Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-1996340-20140630080929/@comment-109.158.64.66-20140927022231

Lelouch was in direct contact with Charles when he was absorbed. It's not a stretch to think that Charles' code was passed to Lelouch during this rather than also being absorbed or vanishing. Code and Geass are likely connected to the collective subconscious and Code may be an immortal force in itself that has to transfer. I'm speculating though.

While speculating, the following points should be mentioned:

1. C.C saying she was wrong about Geass resulting in a life of solitude being wrong can mean he survived and would live with her OR that he has died and his soul is in C's world with his friends. The latter is less likely as death is almost inevitable so Geass is irrelevant to this (most Geass users do not reach the point of equality with the granter of Geass).

2. While the implication is a Geass user obtains the power to kill the giver and receive their code once it is powerful enough exists, it is never specifically  noted that the Geass gives only the power to kill the 'master'. It is however said that powerful Geass puts the holder in the same position as the one who granted the Geass (this alone could be viewed that powerful Geass is equal to Code but I'll continue anyway). Combine this with the fact that Charles had the ability to kill C.C once he had V.V's Code suggests that the power to kill those with Code is not limited to just the powerful Geass holder but anyone on an equal standing.

3. The only information on the actual transfer of Code we have is that it appears to require physical contact. While V.V's death was not witnessed, Charles needed to be in contact with C.C during his attempt at killing her. It is entirely possible that as Lelouch was the last contact Charles had, it was transferred by force, accident or luck. In addition to this, Lelouch specifically prevented Suzaku from getting involved with the standoff between him and Charles' and his final words when he had achieved the double-eye Geass to Charles were "be gone". It can be seen that this command may have ended Charles' life, not the absorbtion which would mean the Code transfers to him. It is possible this was planned by Lelouch.

4. The scene of C.C crying for Lelouch can be interpreted as her mourning his inevitable death - the price of his path. This is not within the character of C.C who has seen many she cared for pass and herself has wished for death - it is more likely that C.C understood Lelouch was bound by Code but would have to live nameless and in hiding with the weight of his guilt for those he had killed and lost on his back forever and that he would not be able to live with the sister he loved and who was his inspiration and purpose for making the world a more peaceful place. That is a greater price to pay than his mere death.

5. While the above strongly imply Lelouch survived, the constant within the series is only those prepared to die should kill and that the king should lead. It would appear that Lelouch understood this from the beginning and intended to die. The only part that breaks this is the following: Lelouch is a highly intelligent individual. It is almost absurd to think that his intention from the beginning or even from Episode 19 was to die, leaving Nunally to mourn him. While Lelouch' understanding of emotions is sometimes detached, he does grasp grief and I cannot think that his plan was to inflict that on the sister he adored. It seems to me that his hand was forced by Schnizel and the choice was to either retreat and leave the world as it was before or to take victory but at the cost of his apparent death. Unlike the previous decision, he did not retreat but took the victory with the consequences (this also shows he had grown and changed).

6. It is known that Geass is not revoked by the loss of the Geass granter: V.V died and Rolo as well as the Knight of One retained their powers. It would seem that Geass is only lost where the Geass holder takes the Code of their granter making it possible that Lelouch received Charles' Code and retained Geass from C.C.

My view is he survived, however, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. With all he did to create the world anew and with his intelligence it would be hard not to consider all the alternative methods he could have employed to obtain his goals and how he could've avoided the loss of those he cared about. This alone would be a rather terrible punishment, combined with the sense of duty he would feel to ensure the world did not fall back into violent and oppressive ways and to march forward with time but being unable to be himself again fully.. His death would be the easier way out even if his grave would be marked by hatred by the world and his efforts not appreciated fully by the people he saved. In fact, it would be quite a hollow end to think that all the sacrifices made were for the purpose of hatred directed at Lelouch. Perhaps the intention was for it to be that dark - the only way to unite mankind is through mutual hatred rather than cooperation.