Here Is the Answer to Which Lelouch Is Shirley in Love With

I have covered C.C. and Kallen let’s not move on to Shirley. Shirley does not have the largest role in Code Geass. Nonetheless, her relationship with Lelouch is just as important as C.C. and Kallen’s. One of the complaints about her character is that she only lives to be with Lelouch. Most of her dialogue and role in the story is to chase Lelouch since she has a crush on him. And because of this fans want to know. Which Lelouch is Shirley in love with? Lamperouge the high school student or vi Britannia?

Other articles on relationships among the characters: Did C.C. love Lelouch? and Did Kallen love Zero of Lelouch?

We will answer this question by examing how her relationship with Lelouch changes throughout Code Geass. Unfortunately, since Shirley’s role in the story is small, the analysis will be smaller in comparison to C.C. and Kallen.

The goals are to discuss how her relationship with Lelouch evolves and which Lelouch does he end up falling in love with at the end of the series.

Obviously, I am going to spoil key plot points in Code Geass in this analysis. So, with that in mind, let’s begin.

I also recently uploaded a video that also goes through this topic you can watch it here.

How Shirley feels about Lelouch Prior to the Battle of Narita.

Let’s start at the beginning where we learn the nature of Shirley and Lelouch’s relationship. Lelouch calls Shirley in R1 Stage 2 to ask about Shinjuku. After he gets what he needs from her, he hangs up.

Shirley gets annoyed and states in a frustrating that he always does this. According to Shirley, this is not the first time Lelouch has done this. In fact, he makes a regular habit of doing this.

The relationship between the two is established early on that Shirley has a crush on Lelouch but has yet to express it mostly because she is scared to do so. This started in Freshman year when Shirley saw Lelouch helps out people in a car accident.

After she tells Suzaku about this he thinks it’s love. Shirley responds with is that you think it is. I think Suzaku was wrong her. Crushes in general do not mean true love it just means that there some attraction.

Despite not being able to talk to Lelouch, Shirley gets very protective over Lelouch. And if get’s nervous if other women talk to Lelouch. One example early on was how she confronted Kallen after seeing Lelouch grab her in a way that looked like he was going to kiss her.

This passive-aggressive approach would start to change after Milly talks to Shirley. After a talk with Milly Stage 12.55, Shirley gets the courage to give Lelouch tickets to a concert.

Before Lelouch has a chance to cancel the date Shirley lets him know that she will be late for the event.

Shirley’s father’s death challenges her on how she feels about Lelouch.

Lelouch arrives after the show ends on a cold rainy night. When he counters Shirley there is obviously something wrong. Shirley acts with her emotion and is all over the place. Confused, angry, and sad Shirley cries in Lelouch’s arms asking for help and cements it with a kiss.

It’s hard to say for sure if this was a declaration of love since Shirley told Lelouch on the next day to forget about it and that she acted impulsively.

Mao did tell her that she took advantage of her father’s death to make advances on Lelouch. But Mao always digs deep into people’s subconscious to pull out the most messed up thoughts so it’s hard to take that with a grain of salt.

Kissing and getting embarrassed is one way to show love for someone but there is another. The other way is by your actions. During the battle at the Port Yokosuka.

Villetta was able to get to Lelouch after Suzaku destroys his KMF. Villetta told Shirley she would be awarded for this but then realizes too late that Shirley was his girlfriend.

I always thought that Villetta was just dumb to not look into Shirley’s relationship with Lelouch. But it is possible that she never saw them together so she just assumed they are just classmates or friends. If that happened then it would have been accurate so it’s hard to completely fault Villetta here.

Now back to the scene and Shirley shoots Villetta to protect Lelouch. Later on, in R2 Shirley tells Suzaku that she forgave Lelouch for what he did. I do not know if this act at the port was proof of that or if that was something that happens later. But it was something that I was thinking about.

What I can say is that Shirley cared so much for Lelouch that she was willing to kill another for him. They say you would kill to protect those you love. So you can argue that early as Stage 13 Shirley loved Lelouch.

And Shirley only loves Lelouch Lamperouge at this point since she never brings up Nunnally. Which is the one that Lelouch cares the most about and is his reason for living.

Also, we learn in the picture drama for stage 3 that Milly explains to Kallen, Shirley, and Nina that Lelouch loves Nunnally the most. So Shirley was aware of this but never brought it up with Lelouch.

How Mao ruined everything

One of the more controversial parts of the story takes place when Mao enters the story. Because people do not like what he does to the story. And the main victim is Shirley.

Mao encounters Shirley in Narita by the memorial and messes with her mind. He is able to use Shirley’s own memories against her. Shirley is brainwashed to and now believes that she is a killer and must be punished. To add to these sick games Lelouch must die as well.

Lelouch first encounters Mao at Narita and eventually, it leads to a cart ride to the memorial. Once Lelouch gets out he finds Shirley. She explains that they both need to die for their sins.

Despite all of Mao’s head games, Lelouch had a final card to play Shirley’s photos of him. When Lelouch falls backward they fall out causing Shirley’s mind to act so sporadically that even Mao can’t read it. She shoots at Mao before he can kill Lelouch causing him to retreat back into the cable car.

After Mao gets trapped in the cable car, Lelouch and Shirley have a heart to heart talk.

Lelouch takes the blame for what happened and tries to console Shirley. But it’s obvious she is a mess and Lelouch is not sure what to do. After a quick deliberation, Lelouch chooses to erase Shirley’s memories. He tells her that she needs to forget.

Before he uses his Geass Shirley screams out loud don’t

I always wondering why she said this and I think she does not want to forget and maybe she is even willing to help Lelouch. I interpret that from how she is after the Geass is undone by Jeremiah.

Shirley’s relationship with Lelouch before Jeremiah’s Geass Cancellors removes the Geass

From this point until Turn 13 Shirley is under the effects of Geass either Lelouch’s, Charles‘, or both. And what sucks is she never acts like herself during this time.

she almost breaks out of the Geass like when she asks Kallen “what did both of you do to me” in Stage 24 after the Black Knights take over Ashford.

So she was aware something was not right but no idea what.

It’ gets worse in R2 because Charles puts her back into the state of just having a crush on Lelouch. This is really frustrating, remember she got over her fear to ask Lelouch out in Stage 12.

If Shirley was a modem then Charles hit the reset button on her.

It’s not all bad though, for example, I love the conversation that she has with Lelouch in R2 Turn 12. The problem is, it’s coming from a rewritten mind of Shirley and not her true self.

So it’s hard to tell if this the real Shirley or the Geassed Shirley during these scenes. I guess will never know.

When you boil it down Shirley’s development with Lelouch does not go anywhere. It’s almost like the plot wants Shirley in the story and at the same they don’t

That’s why this analysis is a little difficult. Look at her development.

• Stage 1 to Stage 14 goes from being nervous to approaching Lelouch,
• then from Stage 15 to Stage 25, she starts to remember things despite Lelouch’s Geass,
• and from Turn 1 to Turn 13 the series doubles down on the setback and Shirley goes back to the shy girl with a crush on Lelouch.

So it’s the classic one step forward two steps back approach with this character.