The latter half of this episode was just as explosive.
Using Euphemia's death, Lelouch completely consolidated control over the revolutionary army. He then seized the opportunity to launch a final decisive battle against the Britannian forces in Area 11.
It was all large-scale spectacle—stunning visuals, nonstop action.
But Xue Zhiyong's attention was no longer on any of that.
Euphemia's death had shaken him too deeply.
Up to this point, only two moments in the series had truly moved him—
Shirley is losing her memories of Lelouch.
And now, Euphemia's death.
This character, introduced as early as Episode 2, had been given so much development. Su Yan carefully shaped her into someone everyone loved—
Only to ultimately use her death as a tool.
A tool to shape Lelouch and Suzaku.
A tool to turn two childhood friends into mortal enemies.
Xue Zhiyong took a deep breath.
His chest felt heavy—empty—but strangely, he couldn't bring himself to hate Lelouch.
Instead, all his frustration was directed at Su Yan.
At this point, he was certain—
The tone of 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' was heading straight into tragic territory.
All that earlier "power fantasy"?
Just an illusion.
Now, at the end of Season 1, Su Yan had completely dropped the mask.
Not even pretending anymore.
That night, despite Episode 12 having the highest production budget so far—arguably the most expensive episode—
Viewers didn't care much about the latter half.
All discussions focused on Euphemia's death in the first half.
After the broadcast ended, discussions across forums and websites far surpassed those of previous weeks.
And once again, something rarely seen in recent years happened—
A full-scale wave of rage at Su Yan.
["Su Yan, you better apologize!"]
["You're seriously not human—how could you write something like this?"]
["I liked this character for three whole months. I thought the main plot was Lelouch's revolution, and the subplot was Suzaku's rise within Britannia. Eventually they'd grow, reconcile, and bring peace… but this? Euphemia's death completely stunned me."]
["Dying isn't the worst part. What's worse is that her ideals and dreams were completely shattered before she died. Her entire life became a tragedy."]
["Suzaku's final lie… was probably the only kindness she received in the end."]
["Do you think Euphemia really didn't know what she did under Geass? Or did she know, but couldn't face it, so she asked Suzaku for confirmation?"]
["She probably didn't know. Earlier examples showed that people forget what they did under Geass if they survive."]
["Sigh… this hurts. I won't be able to sleep tonight."]
["What happens next? Is Lelouch going to lose everything?"]
["I'm almost afraid to keep watching. This show is too painful."]
["Su Yan used to write emotional pain in romance… now he's doing it on the level of nations and ideals."]
["How does his brain even work? Doesn't he feel bad writing this?"]
["I feel awful. My friend asked me out for late-night food, and I turned it down. That's how much this hit me."]
From 9 PM to midnight, comments flooded every platform.
People cursed Su Yan.
Some cursed Lelouch.
But almost no one said the show itself was bad.
Their anger was directed at the story—
But their minds knew the truth.
This show was good.
Even if the plot could have gone in a hundred different directions—
What was presented tonight had already elevated 'Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion' to legendary status in many viewers' hearts.
Euphemia's death became the kind of scene that, even ten years later, would still bring back that same heavy feeling.
The next morning, the controversy only intensified.
The scale of the plot was already bold—few shows would dare depict a massacre, let alone have it tied directly to the protagonist.
And now, the kindest character in the entire series had been killed in such a cruel way.
It was inevitable that media outlets and critics began to attack—
Claiming Su Yan's values were problematic, accusing the show of promoting harmful ideas.
For an average screenwriter, such backlash might have destroyed their career.
But Su Yan was different.
Even within his own fanbase, opinions split into factions—
Some called this storyline a masterpiece.
Others felt it was too oppressive and emotionally overwhelming.
But in the Xia Nation entertainment industry, external opinions didn't matter as much.
Most viewers never spoke publicly.
If they liked something, they supported it.
If they didn't, they simply left.
And Episode 12's rating—6.98%—said everything.
Despite the controversy, the show's score didn't drop at all.
Industry insiders could see it clearly—
Even with such bold storytelling, fans weren't leaving.
Those who claimed they would quit rarely followed through.
In fact, the wave of negative reactions only lasted about three days.
By the fourth day, many viewers had begun to process the story, re-evaluating Euphemia's death—and recognizing how well it was constructed.
At this critical point near the end of Season 1—
Chaos, tension, and a looming sense of collapse filled the story.
There were only two episodes left.
Lelouch was still far from overthrowing the Britannian Empire.
But he was only one step away—
From losing everything.
At the end of Episode 12, Suzaku had clearly begun to suspect Lelouch's identity.
He didn't dare believe it—
Which was why, before the battle began, he called Lelouch a "friend."
Their conversation sounded like concern—
But in reality, it was probing.
A warning.
"I'm watching you."
Lelouch had hidden his identity for an entire season.
Would it finally be revealed in the next two episodes?
Euphemia had discovered the truth, and didn't survive three episodes after.
If Suzaku found out…
Would Lelouch hesitate?
He had already killed siblings, both half-brother and half-sister.
Would Suzaku be any different?
And beyond that—
What direction was this story taking?
Lelouch himself stood at a crossroads.
His loss of control had triggered a massacre and escalated into full-scale war.
Could he really be absolved of responsibility?
If someone wielded power without control—
Could they claim innocence?
Could someone who misused a weapon escape blame by saying it was an accident?
These discussions spread rapidly across forums.
By now, audiences weren't just watching the plot—
They were debating war, morality, character, and ideology.
The story had drawn them into something much deeper.