And I reiterate, best cockpit design, ever.

Another great action oriented episode, albeit a little confusing with all the new mechs flying around. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the whole overpowered mech business, on one hand it’s fun to see what new technology they pull out of their ass next, part of longs for the battles that were concentrated on tactics and strategy rather than power levels, the good old days when everyone was running your run of the mill mass production models.

The episode starts out with a brief scene back at Ashford where Rolo and “Lulu” are still running about, delivering news of Milly’s safety amidst the conflict in the Chinese Federation. But of course, Lulu is there acting as Zero, so we soon find out that it’s actually Sayoko that is acting as Lulu’s double back at Ashford while the real one fights on the front lines.

Back in the Chinese Federation, the battle rages on fiercely, the Eunuchs have abandoned their pride and the Tian Zi and have begun to attack the grave that the OotBK are hiding in. They reason that the Tian Zi is little more than a symbolic tool in their political system and can be easily replaced if need be. This obviously enrages Xingke, who suddenly finds himself with no allies on this battlefield, as the Chinese and Britannians turn on him, he is forced to face off against Gino, who is curious about his skills, having been the one to capture Kallen. Anya jumps into the fray as well, attacking the members of Xingke’s coup d’etat, disposing them with ease.

The OotBK don’t sit by idly either, sending out Toudou in Zangetsu, CC in Akatsuki and the rest of their flight squad. While they engage the members of the rounds, Zero contacts the Eunuchs to negotiate, being strangely diplomatic and moral in his pleas, only to be shot down by the Eunuchs who have completely abandoned the Tian Zi and are concerning themselves only with what they stand to gain as Britannian nobles.

Back to the battle, Tian Zi has finally gotten fed up and runs outside to beg both sides to ceasefire, but her appearance in the open only makes her a target for the Chinese Federation forces. Xingke jumps in front of her, doing his best to protect her life with his own, only to be told that her freedom is meaningless if he’s not by her side. With a barrage of bullets pelleting his back with himself being the only barrier protecting the love of his life from certain death, he issues a plea for help to whomever can offer it. Unsurprisingly, it’s Lulu who answers his call, in his new knightmare, the Shinkirou, which is less of an attack type knightmare as it is a defense fortress, using the Gawain’s druid system.

Not to say that the Shinkirou doesn’t have some neat offensive tools at its disposal either, Lulu launching a missile, which when activated, rains laser death upon all nearby enemies, even giving Anya’s Mordred defensive tank a run for its money.

And so, the tide of the battle turns. The confusion as to why Zero waited until now to appear on the battlefield is soon answered as riots begin to break out all over Chinese Federation territory. Apparently, Zero broadcast his negotiations with the Eunuchs in which they came off as power hungry immoral bastards, willing to abandon the Tian Zi, while he painted himself as a humanitarian who genuinely cared about the people of the Chinese Federation. And so explains the plan that Diethard and Lulu spoke of even before he landed in Chinese Federation territory, Xingke amazed that he managed to think so far in advance, even to predict the Eunuch’s abandonment of the Tian Zi.

The Britannians can’t offer any more support, since the Eunuch’s have rendered their influence in the Chinese Federation useless and taking matters into their own hands would be seen as a declaration of war, they retreat as the OotBK advances, overpowering the remnant Chinese forces with ease. The battle ends with Xingke boarding the Eunuch’s ship and killing them off up close and personally with his very own sword. Lulu comes in soon after and demands to know where Kallen is, only to be disappointed by news that she was transferred to the Avalon not long ago. However, he reaffirms his will and promises to retrieve her with his own two hands.

In the aftermath of the battle, Xingke and the Tian Zi share a touching moment, only to have politics butt in again, Zero and Diethard wishing her to marry a Japanese for political reasons, while the two lovebirds along with Kaguya and C.C. opposing a marriage of convenience, wishing that Xingke and Tian Zi be allowed to stay together. Lulu steps aside to think of what to do, while he could easily geass Xingke, C.C.’s objection is more problematic. Conveniently, Shirley calls him at this time and he takes the opportunity to ask her how he should go about breaking up a couple for familial purposes when they are against it themselves. Shirley tell him that this is something he must absolutely not do, for more importantly than any family matters is love, which can inspire great power. Running with it, Zero rejoins the meeting and announces his decision, acknowledging the union of Xingke and the Tian Zi on the grounds of the power of love! And thus, a new alliance is born.

Speaking of Shirley, back at Ashford, she runs into Lulu (Sayoko), who has just emerged from the secret underground surveillance base. Doing the best with the situation, Sayoko kisses Shirley in order to avoid her seeing the entrance.

Back on the Ikaruga, C.C. and Lulu talk in private, discussing the remaining conditions that need to be cleared before they can achieve their “true objective”, whatever that is at this point. The conversation revolves around matters which have yet to be explained to us viewers, namely the location of a “cult”, which is currently somewhere in the Chinese Federation territory, I can only assume this has something to do with C.C. and geass.

With a temporary lull in action, Lulu takes the opportunity to head back to Ashford for a while, which greatly pleases Rolo. However, two surprises await him upon his return, first is Shirley, looking incredibly conflicted as she asks Lulu about what happened yesterday (with Sayoko). And more notably, Ashford has some new transfer students, Gino and Anya have joined school to experience what life as a student is like, and worse yet, Milly has made them honorary members of the student counsel…

Thoughts

First up, there were a couple plot revelations that were shown this episode with little or no explanation behind them. In the midst of battle, Anya and C.C. have one of those weird flashback moments which occur whenever someone with connections to the geass comes into contact with her. Like Calawain, I’m quite intrigued by this development, as it shows that Anya has some significance in the plot, contrary to the stoic and unassuming presence she’s displayed thus far.

And of course there’s the whole thing with Orange-kun and V.V. going on in the background. The fat noble that was shown in this episode seems really familiar, and Jeremiah spoke as if we were supposed to know who he was, but I can’t for the life of me remember who he is, little help guys?

Regardless, I can’t wait to see what Orange-kun has up his sleeve, it better be badass, after all, he is prancing around bragging that he’ll be more powerful than C.C. and Zero once he’s through. This guy got the shaft in the first season and has been a behind the scenes character since then, his return to the forefront better be damn good.

Oh God pizzabutt, FAPPING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT!

And finally there was the whole business of the yet unmentioned cult and its system of relocating every time the leader changes (did you see the place, it’s hueg!). Am I suffering from amnesia and have just forgotten about any previous mention of this, or did they really pull this out of thin air?

I remember C.C. talking about her people during her initial explanation of the geass to Lulu, but beyond that, I don’t remember there being any mention of an existing cult whose help could finally tip the scales and allow Lulu to take down Britannia.

More interestingly in this scene was how C.C. and Lulu interacted, how at ease they have become in each others’ presence, C.C sprawled out half naked on the couch and Lulu casually putting her clothes away, not even fazed by her hotness. They act like they’re a married couple! Or perhaps the opposite could be said, that they both know that no feelings of romance exist or could exist between them, and as such aren’t concerned about what signals they may be conveying to the other.

Or maybe I’m over thinking it too much and it should be left at: Sunrise needs an excuse to show off C.C. and her epic ass.

On the subject of Lulu and relationships, it’s curious to see how serious he is about getting Kallen back, going so far as to say that he’ll retrieve her with his own hands. Can it really be said that he has no romantic feelings for her? While the Guren and its pilot are a great asset in his plans, Lulu’s shown that he’s quite capable of working around them. Not that theorizing about this will do any good, Sunrise has too many hetero and homo shippers to risk pissing off either side by making Lulu’s feelings clear cut.

But on that note…WHAT THE HELL?! Please tell me I wasn’t the only one expecting Lulu to realize and admit his feelings for Kallen here, it was just too good a set up to pass, argh. Instead we got a reiteration of his devotion to Nunnally, now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for wincest, but we all know there’s a snowball’s chance in hell that’ll pan out, so understand how disappointed I was with Sunrise passing dangling the possibility of LuluXKallen in front of our face, only to get slapped with this instead.

Next episode is more Ashford filler, which sucks, but what can you do. People are running around with stupid hats, which I can only assume means that Milly went off the deep end again and thought of some ridiculous school wide even to quell her boredom. No doubt Lulu will have to struggle through participating in the event while trying to run the OotBK in the background, all the while making sure that Anya, Gino and Suzaku don’t clue in.

One more Anya shot, for the road.

~ Shirukii ~

Post Script:

I know. I KNOW! ;_;