The False Classmate (episode)

The False Classmate is the third episode of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

Summary
Lelouch confronts Clovis at gunpoint about the murder of his mother, Marianne vi Britannia, before killing him. When he returns to Ashford Academy, he discovers that Kallen Stadtfeld, one of the terrorists he helped in Shinjuku Ghetto, attends the same school. The limitations to his power are also revealed to him when he attempts to question her and unsuccessfully erase her memory; he creates a cunning deception to ease her suspicions of his identity. When the death of Prince Clovis is announced in the media, it is Suzaku who is accused of the murder.

Plot
It begins with a view of the decimated Shinjuku Ghetto. Two unknown soldiers are heard voicing their confusion and concern over the ceasefire order, that was previously issued by Clovis, as Kallen, Ohgi, and many others are seen being lead out of the battle zone. Those same two soldiers then realize that Clovis has been left all alone on the G-1 Base.

The scene then changes to show Lelouch holding a gun to Clovis. Clovis speaks as if he is happy to find that Lelouch was not killed when Britannia invaded Japan and even goes as far as to suggest that the two of them should return home to Britannia. This is not an option for Lelouch as he does not want to be used as a tool for political ends and he says as much to Clovis.

Lelouch then begins to explain the events of his mother’s death. A flash back is shown of the day Marianne died and it appears as though Nunnally personally witnessed the tragedy. Lelouch continues to explain that even though it was made to look like terrorists had killed his mother, he knows that the royal family had something to do with it.

Back in the G-1, Clovis frantically denies that he had any involvement in the matter. Lelouch then uses his Geass to force Clovis to tell him the truth about who it was that actually killed her. Unfortunately Clovis does not know much and is only able to tell Lelouch to ask either Prince Scheizel or Princess Cornelia as they know more about it than he does. Lelouch believes that is all he knows and releases him of the Geass. Clovis pleads his innocence a little more before Lelouch pulls the trigger on the gun.

Lelouch is then found, with the other student council members, at school. Milly smacks Lelouch over the head and orders him to wake up as he had apparently been napping. Rivalz starts questioning him to find out what happened after Lelouch ditched him but Milly interrupts them before Lelouch can answer and brings them all back on task to balance the budget. After a little banter, and a few comments about Shirley's voluptuous figure, Nina, Shirley, and Rivalz walk in on a few students watching the news broadcast about the previous day’s events in the ghetto. It is claimed that the terrorists did in fact release the poison gas but there are no other details given as Lelouch walks in and joins the rest.

Lelouch then starts pondering why Britannia would be covering some details up and a flash back is shown of Lelouch standing in front of Clovis with the gun drawn and it is confirmed that Lelouch did indeed kill him. At the thought of what he did starts to fill his mind, Lelouch nearly throws up and leaves for the bathroom.

Villetta and Jeremiah are then seen together in a car talking about how the killer of Clovis was able to penetrate their security multiple times and they both ruminate on the possibility of using the recent upheaval as an excuse to further the power of pure blood Britannians.

Back at school, Lelouch walks into a class room just to find that Kallen has returned to school after having supposedly been very ill and unable to attend. At that moment Lelouch realizes that Kallen is not just a fellow student but was the member of the terrorist group that he had seen the previous day.

Later, Kallen as well as three other girls are having lunch outside when a bee shows up and causes them all to run away in fear. Kallen escapes and uses a surprising amount of agility to kill the bee with a single swipe as she comments about how annoying it is to pretend to be enfeebled. At that moment Lelouch shows up and uses his Geass to confirm the Kallen is indeed part of the terrorist group. He continues to question her and finds out that she is also a half-blood Britannian. As he is questioning her, Shirley looks on from a high up window and grows a little concerned. Lelouch is satisfied with the answers that Kallen provided and he turns to leave but suddenly decides to use his Geass on her again to ensure that she tells no one about what happened. But, his attempt fails and Kallen grows suspicious of him and begins asking questions of her own. A confused Lelouch is saved from this predicament as Shirley yells from above and urges them to get to class. Lelouch uses this to frantically run away.

That night, Nunnally and Sayoko are passing the time waiting for Lelouch to come home by folding paper cranes. Which he eventually does. The scene then changes to show Bartley disbanding a research division and moving it to Narita because it was partly his fault that Clovis was left alone and they do not want to be discovered by the emperor. In the background can be seen the same types of containers that held C.C. captive in the previous episode.

It then goes back to the home of Lelouch as he and Nunnally are having dinner. Nunnally expresses her wish for a gentler world and Lelouch contemplates the future and how to make a happy life for his sister. They then pinky promise to not lie to each other.

The following day, Lelouch stands by a stream and decides that he must learn all the ins-and-outs of his new-found power. One of his teachers passes by him and he tries to use his Geass on the teacher twice just to discover that it only works once on a person.

Kallen is then seen talking to Ohgi about the annoyances of high school. He urges her to stay in school while things cool off for them. They finish by talking about the voice on the radio and Kallen makes the connection to Lelouch. Both Kallen and Lelouch grow concerned that the other might know their true identity and decide to do something about it. After class Lelouch approaches Kallen and asks to speak with her privately, much to Shirley’s dismay.

It then shifts to a view of Bartley next to the coffin of Prince Clovis. Jeremiah and a few other Knightmares attack the hearse and force Bartley to leave.

Lelouch and Kallen enter the student council’s ball room but before they can talk the other student council members interrupt them in order to welcome Kallen as a new member of the student council. Rivalz brings a bottle of champagne but as he tries to open it Shirley tries to stop him. He tosses it to Lelouch and due to all the jostling, the cork pop and the champagne gets all over Kallen. While Kallen is taking a shower Lelouch brings her a fresh set of his own clothes for her to wear. Before he can leave she asks him to bring her a small pink pouch from off a nearby counter. He does so, but as he turns to look away and hand it to her, she grabs his wrist and starts questioning him about Shinjuku. Lelouch plays dumb and Kallen secretly produces a hidden knife out of the pink pouch. Just then the phone rings. Lelouch answers it and then hands it to Kallen as the caller asked to speak with her. Zero’s voice comes on the telephone and asks her to go to Tokyo Tower in two days. Kallen decides that she was wrong about Lelouch being the voice on the radio and after a few excuses, and an awkward moment for Kallen, Lelouch leaves the bathroom. It then shifts to show that Sayoko was the one that made the call using a voice recorder while under the influence of Geass.

Later, Kallen and Lelouch are walking together talking about the duties of the school council when they walk into a room that has the news playing. The news announces that Clovis was killed and that they have found the culprit. They say the murderer is Suzaku, Lelouch’s childhood friend.

Quotes

 * Conversation between Clovis and Lelouch
 * Clovis la Britannia: "I'm overjoyed, Lelouch! They say you died once Japan was brought into the fold. What a blessing to have you back, we should depart for the homeland immediately."
 * Lelouch Lamperouge: "So you can use me as a tool of diplomacy? It seems you've forgotten why we were used as tools in the first place."
 * "I wish the world was a gentler place." - Nunnally Lamperouge
 * "Shouldn't I be happy at this news? Suzaku is still alive. But why is he being arrested in my place? I have to save him, I don't care what it takes. If I have to step up my plans, so be it. For I have the power to do it." - Lelouch Lamperouge (Preview for the next episode)