Episode 4 Summary - The Counterattack at the Gallows

Rollo doesn't remember how many people he has killed with his Geass which, is said to be an assassination tool and that's why he kills. He himself thinks of it as something like brushing his teeth or having daily meals. Now he is sent to act as someone's younger brother and although he isn't sure he can do it, he will carry out his mission to be Lelouch Lamperouge's brother.

With a gun pointed to his head, Lelouch demands to know if Rollo's Geass stops time. Rollo refuses to answer and was only concerned in carrying out his mission which was to execute Lelouch if he was to regain his memory. However, Lelouch already knew the answer. He had looked at the counter in the room the moment Rollo entered the room and had been keeping count in his mind. Those numbers now didn't match which meant Rollo can indeed stop time. Someone else's time. Rollo doesn't seem to care because he knows Lelouch can't do anything about it.

Lelouch calmly turns his head round knowing that Rollo must kill him but, he tells him there's two things he won't be able to obtain by doing so. First, he will no longer be able to lure out C.C. but if Lelouch were to go free, he can help do so. Lelouch was willing to betray C.C. because he claims his life was more important than anything else. The second thing was Rollo's own life. Rollo smirks when he hears Lelouch's words but Lelouch continues that life means to have hope in the future. By catching C.C. nothing will change. However, Rollo was still persistent in carrying out his mission. If he kills Lelouch now, he'll have failed his mission and there wouldn't be any. Lelouch turns round and puts on a sincere face, telling Rollo that he can be trusted. He will lure C.C. out tomorrow.

Meanwhile at the Chinese Embassy, Kallen is reminded of the time they were stuck in the forest but, C.C. says it's going better this time since everyone actually still had their clothes on. Just as they were preparing their weapons, Xingkue appears before them to say the Ambassador will die soon which means it could well mean the end of the road for the Black Knights too. Kallen points her gun at him but C.C. knows what Xingkue is really thinking. She agrees that the Black Knights will take responsibility for the killing of the Ambassador. Zero now appeared to be part of some conspiracy.

As night approached, Lelouch evaluates his current situation having managed to bide some time. He needs to figure out the motives behind Rollo. It didn't appear to be loyalty or fame. He couldn't kill Rollo yet because the Secret Intelligence will find out his memory has returned and that would endanger Nunnally. He will just have to continue acting as a student until he saves her first. Guilford didn't appear to have any connection with the Secret Intelligence but what use was it to know that? As he tries on some clothes in his room, he tries to think how he is going to save the Black Knights due for execution the next day and eliminate Rollo at the same time.

Rollo was heading back to HQ to report when he hears a little conflict behind the doors. Some of the Secret Intelligence members did not like the fact Rollo has killed five of their own people now. One was killed just because they touched his locket. They were not very willing to team up with him. Rollo walks off and didn't care about having team members at all, just his missions.

Outside the Embassy, Guilford gazed at the Black Knight captives as he tried to find out what the explosion was all about but there has been no news yet. He thinks out loud amongst the Glastone Knights saying how it didn't matter if Zero didn't appear because that would knock down the hopes of the Japanese for any miracles. However, Guilford wants him to appear for the sake of his Princess Cornelia which he believes is still alive somewhere.

Back inside, Xingkue is interrogating the Ambassador about his actions to let Zero create a United Nations of Japan with the Chinese Embassy. It wasn't a rational decision even if it was just to use Zero. However, the Ambassador isn't using Zero and under the influence of the Geass, say he believes Zero will bring about true happiness. After saying this, the Ambassador is executed on the spot for bringing the nation shame.

It was the next day now and the time of the Black Knights execution was drawing near. Lelouch rushes his way through the academy records trying to find out more about Rollo but there doesn't appear to be anything about him but false information. Then he notices something about the activity log he got from Babel Tower.

While Lelouch was going about his investigation, the TV broadcast was also on with the Elevens panicking, hoping Zero will appear to bring about a miracle. The Secret Intelligence were also keeping a close eye knowing that it was possible their target C.C. may appear. Viletta gazes at Ougi's face as she thinks back to the time when he had looked after her but now all was about to come to an end.

As time continued to tick, Lelouch had finally comes up with a plan and was making his moves. He appears disguised before one of the Glastone Knights, David who was determined to avenge his father Andreas Darlton. Lelouch pretends to have some top secret orders from HQ that had to be communicated by word of mouth in case anyone was listening on their channel. Rollo on the other hand, kills off the pilot who was going to use his Vincent Knightmare and uses a voice changer to disguise himself from within the machine. He was still confident he had things under control. If Lelouch doesn't keep his promise then he will be killed.

It was finally the time of the execution. As the announcement is made, Zero isn't seen. Using this opportunity to bring down morale, Guilford tells the Japanese who were present that Zero was their false hope and had run away from the fair duel that he had challenged him to. He issues the command to execute the captured Black Knights.

However, suddenly Zero's voice can be heard and is found standing on a Knightmare alone. He tells Guilford that he wasn't executing terrorists but his Black Knights, the army of his country. Kallen is glad he finally showed up while C.C. is curious what he will do alone when they can't do anything to help him at this point.

Somewhere in China, Diethard and the others were also watching the broadcast. They already had their own plans to do what they did last year and seeing that Zero had appeared, Diethard wanted to get on with it. Even though Lakshata was a little skeptical Zero will make it thought, Diethard tells Sayoko to make the necessary preparations.

As Zero made his way into the arena, Viletta was checking on Lelouch's status who appeared to have disappeared into a theatre with Rollo for the past thirty minutes. Greeting Guilford, Zero proposes some rules for their duel while Kallen continued to worry about what he could do. Surely he won't be able to use his Geass out in public.

Zero continues stating it must be a one on one and only one weapon maybe used. Guilford reluctantly agrees, making no one else interferes and chooses to use his spear. Zero on the other hand points to a shield that one of the security pilots were holding that is used to hold back riots. Many were surprised at his decision, even Rollo. Was Zero planning to get himself killed?

Just before the first strike, Zero questions what Gilford would do if there was evil that justice can't defeat. Would he stain his hands in evil to purge it or, will he follow his belief in his justice? In the background C.C. thinks evil will always remain either way while Xingkue finds the riddles amusing but he was starting to become suspicious of Zero's abilities. Still, he has helped them get rid of a useless Ambassador. Guilford answers that his justice is was being by his princess and charges. Hearing this, Zero gives the command that he would destroy evil with evil and the lock beneath them is released.

The ground slopes heavily to one side causing most of the Britannian forces to lose their grip and fall crashing to the ground. Using this chance, Kallen and the other free members of the Black Knights rush in to free their captured comrades. Zero himself uses the shield as a board to slide himself away to safety. One of the Knights, Bartley tries to shoot him down but fails and dies in the process.

Meanwhile, Viletta had a brief look of relief knowing that Ougi will be freed. She tells her team to concentrate on watching out for C.C. and leave the current situation to Guilford.

Kallen makes her way to deal with the other Glastone Knights and informs them they are trespassing on Japanese territory. However, Alfred pays no heed and attacks her anyway. As a response, Kallen shatters his Knightmare to pieces. The other Knights try to attack her but they were now within the Chinese Embassy territory and it would be bad if their attacks are caught on camera so they stop. Kallen tells Zero to run away while being forced to stick to her position as she shields the rest of the projectiles from the other Black Knights who had yet to flee to safety.

Zero was now trying to get away himself and Rollo was giving chase. Lelouch had failed his end of his bargain. Rollo was just going to have to create a future for himself by fulfilling his mission to kill Lelouch. He gives chase and manages to knock off one of the Knightmare's arms that Lelouch was on.

Suddenly a missile is fired Rollo's way. He looks up panicking because his Geass was ineffective against machinery. To his surprise, Lelouch turns back and manages to divert the missile's course. Andreas is told to cease fire because the shots could hit the Chinese Embassy and start a war.

With Lelouch's Knightmare lying on the ground, Rollo demands to know why he saved him. Lelouch replies it was because he was his younger brother. Even though his memories were just made up, the time they spent together was real. Rollo didn't know how to respond as he thinks back to the time he experienced a birthday he never had and the times they spent together. He doesn't understand why Lelouch would throw away his life for him when he had mentioned earlier his life was more important than anything. The words "You're my younger brother" rings in his mind as Lelouch repeats how he promised to give him a future.

Seeing the opportunity before him, Guilford fires his spear towards Lelouch only to be stopped by Rollo. He didn't know who was piloting the Vincent but concluded the pilot must be one of Zero's friends. At this point, even Viletta phones in to check on Rollo. With Rollo speechless, Lelouch takes over saying they got separated while he went to the toilet. He had heard about what's happening and claims he will never let his young brother be in danger. He wasn't suited to a world of killing. Rollo was even more worried now knowing that if he was found out working with the enemy, he would be executed together with "that person". Just then, Xingkue also steps in to stop the Guilford and the rest of his forces from stepping any further into the Chinese Embassy.

The sun was now setting and a happy reunion was happening with the Black Knights at the Chinese Embassy. They stop when they see the unknown Britannian Knightmare before them but C.C. say they shouldn't worry since it did protect Zero.

Sitting in the cockpit, Rollo was in shock seeing both his targets within range. However, Lelouch tries to comfort him by saying Britannia isn't the place for him and that his future was here. Rollo didn't know this was all just an act.

Lelouch had happened to come across a password that granted him access to Rollo's data in the Secret Intelligence HQ and had commanded David to fire the projectile on purpose. If Zero escaped, he was to destroy all the other Knights and if he didn't, he was just to remain on standby. Now Rollo had fallen into Lelouch's trap and he was going to be let off so easily for replacing the precious Nunnally. Lelouch will use him to his limits then throw him away like some scrap piece of cloth.

Meanwhile, Suzaku had made his way back to Ashford Academy...

Next episode, "Knights of the Round".

Thoughts

So Rollo's Geass can't affect machines. Well then, there's another limit. Just shoot him with a projectile out of the range of his time stopping Geass. It looks like he really does want a brother or rather, he wants a place to belong to which is pretty common in other Anime shows. But who bestowed the Geass on him and what is his background? They've made a good start covering his background with the opening flashback showing him as a ruthless killer from a young age.

And I'm not surprised Lelouch ended up talking his way out with his wits. Rollo is going to be in for a much bigger shock if Lelouch doesn't change his plans. Maybe Nunnally will be the one to throw in some good words for him.

I wonder how many times will Britannia keep falling for the crumbling floor trick anyway?

Next episode looks like another fun filled festival but I think Suzaku's back in the academy because he knows Lelouch has the upper hand again with the re-appearance of Zero.