The act of directing the world’s hate at oneself with the aim of eradicating war and uniting all the people is certainly noble. However, such honorable intentions cannot be completed without first becoming a global symbol of ire. In the anime Code Geass, Lelouch vi Britannia concocted a plan to ensure he became the most hated man in the world, focusing the people’s hate solely on himself. In Gundam 00, Aeolia Schenberg intended for the Celestial Beings to perform armed interventions which would lead to a united force to destroy them.
Both plots had a similar vein, but played out dramatically differently in their execution and completion. There are certainly obvious differences to the origin of these two plans and vast differences in the characters’ intentions when executing them. When comparing Lelouch and Aeolia’s plans, it is clear that one had a singular, focused objective without the influence of outside forces — while the other had the difficulty of multiple and evolving steps, as well as outside influences manipulating the original plot.
Code Geass’ Lelouch Was Adaptable and a Genius Tactician
The story of Code Geass was not always on the path to the eradication of war. In fact, Lelouch’s original intention was the dismantling of the Holy Britannian Empire, the safety of his sister Nunnally and revenge on his father, Charles zi Britannia, for abandoning them after the assassination of their mother, Marianne. Upon learning of his mother and fathers’ deception — and the weaponization of the F.L.E.I.J.A. by Schneizel El Britannia — Lelouch adapted his plan to eradicate war and formulate peace through his own demise, rather than letting Schneizel do so through fear of destruction.
One of the main factors that made Lelouch’s plan so successful was its singularity. While he had C.C. as a confidant to discuss his intentions with, the decision ultimately rested upon him. He did not need to convince others or concern himself with their feelings; he alone took on the burden and carried it until the end. Lelouch’s immense intellect certainly assisted in the details and completion of the plan, but it was because he was so brilliant and devoted to his own cause that he was able to undertake the task.
Gundam 00’s Celestial Beings Were Tools in Another’s Dream
Gundam 00’s Aeolia Schenberg was the mastermind behind the Celestial Beings and the uniting of the world for the purpose of future dialogue with alien races. He died long before the series’ beginning, being unable to attain his goal within his lifetime. However, that reality was implanted within his overall goal — along with several contingency plans weaved in. His dream was left in the hands of the Celestial Beings piloting the Gundams, whose armed interventions would be too overwhelming for one nation to fight against alone. This forced them to join into a world governmental body in the hope to develop and combat the Gundams.
While Aeolia’s plan stretched far beyond the simple uniting of humanity, with the hope of evolving humans into Innovators, some major pitfalls affected its development. A troubling concern was the inclusion of so many individuals who shared in its responsibility, even some unaware of their own true purpose. Alejandro and Ribbons manipulated the plan for their own benefit, progressing it quicker than expected and creating subsections within the united human forces to solidify their personal power. Even the Celestial Beings refused to accept their own destruction; their defeat was an intentional part of the plan, and their own ideologies were their driving factor rather than a singular goal.
When comparing the ‘Eradication of War’ plans in Code Geass and Gundam 00, it must reflect on the planner. Lelouch relied solely on himself to complete his his mission and sacrificed himself to see it through. He knew the cost of such an act. Aeolia may have died, but he also prepared himself for revival and set up contingency plans should he be killed in his cryogenic state. Lelouch used his genius to execute his plan and was his own catalyst for a future of peace, Aeolia manipulated others — who were vulnerable due to their troubled pasts — through Veda to sacrifice themselves for his post-mortem dream.