Episode 24 Summary - The Sky of Damocles

The Damocles continue to launch the FLEIJA bombs towards the Avalon as it retreats backwards, wiping out the fleets Lelouch sends out. With the Blaze Luminous shields up, they just couldn't get inside the flying fortress. At this rate, Damocles will soon be out of reach as it ascends to higher attitudes.

Xingke was getting very anxious for Kaguya's safety but Schneizel gives the Black Knights no longer than another ten minutes to defeat Lelouch. Little did he know that Schneizel had no use for the Black Knights anymore. Lelouch's forces are attacked from behind with Xingke leading. Suzaku intercepts him and manages to decapitate his Knightmare but unfortunately, Toudou steps into help, allowing Xingke to damage the Avalon's primary float engine. While Tamaki distracts them, they all manage to infiltrate the ship.

Beginning the plan Apate Aretia, Lelouch thanks Sayoko, Lloyd and Cecile for their work before leaving for his Shinkiro. Nina follows him, sincerely wanting to be part of his plan to bring peace to the world but Lelouch refuses. He will input the data needed to stop any FLEIJA bombs fired towards him himself. Lelouch makes his way to the docking bay where C.C. was waiting, worried she was hurt. C.C. was surprised and wonders if Lelouch ever hated her for passing on the power of Geass to him, changing his life. Seeing the concerned look on her face, Lelouch answers that it was all because of her that he managed to move on. He had no reason to hate her.

Just as they were caught up in their moment alone together, Kallen breaks through the walls with her Guren ready to send Lelouch to his grave. C.C. manages to rush back in her Lancelot just in time to stall Kallen for him to get away in his Shinkiro. Battling it out with Kallen, CC. was of course no match for her. When asked what she was fighting for, C.C. replies a promise. Her Lancelot is destroyed and she is forced to escape. As she parachuted into the sea in her escape pod, she suddenly realises more of her human emotions were back, caring whether she had won or lost.

Meanwhile, Lelouch and Suzaku were making their way towards the Damocles as another FLEIJA bomb is fired at them. This time they were ready. After Lelouch initiates the Anti-FLEIJA Program, Suzaku launches a lance at it and successfully stops it. With the shield still open by the FLEIJA hatch, they manage to penetrate through the Damocles defences.

Together they charge through the corridors in their Knightmares ready to bring Schneizel down but they are assaulted by Gino. Lelouch manages to get away while Suzaku keeps Gino occupied but before getting his Shinkiro disabled.

Schneizel was on the run now, hoping to trap Lelouch and bury him together with the Damocles by using Nunnally as bait, activating the self-destruct sequence. Even if it doesn't work, the whole world was his enemy now. To his surprise, he is greeted by Lelouch on the screen upon boarding his ship. It was checkmate. Lelouch had worked out after their last chess match that Schneizel doesn't play to win, only games he can't lose and that was why he knew he would abandon the Damocles.

Schneizel also reveals he really wanted to achieve world peace even if it meant sacrifices but Lelouch didn't agree with him. He describes how his father had seeked yesterday and now his brother seeked today but, Lelouch wanted a better tomorrow believing through time, people will achieve it after all that he's been through. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Schneizel turns round to see Lelouch standing beside him and is commanded by Lelouch using his Geass to serve Zero. Diethard tries to kill Lelouch for ruining his story but ends up being shot by Schneizel himself. His dying wish was for Lelouch to cast Geass on him but Lelouch refuses because he wasn't worth it.

After asking Schneizel to de-activate the self-destruct sequence on the Damocles, he learns he must retrieve the detonation switch from Nunnally first. He enters the room where Nunnally was waiting for him. He tries to convince her to hand the switch over and to his surprise, she opens her eyes. She had undone the Geass with her own will power and now, she demands to know if she will end up under Geass too...

Next episode, "Re;"

Thoughts

First it was Evangelion's Central Dogma and the Human Instrumentality Project. This episode, we got to see the Lance of Longinus. Will Lelouch and C.C. become the the next Adam and Eve?

Yay, Lelouch managed to defeat his brother... To be honest, Schneizel didn't feel like a threat at all. Sure, Lelouch never beat him at chess but, all he had so far was a floating fortress firing the odd FLEIJA bomb which in this episode, we see do nothing besides wipe out Lelouch's zombie army. Charles and V.V. on the other hand, managed to bring down Lelouch a number of times throughout the series. That was more interesting.

And surprise, surprise. Cornelia isn't dead yet... Pretty typical of Japanese shows. Some characters get fatally wounded so many times to the point of death yet, they always come back alive one way or the other. Kind of silly at times. Still a touching scene, eh? The show continues to jump between those brief little relationship scenes. Lelouch continues to bring a smile to C.C.'s face but then "King Kong" drops in.

Last episode this Sunday... The brother and sister reunites and she challenges Lelouch to use Geass on her. What will Lelouch do then? Lock her up and rule the world as it is?

In either case, Nunnally's now proved that Geass can be undone using will power alone. I'm pretty sure everyone was wondering that when Lelouch accidentally used it on Euphemia and she managed to resist for a moment.

Nunnally's glare is pretty scary with her eyes wide open like that... But I couldn't help but laugh at this edited screenshot that someone posted on Kurogane's blog. If Nunnally opened up her eyes and looked this, it would be even scarier in a way.