C.C. is arguably the best thing to come out of Code Geass.
Often rivalling Lelouch in popularity, she’s won the most popular female character consecutively in the 2007 and 2008 Anime Grand Prix.
C.C.’s pop culture domination hasn’t declined much since the anime ended, but a lot of questions may remain unanswered about her life.
Let’s take a look back at the iconic green-haired character and try answering some of those!
C.C.’s First Appearance
In the anime, C.C.’s story begins when Suzaku and Lelouch encounter a gas capsule that supposedly contains poison.
She emerges out of the capsule instead, surprising both of them.
Suzaku’s superior orders him to shoot the woman, but he refuses to comply and gets put down.
Lelouch escapes with the mysterious woman.
Their position is given away when Lelouch’s cell phone starts ringing.
C.C. lunges forward and protects him from getting shot.
The bullet pierces her forehead, but before she dies, C.C. makes a contract with Lelouch.
She gives him Geass – a magical ability that allows Lelouch to dictate the behaviour of others.
The Long, Long History of C.C – In Short
Unlike the anime had us believe, C.C. dates back to centuries.
From the handful of flashbacks we saw in the second season, C.C. was very likely born in mediaeval Europe.
There, she was lured into a contract by a nun who gave her the power to make anyone fall in love with her.
As most geass users today, her powers soon run amok – the geass transferring from one eye to both eyes – putting literally everyone in her village into a trance. Love potions are never a good idea, are they?
C.C. realises this was a terrible idea and goes back to the nun.
The nun proposes to trade her Code – the curse of immortality – in exchange for her Geass.
C.C. accepts and thus becomes the “immortal witch”.
Once the spell of Geass was lifted, she began to be persecuted, beheaded and even burnt alive.
It seems she has travelled across the world for centuries, wishing for two things.
On a surface level, she wants to bestow geass on someone until they reach the consummate levels required to transfer her Code, so that she can finally be free of the curse of immortality, just the way the nun did.
This is why C.C. briefly participates in the Ragnarok Connection orchestrated by Lelouch’s mother and father.
By allowing Charles to take her code, C.C.’s wish to die would have come true.
But in her heart of hearts, C.C. continues to wish for someone who would love her.
Mao, the other person she granted Geass to, was unsuccessful in doing so.
Lelouch, therefore, became C.C.’s first true love.
Although initially she intended to use him as a means to die, C.C. falls in love with him instead.
What happens to C.C.?
When C.C. urged Lelouch to kill her and steal her Code, he straight up refuses.
Lelouch would've had an upper hand against his father had he accepted the offer.
But he wouldn’t let C.C. have an unfulfilling and tragic death after all she’s been through.
He discovers that her true wish is not to die but to be loved. He promises to love her and give her happiness.
Spoilers!
In the last episode, before Lelouch is assassinated, C.C. can be seen praying for him. It seems she’s finally at peace with herself and has found her will to live. She reflects that Geass doesn’t necessarily condemn a person to a life of solitude, as Lelouch proved. This implies that C.C. has reconsidered her own past, finally accepting it.
In the ending scene, C.C. is shown travelling in a cart. Maybe she’s doing a world tour, who knows – but what's certain is that she’s happy!
Lonav Ojha
