosions!
Ptetmy enters the fray, deploying their units. Kallen, Chirico and Setsuna will break into the base, and liberate Al and the BKs, while everyone else draws fire. Before the mission begins Feldt mentions one more thing, Marina is in this prison as well. Heero promptly tells him to go get her. Tiera agrees, and the mission begins.
Kallen's group heads into the base, while Sumeragi orders Arios prepared to be deployed. Kallen heads to where the BKs are imprisoned. She's glad they're alright, they're glad she's alright and are sorry for worrying her. She then informs them that Zero is still alive, which shocks Ougi, makes Tamaki happy, and causes most others to again go on about how he ditched them. Todou again tells them all to stop going on about irrelevant matters, they've got more important things to do right now. It's jailbreak time! Setsuna busts into Marina's cell, and pretty much just up and grabs her and runs off before she can say a world.
Chirico busts out Al, telling him that everyone came for his sake, only to be confronted by Epsilon. Epsilon plans on settling things with Chirico, but tells Al he's got no intentions of stopping his escape, especially if he wants Marie back.
As Al runs off, Epsilon tells Chirico that Fyana isn't here. Then where is she? He doesn't on planning on telling him here. He'll tell him once they're in battle with each other again. Ma...Soma confronts Al, and again is called Marie, and denys it. But this time she suddenly has a flashback to her as a child with a young Al, and she was named Marie. Soma's confused as all hell, but before anymore words can be said, Arios Gundam crashes through the wall.
Al plan's on grabbing Marie, but Alaws soldiers run in and open fire, forcing him to escape alone.
Outside, Kallen, and Setsuna return to battle, while the escaped Black Knights make a run for it, with Todou escorting Marina to safety. Chirico emerges, followed by Epsilon, and Al. Al's ready to rip up some Alaws in his new Arios, the successor to Kirios, although he secretly doubts his abilties now, because his alternate self, and quantum brainwaves have apparantly vanished following brain damage he suffered last year. Soma deploys as well, and the battle is joined, while Sumeragi works on the escape strategy.
Epsilon runs off when beaten, given no more info on Fyana. After enough time, or taking down all enemies, the group escapes.
Kallen's overjoyed to see Ougi and everyone alright. Todou asks if Zero is really back and continuing the fight for Japan, and Kallen responds in the affirmative. Unfornutately Chiba and Asahina don't look very pleased, much to Kallen concern. Tamaki wonders what the big deal is, expecting everyone to go back to how it used to be, but Senba says how they can be sure to trust Zero? How do they even know it's the same guy? Urabe believed it was him, and died getting him out. Kallen's sorry she couldn't save him, but Todou says he died a warriors death, and if Urabe believed it, it's good enough for him.
Speaking of Zero where is he? She left him in Japan by himself? Well C.C. is with him. Tamaki gets all annoyed because he wanted to see his buddy again, and Duo notes Tamaki hasn't changed. Tamaki's glad to see Chirico and the colony Gundam pilots again. It's almost like old times. Al thanks Chirico for saving him, and is sorry Fyana wasn't there. Lockon wonders who all these people are and we another round of "Lockon! You're not dead?" from everyone. But Al's glad to be home. All he needs is Marie, and his life will be complete. She's Alaws you know. Yes he knows. So long as he understands.
Sumeragi will be rejoining officially too, and thanks Kallen for helping get herself back together.
Back in Area 11, Lelouch is sculking about some secret base, as C.C. reports Kallen broke the other BKs out. Lelouch is glad to hear that, as is Lelouch who also walks in. Wait...2 Lelouchs? Sayoko unmasks and reports she's sucessfully been fooling Rolo, into thinking he's watching Lelouch, while the real deal does his Zero thing. He's grateful, but Sayoko is still somewhat surprised that he was the Zero fighting for Japan all that time. Lelouch apologizes, he had no idea she secretly supported the Black Knights, and he'd had told her if he knew. Sayoko is only happy to serve Lelouch, even more now that she knows he's fighting for her homeland. She's help him get Nunnally back and take back Japan with all her heart.
Lelouch meanwhile figures this will by him more time with Rolo, until he knows how to best dispose of him.
Stage 12
Setsuna's getting Marina ready to return to her home country. She wants him to return with her and give up fighting, but he refuses because...all together now....the world is rotten and needs to change. And it's starting right now, as he's heading to Area 11.
Suzaku's arrived back at Ashford, and he and Lelouch greet each other as old friends do, since the last time Lelouch saw Suzaku was before the Black Rebellion. Or at least, that's what Suzaku thinks he believes. Lelouch acts the part well, and Suzaku honestly isn't sure if he's really Zero, or if Lelouch is truely still under the impression he's only a student, and some new guy is Zero.
Suzaku shares his plan to become Knight of One and be granted Japan as his territory, where he can do his best to make it seem like it was before. Oh also someone wants to talk to him. The new governor. Lelouch answers and promptly does a Clamp crazyface because Nunally is on the other line. Suzaku thinks this is the deciding moment. If Lelouch doesn't recognize her, then he's really amnesiac like he's supposed to be.
Lelouch mentally curses Suzaku, while Suzaku mentally smirks, and since neither of them has actually anything out loud, Nunnally is wondering why nobody is answering. Finally.....Lelouch says she must be mistaken with someone else. Suzaku is stunned, Lelouch would never lie to Nunnally, therefore his memories must really be still altered after all. Nunnally, to her credit doesn't actually give anything more away. She simply apologizes for the confusion, as does Suzaku.
Meanwhile Lelouch angrily swears he won't soon forget this in his head, while Suzaku explains Nunnally is in fact the new governor. She'll be taking over, and is actually going to attempt Euphiemia's special zone of Japan, plan that as well all know backfired miserably when out of the blue (but really because of Lelouch's mistake) she suddenly ordered all the Japanese present killed. Well crap. If Nunnally's getting involved then Lelouch can't oppose her as Zero. Nunally's not the enemy. She's the whole reason Zero exists in the first place.
Back in his HQ, Lelouch is silently despairing over what to do. Kallen approaches him and asks him why he hasn't seen the other Black Knights in person yet. Also the TV is saying weird. Apparantly the new Governor wants to reinstate that horrible SAZ plan that got all those Japanese killed. Governor Nunnally. Nunally is the governor now?! Kallen yells. Lelouch can only mumble an affirmative as Nunnally continues to go on about the SAZ and how it can a bright spot in the cruel messed up world they live in. Lelouch breaks even more. If Nunally's trying to change the world, how can he possibly interfere?
Maybe he's just no longer needed. If Nunally's happy with Suzaku being governor then maybe he should just leave it be. Kallen promptly tells him to get his head back in. He wanted to take Nunnally away from Britannia didn't he?! And what's this buisness about governor! He wants to stop that doesn't he. But Lelouch only mumbles that he's giving up, much to Kallen's shock. Nunally is the one person in the world he cannot possibly bring himself to raise a hand again. Kallen again tells him to get a grip, he's Zero, the man who was gonna bring them victory and show them miracles....but she's in near tears herself.
She wants him to lead her again. She belives in him. Sumeragi, Setsuna, Heero, Chirico, Kamille....everyone wants him back. Is he seriously just gonna leave them all...leave her hanging dry? Can he really throw them all away for one person?
One person who he can't even be with in his current situation? Didn't he want to keep going? What he wants? This actually strikes a chord in Lelouch.
Nunnally was his only concern, but clearly Nunnally has a will of her own. Euphy had a will of her own. And Lelouch has a will of his own. Kallen, the Black Knights,, Zexis and all his friends at Ashford. He's not just in it for Nunnally anymore, he realizes. He tells Kallen to take him to Ptemy right away. Kallen happily says his name, but he's not Lelouch right now. He's Zero of the Black Knights.
On the ship, Zero greets Sumeragi, and says he's glad to see her have her resolve back. She's happy to see him too, but unfortunately she tells him the Black Knights particularly aren't happy to see him at the moment. Chiba, Asahina and the others demand to know why he ran away during the Black Rebellion. Zero calmly answers he to attend to to something that would help in defeating Britannia. Ok....Ougi can buy that. And that something was? ....it doesn't matter, just that he failed at whatever he was trying to do. This extremely vague answer isn't enough for the holy swords, but Todou accepts it, and they stand down.
Well then....they're gonna bust up that SAZ thing right. Obviously its a trick again, so they're not gonna be fooled a second time. Not after what Euphimia did.
Esther didn't hear of this, so Kamille and Shinn fill her in, she claimed to make a special zone for the Japanese, but after talking to Zero in private, apparantly decided to kill them all instead. Something must have.....actually come to think of it, Zero never did tell them exactly what happened in there did he? Kamille's line of thought is cut off by shock when Zero annouces they'll take Britannia's deal. They will? Is he nuts? No. But he'll need Celestial Being's assitance for what he has planned.
Partcuarly Lockon Stratos. New Lockon is pleased enough that for once he didn't bat an eye and think he was his dead brother, but is kind of annoyed this Zero guy who he's never met just walked in and started giving him orders.
At said SAZ as the annoucer is addressing the people there. Zero is in secret communication at a nearby G1 base with Suzaku, and it turns out he brought his other two KOR friends, Gino Weinburg, and Anya Alstrium. Lloyd is there as well. Zero says he has 1 million people ready to accept the terms. However he will only tell them to move in, if they allow him, in peace, to leave Japan. So he's ditching the Black Knights? Zero doesn't say, nor does he confirm or deny that he is indeed the same Zero of the Black Rebellion. Nunally's maid lady (Nunally herself isn't present) says they can allow Zero to leave unharmed, if they so choose. Suzaku thinks letting Zero go free is wrong, but is overridden. They accept his terms.
Why did they accept his terms? Because when it looks like Zero sold them out, the elevens will riot, allowing them to put them all down.
The Black Knights are in the crowd, wondering if this was a good idea. Nunnally welcomes them, and ....Rose....meyer.... the maid lady, something like that. Who cares she's not important and will probably die like in series. Anyway she says that they're letting Zero go, although due to his hand in the killing of the last Governor, he will be exiled from this land.
Zero appears on a screen, and thanks them. Gino and Anya are standing by to kill everyone in the predicted riot, while Suzaku just KNOWS Zero is up to something.
Suzaku yells what the deal is, and Zero crypically asks him what makes the
Japanese? Blood? Race? Being born in the country? No...says Suzaku, it's their hearts. Oh really? Well that in case they could be Japanese anywhere then.
At that someone in the crowd deploys a smoke screen. Suzaku and company panic, before Zero appears them. Oh there he is...wait.....there's another behind him......Zero is everyone there apparantly. All 1 million people in the crowd. Well then Zero's says Zero, time to accept their punishment, everyone to the boats. With this, Zero thinks, he can keep fighting the good fight, while Nunnally does her thing in Area 11. Most of the worlds problems are elsewhere anyway.
Rose...lady orders the massacre to being, but Suzaku just can't bring himself to kill everyone there when nobody is actively hostile. Who cares? They're just numbers. No, that's evil. They can't break their promise. So Zero can count on Suzaku to guard Area 11? That's why he's there, Suzaku angrily replies.
Unfortunately not everyone is as forgiving as Suzaku. Guilford, Gino, Anya, and Britannian and Union forces deploy, only to be cut off by Kallen. Guilford remembers the KMF as the Black Knights ace in the hole, that could rival even himself and Cornelia in battle. Gino isn't concerned. He and Anya are on a different level. Or so he thinks. The level turns out to be irrelevant as the Guren Type 2 is simply not powerful enough to fight the newer Knightmare models. Kallen has stretched its abilties as far as it can currently go.
Meanwhile Lelouch secretly confronts governor Nunally. Though appearing confident, he's terrified deep down. Nunnally assumes he's there to kill her like Clovis and Euphimia, but asks him to please wait, while secretly praying for her brother to give her the will to stand up to the scary terrorist Zero. Oh the irony. Zero tells her Britannia only intends to use her, and she should not be as accepting to them as she is. Nunnally however believes this is her only chance to help the world. Like Euphy wanted to do. Lelouch isn't surprised, but before the conversation is over Suzaku busts in and demands the scoundrel Zero get away from Nunnally. Zero's happy to oblige, as he'll be joining the other Zero's in leaving. So he'll be leaving Nunnally and Area 11 to Suzaku. Lelouch is still sad deep down, but takes his leave. Suzaku isn't quite sure what Zero's up to.
At least, Zero thinks he's getting away. Rolo's appeared in his path, and isn't planning on letting Lelouch (he knows now apparantly) get away. He'll have to kill his brother, for lying to him. Lelouch prepares to initiate some super secret escape plan, but isn't able to so much as blink before Rolo's right behind him, holding a gun on him. How did he move so fast? As Lelouch expected it's a Geass, specifically, one that can stop time. Understanding what Rolo's power does isn't gonna help him aganist it, Rolo counters. Oh it will, Lelouch says, as Rolo is grazed by a sniper round. But how did he? Simply counters Lelouch, he noticed in the battle against that weird knightmare that while Rolo was apparantly teleporting around, the other Zexis members reported that Lelouch and Kallen were simply standing there for unusually long periods of time. Therefore, his Geass doesn't stop time, but only suspend people's perception of time in a certain radius.
And the sniper he placed is outside of Rolo's radius. So another step and he's dead. Why not signal them to just kill him then Rolo asks? No need for him to know. Now then, Lelouch is going to escape and Rolo isn't going to persue if he doesn't want a bullet in his head. However Rolo not caring much for his own life, chases him anyway, only for Lelouch to yell not to be a fool and tackle him out of the sniper's path getting shot himself.
Why? Rolo asks. Man Lelouch is stupid, letting his feelings for Rolo make him get shot by his own sniper. What? Lelouch claims he really does love Rolo like a brother, despite what he might have said otherwise. Isn't he going to finish him off? Rolo hesitates at this, freaking about his mission, and what is he supposed to do about the mission. Well since Britannia only sees him as a tool, why not come with him to the Black Knights? But.... Enough, says Lelouch his place is with him. Rolo agrees, while Lelouch already starts thinking of the best way to get Rolo killed for daring to replace Nunnaly.
Outside Gino is about to finish off Kallen, who simply can't compare in her weaker, flightless Guren. Kallen's at her end she guesses. This is it. Sorry mom, sorry, brother, sorry Lelo... Senba promptly shows up in a Burai and tells her to get back. Kallen does so, while Gino goes for Senba instead. Kallen doesn't want to leave him, but Senba tells her to get her ass out of there. She's young, she's has many more battles to fight. Senba tells her one last time to get out, and crashes into Gino, crippling Tristan but dying in the process.
Kallen's now all alone, but she's not as O2 suddenly starts to play and Ptemy appears, along with a new type of ship she's never seen before. Zero is captaining it, and tells Rakshata to.."send it in". Rakshata tells Kallen to get into positon and sends a flight pack and a new arm to her, upgrading Guren to the Guren flight type. Zero declares that the new Ikaruga will be the flagship of the black knights, and orders everyone to deploy. Everyone does, including 4 new KMFs based on the Gekka. Todou's Zangetsu, Chiba and Asahina's Akatsuki's and C.C.'s...Akatsuki which is a different color, and has a bazooka instead of a sword. Todou's guys are ready to avenge Senba. Suzaku deploys as well, and yet again we end up fighting him.
Interestingly Asahina and Chiba weren't even PCs in part one. They only appeared in one attack of Todou's where he summoned the 4 or them. Todou no longer has that attack, instead having the shadow slash move he used on Suzaku in China. C.C.'s unit is the same as Chiba and Asahina's except a different color, and one weapon different (she has a bazooka, instead of the chain katana). Kallen's Guren's radiaton wave attack is back to full strengh again (ignores size penaties, and pierces barriers) and she now has a long ranged radiation blast, and the gefion net missles. She no longer has her knife though, which means the special ability where you can randomly block an attack, will no longer work. She also has a barrier now. Actually all the Geass units now do.
Kallen's theme is now O2, and her cockpit cut in shots now depict her wearing the R2 pilot suit instead of the season 1 version.
Oh now Gino remembers. Kallen was the pilot that killed that Orange guy. That might make her a worthy opponent then.
Kallen and Suzaku have their usual conversation they've had every time she's run into him. Clearly that's not gonna change.
Notably, nobody else bothers to try taking sense into Suzaku this time. Not even Shinn and Kamille, his buddies.
After sending the Rounds and Guilford packing the battle is won. Zero says the time has come to leave Japan, but they will still battle for its future, elsewhere. Ougi admits he is the Zero they knew, and they swear to follow him.
Back at Ashford, Lelouch with his new assistant Rolo, now confront Viletta, who's enraged at Rolo's betrayal. Unless she'd like him to reveal her little affair with Ougi, she'll be helping him trick the forces montioring him into thinking he's still there, unawares. And how exactly is he going to be in two places at once? Well, another Lelouch says walking in, that's what she's for, pulling of her mask and revealing Sayako. C.C. meanwhile asks Rolo who his contractor was. He doesn't feel the need to tell her, but she immediately guesses V.V. and from Rolo's shocked reaction she guessed right. Lelouch asks about this V.V. and is told he was actually the one who gave Charles his Geass. This naturally enrages him, but Charles is a job for another day...
Now in China, Zero is introduced to Li Xingke, assistant to one of the eunuch's there, who is....rather happy to serve Zero. Kaguya is there too, happy her lord Zero is still alright. Diethard however has some bad news. Their 1 million man miracle? Swept under the rug. The media wasn't able to report it and as far as Diethard can tell, someone was able to hijack the entire worlds network to pull and destroy the footage from everywhere. Which means any goodwill they might have gotten is not going to happen now. Zero demands to know who could possibly have pulled this off, and Tieria is happy to tell him. Someone with control of Veda.
I'm wondering if I should turn this into a drinking game. Take a shot every time somebody mentions how the world is corrupted and rotten, and they need to change it. But people would probably die of alcohol poisoning.
Well Kallen gets to actually finish her speech to Lelouch this time, since Rolo isn't around to ruin it. And this time it actually works. Yeah Tereda definitely ships LelouchxKallen.
Well I don't have as detailed a summary as usual. But I can at least give a general run down. Oh also, Crowe finally came back on stage 15, in case anyone cares. Setsuko Ohara (the SRWZ1 heroine) also briefly appeared but she left, because you can't have more than two original heroes at a time it seems.
In an awesome scene, Lelouch hijacked world communactions and called out for all Zexis members not be fooled by the reports that he and CB were evil terrorists and to converge on his location for the world needed Zexis again. Although it looked like they ignored it, he believed in them, and sure enough they came to the rescue. Well the guys available anyway. Some are still in space, and some are still locked in that time distortion on the other continent.
But anyway more Geass stages.
Spoiler for Stage 17:
Stage 17 is the China arc. Placing Zexis members discreetly in attendance for Tianzi's wedding, Zero begins his plan to kidnap her on her wedding day as planned. Xingke meanwhile has his own plan. But both are ruined when Wufei of Gundam Wing abruptly breaks and annouces HE is taking her instead. Both Lelouch and Xingke have to execute their plans early and without proper planning.
It becomes chaotic but Lelouch and Zexis manage to escape with her in tow, only to be cut off by Xingke while Wufei appears to attack everyone on all sides. Beat him, and the Eunuchs appear in their pyramid battleship and fire on Ikaruga, even though Tianzi is right on the deck. Xingke angsts over what scumbags they are, but Zero deploys in Shinkiro for the first time and blocks the attack. Britannia's goons show up, and Xingke becomes a PC, and....well you can just take out their battleship but why not destroy everyone?
This stage has two of the many hidden objectives you must do in order to unlock the secret What If, Geass ending route. C.C. must be deployed and attack Anya, which will trigger a momentary reaction from Mairianne inside her. And Zero must personally land the killing blow on the Eunuch's ship. I managed both.
From this point on, you can choose to deploy Zero in Shinkiro in which case Ougi will captain the Ikaruga in his place (which means you won't be using it, because Ougi has terrible stats) or if you don't deploy Shinkiro, Zero will captain it, which means it uses his pilot stats and can use his tactical command ability.
Also Kallen isn't captured here, which is both good, because she's arguably the strongest Geass character, and bad, because how will they get her SEITEN now? Then again she wasn't captured in A.C.E.R. either and she still got SEITEN.
Been a while here. Unfortunately I fell behind in my summaries with my desire to just play the game since word for word was taking however. Fortunately other better qualified people have taken up the slack.
A summary by our usual SRW translator though it isn't word for word and he's not currently even halfway through the game yet.
There's also another person who's does a smaller walkthrough stage by stage and doesn't translate word for word but he does translate some of it. He's done up to stage 50 so far, but I think the two stages you guys would be most interested in are these