Character Discussion - Rolo

[bran]

umm how else he could have been taught, killing was like brushing his teeth
did u miss the scenes with rolo as a child and what missions he was carring out
he was used to take care of political problems killing whoever is convenient to kill

[killbethy]

Rolo is a character that's made so that you can love to hate him and hate to love him. You can completely hate what he does (ex. killing Shirley) but still feel entirely sympathetic to him (ex. being led on by Lelouch to believe that someone actually cares about him). For a character that wasn't even a very major role considering the series as a whole, I think he is definitely one of the most complex and brilliantly written. It's hard not to pity his entire existence. The closest thing in his life that he had to normal and genuine was being Lelouch's little brother when Lelouch did not know any better. He was sincerely treasured and cared for then.

The rest of my post contains spoilers for people who haven't seen Episode 19, so I'm going to tag it.

Spoiler for Don't read if you haven't seen episode 19 and don't want to be spoiled.:

Rolo's death is probably the most poignant one I've seen in the show. Yes, Shirley dying and Euphie dying were both sad, but not nearly as meaningful. Rolo died for someone he knew didn't really love him, but had the capacity to love him and had shown him love. And making the choice to die for that person let him reclaim his humanity, because taking other people's lives had pretty much lost complete meaning to him, so the only real choice he could make with any humanity was taking his own to let someone else live. But if Rolo didn't die for Lelouch then, Lelouch would have and actually already did call(ed) it quits. Seeing Rolo reclaim his identity by doing something simply because it was HIS choice let Lelouch see that he needed to continue on for himself and fight his own battle, not someone else's. So even in the end, the one real way Rolo served a purpose was through his death. He is a completely tragic character through and through.

[incorrupts]

Originally Posted by killbethy

Rolo is a character that's made so that you can love to hate him and hate to love him. You can completely hate what he does (ex. killing Shirley) but still feel entirely sympathetic to him (ex. being led on by Lelouch to believe that someone actually cares about him).

That pretty much sums it up. He is really a tragic character.

[Pink-chan]

Rolo's very first appearance is a sign of doom. His fate is practically sealed as 'an assassin who fell in love with his target' This type of character will naturally sacrifice his life for his target.

How I wish Lelouch could listen to Rolo's words while Rolo was spamming his Geass. Unfortunately Lelouch can't hear him as he was being Geassed. Lelouch will be touched by his words if he heard him. How he realise that he is becoming human after those time with Lelouch, he is no longer a tool but this is his will.

Rolo is the only one who stood by Lelouch when everyone turns their back against him (even Kallen) despite being thrown out by Lelouch. He must had done enough reflection in the storeroom and decided that Lelouch is lying about hating him and wanting to kill him. Rolo knows it's the truth but yet he decided it to be a lie. I'm grateful to Lelouch to let him die as Rolo Lamperouge. Allow him to pass away peacefully believing that his brother loves him. I feel that tt's supposed to be a lie but it's no longer a lie to Lelouch. Lelouch is grateful to Rolo and even dig a grave for him (How did he even manage that? ) I'm also touched by this fact.

I didn't expect Rolo to die by Lelouch's side thinking that Rolo is going to die alone as according to spoilers he spams his Geass to get Lelouch to his Shinkirou. Rolo piloting Shinkirou came out as a surprise . Rolo you did well. Nii-san is smiling and calling you his brother by your side in the end. Because of you, Lelouch found a purpose in his life. Rolo, oyasumi

[Sasuke_Bateman]

I can safely say i always liked his character. I'm glad he died the way he did, it was handled really well.

[Orga777]

Speaking of which, is anyone else pissed they didn't show us what was inside that damn locket? All that teasing and they gave us nothing!

[LastOrder]

Originally Posted by Orga777

Speaking of which, is anyone else pissed they didn't show us what was inside that damn locket? All that teasing and they gave us nothing!

It was probably a picture of Lelouch >_>;

[incorrupts]

Wasn't it like a tiny music box or something?

[Lyllrik]

Yeah, but there was a drawing that hinted it might have been something else in it too. :S

[greyhawk]

Now that he is dead, I'm expecting people to commemorate him a little before finally laying this thread to rest like Rolo himself.
And Lelouch sure did some physical work there. I wonder if he used his Shinkirou (lol).

[Ronin Aquila]

How the fuck...

Mr Director Taniguchi, you are the Man...

You managed to make me cry for a character I (almost) hate more than Suzy-boy.

What he has done is still inexcusable, but you managed to make this little psycho a human being.

And moreso surprising: I thought that Lelouch would have been completely divorced from his humanity and his very ability to feel anything by now, but is that respect (maybe even some warmth) I detect in his Eulogy to Rolo-boy here?

If anything, for a change Lelouch is now more emotionally healthy than the lid-flipped crackerjack that is Suzy-boy.

[NoOneKnowS]

The only bad thing that got Rollo is Lulu. lol; Having a brother like that? No thanks.

[JesseJamesRocket]

Originally Posted by Orga777

You know... Vakir has a point....
Most of you guys are ban-wagon jumpers.....<.<'

Is there enough to feel sorry for Rolo? Yeah. Is there enough to outright forgive him for all that he has done? Ha... no. I pretty much agree with everything Vak is saying. Especially when he said people are basing forgiving Rolo because Lelouch sorta did. That pretty much shows that nobody is really that subjective while watching and only sees things by one POV (Lelouch's.)

1. Personally I liked Rolo from the start. He's been my avatar since day 1 here for me. So, bandwagoner? Nope.

2. If how I dealt with Rolo was based solely on how Lelouch felt, I would have hated him all along and wanted him dead like most of you until that very last moment, so I think that's a bit backward.

And to Vak

3. Yes Lelouch wanted to kill Nunally because he was jealous. But:
a. He didn't.
b. It has nothing to do with Shirley.

Why would Rolo, when basically talking to himself (since Lelouch couldn't hear being under control of Geass) lie? Yes he had selfish feelings toward Nunally, but as far as he was concerned that worked itself out all on its own. Hate of Rolo has caused too much assumption. It isn't those who forgive Rolo who aren't seeing things clearly, it's the haters who want a reason to hold onto their hate. I didn't condone the terrible things Rolo did, but I forgave him all along the way even as I hoped that he would change. He was broken, and "knew not what he did".

[Shizuka Hiou]

^
i agree
i too thought rollo was interesting character

and though i find ep 19 interesting, i didn't find rollo's action itself surprising. I mean you can tell rollo dedicated his life for him and lelouch.

i don't see why so many people having turnarounds like the incident with shirely. people should not categorized characters into simple two categories of 1. bad/annoying/evil / 2. heroic, good w/e.

People simply make bad choices or good choices. Maybe except for emperor? which is still questionable all other characters in this series have "relatively" good intentions. (and yes that includes nina)

rollo stated he would kill nunally, but he didn't (since he never got the chance)
but there's many people who say they can kill but can't, and those who say they can't but can.

would rollo be capable? idk, frankly idc.

So to fully understand rollo i think we need to get out of this evil guy, who does good so now he is a hero mentality. b/c i think rollo's character is lot more complicated then that with his complexes and all.

for

Spoiler for ep19:

rollo's death, i think he recovered quite fast. maybe bit too fast. i guess it looks natural compare to the incident with lelouch and jeremiah at the train station

[Rising Dragon]

Originally Posted by JesseJamesRocket

3. Yes Lelouch wanted to kill Nunally because he was jealous. But:

... um, Rolo wanted Nunnally dead, not Lelouch. >_>

[Vakir]

Originally Posted by JesseJamesRocket

3. Yes Lelouch wanted to kill Nunally because he was jealous. But:
a. He didn't.
b. It has nothing to do with Shirley.

You mean Rolo, but I'm not going to dwell on that.

First off, he didn't kill her because he couldn't get to her.

And it has plenty to do with Shirley, as he flipped out and killed her only after she mentioned Nunnally, and he looked amazingly angry as he did it.

Why would Rolo, when basically talking to himself (since Lelouch couldn't hear being under control of Geass) lie? Yes he had selfish feelings toward Nunally, but as far as he was concerned that worked itself out all on its own. Hate of Rolo has caused too much assumption.

Nowhere did I in any way, shape, or form say he was lying during the internal monologue. The only thing I said he was lying about was killing Shirley because she knew too much, and he said that to Lelouch, not to himself. No assumptions here. Bandwagon "nevar forget ;__;"ing is where the real assumptions are coming from here.

He didn't have selfish feelings towards Nunnally, he had selfish feelings toward Lelouch. And if you really care about someone, you won't kill who they're close to. He was a selfish stupid punk from the beginning. I don't care if you were taught to kill from the beginning, when your killing starts to be out of your own free will and it's motivated for selfish reasons, it's different. No one TOLD him to kill Nunnally, he decided to do it on his own, which is why he ceases to be a tragic character to me and succeeds only in showing his own selfishness.

It isn't those who forgive Rolo who aren't seeing things clearly, it's the haters who want a reason to hold onto their hate. I didn't condone the terrible things Rolo did, but I forgave him all along the way even as I hoped that he would change. He was broken, and "knew not what he did".

"We're not wrong, YOU ARE. Waaaaah."

No.

He did know what he did. No one ordered him to kill Nunnally, so he did that out of free will and not being a tool, and chances are he did the same with Shirley if you analyze his reactions and the timing of when he killed her. So his speech about suddenly being free and all that good stuff are entirely wasted when he already became human, he just became a SELFISH and vile human.

So no, he was no longer a tool long before he sacrificed for Lelouch, but he STILL killed even though this time there was no excuse to whatsoever and it was out of his own selfishness.

Care to try again? And maybe this time not completely twist the truth to make a character look better than they are? No one sent him to assassinate Nunnally. I don't care if you're an assassin since birth, that isn't how assassination and that manner of lifestyle even works when you decide for yourself who to kill or not kill. That's called being a murderer. Just look at real-life child soldiers and how they react to said situations.

[zeJosh]

Bah, when Rolo was introduced I hated him as money others has stated he's a character you love to hate, but when he died, I kind of like him now.

[Endrance]

I hated Rolo for shirley but he kinda grew on me the last episode

[sLum]

A lot of people here lack "Empathy".

[Vakir]

Originally Posted by sLum

A lot of people here lack "Empathy".

I assume you refer to me.

I'm sorry, placing myself in his situation, I can't fathom how someone can possibly love a person if their intention is to take away what THEY care about so they can have them to themselves. It's like people who sabotage a happy marriage or relationship so they can have the person to themselves because they "love" them. It's fucking sickening. That's not love, that's shady possessiveness.

I understand it's the only person who has ever supposedly shown him compassion, but trying to kill someone out of your OWN WILL and NOT BEING A TOOL means you were human all along, you were just a douche of a human.

I don't HATE Rolo, but I feel like mourning his end would be like trying to give someone with anti-social personality disorder a big hug and a sloppy kiss. You just can't DO IT.