Code Geass: how I'd fix it

Having just finished my third watch of the series, and surprisingly wound up mostly where I was before- considering it a heavily flawed, but awesome series, albeit more flawed than I remembered- I nevertheless can't help but think of how many problems the series thas that could very easily have been fixed.

The main problems:
I can't list every issue I have with the series, because we'd be here forever, but I'll stick to the most basic ones:

Narrative failure:
From its inception, the series has absolutely failed to deliver its basic theme, which is whether we should try to reform society or revolutionize it in the face of injustice. The idea is fine- should we side with Suzaku, who wants to work with the system, or with Lelouch, who violently opposes oppression?
The problem is that Lelouch is right and Suzaku is wrong, and only a fascist could ever think any different. It's very obvious Suzaku serves a totally corrupt system that hates him, and it's not his hard work that lets him advance- it's that by chance, he impressed a princess. In the first episode, he is almost shot fatally for refusing to kill an unarmed civilian. This takes place during a mass slaughter of civilians, mind you. This is the order Suzaku serves. Lelouch, on the other hand, engages in anti-drug vigilantism, goes out of his way to avoid civilian casualties, and fights against a system that enforces apartheid and slaughters civilian. Suzaku doesn't have a point. At all.

Style over substance:
The series has a tendency to favour messages and ideas over delivering said ideas in a way that makes sense. This is a major problem that keeps on popping up, over and over- its execution is simply not matching the merit of its ideas.

Character stupidity/incompetence
Characters often do not match their intended role. Suzaku is the most egregious example, but there are many others- Lelouch is not charismatic, Kallen is remarkably stupid for a top student and ace pilot, and so on and so forth.

These are the main problems, off the top of my head, aside from various specific instances of logical failures.


I was originally going to post two different versions, but I don't actually have the time, so... here's how I would have fixed the damn series if I had control:


R1 remains largely the same, but with some exceptions. Since Suzaku's point of view has to make some sort of sense, Britannia's overt cruelty is played down- rather than enforcing apartheid, they're simply a common imperialist nation. Charles is still a dictator, but he's not enforcing racism, but rather a randian type of social darwinism- everyone must do their very best to succeed, and those who cannot are unworthy. Japan is conquered for more mundane, political reasons, mainly its sakuradite, and while the britannian government is oppressive, it is not inherently racist, and allows the Japanese to retain their identity, and seek citizenship if they so like. Basically, we have a hostile takeover that nevertheless leaves room for the japanese to prosper on their own, which means Suzaku's idea of reform from within is actually feasible. Lelouch, for his part, is a bit more ruthless and a bit more careless with civilian casualties, meaning that questioning his methods is perfectly valid.

The main change of R1 comes with Euphemia's death. Yes, she still dies- but rather than a clumsy, forced contrivance, she dies because Cornelia used her idea of bringing the japanese and britannians together as bait, and charges in as Zero enters the arena. Euphie ends up taking a bullet meant for Lelouch, who is mortified and only barely escapes. Suzaku blames him for this death, and Lelouch, doing much the same, does not object.
The black rebellion is successful, and Cornelia is captured. The island showdown still happens, but faced with a Japan in revolt, and learning the truth of Euphie's death from Kallen, Suzaku is persuaded at last to join forces with Lelouch. The black knights seize Japan, which declares its independence. The britannian forces surrender, and all their military assets are captured.

R2:
The China arc never happens. Instead, it deals with the newly re-established Japanese nation going forward.
Knowing he'll easily be overrun by britannia's superior forces if he sits idle, the first few episodes deal with Lelouch setting up some tactical defences- he sets up an alliance with China, instigates rebellions in other conquered britannian territories across the world to keep them busy, and his black knights strike at Italy and Spain, helping the EU recapture them. Forced to recover its territories, Britannia is pinned back, buying Lelouch and company some desperately needed time. This is also where Lelouch starts to learn about the harder decisions a leader has to make- conquering a nation is one thing, but running one, making the hard calls? Much more difficult.

Cornelia gets her own subplot. Embittered and imprisoned, she initially refuses to take responsibility for how her actions got Euphie killed, blaming Lelouch. 

Next, Lelouch and Suzaku turn their eye to the geass order. Who is VV? What's CC's origin? A bit of detective work ensues, and eventually, they find the source. Much to their surprise, they are contacted by Schneizel, who has been making similar inquiries himself. The centre of the order is well outside black knight territory, and since they could use his help, they accept, albeit very cautiously- although he has ambitions for Charles' throne, he cannot be trusted. Charles, unaware of these machinations, proceed as before. Using combined forced between Schneizel's most loyal troops and black knights, they launch an attack on the complex. They realize it's mostly civilians, and Lelouch hesitates- killing the unarmed? Even if they make geass? Schneizel offers to take the problem off his hands, and Lelouch realizes that as bad as this is, he can't let somebody like Schneizel get his hands on power like this. With a heavy heart, he orders the execution of everyone in the complex.

Cornelia has escaped, and intent on killing Lelouch, she pursues him into the complex as they approach the sanctum. She is pulled into the other world, alongside Lelouch and Suzaku, and is shocked to see Marianne. Lelouch's confrontation with Charles ensues as before, with Marianne and Charles dead. Cornelia is shocked to learn the truth, that all her conquests were built on a lie- that it was all for securing these ruins, that all the lives it cost to take them was an afterthought. Quite lost, she returns to Britannia alongside Schneizel.

With Charles dead, Schneizel makes short work of his rivals and takes the throne. Lelouch, under heavy pressure, has some serious friction with his black knights- word of what he's done at the complex gets out, and his knights begin to question him. Lelouch being Lelouch doesn't handle it well, and their faith in him is rocked.
But that has to wait- we're in the second half now, and Schneizel declares war, intent on re-securing Japan and its sakuradite deposits. Through clever political maneuvering, he gets China to back out of its alliance with Lelouch, leaving him with little outside the territories he's conquered since, along with the support of the EU. In for the battle of a lifetime, against a man who is his equal and more, and with far more resources, Lelouch is pushed to the limit. He sets up clever traps, engages in brilliant strategy, delays his enemy, but in the end, Britannia pushes well into Tokyo. Desperate, Lelouch is the one to launch the first FLEIJA- forcing the britannians back. But Schneizel has begun to create such weapons of his own, and a world war begins, with every nation forced to take a side.

With the world lining up for or against britannia, Lelouch is faced with a conflict that could see the world in ruins. And in the midst of it, his black knights rebel- they've had enough. Schneizel is making a peace offering in exchange for his head, and they've lost faith in him. Only Suzaku and Kallen stand by him. Now on trial by his own men, Lelouch is forced to convince them- and acknowledge his own flaws and failures. Delivering a heartfelt speech, admitting to the power of his geass, he asks for their trust while acknowledging everything wrong he has done. By sheer charisma alone, he manages to hold it all together.

Meanwhile, Cornelia is disillusioned. She doesn't know what to make of anything. She sees Schneizel for what he is, a cold, monstrous tyrant, and realizes she can't side with this. But then, who does she side with? Ultimately, she finally takes responsibility for her own actions, finally understands her blame in Euphie's death, and realizes her course of action.

The world is at war, and Schneizel is pressing Lelouch hard on all fronts. All seems lost, when suddenly Cornelia backstabs him, sending his formations into ruins. Cornelia rallies what few troops she has left, and allies herself with Lelouch, not because she likes him but because she sees no other option.
A final battle looms. Schneizel, armed with the Damocles, intends to settle the score once and for all. A desperate fight ensues, wherein Lelouch personally boards the Damocles. He ends up confronting Schneizel, using his geass- but not before he is shot fatall. Knowing he's about to die, he orders everyone to exit the Damocles before arming every FLEIJA on board.

Too many people have died for him, and he's done too much evil in service of the greater good. The difference between him and Schneizel, he realizes, is barely even there at this point. So he detonates every bomb on board, seeing the end of the damocles and all its weaponry, leaving the future to his companions.

The world negotiates peace. Lelouch is remembered by some as a hero, by others as a villain. No attempt is made to whitewash the evil he's done, nor any attempt to smear the good he's done. The audience is left to figure out whether he is ultimately a good person, an evil one, or anything in between.