: The episode includes poignant moments, such as Lelouch leaving a candle for Euphemia, signaling his lingering remorse for the events of the first season.
: By having a million people don the mask, Lelouch transforms Zero from a single leader into a collective ideal that cannot be easily destroyed or apprehended. Critical Reception Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 - Episode 8
: Reviewers frequently cite this as one of their favorite episodes due to the "miracle" plan, which highlights Lelouch's ability to outmaneuver the Britannians without brute force. : The episode includes poignant moments, such as
Zero shocks both his allies and enemies by agreeing to join Nunnally’s Special Administrative Zone (SAZ). He enters a secret negotiation with Suzaku and other Britannian officials, proposing his own exile in exchange for delivering one million Japanese to the SAZ. During the opening ceremony, a massive smoke screen is deployed, and as it clears, every participating Japanese person—including a dog—is revealed to be wearing a Zero costume. Because the Britannians previously agreed to exile "Zero," Suzaku is forced to choose between starting another massacre or exiling all one million "Zeros". He ultimately chooses exile, and a giant iceberg ship from the Chinese Federation arrives to transport them to safety. Zero shocks both his allies and enemies by
: Some viewers found the logistics of preparing one million costumes on short notice to be a bit "unbelievable," though most were willing to overlook this for the sake of the narrative payoff.