Yes, this post will be plastered with spoilers, so please, stay aware from this post at all possible if you do not want to be spoiled.

Haven’t done this in a while. Noticed an increase in the number of R2 posts, so I decided to do a metareview. I looked at twenty one posts; sorry if yours isn’t mentioned.

Number of blogs that mentioned Evangelion in their post about R2 21: 13
Number of blogs that mentioned Haruhi in their post about R2 21: 1

Why hello, Lelouch! Ignore the fact that I’ve been dead for several years!

From Minimum Tempo…

LOL WHAT THE SHIT IS THIS? THIS ISN’T EVA.

From Derailed by Darry…

So Code Geass turned out to be a tragic love story between Charles and Marianne? Ugh. I’m not disgusted because the plot is once again in afterburners, I’m not disgusted because they made a big deal in everyone meeting at Kaminejima last episode and doing nothing with it, I’m not disgusted because of the nonsensical revelations that were just impossible to even hint at over the first 30 episodes of this series. I’m just disgusted that I didn’t pick up on the Detroit Metal City connections earlier.

From Hanners’ Anime Blog…

In recent episodes I’ve complained a fair bit about not enjoying the supernatural Geass stuff as much as the political and military tactic side of the series, and thus I had my reservations about this episode, but at the end of it all I can’t help but say that it was handled perfectly. Everything that seemed confusing was made clear, each character’s motives were obvious and really quite reasonable in the grand scheme of things, and of course the “Lelouch turns impending disaster into success” aspect of the series wasn’t absent here either. While this wasn’t an action-packed rollercoaster like some of the episodes of this show, nor was it as emotionally fraught as it could have been (it was strangely sterile in that discipline), this was still a most excellent episode, and highly enjoyable. Where the Lelouch and Suzaku story goes from here I honestly have no idea, but I can’t wait to find out. Besides which, you have to hand it to the pair of them for putting their principles before their emotional state of mind in this episode, which was most admirable.

What a douchebag.

From When Anime Past Meets Present…

Anyway, for once the series is focused almost entirely on one single scenario in an episode, so I cannot entertain for a second the notion that the pacing was fucked up in this episode.  Though there was one side scene that I liked and that was the one scene of Nina reflecting over some of the dead bodies in the blast zone and Millay preparing to broadcast was I assume was going to be some sort of mourning ceremony.  People had complained that there were no reactions by the characters to this event, but when you see how it affected characters like Suzaku, Nina, Millay, Rivalz, Gino and The Order of The Black Knights I cannot help but disagree entirely.  There has been lots of reflection on the tragedy at Ground Zero.  This all ties into the final scenario in the episode and I remember saying to some people who were complaining about there not being any sort of public mourning that they were waiting for an end to the rebellion scenario and an end to hostilities before they would worry about any such thing.

From Moogy’s Anime Blog…

This is the most absurd episode of anime – no. This is the most absurd piece of media ever created in any format in the history of the human race.

This is Code Geass.

(It goes without saying that this episode is also unfathomably bad. Significantly worse than StrikerS in my opinion.)

I have no idea. I just really don’t know what the hell I just watched. This is… this is something.

Code Geass didn’t jump the shark. Code Geass is the shark. Sunrise is the shark. You are the shark. In other words. Everything. Is fabulous.

Indeed.

Sure, he has the power to control people. Why not throw in the ability to control God?

From a stone and a small ripple…

So it seems that the talk of the town lately in regards to Code Geass has largely been concerned about not only how (not) “good” it is as far as writing and execution, but the relationship between being “good” and viewer enjoyment. Personally, I am within the group that considers Geass R2 a highly enjoyable watch despite (or perhaps because of) the awful writing.

As expected, episode twenty-one managed to once again somehow raise the level of absurdity, particularly through Lelouch destroying Charles’ “The World of C”/God/Jupiter with his geass. (I had to pause the episode for some time, until I could stop laughing.) There’s an obvious parallel to Evangelion in the “deny instrumentality,” but in this case, there’s still more to go.

From Memento…

Anyway, “pillage and plundered” were the first words that came into my mind upon seeing the ‘development’ shown in this episode. This episode is so out there that I give up trying to find some sense in the plot. I’ve said many things about this series, both good and bad, but one thing that I appreciate the most out of this latest development is that I have no idea where this speeding train is heading. Having said that, I hope I have the chance to bail out in the case that it’s heading towards a wreck. At the moment though, the feeling is more of that fast, dangerous and uninhibited insanity, like anything can happen any moment now. I’m also amused that Lelouch and Suzaku are back together and rule the world with their evil, iron fists. It’s like every fanboy’s nightmare and every fangirl’s dream finally becomes a reality.

Obligatory Emperor Rocket screencap.

From THAT Animeblog…

Despite how hilarious and AWESOME this episode was, I’m really kind of disappointed in the turn the series took. The entire buildup so far was for a final confrontation of Lelouch vs. Charles, and Schniezel was just an obstacle in their way or a possible spoiler. Now, the final boss is Schniezel and I’m just not digging it, it messes with the story continuity. Add that to the fact that Suzaku is now on Lelouch’s side and I’m just kind of meh about it. However, the episode from start to finish was supremely entertaining, whether that be in a bad sense or a good sense, it was entertaining.

From Kita ze Inbou!…

This episode was no less different than anything we’ve seen in Geass: a ridiculous turn of events. Learning the “truth” behind Marianne’s “death” just made me wanna scoff. Sounded like a pretty lame reason for V.V. (hey, he pulled a Euphy too!). And in the midst of all that I just like how Anya was just… there, easy target for Marianne. I’m not sure I understand them anymore. Charles and Marianne are not what I consider the best parents. Marianne give me this whole bad feeling much like Fumika’s mother in Shigofumi. They just abandoned their children like that. The fact that Nunnally was bound by Geass made it sound worse.

I actually like Spinzaku now.

From Meaty Anime Blog…

Man, the last 5 minutes of this episode completely makes up for 21 episodes of terrible writing, and I say 21 epsisodes because this episode was no better. Marianne and Charles and their ridiculous God killing crap were just another gimmick to advance the plot. It seems the writers can’t get enough of spending large amounts of time on something or other just to use it once and then forget it exists. Charles’ Geass, Orange’s canceler, Nina’s nuke, Marianne’s survival: all of it seemed so important only to be pushed to the side so quickly after they’d served their purpose. The entire series has shoddily thrown things together, all in the name of putting Lelouch on the throne, and it was pretty easy too. “Hi guys, I’m your new emporer. Let me show you my Geass. Sweet. That’s taken care of.”

From Anime Diet…

This whole story does not make sense. … If Lelouch ends up like kira and dead at the end of the series that will be a huge let down. I want to see some compelling motivates from characters and good story. I can give them a pass for these last two episodes as long as it ends on a bitchin’ note. This episode is a little better then the last episode but dang is it not why I liked this show in the first place.

Except I’d love to wipe that smug grin off his face.

From anime|otaku…

I would be in disagreement with the people who think that the episode was excellent. Allow me to air my concerns and my apology (in both meanings of the word). … I don’t see how anyone could appreciate the plot in the episode. It was jumpy; it was erratic; it was all over the place; it was nonsensical. There were a lot of questions unanswered; while the series has not yet ended, I can only hope that they will be answered before the series ends.

More blogs about R2 21:

Kurogane’s Anime Blog – ALL HAIL LELOUCH! ALL HAIL LELOUCH!
Japanophile Isle – Code Geass R2 21, the best episode of the second season.
Random Curiosity – CODE GEASS R2 – 21
Ramblings of DarkMirage – Code Geass R2 – Episode 21
hikikomori-chan – Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 21 ~The Ragnarok Connection~
Certifiably Insane – The 99th Emperor of Britannia – Lelouch vi Britannia
Otakuism – Code Geass R2 21 – I Liked It better When It Was Called Third Impact
Open Your Mind – Code Geass R2 – Zeus got Geassed
Otaben – Code Geass R2 Ep.21 – Too Deep for my Fried Rice Brain
Anime Blog ga Arimasu – Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 21 (aka “Take care of yourself”)
hontou ni sou omou – Code Geass R2 Ep 21

This post is tagged code geass, episodic review, metareview