02x23 - Schneizel's Guise

[bunniefuu]

Holy Britannian Empire - Homeland

The... The capital Pendragon's
been annihilated?!
Holy Britannian Empire - Homeland

The... The capital Pendragon's
been annihilated?!

Is it really true?!

Looks like it was
a F.L.E.I.J.A. Warhead.

The thing that wiped out
the Tokyo settlement?

Was it an accident?

But I've heard all the F.L.E.I.J.A. S
they manufactured are gone.

Stop spreading wild stories!

Even if it's just rumors, it's imprudent
to discuss the capital's destruction!

No, I'm afraid it's true.

What?! You!

Please...
Take me to Master Lelouch!

At the end of the world
Sekai no owari de

The light that's born
Umareta hikari

Now blows in the wind
Ima kaze no naka

Pretty words alone won't sustain you
Kireigoto dake jaa ikirenai

Kindness alone won't heal you
Yasashisa dake jaa iyasenai

What is it that was stolen from you
Ubawareta nowa nanda

In this unchanging world
Kawaranai sekai de

What is it that you hear
Kikoetekita nowa nanda

A song of color
Shikisai no uta

Everything is bright

Let our crumbled dreams resound
Kudakechitta yume wo

At the edge of tomorrow
Asu no hate ni hibikaseru you ni

At the end of the world
Sekai no owari de

The light that's born
Umareta hikari

Becomes one with us
Bokura hitotsu ni

Now blows in the wind
Ima kaze no naka

SCHNEIZEL'S GUISE

N-Nunnally... You're still alive!

Yes, thanks to Brother Schneizel.

Schneizel...

Nunnally... Do you understand
what Schneizel has done?

Yes. He's att*cked the capital,
Pendragon, with a F.L.E.I.J.A. Warhead.

If you know that,
then why?!

Are you saying using
Geass is better?!

You and big brother have been
lying to me all along, haven't you?

You've kept the truth
from me all this time.

But I found out.

Big brother, you were Zero
all along, weren't you?

Why?! Were you doing it for my sake?
If that's the case, then I-

For your sake? I see my little
sister is as presumptuous as ever!

Do you think it's natural for people
to always help you out of pity?

All you do is criticize the actions of others
while your own hands remain undirtied.

You are the very embodiment of
the aristocracy which I have rejected.

You... don't...

I do this for no one! It is for my
own benefit that I take the world!

If you choose to ally yourself
with Schneizel and stand in my way,

I have no choice but
to crush you without mercy!

Big brother!

Are you all right, Nunnally?

That must have
been hard for you.

I thought showing him the power of the
F.L.E.I.J.A. Would lead him to surrender.

Schneizel... Are the people
of Pendragon really all right?

You needn't worry. We gave warning
for them to evacuate beforehand.

Of course, the damage was significant,
but we tried to minimize it.

But, now... Now we'll have to use
them on people. On big brother, right?

If they stand in the way
of world peace, we will.

Brother Schneizel...

Will you let me have the
F.L.E.I.J.A. f*ring switch, please?

I can't fight or protect
anything myself.

That's why, at the very least...
I want this sin to be on my shoulders.

Brother, may I have
a word with you?

C.C., why didn't you
know about Nunnally?!

I'm not a god. I can't know about
anyone unconnected to Geass.

Damn you, Schneizel!
You kept the truth from me all this time!

Just so you could play this card
when the time was right!

Still, the way you shuffled
your deck was extraordinary!

So masterfully...
So masterfully!!!

Lelouch.

Our strategic objective
remains unchanged.

We can't stop this just
because Nunnally is still alive!

What's the point of
the Zero Requiem, then?!

Remember your promise!

Suzaku!

I am his sword. I rid him of his
enemies and his own weakness.

So, C.C., you must
become his shield!

Protecting him is your duty.

That's only what you think.

Lelouch is your accomplice, isn't he?

My accomplice, huh?

Compared to the F.L.E.I.J.A.
Used on the Tokyo settlement,

the one used on Pendragon
had ten times the effective range.

If they haven't manufactured
a new model, then...

They've removed
the limiter from it.

I'm sure of it.

Removing the effective range
and detonation time limiter...

Prince Schneizel, how could you?

What about it?

You mean the people
of Pendragon were!

I made them vanish.

happier for them than a life
swearing loyalty to Lelouch, isn't it?

But, you told Nunnally...

Lies are expedient.

No need to tell Nunnally anything...

that would get in the way of
her opposition to Lelouch, is there?

Is that how you use
people, Brother?

Cornelia, what is it
that people wish for?

Starvation and poverty.

Discrimination and corruption.

w*r and terrorism.

They wish for the problems
flooding the world to go away.

People desperately cannot
understand each other. And so...

I understand your ideals,
but to do this to the civilians!

Yes...

Even civilians who have rejected w*r
depend on the police, don't they?

Everyone understands
that crime cannot be stopped...

because people can't
help the desires they have.

That's why we don't need
to win hearts or use ideology.

Why not bring peace to
the world using a system backed by force?

In days, Damocles will enter the
airspace of the United States of China...

and then switch over
to secondary acceleration.

After that, we're scheduled to ascend
to kilometers above the surface.

From that position, we will hit every
warmongering nation with F.L.E.I.J.A.s.

Wait! Shouldn't they be used to defeat
Lelouch?! This will devastate the world!

You're going to control
people through fear?!

Peace is an illusion.

Mankind's history is one of w*r.

Is not discipline what is needed
to make an illusion reality?

And you plan to teach that lesson
to the entire human race?!

Only God can get away
with something like that!

Then I shall become a God.

If that is what people want me
to become to give them peace.

You...

Magnificent!

I knew I was right
to come with you!

Surpassing Zero's chaos to
a state of perfect nothingness,

followed by a kaleidoscopic
transformation!

Prince Schneizel, we've made
contact with the Black Knights.

They say if you plan to k*ll Lelouch,
they're willing to help.

Thank you.

The masses who suffer Lelouch's
tyranny will have no choice...

but to cling to something
slightly better.

Are you saying that's why you've let
Lelouch get away with this until now?!

It was the way to
minimize the damage.

Even if we lose or billion lives,
for a permanent peace...

You're wrong!
Peace given by force is no peace!

You make me sad, Cornelia.

Schneizel had another escape plane as a
decoy during the battle for Tokyo. And so...

Then the plane destroyed by
the F.L.E.I.J.A. Was the decoy.

He's trying to use Miss Nunnally
to control Master Lelouch!

You're Japanese, aren't you?

Why come to Master Lelouch
instead of the Black Knights?

You devote yourself to
chivalry as well, don't you?

Perhaps you're right.

I'm impressed you maintained your mask,
even in front of Nunnally.

No matter what angle I att*ck the problem from,
the answer is always the same.

That the conclusion
I made then wasn't wrong.

Lelouch, haven't you done enough?

You've done well.

You understand why
I'm doing this evil, don't you?

Besides, under the rule of Damocles,
people will become lifeless symbols.

But Nunnally is aboard Damocles.

All you've done
has been for her sake.

I can't treat her differently anymore.

We can't stop now,
for the sake of all those who have d*ed.

Right, C. C?

Yes. You're right, Lelouch.

You sure you want
to be fighting with us?

You'll be fighting against
Britannia, you know.

Right now...

Right now, I understand
your feelings just a little bit.

Um...

You're welcome.

I beg your pardon?

With the destruction of Pendragon,
the capital of the Holy Britannian Empire,

their internal administration
has been paralyzed.

With them confronting the armies of
every Area as well as the Black Knights,

they can't make any false moves.

In short, the only force Lelouch
can send against us here...

is just the division he
brought to reoccupy Japan.

However, this balance of
power can collapse at any time.

To minimize damage,
the time to confront him is now!

Now that Schneizel has joined up with us,
our forces are evenly matched.

We don't intend to approve of
Damocles's use of F.L.E.I.J.A. Weaponry,

but uniting the world has priority here.
This battle...

This battle is a showdown
with control of the world at stake!

If we defeat Schneizel and the Black Knights,
then there will be none left to stand in our way!

The world shall be destroyed...

and then recreated by Lelouch,
the one, true emperor of Britannia!

Smash them! Smash Schneizel!
Smash the enemy!

Smash the sky fortress Damocles!

We have nothing to fear!

My name is the future of this world!

All hail Lelouch!

Lelouch spreads malice
over the entire world.

As the enemy of peace,
he must be wiped out.

I want us and the Black Knights to throw off
the fetters of the past and join forces here!

The people of the world are waiting!
For our song of victory!

And I pray that this is the last w*r
that mankind need ever fight!

Lelouch...

I'll make both of you
into recordings.

Are you sure
Anya will be all right?

I know you promised to restore
her memory, Your Highness, but...

We need every bit of
battle strength we have. So...

Oh? On an open channel, too.

You look well, Schneizel.

Lelouch, if you're going
to surrender, now is the time.

We have F.L.E.I.J.A. S here,
ready to use.

F.L.E.I.J.A. S? I wonder if
you'd dare to fire them.

Considering I have the U.F.N.
Representatives aboard the Avalon with me.

He's hiding behind
the hostages?!

I can't believe
he'd go this far!

I know they're not directly
related to you, Schneizel, however...

You're right, Lelouch. They're a
small price to pay for world peace.

Don't sh**t, Schneizel!

I heard the U.F.N. Members have
elected substitute representatives.

We're ready for the worst.

But that doesn't mean their
lives are to be thrown away!

Li Xing-ke, the only power we have aside
from Damocles is a single Mordred.

If we're not to use the F.L.E.I.J.A. S, I'd like
to take command of all our forces, please.

We're facing Lelouch!

Have no fear. I've never lost to Lelouch even once.

Understood.

Deploy the Shen Hu. Transmit the
command structure to all forces!

Yes, sir!

Then shall we have at each other?

Indeed.

Kannon, just as you predicted.

Yes. Now the Black Knights are yours to command.

Transmit pattern Sigma to all forces.

Enemy forces deploying into
a wide-field aerial formation.

He's coming at me with
conventional tactics? Good.

Stretch our left wing!
Assume Half-Moon Arhat formation!

Yes, Your Majesty!

The enemy's main unit
is undermanned.

Have Gino's unit advance.

Keep the enemy's left wing
from extending!

Yes, Your Highness!

Checking my move, huh?

Move our left wing back!

That will break our formation!

Very well!

Gino, halt your advance!

Why? We should strike now
while their formation is breaking.

He's baiting us with an opening.
I'm not taking it.

Not falling for it, huh?

Switch main battle plan
to Big Dipper formation!

Unit , follow Anya and move to the
northeast, elevation degrees!

Bombardment unit,
prep for anti-air combat!

Anya, stop there
and climb meters!

What the hell!
Nobody's fighting at all!

You're wrong. A battle between
two masters is decided in an instant.

An invisible battle is now raging
between the two of them.

We have to hurry.
The battle's already begun.

They're surrounding us!

Counterattack! Reinforce the
front line with Suzaku's Lancelot!

Hold at combat speed !
Send Ward's unit out as well!

You haven't changed, Lelouch.

You like to att*ck
more than defend.

Which leaves me a small
window of opportunity. Xing-ke?

Heh... He's already incorporated
our skills into his tactics, has he?

Enemy left wing, advancing!

Give no quarter! Live up to His
Majesty's confidence in us!

If we can defeat Lelouch, this all will end!

If we break the line here and
turn this into a free-for-all!

They're breaking through!

We're being cut up...

Shall I recall Suzaku?

No, that's what Schneizel wants us to do.

Withdraw the battle line!
Regroup our forces!

Enemy fleet falling back.

Don't lose this chance! Press the att*ck!

Guren, you're too far out! Match pace
with us and we'll surround them!

I know, but!

Don't be in a rush! If we defeat their
vanguard, the Avalon will be left isolated!

Dreadnought, destroyed! They're breaking through!

So, the Black Knights are this
strong an enemy, are they?

However, as for my own troops...

For His Majesty!

It's heartbreaking. Seeing soldiers
controlled by Geass. Therefore!

I suppose now is the time.
Smash both wings.

Bow-mounted hadron
scatter cannon, set!

Move squad out of the f*ring angle!

Gefjun control, synced.

Ready to fire!

Target both enemy wings.
Fire!

Zero, with everyone joined together,
we can defeat you!

It seems Lelouch underestimated
the Black Knights.

Lelouch!

Right. I'm impressed.
You've forced me to use this plan, now.

Dammit!

Energy reaction, right below us!

What?! Impossible...
He timed this to?!

All forces!
Raise radiant shields!

Zero!

I was the one who first recognized
Zero's... Lelouch's leadership.

That's why this is my responsibility.

But I don't want
a new life caught up in this.

I know this is a selfish
request I'm making,

but I want you stay
here on Horai Island.

Ohgi, please respond!
Minami! Rakshata!

It... It can't be!

He used the sakuradite
in the mine?

This has destroyed Lelouch's
ground forces as well.

I was careless!

That's Lelouch's basic tactic.

But how can he sacrifice
his own forces?!

This has left the enemy's strength nearly
depleted. That leaves Damocles...

For us to hit!

Unfortunately, it's you who
have been checked here.

Nunnally, targeting is complete.

Now that the Black Knights have been
smashed, we must use F.L.E.I.J.A.'s power.

Y-Yes...

With this act, I will wipe away
big brother's sins!

Incoming! It's a F.L.E.I.J. A!

So, here's where he's fired it.
Special equipment division !

Yes, Your Majesty!

It's useless. The F.L.E.I.J.A. Went critical
the moment it was fired from Damocles.

Avalon will continue to fall back.
All forces, charge at Damocles.

Make them keep f*ring F.L.E.I.J.A. S
until they exhaust their stock!

Ohgi! Ohgi!

Ohgi!

Is this any time
to be playing dead?!

I... I don't believe it.
You two shielded us?

We were only able to
protect the bridge, though.

You're on your own now.

Let's go, Kallen!

Oh please, look who's
giving orders now.

Now that I've used the Fuji plan,
I calculate his remaining F.L.E.I.J.A. S...

put me at a one-move
disadvantage.

Meaning I have to
depend on Nina now.

Can she do it?
I know she hates me.

Hates me for being Zero,
Euphy's m*rder*r.

But, to defeat Schneizel...

Lelouch, if you're thinking
that you can defeat me,

you've reached
the end of the line.

For a man who has not mastered
the use of a mask can never prevail.

This corrupt world is filled with demons
Dakuse wa oni

What is justice?
Seigi wa nanzo to

Resist, don't just question
Tou mae ni aragae yo

The flower of evil
Akutoku no hana

Dreams of hypocrisy
Gizen no yume

Give your gaze to the eyes that see them
Mishi me niwa me wo sashi

The line between right and wrong cannot be known
Sei mo ja mo wakatareru koto nashi

Light is gone, and you slumber
Hikari wa tae taiji no you ni

Like an unborn child in the womb of darkness
Kimi wa nemuru yami no shikyuu

Isolation is what you love
Kodoku koso itooshii

It will probably be your only ally
Yui-itsu no mikata to naru darou

One by one, stained with the tide of blood
Hitori hitori chishio ni mamire

You were born into this era
Kono jidai ni umare ochita

Oh, chosen princes
Erabareshi oujira yo

Battle shall be your banquet
Tatakai koso shukuen

Oh, I am graceful omniscience
Aa ware wa uruwashii zenchi

The loving mother
Ai no haha

Who bore you
Kimi wo umu

The ones who were raised on my breast
Kono chichi ni hagukumishi mono wa

Are your brethren in hell
Jigoku no harakara

The mark of apocalypse
Mokushi no in

What is truth
Shinri wa nanzo to

A seed of secrecy buried where no one knows
Shirimosezu uzumoreshi intoku no tane

A double-edged sword
Moroha no ken

Turn its blade upon the unsheathed blade
Nuku ha niwa ha wo muke

Believe only in what you must protect
Mamorubeki mono dake wo shinjite

And in your own way
Aru ga mama ni kimi wa

You'll set yourself free
Kimi wo hanate

Suzaku and me. Together,
there's nothing we can't accomplish.

That's what I thought,
but now...

The fearsomeness of Schneizel.

The truth is, it's his
lack of personal desires.

What sort of strategy will come from
a man who knows about Geass,

possesses F.L.E.I.J.A.,
and is determined to achieve his goal?

Can no tactic work now on a
b*ttlefield dominated by F.L.E.I.J. A?

There's one last gamble to try,
one final card to play.

And it lies within
Schneizel's own heart.

THE GRIP OF DAMOCLES