Rolo Lamperouge

Rolo Lamperouge (ロロ・ランペルージ, Roro Ranperūji) is a fictional character in the Sunrise anime series Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2. His Japanese voice actor is Takahiro Mizushima, while he is voiced by Spike Spencer in the English dub.

Character outline

Rolo is a trained assassin, having killed many powerful figures during his life. He has had his Geass powers from the age of six, allowing him to pause peoples' perception of time for a short time.^[2] Despite his Geass being a valuable asset, V.V. refers to him as a failed experiment that could die at any time because his heart skips a beat when he uses his Geass. His main assassination method is to use firearms at close range, but he is also known to utilize and handle other weaponry expertly, including knives and poison. It is unknown what his real name is, but he quite frequently employs the codename "Rolo Haliburton".^[1] His real age and date of birth are also unknown, but the Office of Secret Intelligence estimates his age to be between 14 and 16 as of 2017 a.t.b.,^[1] meaning Rolo was likely born between a.t.b. 2000 and 2002. During the planning stages of Code Geass, Rolo was originally intended to be a half-brother to Lelouch and his physical appearance is designed to be 'a cross between Lelouch and Nunnally'.^[3]

Rolo is unsociable and reserved, unlike his older brother, a trait which does not gain him many friends at school. While working with the Britannian Secret Intelligence Service, he is aloof and doesn't seem very interested. He often stays in the background and simply listens and isn't afraid to be very blunt about their faults. While Rolo puts up a front of being withdrawn, this exterior hides a ruthless and detached killer who will do whatever it takes to complete his mission. He kills a Britannian O.S.I. agent for walking in on a conversation between him and Viletta about Geass because he might have overheard classified information, then rationalizes it as the fastest method when Villetta questions his action. During the assault on the Geass Order, Rolo does not hesitate to kill his fellow orphans, standing resolute in his loyalty to Lelouch, and then kills a fellow Black Knight pilot immediately afterward for questioning his relationship to the facility.

Despite his attitude towards the mission, Rolo is devoted to Lelouch. Lelouch's year without memories show him and Rolo quite happy, particularly when Lelouch gives him a heart-shaped musical locket as a birthday present, which he keeps attached to his cellphone.^[4] His attachment to the locket is such that he refuses to return it even when Lelouch tries to reclaim it. He also killed a member of the Britannian army for touching the locket. It is also clear that he has also been heavily affected by his time with Lelouch. Because of this Lelouch comes to care for him and thus follows his orders without question.

Character history

The Vincent Prototype

Rolo is introduced in the second season as Lelouch's younger brother after Clara's death, but is actually an assassin placed there by the Britannian Emperor under orders to kill him should he ever recover any memories of being Zero. During the Black Knights' attempt to recover Lelouch, Rolo uses his prototype Vincent Knightmare Frame to decimate their forces. He nearly kills Lelouch, as well, but Urabe's sacrifice and explosives placed by C.C. allow Lelouch and his Knights to escape to the Chinese Federation consulate. Rolo follows and nearly forces his way inside, but is tricked into believing that Lelouch has been at the school the entire time.

Lelouch later attempts to ambush Rolo and reveal who he is, only to have the situation reversed when Rolo uses his own Geass. In the process, though, Lelouch deduces the nature of this Geass. Having studied Rolo's past, Lelouch convinces him that he will bring C.C. the following day. Using his Geass on David Darlton, Lelouch commands him to open fire on Rolo's Vincent with his sniper rifle-equipped Knightmare during the ensuing battle, knowing Rolo would be unable to save himself from the shot. Lelouch then takes the bullet for Rolo. This act confuses Rolo's loyalties, and Lelouch exploits this to put Rolo into a situation where he has no choice but to join Lelouch.

When Nunnally vi Britannia's appointment as the new Viceroy of Area 11 sends Lelouch into depression, Rolo tries to convince him to give up being Zero and remain at the school to protect everyone. This instead inspires Lelouch's idea to have the Black Knights exiled, protecting Nunnally, the school, and all of Japan from the chaos the Black Knights create. While Lelouch has himself exiled, Rolo stays behind at Ashford Academy to help keep up the appearance that Lelouch hasn't become Zero again.

Following Jeremiah Gottwald's attack on Ashford Academy, Rolo encounters Shirley Fenette while searching for Lelouch in the train station, whereupon she reveals that she has recovered her memories and that she wants to help Lelouch reunite with Nunnally. At this, Rolo mortally wounds her using his Geass power.

Shortly after Lelouch speaks with Shirley in her final moments, Rolo reappears and claims that he killed Shirley because she had regained her memories and was chasing Lelouch with a gun. Lelouch pretends to forgive Rolo and commends his action, but secretly Lelouch plans revenge against Rolo for killing Shirley. Lelouch rigs his Vincent with a bomb, intending to kill Rolo during the assault on the Geass Order. His plan is unknowingly disrupted by Cornelia.

During the battle for Tokyo, Lelouch entrusts Rolo with retrieving Nunnally, but Rolo intends to kill her. Sayoko retrieves her while Rolo covers them in a stolen Sutherland. He tells Lelouch that she is dead after the F.L.E.I.J.A. bomb destroys the government complex. He and Jeremiah are forced to drag Lelouch from the battlefield, and Rolo carries him into his room. Rolo attempts to comfort Lelouch and he calls Rolo an impostor, admitting that he tried to kill him repeatedly and that he despises him.

When the Black Knights learn Lelouch's true identity and betray him, Rolo uses the Shinkirō to evacuate Lelouch, freezing all in his path using his Geass. Despite Lelouch's protests, Rolo uses it to such an extent that it overtaxes his heart. He does so content in the knowledge that the time he spent with Lelouch was real and, while he may have been used as a tool by everyone around him (possibly even Lelouch), his final action was of his own free will. Rolo manages to reach a safe spot to land as he dies. He refuses to believe that Lelouch meant what he said before, and Lelouch agrees while acknowledging Rolo as his younger brother. Lelouch even digs a grave for Rolo, leaving the locket on the marker. Then, he muses that Rolo was not the brother of Lelouch vi Britannia, but that of Lelouch Lamperouge, the Ashford student.

Abilities

Rolo Lamperouge with his Geass active

Rolo's Geass is known as the "Ward of Absolute Suspension", which is the ability to suspend the subjective sense of time of everyone within a given range. Those under its effect are frozen in place for the duration of its activation. When activated, a Geass sigil manifests in his right eye and projects a red sphere representing the area of effect. Its range is determined at activation; while no upper limit is given, it can at least reach several hundred meters. Physical obstacles or electronic equipment do not hinder its effectiveness, nor does it require eye contact. The same people can be frozen repeatedly. Despite long-term possession of the ability, Rolo's Geass remains under his control, unlike Lelouch.

The weakness of Rolo's Geass is that his heart stops when he uses it,^[5] limiting its activation to short bursts. The range also determines the amount of strain it puts on him.^[6] Finally, it is unable to stop inanimate objects or physical phenomena such as speed and momentum (for example, it cannot stop a clock nor a projectile in mid-flight).^[1] Although the Geass can work on Jeremiah Gottwald, Jeremiah's Geass Canceler automatically activates when that happens: limiting the Geass' effect on him to just a few seconds.

In addition to his Geass ability, Rolo is a trained assassin, having been raised as such since he was a child. According to his Office of Secret Intelligence profile, he is quite skilled in firearms and other weaponry including explosives, poisons, knives, and more.^[7] He is also a proficient pilot, using his Vincent Knightmare Frame in combination with his Geass to throw his opponents into confusion and shock.

Appearance in other media

Lost Colors

Rolo covered in Rai's blood with his trademark knife

In a video game for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, Code Geass: Lost Colors, Rolo is sighted on Kaminejima together with V.V.

If the player decides to attack first with the protagonist Rai's Geass, Rolo uses his Geass power and kills Rai with a knife, resulting in a game over. If the player chooses not to use the Geass ability, Rai instead ends up throwing a grenade in an attempt to escape. It detonates while still in the air, far faster than he expects — possibly due to Rolo's Geass ability.

Code Geass: The Manga

In the manga, Rolo is similar to his anime counterpart but with a different Geass ability and is given orders by Suzaku instead of Villetta. He rescues Lelouch with Jeremiah instead of Guilford when he was held captive by Schneizel at the Kururugi Shrine. He dies in a similar way except that there are no Knightmare Frames and he does not escape with Lelouch in a Shinkiro but a VTOL instead.

The Miraculous Birthday

In a special Code Geass Picture Drama episode, Rolo reappeared with Lelouch in December 5 for Ashford Academy's school festival, helping Rivalz, now class president, along with Kallen, who often complains about the work Lelouch assigned them both. After Rolo met with Suzaku, who brought Nunnally, Shirley, Nina, and C.C., he encountered a group called, Neo-Chinese Federation led by a former eunuchs, and took everyone hostage. While the group retreat to the clubhouse, Lelouch thought of a plan and assigns Rolo to disable the enemies Knightmare Frame.

Rolo later rendezvoused with Lelouch and then pushes Nunnally's by the hall with the others, were the two talked to each other for the first time and reveal to each other being Lelouch's brother, which led to Rolo being surprised when Nunnally commented if she would be his older sister or if he was her older brother, a thought that never occurred to Rolo before. When Suzaku and Kallen were revealed to have been captured by the eunuch, Rolo suspected if the eunuch might have a Geass, which Lelouch agrees and decided to confront him. The group arrived and confronted the eunuch and demand to know where are Suzaku and Kallen, which the eunuch revealed a vase known as the "Thousand-man Silver Vase", which he used to absorb the souls of Suzaku and Kallen and proceeded to absorb both Nunnally and C.C.'s souls. While realizing the vase only absorbs one soul per use, Lelouch dons his Zero persona and ordered Rolo to use his Geass to stop time and allow Lelouch to get the students to wear the mask of Zero, causing the vase to overload and explode, returning everyone's souls back to their bodies. In the aftermatch, Rolo had disappeared along with Lelouch, Shirley, and C.C.^[8]

Another Century's Episode: R

In the fourth installment of the Another Century's Episode series, Rolo briefly appeared and was confronted by Kyoshiro Tohdoh, who told him that Zero died at the Chinese, much to Rolo's disbelief. Unknown to the Black Knights that he is alive and in Eria.

Nunnally in Wonderland

In a special OVA parody episode, based on the Alice in Wonderland story, Rolo appears in the role as the Mock Turtle.

See also

• List of Code Geass characters

References