Here is the Answer to Is C.C. in love with Lelouch?

C.C. has an interesting relationship with Lelouch and fans wonder if she is in love with him. Now most fans agree that she does. However, is this supported in the anime itself?

Much like my article on if Kallen loved Lelouch and I going to go over C.C.’s relationship with Lelouch throughout the original anime.

Disclaimer: While I do provide evidence to back up my claims many key points stated here are not 100% accurate or cannon. Rather my interpretation of how I view the characters and how they interact in the story. So while I am providing an answer to this question that answer will never be 100% confirmed.

Also, Expect heavy spoilers but if you are reading this you already knew that.

C.C. Only Cares About the Contract and Not Lelouch’s Goals

When C.C. comes back and surprises Lelouch in R1 Stage 5 we begin to learn about her relationship with Lelouch. She is completely focused on Lelouch fulfilling his contract and nothing else.

Lelouch gets nothing but cold and empty responses from C.C. she even antagonizes him after Cornelia defeats him. C.C. expresses her frustration to both and Leloucn seemingly no one when she talks to herself.

But we know that she was talking to Marianne this whole time. Judging from C.C.’s tone she sees working with Lelouch as a chore. She does show an interest in who he is and starts to learn about the importance of life and Nunnally.

At this point in the story, C.C. states that she will be with him until the end. So, Lelouch needs to be alive but not for his sake rather her own. At this point in the story, I conclude that there two are co-conspirators.

C.C. Realizes That Lelouch Might Be Different Than Her Previous Contracts

C.C. during the Battle of Narita saves Lelouch by feeding Suzaku random images unknown to her. Lelouch attempting to stop C.C. causes him to also see images of C.C.’s past and Geass. This is the first time this happens and it’s important to note for later.

C.C. is injured during this and Lelouch takes care of her in a cave. While she sleeps C.C. says her real name out loud. Lelouch then utters it to C.C. after she wakes up.

Lelouch compliments the name and then proceeds to thank her. C.C. cries out of happiness because no one has ever thanked her before. Given the images that Lelouch saw earlier, we can see that C.C. has been on the receiving end of hatred during her whole life.

The weird part here is you would think that C.C. would be kinder to Lelouch after this but nothing really changes. She is still focused on making sure that Lelouch fulfills her contract. So, Lelouch’s goals are secondary to C.C.

After Lelouch attends the funeral for Shirley’s father, C.C. again antagonizes him. She accused Lelouch of being too soft and not willing to continue on this path. This is one of Lelouch’s lowest moments in the series and C.C. made it worse by emotionally manipulating him.

Telling Lelouch “you won’t disappoint me right” and “you are in too deep to turn back now” were probably not the best things to say at that moment. Despite the events in the cave C.C. still only sees Lelouch as a co-conspirator.

How Mao Nearly Separates but Ultimately Brings Lelouch and C.C. Together.

Mao’s part of the story is something that most fans could not stand. But there were some important developments that occurred because of it. One of those being a friendship forming between C.C. and Lelouch.

After Mao puts Lelouch in a situation where has had to erase Shirley’s memories, Lelouch and C.C. start to go after him. But prior to this Lelouch verbally attacks C.C. for not killing Mao and giving people contracts that can ruin their lives.

Keep this conversation in mind as it will be important later.

Lelouch seeks Mao using the Black Knights while C.C. asks people on the streets. When Lelouch and C.C. are having no luck Mao calls Lelouch and asks to speak to C.C.

After this conversation, C.C. tells Lelouch that Mao and I have made up. Lelouch considers this a betrayal But C.C. counters with “when were you my friend never we were just coconspirators that’s all”.

Despite this Lelouch comes up with a plan to defeat Mao and save C.C. After Lelouch saves C.C. from Mao and orders Mao to be shot by the police, they escape the amusement park and get off the helicopter.

They then start to talk on the landing pad for a bit. Lelouch offers C.C. a contract of his own in which he promises to not let Geass take him over, fulfill her contract, and accomplish his goals.

C.C. at this point is seeing Lelouch beyond a co-conspirator and now as a friend. She even proves her loyalty to Lelouch by killing Mao. This is a big deal because she begged Lelouch to let her try to reason with him. And now C.C. realizes she must choose between Lelouch or Mao and she chose Lelouch.

C.C. Changes Her Priorities and Expresses possible Romantic Feelings Towards Lelouch.

C.C.’s is starting to understand what is important to Lelouch which is Nunnally. She also gives us a famous moment in the anime when she comforts Lelouch.

This of course happens after Euphemia was ordered to kill all the Japanese people in the Special Administrative Zone. Before Lelouch gives Euphemia this command, his Geass evolves to the next level which panics C.C.

We see her showing legitimate concern about Lelouch after this. We have not seen this type of concern prior and she would just mock Lelouch instead. The only exception would be when she saved him in R1 Stage 1.

Now even though C.C. comforts Lelouch she still brings up the contract and says that is why she will be with him until the end.

During the Black Rebellion after Lelouch interrogates Cornelia C.C. informs him that someone has taken Nunnally. Because C.C. knows that this is why Lelouch lives, it’s vital that he saves her.

C.C. is acting on Lelouch’s sake and interests rather than her own. This is an important shift for her. During the flight to Kamine Island C.C. tells Lelouch that he must prevail and kisses him.

If you want my take on the kiss here is my article.

After C.C. lands to drop Lelouch off and fight Jeremiah the two exchange what would be the start of their many moments of flirtatious teasing.

I am not sure if by the end of R1 if C.C. loves Lelouch. But what we do know for sure is that they have a strong connection. C.C. is completely focused on Lelouch’s goals right now. You could argue this if C.C. had romantic feelings for Lelouch this would be the point where those feelings start to develop.

C.C. and Lelouch Start Their Series of Flirtatious Teasing

C.C. tells Lelouch that She is the only one who knows his true self during the rescue. What follows is a series of events leading to the second time C.C. kisses him. Lelouch gains back his memories and continues where he left off.

Things between C.C. and Lelouch are much different now than they were in R1. C.C. is now expressing how they can save Nunnally in fact the contract does not seem to be a high priority anymore. She does remain stoic but it’s clear that Lelouch’s reason for living is the focus now.

As the episodes go on we start to see the flirting between Lelouch and C.C. continue. There was a moment between them in R2 Turn 2. Each time this happens you can interpret from these moments that something is obviously forming between the two. We will see this until the end of the series it’s one of my favorite things to look out for every time I rewatch the show.

Lelouch Asks C.C. To Help Him Destroy the Geass Order

This relationship gets a serious test after the death of Shirley. Prior to Lelouch calling her. C.C. is talking to Marianne and notes how Lelouch might have forgotten about the contract.

I think C.C. meant that the contract is no longer a priority for both her and Lelouch. Before C.C. can continue the conversation Lelouch calls her. They then discuss the Geass order and Shirley’s death.

Lelouch tests C.C.’s loyalty by asking her to help him destroy the order. Despite C.C. agreeing to help Lelouch she still does not want to reveal the contract. This is an important part of the series because it shows how much C.C. is devoted to helping out Lelouch. You can tell that C.C. had regrets during and after the destruction of the Geass Order.

C.C. and Lelouch both end up at the Sword of Akasha after destroying the Geass Order and it is there where C.C. reveals that she wishes to die. The entire time Lelouch was only chosen to develop the Geass to the point where he could kill C.C. by taking her Code. C.C. even here demonstrates how she is more concerned with Lelouch’s goals by stating if Lelouch gains the code then he could defeat Charles.

I do wonder if she said that just so Charles would have two Codes to start the Ragnarock Connection. Lelouch refuses and enters into C.C.’s mind it’s there that he learns about her past. He finally understands what she actually wants.

If you want a complete analysis of C.C.’s wish here is my article on it.

Lelouch convinces C.C. to not let Charles take her Code and she instead frees Lelouch. After Lelouch escapes with C.C., we learn that She even sealed her memories. Which I think was to protect Lelouch.

Once she gets her memories back C.C. betrays Charles and Marianne again. C.C. joins Lelouch, and Suzaku as the three of them face Charles and Marianne in C’s World. C.C. realizes that Marianne and Charles only cared about themselves.

Her decision not to support the plan is why she was not consumed while they were. At this point, the story has taken a new direction. C.C.’s contract either will never be fulfilled or has changed based on her new wish.

This will be very important to take note of as we go through the final episodes in this series.

As of right now, C.C. has demonstrated she supports Lelouch more than a friend and even a lover. But we need to look at the final episodes to know for sure

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C.C. No Longer Sees Lelouch as an Accomplice

After the Zero Requiem starts we get a scene where Lelouch and Nunnally share a video call. Even though Lelouch had to be mean to her he expresses his guilt afterward. Suzaku reminds Lelouch that he cannot back now and needs to fulfill his promise.

After this C.C. and Suzaku share a conversation where he states that she needs to be his shield. He goes as far as to say that Lelouch is his Accomplice. C.C. acts surprised that he said that.

What’s interesting here is that C.C. is no longer an accomplice to Lelouch because the contract is over. Lelouch will never fulfill at least the initial one they agreed on. If C.C. did not have the role to protect Lelouch you could argue that her role in this story was over. She also makes this clear by acting confused when Suzaku calls Lelouch her accomplice.

I think her staying to help with the Zero Requiem was proof that she loved him. They share a conversation about how Nunnally can no longer be treated any differently. But the big takeaway is that Lelouch asks C.C. if we should see this until the end and she answers yes.

We again see more proof the C.C. cared about Lelouch’s by wanting to stay with him until the end.

C.C. asks Lelouch a question that I never thought about the significance of until writing this.

In R2 Turn 24 C.C. asks Lelouch if she ruined his life by giving him the Geass. Lelouch tells C.C. that Geass saved and improved his life. Remember when Lelouch went off on C.C. after Mao in R1 Stage 15.

He mentioned how it was evil that C.C. gave these contracts to people that ruined their lives. Lelouch even called her a monster. Well C.C. the whole time felt bad about it that is why she was so revealed when Lelouch told her that it was a good thing.

It’s why we get the moment where I believed they would have kissed had Kallen not interrupted the moment. C.C. protects Lelouch by fighting Kallen while piloting the Lancelot Frontier.

C.C. expresses how she is very happy when Lelouch tells her that she is no match for the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N. Eight Elements. She even says please come back that would make me happy. So, again while C.C. never says I love you it’s not unreasonable to interpret these statements as a declaration of love.

During her battle, Kallen demands that since C.C. has no reason to fight she should leave the battlefield. C.C. argues that she does have a reason that is to keep a promise. Afterward, Kallen asks C.C. if she loves Lelouch but C.C. responds with I do not know.

C.C. continues to say that she wants to start living. Of course, none of that would have happened had Lelouch not encouraged her.

While she might have some uncertainties by the time we get to the end of R2 Turn 25 it’s easier to see how C.C. feels.

We see her crying in the church as she fully comprehends what Lelouch’s actions will result in. C.C. has the final words in Code Geass.

“I said that Geass was the power of the king which would condemn you to as life of solitude I think maybe that’s not quite correct right Lelouch”

Here are my two ways to interpret this.

1. She is talking about Lelouch
2. She is talking about herself.

Regardless of which is it, what the important takeaway here is that the Geass power did the opposite for both of them. Instead of solitude, they came together and possibly became lovers. We of course see this happen in the latest film which I know goes against the scope of this article.

In conclusion, C.C. never states that she loves Lelouch. But from the evidence presented if there was a romance you can see it developing as early as R2 but you definitely have a strong argument for it at the end of R2.

C.C. changes the focus from only caring about the contract to Lelouch’s goals. She constantly chooses Lelouch over others.

Mao, Charles, Marianne, and her Contract.

She stayed with Lelouch until the end despite knowing it was not to her benefit. C.C. fell in love with a man that encourages her to smile, thanked her for saving him, and forgave her for the power of Geass.

No one has ever done this for her and for that she became forever close to him.

But now I ask you do you think did C.C. loved Lelouch?

If so what was the part in the anime that gave it away and if not why do you believe that to be the case?

Is my analysis completely wrong or right?

Let me know in the comments.

I have many additional Code Geass articles listed below if you want more.