Our heroes manage to stop the SAZ Massacre and save Euphemia, but now the stakes have been raised higher than ever. They make preparations for the coming battle, but will these be enough?
- The Bus Came Back: General Katase and the JLF finally make their return, with it being mentioned that they’re providing support for the Voltron Coalition during the Black Rebellion.
- Commonality Connection: It does not take long for Rai and Coran to strike up a friendship with Lloyd over their interests in technology.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The Britannian forces on both sides get kicked around here - those that sided with the Galra are torn apart by the Black Knights, Paladins, and Cornelia's forces, while those who sided with Cornelia get thrashed by the Galra...
- Curb Stomp Cushion: That being said, Cornelia's forces still manage to stop the loyalist Britannians from inflicting too much damage.
- Defector from Decadence: Many Britannians in Area 11 change sides in the aftermath of the SAZ Massacre, as selling out the world to aliens and letting said aliens slaughter innocent people is beyond the pale.
- Eviler than Thou: Just a look at Zarkon intimidates V.V. and Charles into submission. Haggar, meanwhile, easily bullies V.V. with her powers, which are far superior to anything Victor can do.
- Green-Eyed Monster: It's revealed here that Charles only ordered Nebiros to kill Euphemia - he wanted Lelouch and Nunnally brought back alive. V.V. amended the order out of jealousy.
- Family of Choice: This chapter emphasizes that Lelouch views the Paladins as his Family of Choice, which they reciprocate. When Lelouch tries to apologize for dragging them into his family drama, they pointedly tell him that this isn't their fault and that they will never abandon him or Nunnally.
- Heroic BSoD: Suzaku has one in the Castle of Lions after the team's final meeting before the Black Rebellion, during which he demolishes one of the Castle's hall-walls in grief using his bayard and fists. C.C. eventually talks him out of it, and ends up convincing him to discard his death wish because the Paladins and Euphemia are Worth Living For.
- Hollywood Tactics: The Paladins explicitly decide to have the Castle of Lions participate in the Black Rebellion, even though this will put their command center at risk. Justified in that the Galra would likely attack in any way, and they'll need its firepower to back them up. Otherwise, Subverted, surprisingly enough - the Black Knights have air-capable Knightmares this time and use them to back up their forces, which canonically had no air support besides the Gawain during the Black Rebellion.
- I Have Your Wife: Attempted by Charles, who secretly sends forces to capture Rivalz, Shirley, and Milly's families. We only learn this when said forces reveal that the lions beat them to their targets and that Kallen also rescued her mom from prison.
- It's Personal: Charles allowing Nebiros to assassinate Euphie (who only barely survives due to the cryopods and Rolo only grazing her heart) earns him the undying hate of Cornelia and Suzaku. Really, though, all of the Paladins truly loath him at this point.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: The Galra are a Downplayed example, in that while they are never treated as harmless, they usually have to rely on either numbers, Robeasts, or their mystics (Zarkon, Haggar, and the Druids) to get an edge over the Paladins. When they fight Britannia, though, it's readily shown off just how powerful they really are - they're able to cut down numerous Knightmares without suffering more than scratches. Even the best weapons Britannia has on hand - the Hadron Cannons and the Blaze Luminous Shields - barely hold a candle to the aliens' technologies.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore: The aftermath of the Special Administrative Zone Massacre pretty much destroys The Stations of the Canon for both Code Geass and Voltron: Legendary Defender. The Black Knights now have the popular support of everyone, Britannian or Number, in Area 11. Cornelia and her forces have been branded traitors by Charles and willingly join up with the Black Knights, costing Britannia its best general. Schneizel is now forced to serve under Commander Corza, meaning that Charles has fully alienated the most effective (if not necessarily loyal) child, meaning that his alliance with the Galra is the only thing keeping him on the throne. From here on out, the battle against Britannia is now part of Voltron's bigger war to defeat the Galra.
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: Discussed by Rai, who assumes Haggar might have offered one of these to Charles. The scenes we get with the Emperor, V.V., and Haggar in both this episode and The Royal Declaration show this is the case.
- Off the Rails: It can safely be stated that the Black Rebellion will be massively different then it was in canon.
- Cornelia, Guilford, Darlton and the Glaston Knights have sided with the Black Knights.
- Euphie is still alive, and coupled with Nina apparently decided to evacuate with everyone else, this means that Nina's prototype Sakuradite nuke probably won't show up.
- Both sides are getting a noticeable force increase for the coming battle - numerous Japanese civilians and Britannian civilians decide to join the Black Knights out of digust over the SAZ Massacre, while the loyalist Britannians have the Galra backing them up.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: It takes a lot to get Schneizel el Britannia to lose his temper. Witnessing the SAZ Massacre puts him over the edge as he practically storms out of the Viceroy office and demands to contact Charles immediately. He only backs down when Commander Corza forces him to stand down.
- Super-Empowering: After finally snapping out of his Heroic BSoD while talking to C.C., Suzaku requests that they form a contract. He admits that the geass he gets might not be helpful, but he accepts the risk.
- Worth Living For: Suzaku ultimately discards his Death Wish because doing so would mean abandoning those he truly cares about - the Paladins, who are his True Companions, and Euphemia, his Love Interest.
- You Are Not Alone: The Paladins make it clear in this chapter that, no matter what happens, they will never abandon Lelouch or Nunnally.
