“He doesn’t seem like the acting type”: Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture’s Biggest Misdirect May be in Ash Being a Puppet for Sakuya

The iconic 2000s shonen anime has come back on screen after 16 years. Code Geass is back with its third installment of the franchise namely Rozé of the Recapture. Written by Goro Taniguchi and Ichiro Okouchi, the series focused heavily on themes of power, revenge, and betrayal.

Rozé of the Recapture is set in the year 7 of the Kowa Era, where Ash Phoenix and Rozé embark on a journey to rescue a former princess of Hokkaido named Sakuya. While Ash is trained and skilled in combat and piloting abilities, Rozé is the true brains behind the operation. The duo is also referred to as The Nameless Mercenaries.

However, in the recent episodes, Rozé’s true identity revealed Sakuya’s ambitions and motivations, including her hatred for Ash that stemmed from the death of her father. To add to that, several theories are predicting a romantic angle between the two protagonists, along with Ash being Sakuya’s puppet.

Code Geass: Ash Phoenix’s ever-revolving guilt

Ash Phoenix is one half of the Nameless Mercenaries, and is a skilled combatant and Knightmare pilot fighting alongside Rozé to rescue Sakuya. He is portrayed as a cold, distant, and detached man. As the series progresses, it is revealed that Sakuya harbors immense hatred for him and holds him responsible for her father’s death.

Even though the truth regarding Sakuya’s father is revealed in episode 6, he seems to blame himself throughout the series for his death, having witnessed it firsthand. Furthermore, his backstory in the episode reveals and unfolds the truth behind his origins and true identity.

To say the least, Ash Phoenix’s character progression highlights his true nature throughout these 6 episodes. Apart from being a skilled Knightmare pilot, he also displays his compassionate and kind side by tending to animals. However, it does not take away the fact that he may be Sakuya’s puppet, as viewers pointed out.

Code Geass: Sakuya’s mastery over Ash Phoenix

Sakuya Sumeragi establishes her character as the mastermind Rozé, who works alongside Ash Phoenix as the duo called the Nameless Mercenaries. Having witnessed the fall of Hokkaido and her father’s death, she garnered immense hatred toward Ash, not knowing the whole truth.

Sakuya inherits her Geass from L.L., making her a formidable opponent in the series. However, her using the Geass to brainwash Ash into thinking that he is Rozé’s elder brother highlights her mastery over him. At this point, he seems to be reduced to a puppet who is living a lie.

To add to that, this has led many Code Geass fans including to question his actual feelings towards Raspberry aka Sakuya on Reddit. The theories speculate the true nature of his emotions, including his guilt as well as a newfound love for her alias.

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Some have even pointed out the possibility of Ash knowing her real identity and that he might be playing along with Sakuya’s ambitions and goals out of his guilt, just like this Reddit user.

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While these theories may seem plausible, we never really know what’s to come. The first episode seemed to be banal to viewers. However, with the progression of episodes, fans seem to be catching on to the different layers presented within the anime.

And while Ash seems brainwashed and unaware of the whole truth, all we have to do is wait for the next episode to find out the truth behind Sakuya’s mastery over him. To add to that, there’s an unfolding of some sort, with each episode revealing the backstory behind the characters.

Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture is available for streaming on Hulu