S1-02. The Awakening of the White Knight

[iAnwar Horizon]

Lelouch uses his genius tactical skills and his new power of Geass, to help the resistance fighters, against the Britannian Empire. Everything goes well, until Third Prince Clovis, calls in the Lancelot, an experimental Knightmare Frame that is unlike any other. Unfortunately, this Knightmare is being piloted by a Lelouch's childhood friend, Suzaku.

The second episode has two ideas I find interesting:

1. When Lelouch started giving commands across the radio, all the elevens fighters have followed his orders blindly which is a case that happens rarely and only under-pressure situation. The fighters- I choose this name instead of "terrorists"- are thirsty for a good leader that they could not find among themselves.

2. "With humans there are no perfect plans" said by Lelouch. Is this a true statment? can we have a perfect plan or a perfect crime? these questions are wondering in my head and would like you to share your Ideas

[Samerron]

2. "With humans there are no perfect plans" said by Lelouch. Is this a true statment? can we have a perfect plan or a perfect crime? these questions are wondering in my head and would like you to share your Ideas

That is so true. In theory you can plan, consider all the variables and the factors, but you can never include all variables, especially the ones related to humans, their actions and reactions. Nevertheless, one can achieve great results using good planning and an effective leadership. Don't you agree with me?
Now, help me in identifying the leadership traits that Lelouch used in his attack...

[Moath_H]

2. "With humans there are no perfect plans" said by Lelouch. Is this a true statment? can we have a perfect plan or a perfect crime? these questions are wondering in my head and would like you to share your Ideas

That is so true. In theory you can plan, consider all the variables and the factors, but you can never include all variables, especially the ones related to humans, their actions and reactions. Nevertheless, one can achieve great results using good planning and an effective leadership. Don't you agree with me?
Now, help me in identifying the leadership traits that Lelouch used in his attack...

"The perfect plan" is an aspiration, one used by idealists. It hearkens to the book we read - The Alchemist - and the notion of "personal dreams". The King of Salem mentioned that people read books and write them b/c they can only envision such scenarios from an idealist mindset. A realist - Lelouch seemingly - is therefore one who tries to include the variables that would lead to a realistic outcome with specific goals in mind (for example, minimal casualties on his side, maximum damage on the other, etc.).

[iAnwar Horizon]

but you can never include all variables, especially the ones related to humans, their actions and reactions. Nevertheless, one can achieve great results using good planning and an effective leadership. Don't you agree with me?
Now, help me in identifying the leadership traits that Lelouch used in his attack...

I agree with you..the effective leadership will help minimize the imperfections in a plan or overcome them. To have leadership there should be a team that needs to be lead, and that team with different experiences and knowledge will contribute to the plan to make it "perfect". so the leader alone will not make it, S/he needs to consult.
A leader,for me, is not the more knowledgeable, older or experienced but the one who will be able to move the team to the goal.

[Samerron]

"The perfect plan" is an aspiration, one used by idealists. It hearkens to the book we read - The Alchemist - and the notion of "personal dreams". The King of Salem mentioned that people read books and write them b/c they can only envision such scenarios from an idealist mindset. A realist - Lelouch seemingly - is therefore one who tries to include the variables that would lead to a realistic outcome with specific goals in mind (for example, minimal casualties on his side, maximum damage on the other, etc.).

I like the way how you look at it Moath. In addition, if you realize in the anime, Lelouch was engaging in the fight against the Britannian army and knightmares using all his troops (which they follow him blindly) in a strategic & tactical way, though it is actually a game of chess for him. Giving orders for every piece how to move and attack. Hence, his perfect plan is similar to playing chess, and seeing all the units and variables of the fight. Nonetheless he realized that in real life there are hidden & unknown variables that one cannot expect and prepare for it. Hence, in this situation it is not much of a strategy but rather its tactical improvisation, which I believe every leader will be facing. If you agree with me guys, we can move to the next point and see how can one improve this skill. We can notice it how Lelouch develops it throughout the episodes.

To have leadership there should be a team that needs to be lead,

Yes, I call it a group with a missing head.

A leader,for me, is not the more knowledgeable, older or experienced but the one who will be able to move the team to the goal.

A man was has a vision, and can communicate it to his subordinates and make them believe in it (if they don't already), and most importantly to translate this vision into a tangible results...

I believe we need a new thread that will include all sorts of discussions about leadership and its relation in the anime. You will also see that there are different kind of leaders in this anime...

[voidsoul]

This second episode is a lot about how battle is done in Code Geass. Strategy and technology, and a little of Lelouche's eye .

I want to talk a little more about the history recap in the beginning.
"Eleven. That was the new name for the Japanese people."
It says so much, to name a people with a number. It simply means they are nothing. No history, traditions, rights, identity - all thrown away.
Is that a good way to illustrate the fate of those who are conquered?
After all, all those things are worthless talk if you cannot defend them.

Then, at some point in the episode, they move from the war scene to a scene with girls in swimsuits discussing why one of them thinks she's fat. I wonder how many people in the world are pinned down under gunfire right now?

In the world of Code Geass, the media is strictly controlled by the Britannians. A whole full-scale battle can happen, and people would only think it was a traffic jam. It is easy to understand the media though, if you know precisely who controls it. Lelouche didn't even worry about it.

"If you wish to win, believe in me!" - Lelouche
And the word "win" immediately catches in the mind of the red-head girl, and she reacts.

Later in the battle, all the great strategies that Lelouche comes up with are ruined by one unit, the Lancelot.
Even as he said that his followers were incompetent, he had to make a run for it himself. He, in his leadership role, was defeated for a while.

I noticed a funny thing. Suzaku kicks Lelouche with the Lancelot the same way he kicks him in the first episode. That big flying twirly kick.

Anwar noted: "With humans there is no perfect plan." - Lelouche
You guys have chewed up this saying . I think he was simply comparing his loss here to chess. In chess, the entire game is observable, and the effects of every piece on the board is known. Even though he might have "planned perfectly" in that battle, he was immediately defeated by the Lancelot's power. "With humans", sometimes there is NO plan that allows you to win.

It was a really interesting episode, as the two sides battled it out, while the leaders sat in a quiet corner and gave their orders. There is always a reason however behind achieving victory or being defeated. Number of troops, information, strategy, technology - all came into play.

[Samerron]

It says so much, to name a people with a number. It simply means they are nothing. No history, traditions, rights, identity - all thrown away.
Is that a good way to illustrate the fate of those who are conquered?
After all, all those things are worthless talk if you cannot defend them.

That is a scary thought, for a country and its people to be stripped off their history, traditions, rights and identity. In other words, you are taking away their existence, giving them a new worthless identity; Elevens. It doesn't even have a meaning, rather just a number, and this number indicates the serial number of countries which Britannia has conquered. Even if the Japanese still call themselves Japanese, the dominating presence doesn't, thus their identity is isolated. One realizes from this that a weak civilization will be perish and remain in history books if they can't resist the dominating force!

Then, at some point in the episode, they move from the war scene to a scene with girls in swimsuits discussing why one of them thinks she's fat. I wonder how many people in the world are pinned down under gunfire right now?

I love this contrast, and yes it reflect a reality which we live.

"If you wish to win, believe in me!" - Lelouche
And the word "win" immediately catches in the mind of the red-head girl, and she reacts.

A good leaders rings the word that excites his subordinates.

I noticed a funny thing. Suzaku kicks Lelouche with the Lancelot the same way he kicks him in the first episode. That big flying twirly kick.

Yup from this one directly knows its Suzaku!

It was a really interesting episode, as the two sides battled it out, while the leaders sat in a quiet corner and gave their orders. There is always a reason however behind achieving victory or being defeated. Number of troops, information, strategy, technology - all came into play.

It is a game of:
- science & technology,
- information, communication & intellegince (note without Lelouch having full intelligence of the Britannians army, there was no chance of winning.
- numbers,
- leadership, and
- psychology.
Any more factors?

[Samerron]

I want to add the following points that Void mentioned...

Lelouch is a Britannian and the younger brother of Prince Clovis, the current ruler of Area 11. He was supposed to be dead... I wonder why?
Lelouch always have a plan, and uses his powers as a catalyst for his plans.

[iAnwar Horizon]

Anwar noted: "With humans there is no perfect plan." - Lelouche
You guys have chewed up this saying . I think he was simply comparing his loss here to chess. In chess, the entire game is observable, and the effects of every piece on the board is known. Even though he might have "planned perfectly" in that battle, he was immediately defeated by the Lancelot's power. "With humans", sometimes there is NO plan that allows you to win.

I like your perspective on this,it was hidden to me!

but even in chess the amount of complication to reach to a perfect plan is variant...a human mind can have a certain limit to depict all the possibilities..They could through supercomputers read this wiki about Deep Blue vs Kasparov What do you think

[Moath_H]

I like the way how you look at it Moath. In addition, if you realize in the anime, Lelouch was engaging in the fight against the Britannian army and knightmares using all his troops (which they follow him blindly) in a strategic & tactical way, though it is actually a game of chess for him. Giving orders for every piece how to move and attack. Hence, his perfect plan is similar to playing chess, and seeing all the units and variables of the fight. Nonetheless he realized that in real life there are hidden & unknown variables that one cannot expect and prepare for it. Hence, in this situation it is not much of a strategy but rather its tactical improvisation, which I believe every leader will be facing. If you agree with me guys, we can move to the next point and see how can one improve this skill. We can notice it how Lelouch develops it throughout the episodes.

No plan survives contact with the battlefield. The key is flexibility. If Lelouch can adjust for changes in enemy tactics (or unexpected or unforeseen events), then one could say that his command was guided more by strategic decisions made on the spot as opposed to stages of initial planning. That is to say that Lelouch may have not even needed a plan to begin the fight.

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