Lancelot

The Lancelot (ランスロット, Ransurotto), named after the Knight of the Round Table, is an experimental Knightmare Frame developed by Lloyd Asplund and the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps (ASEEC), the special division of the Camelot Military Engineering Corps. It is the first seventh generation Knightmare Frame ever fielded. The Lancelot outperforms most other models thanks to the heavy amount of Sakuradite scattered throughout its frame as well as in its Yggdrasil Drive, the Core Luminous. As it is still in development, the Lancelot lacks an ejection seat. Its pilot is Suzaku Kururugi.

Design and Development
As a high-performance unit, the Lancelot features a large number of experimental and innovative devices not yet found on its predecessors. The Lancelot features two retractable Factspheres affixed on its chest, two forearm-mounted beam shields (Blaze Luminous), and four Slash Harkens (two on its wrists and two on its hips). These Slash Harkens have experimental thrusters called Harken Boosters which can improve their speed and allow them to change direction midflight. It also sports a pair of Maser Vibration Swords (MVS), which oscillate at a high rate to cut through almost anything. It comes equipped with a VARIS particle rifle (Variable Ammunition Repulsion Impact Spitfire) which can adapt its projectile repulsion output to any situation.

Operational History
The Lancelot makes its debut in the Skirmish in Shinjuku Ghetto. Following his treatment after his near-death from a gunshot wound, Suzaku was approached by Lloyd, who commandeered him from his previous post as a Britannian officer to become the Lancelot's "devicer", or test pilot. Presenting him its key, he claimed that piloting the machine would change Suzaku's life completely. Accepting his new role, and after acquiring highest marks on the Knightmare simulator, Suzaku took the controls of the Lancelot and leapt into battle. The Lancelot quickly proved itself as a very competent weapon, with Suzaku as a very capable devicer.

Overtime, the Lancelot would gradually receive greater experimental weapons and equipment, with very promising results. It demonstrated the use of its MVS swords during the Orange Skirmish, and later received the VARIS Rifle, its signature armament, during the Japanese Liberation Front Hotel Incident. During the Battle of Fukuoka Base, it became the first Knightmare to employ the use of a Float System backpack, following the first initial test of the System for Knightmares on the prototype model Gawain, becoming the Z-01/A Lancelot Air Cavalry. During the European Union Campaign, Suzaku still keeps the Lancelot Air Cavalry with a custom-made shield that resembles the Knight of Honor Emblem as a way of honoring Euphemia.

At the same time, due to the exceptional results the Lancelot continually achieved in battle, the unit would end up influencing the entire future of Britannian Knightmare production. The data of its extensive combat history, alongside that of its prototype, the Lancelot Club, would become the driving force behind the development of the RPI-212 Vincent. The units developed from the Vincent, namely the RPI-212A Vincent Commander Model and the RPI-212B Vincent Ward, would later become mainstays in the Britannian Military, succeeding the Sutherland and Gloucester as main front-line units. As for the Lancelot itself, it would eventually take on greater, more advanced versions.

In the second season, Suzaku receives an updated version of the Lancelot called the Lancelot Conquista (ランスロット コンクエスター, Ransurotto Konkuesutā?), with updates to all its preceding features as well as new systems. First and foremost, the Float System backpack is now standard equipment. Its power is greatly boosted due to modifications on its unique Core Luminous, and, for its signature weapon, the Conquista gains a Hadron Blaster, mounted on top of the Float System and fired by docking the VARIS Rifle to the underside of the larger cannon mount. Additional Blaze Luminous emitters have been incorporated into its legs and chest. Notably, the chest emitters can form a "Core Luminous Cone", a conical barrier that extends several feet ahead of the Lancelot, which was employed to rescue Nunnally during the Battle over the Pacific. It is even equipped with countermeasures that provide a partial defense against the Knightmare-disabling Gefjun Disturber. The Conquista is heavily damaged during its battle with Kallen's upgraded Guren S.E.I.T.E.N. Eight Elements. During that very same battle, it employed the first use of the experimental high-yield explosive armament known as F.L.E.I.J.A.

With the Conquista taken out of commission, Suzaku receives the Lancelot Albion (ランスロット アルビオン, Ransurotto Arubion?), a ninth-generation custom Knightmare built specifically for him by Lloyd. Its design differs radically from its predecessors, featuring much more ornamental armor while the head unit is slightly larger. It maintains its previous armaments and defenses, but enhanced even further. The Blaze shields are larger, it gains a pair of double-barreled "Super VARIS" rifles, and its MVS swords can match the Galahad's Excalibur. It uses the same Energy Wing System first tested on the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N., but green in color and with three energy feathers instead of four. The wings can also fire dozens of energy bolts over a wide area, each one capable of destroying a Knightmare in a single hit. The Lancelot Albion is eventually destroyed in battle with the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N.

Near the end of the second season, in preparation for the Battle of Mt. Fuji, C.C. receives a pink version of the original Lancelot called the Lancelot Frontier. It is slightly weaker than the original version, as it is made from spare and salvaged parts. However, it is equipped with the shield used by the Percival. This version, however, unlike the original, possesses an ejection system. It is destroyed in battle by Kallen.

Code Geass: Lost Colors
In Code Geass: Lost Colors, the protagonist Rai receives a prototype version of the Lancelot called the Lancelot Club if the player chooses the Britannian military route. Its design combines elements from the Lancelot and the mass-production Vincent. It is equipped with Lancelot's forearm mounted energy shields and Slash Harkens, but features the Vincent’s lance-shaped Maser Vibration Swords and shoulder-mounted Factspheres. Suzaku Kururugi also receives an upgraded Lancelot model known as the Lancelot Enhanced.

Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally
In the manga spin-off series, Nightmare of Nunnally, the Lancelot was built by the same manufacturer as the Irregular's Alpha units. The Lancelot appears slightly human in shape and is installed with a synthetic and electrical gel with a special wax made from Sakuradite and a muscle framing system. Its base metal uses Sakuradite with Geass-conducting circuitry. The main weapons are the same as in the anime, but each of them are upgraded to match the Alpha's weapons.

Lancelot Air Cavalry
The Lancelot can also equip a backpack-like Float System that allows it to fly; however, the power usage of the Float System is astronomical. When equipped with the Float System, it is designated as the Z-01/A Lancelot Air Cavalry.

Lancelot Enhanced
In the Nintendo DS game, Suzaku receives an upgraded version of the Lancelot, called the Lancelot Enhanced. This model, like it's predecessor, is a seventh generation Knightmare Frame.

Lancelot (Zero Specification)
In the mobile game Super Robot Wars X-Ω, through an event, a special Lelouch unit can be obtained. This special unit is a Lancelot customized for Lelouch's own use. This version is identical to the normal Lancelot but with a black and gold color scheme typical of most of Lelouch's Knightmares.

Trivia

 * Lancelot is named after Sir Lancelot, a character in Arthurian legend, which serves as King Arthur's greatest companion.
 * In some literatures, Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain are best friends, but at some point their friendship turns into hatred, and they start fighting each other. This bears strong similarity the with relationship between Lelouch (pilot of Gawain) and Suzaku (pilot of Lancelot). Their behavior also bears similarities. While Sir Lancelot is peaceful and righteous, Sir Gawain is hostile and vengeful.
 * Number 39: Utopia from Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal bears resemblance to Lancelot in colors, usage of swords, upgraded forms, rivalry with the black knight themed knight identical to Lelouch's Knightmare Frames Gawain and Shinkiro, and usage by a naïve Japanese main character whose necklace holds a key upon it's use.
 * The Lancelot’s Harken Boosters were originally inactive, their activation protected by a password. The password was Lloyd’s (the unit’s creator’s) favorite food (“Pudding”).

Quotes
"Marching Ever Onward To Tomorrow" - Lancelot's interface at start-up