The Collapsing Stage (episode)

The Collapsing Stage is the twenty-fourth episode of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Summary
Lelouch's strategies give the Black Knights and their allies the upper hand in their battle against the Britannian Army. As riots break out through the country, the Black Knights take over Ashford Academy as their headquarters, and the students are spared on Lelouch's orders. An enraged Suzaku, now aware of Zero's power thanks to a mysterious young boy named V.V., pursues Zero for revenge, which Cornelia also covets.

Plot
Jeremiah, regaining his senses, discovers that Schneizel and Bartley have given him several mechanical prosthetics (including a prosthetic eye) to help him recover from his injuries and enhance his physical abilities, and that he is tasked with finding C.C. He begins to marvel at the task, but Bartley tries to calm him down, noting that some of Jeremiah's brain cells were destroyed in the process, causing him to become mentally unstable. Jeremiah, however, barks at him, remembering what Bartley previously did to him. At that moment, Zero sounds in his message of waiting until midnight, and hearing Zero's name, Jeremiah collapses into insanity. As the warning is given, a wall security officer, under the influence of Geass, is signaled to begin setting off the switches to destroy the wall via removing its floorboards, as are others, killing anyone that tries to stop them. Cornelia, swearing revenge for Euphemia, tries to have her forces shoot down the Gawain directly, but the switches activate at midnight, causing the ground underneath the troops, including Cornelia to collapse. The tremors are even felt at Ashford Academy, where the Student Council thinks an earthquake is happening. As Cornelia tries to escape the wreckage, Tamaki and Kaguya admire the destruction. Diethard, however, questions how Zero was able to pull it off, and comes to the conclusion that they were affected the same way Villetta and Jeremiah were, admiring Zero's way of using everyone as pawns.

When the dust clears, Zero notes that once Area 11 has been conquered and reformed into the United States of Japan, Charles will have to face him, allowing Lelouch to defeat him once and for all; for some reason, C.C. does not appear to like this. At the same time, the Four Holy Swords begin to make invasion preparations, with Tohdoh giving the order to charge in and continue the First Assault on Tokyo Settlement. He comes across Cornelia, who is trying to assess the situation of her men and orders a retreat to the government bureau. Tohdoh attacks her, but she promptly throws one of her own soldiers up as a meat shield, resulting in Tohdoh slicing him in half. Guilford then tries to engage Tohdoh to let Cornelia get away, and Tohdoh, recognizing him from the Battle of Narita, accepts. Cornelia protests, but Guilford chides her into letting him take control by claiming it would be for Euphemia's honor, and proceeds to take out a sword similar to the Lancelot's.

Zero then announces that Ashford, which is located near the bureau, will be the command center due to its strategic importance. He tells Ohgi to go there, and after some hesitation, he does. Ohgi then tries calling Villetta, but she has dropped her phone, and it is revealed that she slaughtered all of the people that broke into her home before departing. Aboard the Avalon, Suzaku, still in a state of insanity, walks into the Lancelot chamber, but Lloyd tells him that they can't go fight because they haven't been given orders to do so. But despite Cecile's protests, Suzaku proceeds to snap Lloyd's wrist, brutally punch him in the face, and take the Lancelot key, intending to kill Zero. Guilford and Tohdoh continue to fight when the Glaston Knights arrive, informing him that Andreas Darlton's location has not been identified, and offer to take command while he protects Cornelia. Zero and C.C., meanwhile, destroy of the aerial forces. Zero continues to give everyone orders, when he is informed by Ohgi of an informant that can help them: Sayoko. Elsewhere, the first prince in line to the throne, Odysseus eu Britannia, is pressured by his subordinates into instilling order as more uprisings take place, as Charles is absent, with Schneizel deducing that he has gone to the Thought Elevator. Odysseus eventually decides that no forces be given to Cornelia, seeing Euphemia's massacre as being a just reason for anger; Schneizel decides to handle the diplomacy.

The Black Knights take their Knightmares closer to the bureau, where the Britannian forces appear to be clustering while they wait for reinforcements. At the same time, Sugiyama and others take over the broadcasting stations for a live event, while Diethard reveals his identity to his own station and takes them over to make Zero's scoop the event of the night. Ashford in eventually ransacked, and Tamaki and others break into the Student Council room. Rivalz, in an attempt to look cool in front of Milly, stands in between everyone and Tamaki. Tamaki then tauntingly prepares to hit Rivalz with the butt of his gun, but Zero walks into the room with Kallen and stops him. Zero then announces that they will be turning the building into their command center, claiming it is of strategic importance and assuring that no one will get harmed, although in reality it is to protect Nunnally from the fighting. Rivalz protests that they can't believe them, but Kallen, though reluctant to make Ashford the headquarters, reveals her identity to them in order to ensure their compliance; though they are shocked, Milly decides to believe her. Shirley then speaks up, questioning what Kallen and Zero did to her, but before either can respond, Ohgi comes in and informs Zero that Suzaku has been spotted.

Using the Lancelot, Suzaku savagely slaughters any Black Knight standing in his way - including Yoshida - breaking his oath of not killing. In a flashback, V.V. tells Suzaku of the Geass, and that that is what caused Euphemia to go ballistic as well as make him try to act insubordinately on Shikine Island. Unable to contain his emotions, Suzaku gullibly believes him, unaware of what V.V. did. At the same time, Villetta is revealed to have suddenly regained her memories as a result of fighting the men, and becomes convinced that Lelouch used his Geass twice on her (once to give her Sutherland away, and again to wipe her memories and make her fall in love with Ohgi). Suzaku eventually comes upon Kallen, and refusing to explain the situation, proceeds to try and beat Kallen to get Zero's location. As they fight, Kallen jumps between the buildings to take advantage of Suzaku's flying, and eventually destroys one of his arms, but has her frying arm shot off. Suzaku prepares to kill Kallen, but Zero suddenly appears in the Gawain and asks to fight him one and one, claiming to no longer see a partnership between them as possible.

At the same time, Tohdoh begins making preparations to storm the bureau. Along with that, Guilford informs Cornelia of his own positions and of naval reinforcements. Cornelia decides to leak the info to the Black Knights, hoping to distract Zero, and prepares her own party, unaware Darlton is getting ready. Jeremiah, meanwhile, goes ballistic in a crouching position over wanting to kill Zero. Meanwhile, the Black Knights set up base in the building, and Ohgi looks over the plans with Sugiyama, with the plan being for their forces (from the West), Diethard's (from the East), Kaguya's (from the South), and others (from the North) will barge the bureau at once. Ohgi then gets a report that someone was trying to sneak in and was taken prisoner, but discovers the person is Villetta. Shocked, he makes an excuse that she reports to him, and takes her into another room. At the Student Council room, everyone contemplates what to do, with Shirley deciding that they wouldn't do anything to harm them. At that moment, Zero threatens to destroy the room if Suzaku doesn't surrender. Blinded by fury, Suzaku charges at him regardless, at which point Sayoko activates a Gefjun Disturber, freezing Suzaku again. Calling both of them hypocrites, Zero departs, leaving Suzaku to curse him while Rakshata takes apart the Lancelot.

As Zero handily destroys air reinforcements, he informs Tohdoh that he will go into the bureau from the top. In doing so, he discovers Cornelia's garden, which is designed to resemble Marianne's house. Zero recognizes it, and C.C. calls the place by name, telling Zero that she will tell him how she knows that later. Cornelia then appears in the garden, and blinded by insanity, prepares to fight him. Ohgi takes Villetta into the dining room where Nunnally usually is, where two paper cranes that match their hair color are sitting on the table. Ohgi apologizes to Villetta for not saying he was a Black Knight, but assures her that if Zero wins they can be together. Instead, Villetta steals his gun and holds him at gunpoint, revealing that she got her memory back and her real name. Ohgi turns around in shock, but she proceeds to shoot him in the stomach (causing his black paper crane to fall down), only for him to say he is glad she has her memories before collapsing. As Villetta flees the scene, Ohgi is recovered. Taking command, Sugiyama orders that no one find out about Ohgi's shooting while he's recovering, and to find and kill Villetta. While everyone is searching, Nunnally orders everyone to run while they are distracted, in the hopes that they can save Suzaku.

Two Black Knights come into an underground area looking for Villetta, but instead discover Nina piloting the Ganymede, declaring that Euphemia will be avenged. At the same time, Cornelia charges Zero, and is able to get the upper hand due to her better piloting and bloodlust. She jumps on top of the Gawain while in midair when suddenly a giant spike pierces her through the Knightmare's chest. It is revealed that Darlton had been Geassed by Zero at the stadium to incapacitate Cornelia when Zero might be in trouble, and Cornelia falls to the ground. Coming back to his senses, Darlton expresses horror at what he's done before Zero fries him to death with the Hadron Cannon. Meanwhile, Nunnally is in the room alone when V.V. suddenly comes in and announces that he will take her with him.

Battles

 * First Assault on Tokyo Settlement (Continued)

Powers or Abilities used

 * Lelouch's Geass

Quotes

 * "Cornelia. I'm afraid a direct confrontation with me in battle will be your undoing." -Lelouch


 * "You know, I really hate pushy guys." -Kallen


 * "Zero, Princess Euphemia will be avenged!" -Nina and Cornelia


 * "Don't be afraid. I haven't come to kill you milady. I've come to deliver you to Zero, your highness." -Andreas Darlton


 * "Nunnally. I've come to take you with me." -V.V.


 * "Cornelia, the second princess of the empire, has fallen into my hands. After I've questioned her about the identity of my mother's killer I only need to hold her hostage and I've won. At last, for Nunnally's sake as well, I will obliterate Britannia, the country that abandoned us both." -Lelouch (Preview for the next episode)

Trivia
Both this episode and the following episode were shown together as a one-hour special in Japan, but were later released as two separate episodes on DVD.