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| “ | You're a fool, Lelouch. God cannot be defeated by the power of the King! | „ |
| ~ Charles zi Britannia to Lelouch vi Britannia. |
| “ | All men ... are not created equal! Some are born swifter afoot, some with greater beauty, some are born into poverty and others born sick and feeble. Both in birth and upbringing, in sheer scope of ability every human is inherently different; Yes that is why people discriminate against one another, which is why there is struggle, competition and the unfaltering march of progress. Inequality is not wrong, equality is. What of the E.U. which made equality a right? Rabble politics by a popularity contest. The Chinese Federation with its equal distribution of wealth? A nation of lazy dullards. But not our beloved Britannia, we fight, we compete, evolution is continuous. Britannia alone moves forward, advancing steadily into the future. Even the death of my son, Clovis, demonstrates Britannia's unswerving commitment to progress. We will fight on, we shall struggle, compete, plunder and dominate, and in the end, the future shall be ours. ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!!!!! | „ |
| ~ Charles zi Britannia |
Emperor Charles zi Britannia is one of the main antagonists of the Code Geass franchise. He is the 98th emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, the father of Lelouch vi Britannia and many others, as well as V.V.'s younger twin brother.
He had a Geass power that allowed him to suppress and alter the memories of those he achieved eye contact with, but lost this power in exchange for V.V.'s code which granted him immortality. He is also the arch-nemesis of the Revolutionist known as Zero, who is none other than his own son Lelouch. Following the main series, in the sequel Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture, it is revealed that Charles has a clone under the name of Norland von Lunebelg, the leader of the Einbergs, who was supposed to have Charles' mind in him, but failed.
He was voiced by Norio Wakamoto in the Japanese version (who also voices Vicious in Cowboy Bebop, Megatron in Transformers Animated, Cell in Dragon Ball Z, Dracula in Castlevania, Shapiro Keats, Memnon and Alexander Anderson) and Michael McConnohie (who also voices Van Grants, Maxwell, Charles Goodwin, Kano and Rayregalia Vers Rayvers) in the English version.
Appearance[]
Charles is a very large man, towering over nearly all other characters in the series, and appears to be muscular and well-built. He has long white hair (though it was originally a light brown in his younger days) styled into Renaissance-style curls. He has violet eyes and angular features.
Personality[]
Charles is a cold and intelligent man who strongly holds views of social Darwinism, believing that only the strongest were worthy to rise in society. His philosophy is not reserved solely for his adversaries, however, as he treated Lelouch harshly after the death of Marianne, offering no sympathy to his then-adolescent son. He is also deeply cynical, having no confidence in the good of people and believing that humanity's natural course is struggle and conflict.
He has no moral compunctions in how he deals with his enemies. His rise to power saw numerous political rivals and their allies killed, and even as Emperor, Britannia continued to engage in global conflict with its adversaries. Ultimately, he cares little for the casualties caused by Britannia's military conflicts, regardless if they are enemy combatants, innocent civilians, or even Britannian soldiers.
Interestingly, his views and ideology seem to have stemmed from his traumatic upbringing. As a child, he often witnessed his family kill each other in pursuit of the throne, thus he naturally came to understand that without power, one cannot survive. He wishes for the world to be gentler; he even tells Lelouch, during their final confrontation, that the Ragnarok Connection will ensure the gentle world that Nunnally wants.
History[]
Charles installed most or all of his children into important positions throughout the empire to see what their true abilities were. Charles saw his children as extensions of the collective unconsciousness rather than human beings, and showed little concern for their well-being. He plotted to destroy the collective unconscious, thus uniting humanity as a single mind. In spite of this, Charles did show some care for a select few of his children, particularly Lelouch and Nunnally.
Charles actually planned to make every living being as one mind that was incapable of deceit. Above all else, he hated deceit, seeing it as the root of all evil, which was apparently brought about by trauma during his childhood wherein members of the imperial family lied and murdered for the right to succeed the throne.
Charles appears only occasionally in the first season. In a flashback, a ten-year-old Lelouch questioned why he did not try to protect Marianne. Irritated by this, Charles disowned and exiled Lelouch there and then, sending Lelouch and Nunnally to Japan as political hostages. Most of his appearances in the first season are brief, though show that he apparently knew of Lelouch's action, particularly his use of Geass. In The Stolen Mask, he claimed to be speaking with Clovis even after his death at the Sword of Akasha. Charles trusted V.V. though the specific nature of their Code was to destroy the gods. In actuality, Charles is V.V.'s twin brother, whose process of aging was halted at an early age because he became immortal. Lelouch trapped the Emperor inside the Sword of Akasha until Charles announced that all Zero had done was made it so that whoever won the ensuing war would control the entire world; at that time, the world was literally divided between Britannia and the UFN.
During the Second Battle of Tokyo, Charles arrived in Area 11 himself, much to the shock of Lelouch, and entered the Sword of Akasha through the Thought Elevator at Kamine Island. Once inside, Charles was confronted by Lelouch once again and soon after, Marianne, C.C. and Suzaku all arrived. During the time, Charles finally told Lelouch the truth of the events regarding his mother's death and all that had occurred, including his real reason for sending him and Nunnally to Japan as hostages. He and Marianne then explained their one true goal and began to initiate the Ragnarok Connection. However, despite finally being told everything, Lelouch rejected his parents and all they believe. Lelouch saw Charles' ultimate goal as nothing more than creating stagnation that would doom mankind, rather than save it, and turned the gods against Charles, destroying him and Marianne. Just before his death, Charles warned Lelouch that Schneizel's world would be the one that awaits him on the outside.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Code of Immortality: Charles gains the Code of Immortality after stealing it from V.V., allowing him to live forever without aging and getting sick, and any wound inflicted on him will be healed immediately. He is also immune to reality, including Geass.
- Geass: Charles' Geass allows him to alter an individual's memories however he likes and seal others' Geass as well as physical senses, though methods such as contact with an Immortal or sheer willpower can break it, and as shown in Akito the Exiled, one can fight his Geass by being reminded of something that it sealed. He can also uses it more than once on a person.
Known Relatives[]
- V.V. (Victor zi Britannia, Older Twin Brother)
- Consorts
- Gabrielle la Britannia
- Marianne vi Britannia
- Flora mel Britannia
- Leda rui Britannia
- Children
- Sherry me Britannia (Daughter) (Firstborn Child)
- Odysseus eu Britannia (Son)
- Guinevere de Britannia (Daughter)
- Schneizel el Britannia (Son)
- Cornelia li Britannia (Daughter)
- Clovis la Britannia (Son)
- Lelouch vi Britannia (Son)
- Euphemia li Britannia (Daughter)
- Marrybell mel Britannia (Daughter)
- Nunnally vi Britannia (Daughter)
- Carine ne Britannia (Daughter)
- Julia mel Britannia (Daughter)
- Lila la Britannia (Daughter)
- Castor rui Britannia (Son)
- Pollux rui Britannia (Son)
- Hannes gua Britannia (Son)
- Callis al Britannia (Son)
- Monica Krushevsky (Illegitimate Daughter)
- Grandchildren
- Sakuya Sumeragi (Granddaughter by Sherry me Britannia)
- Others
- Norland von Lunebelg (Clone)
Quotes[]
| “ | You are dead. You were always been dead to me, dead from the moment you were born. Who gave you the fine clothes you wear and comfortable home? The food you eat and your very life? All of those, I have given to you, in short you are not nothing to me because you have never existed. Yet you dare to speak such foolishness to me?! Lelouch, you are dead, therefore you are not entitled to any rights. I am sending you and Nunnally to Japan, as prince and princess, you will serve well as bargaining tools. | „ |
| ~ Charles to Lelouch. |
| “ | The world lies! Thou shalt not commit murder, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not cheat, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife. All of these are lies! Mere illusion, nothing more! They don't want to be killed, they don't want to be robbed. Using the twin lies of justice and morality, the weak endeavor to protect themselves. But the first truth is that the strong devour the weak, so let us feed upon people, upon wealth, upon riches and power! We of Britannia shall feast upon the raw flesh of the world itself! We must crush this deception and bring forth the truth! All Hail Britannia! | „ |
| ~ Charles zi Britannia |
| “ | War has historically been an action favoured by idiots. | „ |
| ~ Charles zi Britannia |
| “ | Lelouch, I will now answer your previous question. Half a century ago, my elder brother and I existed in a Hell on Earth, our family were just rivals competing for the throne. Assassinations occurred with regularity, dealing with betrayal and spawned by lies. Killing each other off, my own mother fell victim to it. My brother and I were sick and angered by the world, we therefore both sworn an oath: to create a world without lies. | „ |
| ~ Chales revealing his true plan. |
| “ | Charles: You clever little FOOL!.. Can't you understand that if you refuse me and what I offer, you will inherit his world, Schneizel's world? Do not judge me! Good and evil intentions are on each side of the same card! Even then, you still have..." Lelouch: No matter what, I'll reject the world you envision.. BEGONE NOW! |
„ |
| ~ Charles Zi Britannia's final remarks to Lelouch, warning him about the future of Britannia before his death along with his wife Marianne. |
Trivia[]
- Charles zi Britannia makes a cameo appearance in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection who is a spirit, along with Marianne when C.C was trying to retrieve Lelouch's minds cape.
- In Code Geass: Nunally in Wonderland, Charles zi Britannia appears as "The King of Hearts" in a minor role.
