By At a meeting in Area 11, Nunnally informs her staff that Charles has gone missing, something that must be kept quiet. One of the Glaston Knights asks how they will fight the Chinese Federation if Charles isn’t there to declare war, and Rohmeyer points out that there’d be negative consequences if any of the Numbers found out. Suzaku wonders if he should be happy because Charles being gone means Nunnally isn’t in danger. On the Ikaruga, Lelouch sees that Britannia’s movements indicate Charles is missing, so Lelouch figures he was trapped at the Sword of Akasha. C.C. asks Lelouch what she should do, and he jokingly tells her to wear her clothes inside out while dancing on one foot. When she actually attempts to do that, he stops her and realizes that she’s completely reverted to being a pre-Geass slave girl. Lelouch gets a call from Jeremiah, who has captured Cornelia. She asks Lelouch what he intends to do with his cursed power, and he answers he just wants to save Nunnally. In the hangar, Asahina asks Kinoshita about the blood on his Akatsuki, but Rolo butts in and explains that the operation was a secret to everyone, even Tohdoh. At Area 11, Kallen repeatedly punches Suzaku and tells him she’s angry that he doesn’t resist her. She’s waiting for him to kill her, but he apologizes and says he was wrong. Elsewhere, Lelouch speaks to an audience of national representatives and tells them that by signing the charter they’ve created the United Federation of Nations. Li follows after Lelouch and says that capturing Area 11 will be a necessary first step in getting the world to recognize them. C.C. panics when she accidentally turns on the TV to Milly’s news program. Lelouch brings her some pizza to eat, and she tells him it’s delicious. Anya asks Suzaku if he’s worried and he answers that he’s always worried, even though he decided eight years ago how he would live his life. She asks him if he trusts who he was eight years ago and responds that memories are unreliable. She tells him she has a diary from nine years ago that she doesn’t remember writing. She tells him that other things don’t match, and Suzaku wonders if Charles used Geass on her. Just then, Suzaku catches a knife thrown at him by Knight of Ten Luciano Bradley, who is known on the battlefield as the “Vampire of Britannia.” Arthur doesn’t take kindly to Luciano, and Luciano insults Suzaku by calling Euphemia the massacre princess. Suzaku is ready to fight an honor duel, and Luciano boasts that he’s a homicidal genius. Just then, Bismarck lands between them in his Galahad and tells them not to forget who their enemy is. Anya wonders why Bismarck is there, and he says that if the Black Knights are going to attack, it’s going to be Area 11. He’s also brought reinforcements under the command of Schneizel. Nunnally jokes with Kallen about Lelouch, but their conversation is interrupted by Luciano. He tells her that as long as she lives, it doesn’t matter what happens to her body. Gino asks Luciano if he has any pride, and Luciano accuses him of being a naïve child. Cecile wonders about the idea to equip the Lancelot Conquista with the FLEIJA. He says he wanted Suzaku to pilot the Guren Flight, and Cecile elaborates that they overtuned the Guren to the point of being unpilotable. Nina tells Suzaku that she wants to give him FLEIJA since he was Euphemia’s knight.
At the UFN ceremonial hall in Penglai, Diethard prepares for a worldwide broadcast. Lelouch prepares for the announcement, and Tianzi practices her speech with Li and Zhou. In another room, Tamaki gets drunk while Chiba puts makeup on Tohdoh. She tells him that once the war is over, she has something to say to him. Ohgi apologizes for being late, and Diethard tells them this day will be written in history. In a news broadcast Milly explains that several nations from the E.U. such as Poland and Italy will be joining the UFN. Guilford is informed that their military parade preparations are complete, and he’s surprised to get a call from Jeremiah. Kanon and Bismarck criticize the UFN for having an uncoordinated military, but Schneizel doesn’t think that’s the case. Just then, Kaguya announces that all of the 47 nations signing the charter relinquish their rights to military force and will be protected by the Black Knights corporation, with Zero as its CEO. Tianzi announces that conflicts arise from nations having their own militaries. Kaguya states that Japan is suffering from an unjust occupation and requests assistance from the Black Knights. By a unanimous vote, the representatives approve a motion for the Black Knights to liberate Japan. Lelouch declares that the Black Knights will advance toward Japan, but just then their broadcast is hacked by Charles. Diethard tells his men to cut the transmission and use the backup lines, but it’s no good. Charles tells Lelouch that his pathetic charter has served to only divide the world into those who are with Britannia and those who are against it. Therefore, whoever wins the war shall win the world. Soldiers in Area 11 cheer for the Empire, while the Black Knights cheer for Japan. Lelouch heads back to his room and panics over Charles coming back. He wonders how he can save Nunnally and runs through several plans, including revealing his identity to the world. C.C. offers Lelouch some pizza, but he angrily slaps at her and breaks the dish, which cuts her hand. C.C. is frightened and backs off, but Lelouch runs over to help her. He finds himself shaking and asks her what she does when she’s hurt. She tells him that if she had friends it would help, but she had no allies. Suzaku gets a call from Lelouch, who comments on the news. He asks if Area 11 is in danger, and Suzaku tells him that’s up to him to decide. He asks Lelouch point blank if he’s Zero, and Lelouch admits he is. Suzaku asks him what he wants, and Lelouch asks Suzaku to save Nunnally. He begs Suzaku because there’s no one else he can turn to, and Suzaku asks why he should accept. Suzaku agrees, on the condition that Lelouch meet him alone at the Kururugi Temple in Area 11.
There’s not much in the way of action here, but there’s quite a bit going on as a transition episode moving the plot along the next arc. Lelouch thinks that he’s won a victory over Charles, but that’s crushed when Charles rains on his parade during the UFN announcement. Charles does make a good point though – Lelouch has basically divided the world into pro- and anti-Britannia. We’re also introduced to another Knight of the Round, the bloodthirsty Luciano Bradley. There’s not much more to him than meets the eye – he likes killing people and would certainly like to get his hands on Kallen. We also get to see Bismarck’s Knightmare Galahad, so it’s obvious some serious business is going on. Lelouch is also slowly coming to grips with the idea that C.C. has basically reverted to a country bumpkin and can’t really do much anymore. On another front, Asahina displays some suspicion about the secret Geass Order mission, while Chiba basically pre-confesses her feelings to Tohdoh. It’s interesting to see Lelouch genuinely in a state of panic because he has no options to save Nunnally, and the only one that presents itself is turning to his worst enemy – Suzaku.
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