Code Geass

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, often referred to as simply Code Geass, is a Japanese anime series created by Sunrise, directed by Gorō Taniguchi, and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by Clamp. 'Code Geass' is set after the occupation of Japan by the Holy Britannian Empire on August 10, 2010 a.t.b. with their powerful new robot weapons, the Knightmare Frames. The Britannians stripped Japan and its citizens of all rights and freedoms and renamed the country Area 11. A Britannian prince (specifically, Lelouch vi Britannia) who was disowned by his father, Emperor Charles zi Britannia. After his mother was murdered, Lelouch vowed to destroy Britannia, and therefore his father, the Emperor. He gains an ability through the mysterious power of the Geass, becomes the leader of the resistance movement to seek revenge for his mother's death and to construct a world in which his sister Nunnally can live happily in.

Setting
Code Geass is set in an alternate universe where three superpowers (the Holy Britannian Empire, the Chinese Federation, and the European Universe) have divided up control of the world, with the exception of Australia. In the second season, the European Union has much of its territory overtaken by Britannia, while Lelouch engineers a revolution in the Chinese Federation and creates a new alliance of countries, the United Federation of Nations, reducing the number of superpowers to two.

The Holy Britannian Empire
At the start of the first season, the Holy Britannian Empire is shown as an imperial monarchy and the most prominent superpower within the world of Geass. It controlled over one-third of the world (at that time), based in North America with Pendragon as its capital. Britannian society is an aristocracy, with competing nobles at the top and the peoples of conquered territories living in poverty or as unequal Honorary Britannians.

During season two, Britannia successfully conquers about half of the European Union, taking over France, Spain, the western half of Africa, and Russia. The Britannian imperial line of absolute monarchy started at the same time the Britannian calendar era: "Ascension Throne Britannia" (a.t.b)

Japan (Area 11)
Japan is the source of over 70% of the world's supply of the high energy mineral sakuradite. Britannia conquered it to gain control over that mineral. Japan was renamed Area 11 under Britannian rule. Through his alter-ego, Zero, Lelouch attempts to restore Japan's independence as the "United States of Japan", as a step in his quest to overthrow Britannia.

The Chinese Federation
The Chinese Federation is another imperial monarchy that spans the Asian and Pacific regions, including Central, South, East, and Southeast Asia, with Sakhalin and the Korean Peninsula and is the most populous (and poverty-stricken) of the three superpowers. Its political structure and organization appears to resemble the former Empire of China, with the Emperor regarded as a living divinity and holding absolute political power. However, the current Empress Tianzi has been reduced to a figurehead for the advisory "High Eunuchs". The Vermilion Forbidden City is the seat of the Chinese Emperor/Empress, and the government of the Federation is a large palace situated in the capital city of Luoyang.

The European Union
The European Universe is a democratic union encompassing all of Europe (including Great Britain), Africa, and Russia and long in conflict with Britannia. In the second season, Schneizel leads the Britannian forces against the E.U., successfully conquering almost half of their territory, including Portugal, Spain, France, half of Africa, and the whole of Russia.

United Federation of Nations
Following the collapse of the E.U. and the uprising in the Chinese Federation, most of the remaining territories not under Britannian control join forces and form the United Federation of Nations, a new coalition to counter the Empire's advance as the sole other superpower. The U.F.N. flag is a white dove with three circles merging at the point where the wings and body meet, over a yellow background. The U.F.N. is composed of forty-seven countries spread across parts of Central and Eastern Europe, Eastern Africa, and the majority of the Asian continent. Decisions in the U.F.N. are determined by a two-thirds majority vote by the leaders of each country, with the population of each country determining their voting percentage.

Geass
Geass, also referred to as the Power of Kings, is a mysterious ability which certain people can bestow upon others. Apparently, the power of Geass has something to do with the very existence of humankind and it may be used to destroy or transform just about anything. It is represented by a bird-shaped symbol which glows red when active.

A Geass is set as a contract between an immortal and a human who receives a unique power. It manifests in the eyes, and with continued use increases in power, eventually becoming uncontrollable and spreading to both eyes. When a Geass is at full power, a person can then become a recipient of the immortal's "Code", that which grants them their power. This new immortal receives the Geass mark somewhere on their body, immunity to Geass, and the ability to make their own contracts with others, while the giver is allowed to die (perpetuating an endless cycle). This process is not necessarily consensual, as C.C. received her Code and V.V. had his taken away against his will.

Every Geass power has its own unique set of both abilities and limitations (for example, Lelouch's power, the ability to make anyone obey him, can only be used once on a given person), allowing for their defeat or victory by someone who is aware of its characteristics. According to C.C. in the television series, the way geass manifests itself in a person is determined by the person's deepest/truest desire (i.e. C.C.'s geass made everyone love her in response to her desire to be accepted and loved). Further understanding of the power of Geass even leads to the development of a device that can undo its effects. All Geass abilities that have thus far appeared within canon of the television series have been related to the mind, influencing things such as emotion, perception, and memory.

Knightmare Frames
Knightmare Frames are all robots but often have a humanoid shape and are usually between four and five meters tall. Knightmare Frames are piloted from a cockpit set in the protruding 'hump back' in the unit. The cockpit is a self-contained control center which can be ejected in case of emergency.

Knightmare Frames are powered by the Yggdrasil Drive, a fictional energy source. Its centerpiece is a sakuradite device called the Core Luminous, wherein a cube of unknown composition is weightlessly suspended in liquid. The cube revolves at high speeds during a state of drive activation. All knightmare frames are initiated by a 'key' interfacing through a USB-like port inside the cockpit.

Knightmare Frames are typically armed with wired rocket anchors called Slash Harkens and a number of other weapons. Less common equipment, though more widespread as the series progresses, are Maser Vibration Swords (MVS), a form of vibroblade which oscillates at a high ratio to cut through almost anything, and Hadron Cannons, powerful energy cannons which can obliterate almost anything in their path. Late in the first season, various models of Float Systems, devices which allow Knighmares to fly, also fall into common use.

Knightmare Frames are very shiny.

Main Characters
Lelouch Lamperouge - The title character and protagonist of the show, Lelouch Lamperouge is a seemingly ordinary 17-year-old student at Ashford Academy. In reality, he is Lelouch vi Britannia, the exiled son of the Emperor of Britannia and the late Empress Marianne, forced to flee to Japan after his mother's assassination. When he gets caught up in a battle between the military and Japanese rebels, he gains the power of Geass, allowing him to force others to obey his orders without question, and begins a quest to utilize this power to destroy Britannia under another identity known as Zero. His Geass allows him to demand absolute obedience from anybody; however, even without Geass, Lelouch is a formidable opponent. He possesses a genius-level intellect, and is capable of devising and executing strategies with incredible speed and precision. He is also famous for his chess abilities, being able to defeat almost everyone he plays against. Unfortunately, his physical abilities are so bad that he is outpaced by most anybody during a race.

Suzaku Kururugi - Lelouch's childhood friend and son of Japan's last prime minister, Genbu Kururugi. It is later revealed that Suzaku did a bad thing when he was young, because he murdered his father (accidentally) during a heated argument. Suzaku is in the service of the Britannia Army as a soldier and chosen to test an experimental new model of Knightmare Frame, the Lancelot. Throughout the series, Suzaku shows a belief that achieving results by wrong or illegal methods is meaningless, and therefore demonstrates his naivety. Suzaku also became Lelouch's classmate. His physical prowess is top-notch, and so he carries out most of the plans that Lelouch can think up.

C.C. - A mysterious, immortal, green-haired 'witch' who establishes a contract with Lelouch on the condition that he grant her one wish. She passively oversees Lelouch's missions and occasionally helping them succeed to ensure he does not die before fulfilling their contract. She is often shown immodestly dressed, but we won't go there. C.C. has the power of the "Code", which renders her immortal, capable neither of aging nor of being killed by conventional means. C.C. also has the ability to bestow people with the power of Geass, which manifests differently in each person but generally carries the ability to affect the minds of those it is used on in some way.

Nunnally Lamperouge - Lelouch's innocent younger sister, crippled and blind from her the trauma of her mother's brutal assassination. Lelouch originally got involved with the war because he wanted to create a pleasant world for Nunnally.

Kallen Stadtfeld Kouzuki - A pink/red haired 'mixed' girl of Britannian and Japanese, who believes herself to be a Japanese at heart and prefers her birth name, Kallen Kouzuki, over that of her father's prestigious one (Stadtfeld). She maintains the image of a frail, outstanding student at Ashford Academy, all the while being a member of the Japanese resistance movement and one of Zero's most devoted followers. Kallen is a highly-skilled Knightmare Frame pilot, rivaling the abilities of even the Knights of the Round. She is acknowledged as the best pilot of the Black Knights by enemies and allies alike. Her codename, "Q-1," is the Queen's starting spot in descriptive chess notation.

In Badfic
Lelouch is usually portrayed as the uke in slashfic, with Suzaku portrayed as the seme. Surprisingly, slashfics are more common in the Code Geass Fandom than Suefics. Not that they are any better, that is.

Sues in the Code Geass Fandom are almost always Warrior!Sues. That means that they either a) steal Kallen's spotlight; or b) become a female version of Suzaku.

Lelouch/Suzaku slashfics are probably the most common in this Fandom. Which is why the 'Romance' tab available in the Pit is cautioned to be avoided.