Stage 21, The School Festival Announcement!
The episode starts off with Suzaku and Lelouch in detention, being lectured by their teacher, scolding them because of their insufficient attendance.
While Lelouch is in detention, the Order of the Black Knights are discussing everything. The opinions in the ghetto are divided, and most of the Order think creating a country within Tokyo is too reckless and unrealistic.
The next day, Milly and the other council members are holding a School Festival. The students have opened the school to everyone, and are holding a variety of stalls and have a lot of (amusing) cosplay.
Meanwhile, Lelouch is (quite carelessly) talking to Diethard about information gathering, Diethard has found out information about energy collection centres in each settlement, and Tohdoh has a detailed map of an area they plan to capture. Diethard is about to tell Lelouch about something to do with Ohgi, but Milly rushes towards Lelouch, shouting that they're in a big pinch. Lelouch tells Diethard that he'll call him back and hangs up, while Diethard is left confused about the word pinch.
Milly drags Lelouch off, trying to get him to do something, while Lelouch counters that she's made a big fuss over things, and her 12m in diameter pizza is overboard. He asks her why she invited the media if she knows he and Nunnally can't show their faces, but Milly just tells them to hide in a booth.
Ohgi and Villetta are walking around the settlement, and they pass the school. Ohgi explains that he used to be a schoolteacher, and passing this place made him feel nostalgic. Villetta asks why he quite, and he replies that he's carrying on the dream of a deceased friend. Villetta drags him inside, and is encouraged by the enthusiastic students.
Meanwhile, Suzaku is helping out, cutting vegetables. Kallen walks in, with her pocketknife out. Suzaku says it's great that she came back to school. Kallen asks why he didn't tell anybody about her identity, but Suzaku replies that she's' Kallen Stadfeld right now, and that at school, he'll try to convince her, but on the battlefield he won't show any mercy.
Lelouch sees Kallen and is confused why she'd still show up. Suzaku tells Kallen, that what happened has nothing to do with school. Hearing this, Lelouch smiles, and tells Kallen to help out in their classroom.
They happen to have a horror-house type thing, and Kallen is dressed in some hilarious outfit and scares people as they walk by. The next couple she scares happens to be Ohgi and Villetta.
The Britannian army is also at the fair, and Cecil is having fun hammering some Lloyd look-a-like. Cecil drops the hammer and it bounces into Lelouch's head. She recognises that he's Suzaku's friend and tries to talk to him, but is interrupted when a school-uniform C.C asks when she can eat the world's biggest pizza.
In the army, Schneizel is complimenting Cornelia for returning from Area 18 in just one night, Cornelia replies that it was only because Schneizel sent his own troops to aid her. She also tells him that the Zattel Buffer (some new improvement) for the Gloucester is ready, and that she leaves it to him to use it in negotiations with the Chinese Federation. Schneizel tells him that he's honoured to be depended on the invincible and beautiful Cornelia, and that she's just like the Flash of Lightning (referring to Empress Marianne, her idol). Cornelia gets embarrassed and changes the subject, asking where Euphie is, when their older brother is about to depart. Schneizel says not to worry as he's already talked to her the previous night. Schneizel also brings up the topic of the thing Bartley has, Cornelia replies that she doesn't mind, but asks if it really has any value. The thing Bartley has happens to be our old Jeremiah, Orange-kun who has been experimented on.
Back at school, C.C and Lelouch are in some warehouse, and C.C is complaining that she wants pizza. Lelouch argues that the army and media are here and what would he do if she were caught. They're interrupted by Kallen, Ohgi and Villetta. Kallen is interrogating Villetta, and asks her who she is, and what her name is. She looks to Ohgi for answers, Ohgi starts "She's my..." but in turn are interrupted by Lelouch, who tells them that the place is for authorized personal only, but is surprised when he sees Ohgi.
Outside, Euphemia in some 'disguise' is walking around, trying to find Suzaku. She recalls the previous night, where she talked to Schneizel, he compliments her ideas, and tells her to do what she believes is right. In her train of thoughts, she bumps into Nunnally.
In the warehouse, Kallen is worried what to do next, as Lelouch has seen Ohgi. Lelouch is also concerned that they might see C.C. Shirley and Suzaku walk in, looking for gas cylinders. Shirley sees Kallen and asks if she's seen the gas cylinders (she can't see Ohgi, Villetta of Lelouch as they're all behind something). Lelouch walks towards C.C and takes a button out of a suitcase. He's in a bad situation, as he's already used Geass on all of them, he tells C.C to try and escape, as Shirley hears him and asks to talk. Kallen whispers to Ohgi that she'll create a diversion and to make use of it and escape. Shirley walks over, and Kallen screams out that the board is falling and tells them to run, while she discretely pushes them over. Shirley just stands there screaming, and Kallen, Lelouch and Suzaku rush to her rescue, but Lelouch accidentally presses the button, and smoke fills the warehouse. Kallen pushes Shirley out of the way, while Lelouch and Suzaku hold up the board.
Ohgi and Villetta have run outside. She asks him to continue what he was going to say before. And asks him what she is to him.
Nunnally and Euphemia are having tea. Nunnally asks Euphemia to not tell anybody about her and her brother, and that everything's fine as long as she can live with Lelouch. She recalls the past, where they used to argue about who would be Lelouch's bride. Nunnally also asks, how she feels about Lelouch now.
Outside, Rivalz is hosting the making of the biggest pizza in the world. Lelouch is watching from an observation room, noting how relaxing it is, that even if a mistake is made nobody will die. Milly comes in, complimenting that Lelouch has done well with the festival. Lelouch replies that everyone was really optimistic, even though it was just a while ago when the Chinese Federation were invading. Milly replies that's why they need festivals, not matter the time or place. Nunnally comes in, with Euphemia pushing her wheel chair, stunning Lelouch.
Rivalz introduces Ashford's Ganymede Knightmare, and it's pilot for the day, Kururugi Suzaku. People cheer when they hear his name, which surprised Kallen who is on stage with Sayoko helping out. Sayoko explains that Elevens came to the festival because Suzaku is their hope. Kallen looks at the Elevens in the crowd, and is touched by their optimism.
"To the Elevens, Suzaku-san is their star of hope"
- Sayoko
Milly and Lloyd watch from afar. Lloyd comments that Empress Marianne used the third generation Knightmare Ganymede.
Suzaku, inside the Ganymede is stretching the dough for the pizza.
Euphemia, Lelouch and Nunnally sit down together on the steps. Euphemia tells him that she was surprised that Lelouch and Nunnally are so close, and that they're friend with Suzaku. Shirley walks by and is annoyed that Lelouch is fooling around with girls. Shirley is about to call Lelouch's name, when a gust of wind comes and Euphemia's hat flies away. Shirley looks up, and says 'Princess Euphemia?" very loudly. Everyone turns towards her and starts chasing her pretty much (while Lelouch takes Nunnally away). Suzaku tells everyone to stop since it's dangerous, and (to C.C's dismay) loses control of the pizza as it flies into a tree.
Cecil and Euphemia's bodyguards try to stop the mob, but instead they get shoved into a herd of people trying to talk to Euphemia.
Diethard, who is with the media, is talking to Ohgi on the phone. When he hangs up, he talks to Sayoko, and tells her that she should continue her work in the settlement, and that he'll one day introduce her to Zero.
Suzaku comes to Euphemia's rescue, as he picks her up from the crowd with his Ganymede. Lelouch and Nunnally are hidden in a booth, she asks if Euphie is ok and he replies that Suzaku saved her. Nunnally smiles painfully and says that they really suit one another.
From the Ganymede, Euphemia sees Lelouch and Nunnally and is glad that they're safe. She asks one of the media to broadcast her announcement all over Area Eleven. She announces that the area surrounding Mt. Fuji will be the Specially Administrated Zone of Japan. This shocks Lelouch and Suzaku, as well as the rest of the crowd. Euphemia explains that in this Specially Administrated Zone of Japan, Elevens will be able to be called "Japanese" and that restrictions placed on Elevens and privileges given to Britannians won't apply.
"Be it Britannians or Elevens, it is a fair world for all!"
- Euphemia
This angers Lelouch, as it's just wishful thinking. Euphemia then calls out to Zero, exclaiming that she won't delve into his past of identity, and so join the Special Administrative Region of Japan. Cornelia watches the screen, with disgusted shock. The Japanese cheer for Euphemia and chant her name, but Britannians are reluctant, and look down on Euphemia, saying it's because her boyfriend if an Eleven.
No matter what Lelouch chooses, the Order of the Black Knights will be torn apart; it will lose its meaning to exist. Lelouch is shaking at how easily it was done, and Nunnally holds touches his hand. Euphemia tells herself, that it can go back to how it used to be, but at the same time Lelouch tells himself that it's different from how it used to be, with a look of utter hate on his face.
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments: We so thought Euphie was going to die. Anyway, this was an awesome episode, the C.C and pizza thing was pretty funny and so was the Cecil-hammer-Lloyd-look-a-like. I think Milly is great in this episode, and I'm ecstatic that Kallen can come back to school! But the moment where Nunnally tells Lelouch how she feels was really touching, the look on Lelouch's and her face was just painful to see. - Emily
