There is no deficiency of good guys in anime. The likes of Naruto and Goku prioritize doing the right thing, even reforming their foes through penetrating words rather than violence. This approach sometimes works and fails. Lelouch Lamperouge, in contrast, is a guy determined to get what he wants no matter what.
He's ruthless, tactical, and not afraid to get his hands dirty. For Lelouch, the world is not a fair place, and this is a lesson he learned from a young age. Throughout Code Geass, he says things that are well thought and deeper than they seem. Their true meaning only becomes clear after pondering on them for a while.
10 "When there is evil in this world that justice cannot defeat, would you taint your hands with evil to defeat evil? Or would you remain steadfast and righteous even if it means surrendering to evil?"
Zero says these words before having a duel with Guilford outside of the Chinese embassy to rescue the Black Knights. In either case, evil does not end. The ideal situation would be to choose the option that prevents more evil. In this case, one side loses while the other wins.
Guilford replies that he would choose justice in the name of Princess Cornelia. While Lelouch commends evil to destroy the greater evil, he has been doing this from the start to exact revenge against his father. He had already come to terms with being a different kind of evil.
9 "Time flows constantly, it doesn't care about the people who are struggling."
This quote fits perfectly with Lelouch's whole life. First, in his eyes, his father plotted to kill his mother. Then when he asks him for an explanation, he withdraws Lelouch's right to be an heir and banishes him to live a normal life.
During all this, he had no one to rely on or give him support other than his sister Nunally and his friend Suzaku. And that's not all. Lelouch wore the mask of Zero and fought against the whole Britannian Empire, which is led by his family. He learned that time does not stop for anyone. Rather than grieve, he carved his own destiny and put a mark in history.
8 "Our crying for them won't bring the dead back to life."
Lelouch said this at the time when his brother, Prince Clovis, was giving a bland performance that was forcefully aired on every TV screen of Area 11. He tried to make everyone mourn for the deaths of Britannian soldiers who died in a clash with Lelouch's Black Knights, though no one was buying it. While crowds watched in silence, Lelouch was chatting with his friend about how embarrassing Clovis looked.
By then, Lelouch had experienced everything and grew up quickly. He had seen death and suffered war. Therefore, he knows that crying won't do anything; it is by use of power that the world can be changed. He too desires power so others won't have to cry.
7 "You can't change the world with pretty words alone."
Lelouch gains the mysterious power that can command anyone to act as he orders. His whole world is changed in just a few moments. Lelouch transforms from an innocent student into a merciless revolutionary, going as far as killing Clovis.
Lelouch knows that Clovis makes speeches only to maintain order; the prince does not feel any sympathy for the people. Lelouch speaks these words to him before pulling the trigger symbolizing that the powerful always wins and there is no right or wrong. Clovis's flowery words couldn't save him in the end.
6 "The only ones who should kill, are those who are prepared to be killed."
In Code Geass, the distinction between the powerful and weak is very prominent. The powerful carry out every kind of injustice, without giving a second thought to the consequences. This breeds hatred and contempt in the hearts of oppressed. However, many also lose hope and accept reality as it is.
Lelouch is the rebellious type. He believes that the wrongdoers must be brought to justice. Therefore, when he uses his Geass for the very first time, he commands some arrogant Britannian soldiers to kill themselves -- which they happily do. Sure, there were other ways to get out of that situation, but Lelouch acts upon his ideology of hunting the hunters.
5 "A life that lives without doing anything is the same as a slow death."
Before receiving the power of Geass from CC, Lelouch was just an average high school student. He had nothing to live for except his little sister. Day in and day out, he followed the same soul-crushing routine. Nothing new was happening in his life and he was nowhere near achieving his revenge against his father and Britannia.
Some want money, some want fame and some want love; basically, everyone is running after something. Lelouch is right in saying that a life without achieving anything or putting a mark on the world is the same as not living and slowly dying.
4 "If strength is justice, then is powerlessness a crime?"
Lelouch is obviously a philosophical person. He questions the nature of everything and thinks ahead of time. His ideology is based upon his sense of right or wrong, not what the masses support. The primary theme in Code Geass is that the strong get away with everything, while the weak can not even stand up for themselves.
Lelouch himself is able to rebel once he gains the power of Geass. He then asks: is being weak a crime? It's not written as law, but it certainly is the unspoken rule of Code Geass' world. His only motivation is to change that and give justice to everyone.
3 "If the king doesn’t move, then his subjects won’t follow.”
Before mounting a revolution or gaining the Geass, Lelouch was already a gifted student. He knew how people think and what makes them obey someone or something. Consequently, he knew how to get people to follow Zero.
Lelouch was a natural leader. He speaks this line right after Clovis gave his half-baked speech. Lelouch then goes on to meet CC and bind into a contract with her. The rest, as they say, is history. He then went on to bring the most powerful nation on Earth to its knees.
2 “When will the war end? When someone wins.”
War happens when two sides fight for their personal gains. It is not a solution and never will be. The ones that suffer the most are innocent citizens and nature itself. Code Geass embodies this theme perfectly when Britannia launches an attack on Japan. When Japan is occupied, the Japanese are robbed of their culture, identity, and rights as people.
Lelouch has experienced all of it first-hand. He knows better than anyone the horrors of war. He fights against the Britannians in the hopes that future generations can live in peace and won't have to suffer as he did.
1 “All the hatred in the world is gathered on me, as promised. So, all you have to do is to erase my existence and put an end to this chain of hatred. The Black Knights will have the legend of Zero left behind for them. Schneizel will work for Zero. And now the world can be unified at one table, not through military force, but through negotiation and talk. Mankind can finally embrace the future.”
This has to be the best line in Code Geass and, without exaggeration, in anime history. It is the perfect ending for a hero who sacrificed everything, turn his friends into enemies, and became hated by his own people. Lelouch is always two steps ahead of everyone, and he knew that this was the only way to achieve his goals.
By embodying everything humanity hates, world unity is finally achieved. There is no conflict and humanity can thrive in peace and tranquility. It's the perfect ending for someone like Lelouch.