The Taste of Humiliation (episode)

The Taste of Humiliation is the seventeenth episode of Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2.

Summary
The battle for Japan gets underway, and Luciano and Bismarck decimate the Black Knights, with only Li Xingke to keep them at bay. Suzaku and Lelouch meet to discuss Nunnally and after some initial animosity, Lelouch manages to win Suzaku over by agreeing to stop the war. However, Schneizel interrupts and has his personal guard arrest Lelouch, making him believe Suzaku has betrayed him. Schneizel and Lelouch have a private chat, until Lelouch is rescued by Guilford, who is under the influence of Lelouch's Geass. Using the G Trains, Lelouch shuts down the Tokyo Settlement; at the same time, his reinforcements emerge from the ocean, ready to take advantage of the opportunity. Meanwhile, the Emperor, accompanied by Monica Krushevsky, goes to Kaminejima Island in Area 11 to prepare for Ragnarök.

Plot
Guilford comes to a warehouse, where he is supposed to meet Jeremiah and discuss Cornelia's situation with him. At that time, the battle for the Tokyo Settlement begins at the shore of Area 11; however, instead of being there, Lelouch is seen walking through a ghetto. With Xingke leading them, the Black Knights are able to get the upper hand, but Bismarck Waldstein has other plans, intending to wipe out the other UFN nations. However, the Black Knights plan to liberate Japan, which will cause the other Areas to spring into action, with the maneuver resulting in this being the final battle. Lelouch, meanwhile, arrives at the steps of the Kururugi Shrine. He laments on his time with Suzaku and Nunnally, and thinks to himself that Suzaku was the first true friend he ever had, even though he was so stubborn, and that is why he trusts him. He then climbs the stairs, and finds Suzaku there, glaring murderously at him.

Meanwhile, Luciano handily kills several of the Black Knights with his Knightmare, the Percival, telling them that humans value their own life above all else. His strength is enough to make the entire left side of the army slowly cave in, and after being informed of it by Xianglin, Xingke makes preparations to counteract Luciano. Meanwhile, Schneizel informs Nunnally and her board that, as long as Bismarck is leading them the battle should be no hassle. Nunnally sighs in apprehension, but Schneizel comforts her, admitting he has a further plan. Just then, Bismarck prepares to enter the battle himself with the Galahad, and flies off after telling a confident soldier it won't be as easy as they think.

Suzaku, meanwhile, questions if Lelouch really came alone. After Lelouch confirms this, Suzaku mutters that he had a lot of nerve. Initially, Lelouch thinks he means he risked his life to come there, but Suzaku elaborates by saying that merely having the thought of coming took nerve. He then starts to slip into insanity again, stating he has no reason to believe any of Lelouch's promises. Lelouch argues that Suzaku still kept his promise, but Suzaku states he only did it because he's fed up with lying. He then claims Lelouch was never his friend because of all the lies he had to make to get what he wanted, but begins rambling until he starts talking about Euphemia, even shoving his Knight pin in Lelouch's face. At the same time, Tohdoh, Chiba, and Asahina are in the Ikaruga (which is underwater), with the latter two pestering the former to have them assist Xingke, only for him to refuse because Zero hasn't given them orders. This sets the other two on edge, with them having started to doubt Zero because of him getting Jeremiah and Rolo into the ranks without telling them and the secret mission with Kinoshita. They then ask what to do if Area 11 is successfully freed, but Tohdoh doesn't answer. They meet Rakshata in the control room, and ask where Diethard and Ohgi are, but she doesn't know. In another room, it is revealed that Diethard recovered Ohgi and Villetta after they fell into the river, and has bound the latter to threaten the former. Ohgi asks his intentions, and learns that Diethard only wants Ohgi to remain the Black Knights' second-in-command. Ohgi argues that anyone could replace him if he were to defect, but Diethard disagrees, saying he is needed because he is ordinary. At the same time, C.C. plays with her bandage.

Continuing to hold the pin, Suzaku asks Lelouch if he really did use his Geass on Euphemia. Though knowing full well that V.V. was the culprit, Lelouch lies and says he did, then gives the reason that, had the plan carried out, the Black Knights would be disbanded (the original reason as to why he had doubts). He then further lies by saying that Shirley's death was his fault when prompted by Suzaku. Suzaku, with tears in his eyes, screams that Lelouch isn't human for using Euphemia as a pawn, but Lelouch argues that Nunnally had nothing to do with his reasons and Suzaku can't keep her hostage out of spite. He then proceeds to get down on his knees and apologize. At the same time, Kallen thinks of a story Nunnally told her about how Lelouch used to pretend to be Santa Claus for her, causing Kallen to wonder if Nunnally's vision of Lelouch or her own is the actual person. Gino then comes into the room, looking for Suzaku, and is shown to have a book labeled "Ashford" under his arm. At the same time, Bismarck enters the battlefield and clashes with Xingke. Calling his tactic fatal, Xingke pushes him to the side and fires his cannon. In response, Bismarck takes out the Galahad's sword, the Excalibur, and absorbs the blast before sending it directly into four of his own helicopters, then begins taking down thousands of troops.

Back at the Kururugi Shrine, Lelouch says that he has never bowed before someone before. He also admits that he now realizes that his Geass is evil, and only asks for Nunnally to be kept safe. Instead, Suzaku loses more sanity and tries to kill Lelouch by stomping on his head and sending it into the ground, bruising the left side of his face. Suzaku, while applying more pressure, screams that Lelouch could not possibly think that bowing is enough to absolve him, but Lelouch says it's all he has. Refusing to accept it, Suzaku reiterates himself in insanity and stumbles back to Euphemia, telling Lelouch to bring her back to life with his "malicious miracles". Lelouch tries to bargain, saying that him being Zero is only so that he can keep his identity secret while using his knowledge to win, and what's done is done. Suzaku, however, has completely submitted to insanity, and he throws Lelouch on the ground before asking about the "Live" Geass. Lelouch, despite having just heard of it, lies again that he did it to try and live himself. He also says that he only saved Suzaku from Clovis to debut Zero as a symbol for the Japanese, and that he saved the Student Council from the hotel jacking so he could debut the Black Knights. However, at this point, Suzaku notices that Lelouch is looking away in sorrow, and he comes to the realization that Lelouch is lying, as it was the exact same look that Genbu made before he died. Suzaku then thinks about the real reason he joined the army - not for reformism, but so that he could die and his secret with him. Suzaku then tells Lelouch the first sentence, and goes against Shirley's wishes by saying that the only way Lelouch can repent for the lies is if he continues to make those lies reality by becoming a true knight for justice. Lelouch asks how, and Suzaku says he can by calling off his forces and allowing Britannia to take over the world - still keeping his genocidal desires from him, but also promising to save Nunnally in return and even offering to work with Lelouch. Lelouch decides to shake with him on it, but just then several Britannian soldiers arrive, including Kanon and the Glaston Knights, and it is revealed that Suzaku told Schneizel what happened so that he could sell Lelouch out to him. As they arrest him, Lelouch screams in dismay that Suzaku betrayed him yet again.

Gino, meanwhile, shows Kallen the book, which is a photo book containing numerous pictures of the Student Council that Suzaku hid in a locker at Ashford Academy, and which Gino planned to show him to get him to stop being agitated. Gino notes he probably did it to avoid any controversy of him once being Kallen's friend, and to that end a lot of pictures have been ripped out. Kallen, however, focuses on one where Lelouch and Suzaku are cooking something, smiling genuinely; she thinks of Lelouch, and realizes that that is who he truly is, but Gino states out loud that that is who Suzaku truly is. Closing the book, Gino then asks her why she keeps the name "Kozuki" instead of her legal name "Stadtfeld", and that she could have even been a part of the Knights of the Round with her skills and half-Britannian lineage. Kallen asks where he is going with this, and Gino responds by asking if she is nostalgic about her Britannian life.

Just then, Luciano notices a giant Britannian aircraft is about to go down. Instead of rescuing them, Luciano decides to use his grappling hooks to propel the downed ship directly at the control base. With them having no time to avoid it, Xingke, seeing this, breaks free and destroys the ship before it can make impact, but not before Bismarck injures him in the head, forcing Xianglin to take command. Lelouch, by that evening, is shoved into a small makeshift compound by Guilford, who muses that Zero is merely a student, and it is revealed that Suzaku did not in fact sell Lelouch out, but Schneizel merely followed him in the belief it would get him to Zero, implying Schneizel knew it was Lelouch all along. In the compound, Schneizel, with a smirk on his face, video calls Lelouch and muses that it had to be him, but he is willing to have Lelouch not face the death penalty. Schneizel asks Lelouch to trust him on this, but Lelouch refuses to have any part in that, and gestures to his collar. It is then revealed that, when Guilford came to meet Jeremiah, he was instead confronted by Lelouch, who proceeded to use Geass on Guilford so that, when Lelouch gestures to his collar, Guilford will mistake him for Cornelia. Seeing Lelouch do the maneuver, Guilford immediately begins attacking the Glaston Knights in an attempt to rescue "Cornelia". He manages to get Lelouch out of there, and proceeds to flee with him, despite Suzaku's pleas to stop, allowing the war to continue. It is then revealed that Schneizel knows entirely about the Geass, and sees Guilford is under it also. Aboard the Avalon, Lloyd and Cecile see the news when Nina runs in and asks why they are just standing by when Zero has appeared, even though Schneizel ordered them too; Cecile tells her that it might be because he is hiding something from them.

Suzaku, meanwhile, is taken into a room by Kanon and Schneizel, where it is shown that their stalking of Suzaku went as far as to record audio of Suzaku and Lelouch's entire conversation. With overwhelming evidence showing Suzaku is aware of the Geass, Schneizel and Kanon act oblivious and pester Suzaku on if he knows anything about what happened to Guilford - and himself on Kamine Island. Suzaku tries to avoid the question, but Schneizel begins bribing him by saying that if he "discloses" the information, no one has to die. At the same time, Charles is in a room with a bunch of men, in front of a computer where dots labeled "Geass" appear, and smiles devilishly.

Zero and Guilford arrive at the Tokyo Settlement by nightfall, where numerous Sutherlands are positioned to destroy him, with far sturdier walls. They try to shoot Zero out of the sky, but Zero, declaring that he was pretending to be a student for a reason, activates the Gefjun Disturbers he set along the train lines. These cause the entire city to suddenly lose power, including the Sutherlands and Milly's news station. With all tasks at hand completed, Zero gives Tohdoh a signal. Just then, as Ohgi and Diethard return to their station, the Ikaruga rises from the surface and assaults from the bay in the area away from Bismarck and Luciano. Hearing the news, Luciano offers to take his Valkyrie Squadron to fend them off, even though doing so might cost him some of his reputation. As the Black Knights all prepare for battle, Rolo is shown leading a group of disguised soldiers into the compound to retrieve Nunnally, and Lelouch decides that he must always be cold and callous, but sheds tears as he thinks about it. Suzaku, meanwhile, is revealed to have led to another room by Kanon, who says he won't be punished but that he can't make the world in his image; as he is outside the port, Suzaku realizes he may have to use the F.L.E.I.J.A. And Schneizel leads his forces out, saying that because he understands everything, he controls everything.

Battles

 * Kagoshima Settlement Battle (Concluded)
 * Second Assault on Tokyo Settlement (Started)

Powers or Abilities used

 * Lelouch's Geass

Quotes

 * Conversation between Lelouch and Suzaku
 * "I need to know. Did you use your Geass power on Euphy? Be honest." -Suzaku
 * "Yes." -Lelouch
 * "You caused her to massacre the Japanese?" -Suzaku
 * "I ordered her to do it." -Lelouch
 * "Why would you use your Geass like that? Answer me!" -Suzaku
 * "To motivate the Japanese people. If the specially administrated zone of Japan had been established the Black Knights would have collapsed." -Lelouch
 * "And Shirley's death?" -Suzaku
 * "Also my fault." -Lelouch
 * "You aren't even human you know that?" -Suzaku


 * "I bid you farewell, my first and last friend." -Lelouch


 * "Suzaku Kururugi who are you? A Japanese, an honorary Britannian, a knight of seven, or are you the son of a prime minister? The son of Genbu Kururugi, Lelouch's friend, Euphemia's knight?" -Schneizel


 * "That's right I was grossly mistaken. I was wrong to think that I could depend on sympathy. Cold and callous that's the prescription. Unless I keep myself perfectly in this frame of mind I won't be able to take Nunnally back." -Lelouch