After the confrontation with Mao, Lelouch asks Suzaku if he really killed his father. He is too shocked to answer. Lelouch assures him that he did the right thing, and keeping the truth of his death a secret was necessary for Area 11's stability.
Elsewhere, a museum built in Clovis's honor is opened, and Euphemia is given the honor of choosing the best painting in the museum. She is particularly fond of a painting of a Japanese village, but is informed that it was ineligible to win due to the artist being of Eleven descent. At the same time, the Black Knights are approached by the Four Holy Swords. Their commander, Kyoshiro Tohdoh, had been captured by the Britannians while helping them escape from their pursuers, and they beseech the Black Knights to rescue him. Lelouch approves of the mission to rescue Tohdoh. Even though C.C. failed to meet with the Chinese emissary, Lelouch now had an opportunity to recruit two powerful forces to his cause: Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords. With luck, he hopes to convince Suzaku to join him, as well.
With Tohdoh captured, Cornelia suggests letting "him" carry out his execution. With unrest arising elsewhere, Cornelia leaves to settle the issue, leaving Euphemia in Darlton's care. She also leaves her with dossiers on soldiers eligible to be her personal knight.
Back at Ashford, Lelouch laments that he would not have much time to spend with Nunnally soon. The incident with Mao highlighted his need to keep his sister safe. To that end, he hopes to leave Suzaku as her protector, her "knight".
As the Black Knights prepare to rescue Tohdoh, they are joined by Rakshata Chawla, the Indian scientist behind the construction of the Guren Mk-II, who provides the Black Knight pilots with new uniforms.
That evening, Tohdoh is informed that he would be executed by Suzaku Kururugi. Suzaku, himself, is unsettled by this development: he had known Tohdoh since his childhood, when he served as his martial arts instructor. Before the paperwork for Tohdoh's change of executioner can be signed, however, the Black Knights attack, lead by the Four Holy Swords and their new "Gekka" Knightmare Frames. A prison guard comes to shoot Tohdoh before he can be rescued, but Zero, along with Kallen, rescue him. Tohdoh rejects Zero's aid: his allegiance lies with Katase, and with his death, he wishes to die, too. Zero, however, calls him a coward, and tells him to take responsibility for the "miracle" he performed at the Battle of Itsukushima.
The battle intensifies once Tohdoh agrees to aid Zero and is placed at the helm of his own custom Gekka, and the subsequent appearance of the Lancelot. The awarding ceremony at the museum is interrupted by news of the battle and Tohdoh's escape. Zero relays the Lancelot's tactics to Tohdoh and his comrades, and Tohdoh cuts open the Lancelot's hatch, revealing its pilot to be Suzaku Kururugi, to Lelouch and Kallen's horror.
The Four Holy Swords circle in to kill Suzaku, in spite of Lelouch's orders to stop, but Suzaku manages to fend them off. Lelouch calls for an immediate retreat, telling them they completed their mission by rescuing Tohdoh. With Britannian reinforcements closing in, the Black Knights withdraw.
As the crowd at the museum become irritated with Suzaku not pursuing them, Euphemia makes a shocking announcement: her personal knight would be none other than Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi!
