Ep 16. Nunnally Held Hostage

Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion is an anime series set in an alternate world where Britain has conquered Japan and renamed it Area 11. The story follows Lelouch, a Britannian prince who obtains a power known as Geass, which allows him to control anyone he makes eye contact with. Lelouch uses his power to seek revenge against Britannia, but his plans become complicated when his beloved younger sister, Nunnally, is taken hostage.

Season 1, Episode 16, titled "Nunnally Held Hostage," begins with Lelouch and his rebel group, the Black Knights, attempting to kidnap Suzaku, Lelouch's former friend and now a high-ranking Britannian soldier. However, their plan goes awry when Suzaku's Knightmare Frame, a powerful robot, causes their escape route to collapse. In the chaos, Nunnally, who is supposed to be staying at the Ashford Academy, is taken hostage by the Britannians.

Lelouch is devastated by his sister's abduction and blames himself for putting her in danger. He is determined to rescue her but knows that he cannot use his Geass in front of her because he does not want to reveal his identity as Zero, the leader of the Black Knights. To complicate matters, Suzaku is put in charge of Nunnally's custody, which makes it even more difficult for Lelouch to sneak in and rescue her.

Meanwhile, Lelouch's estranged father, Emperor Charles zi Britannia, returns to Area 11 and makes a grand entrance at the Britannian palace. Charles is a mysterious and powerful figure who has been absent from the story for most of the season, but his presence looms large throughout the episode. He is revealed to have a connection to Nunnally and Lelouch's mother, who died when they were young.

As Lelouch struggles to come up with a way to rescue Nunnally, he receives a surprise visitor: C.C., the immortal being who gave him his Geass. C.C. offers to help him rescue Nunnally in exchange for Lelouch making a contract with her. Lelouch is hesitant to trust C.C. because he knows very little about her, but he is desperate and agrees to the deal.

In the final act of the episode, Lelouch and the Black Knights launch a surprise attack on the Britannian palace, hoping to catch Suzaku and the other soldiers off guard. They manage to sneak past the security and infiltrate the palace, but Suzaku is waiting for them. Lelouch's plan almost fails when Suzaku sees his face, but C.C. intervenes and uses her own Geass to erase Suzaku's memory of the encounter. Lelouch and the Black Knights continue their mission and eventually reach Nunnally, but they discover that there is a hidden enemy waiting for them.

Overall, "Nunnally Held Hostage" is an action-packed episode that blends political intrigue, family drama, and mecha battles. It showcases the complex relationships between the characters and reveals new layers to their backstories. The episode also adds suspense to the overarching narrative, as the viewer is left wondering what Charles's ultimate goal is and how Lelouch will cope with the consequences of his recklessness.