OVA
Description
Gene Smilas is a general within the army of the Euro Universe, commonly known as the E.U., and serves as a significant secondary character in the narrative. He is a mature-looking man with a full, well-kept beard and green hair. Smilas shares a close, long-standing connection with Leila Malcal, as he was a close friend of her late father, Bradow von Breisgau. This friendship provided the foundation for his role as a mentor to Leila, offering her advice, praising her accomplishments, and generally supporting her initiatives throughout the story.
On the surface, Smilas projects the image of an ideal, experienced, and practical commander. He is portrayed as a thoughtful leader who listens to and considers the opinions of those under his command, even when he might disagree with them. He appears to genuinely care for the citizens of the E.U. and expresses a desire to act in their best interests. However, this professional and caring demeanor conceals a much darker and more ambitious nature. Smilas holds a deep-seated contempt for the E.U.'s republican system of government, which he views as having devolved into a state of irresponsibility and self-interest driven by greedy and corrupt elites. He believes that the E.U. is on a path to inevitable conquest by the forces of Euro Britannia under its current leadership.
This belief feeds his central motivation: to seize control of the E.U. and establish a military dictatorship. He greatly admires Napoleon Bonaparte, wondering what might have happened if Napoleon had succeeded in becoming Emperor of Europe. Smilas firmly espouses the philosophy that a skilled dictator is far more beneficial to humanity than a democracy of ignorant people. While he frames his ambition as a necessary reform to save the E.U. from itself and from external threats, his actions reveal a purely self-serving desire for personal power. He is a calculating and ruthless manipulator who has no qualms about using any means necessary to achieve his goal of becoming Emperor of Europe, and there are hints that his aspirations may even extend to world domination.
Smilas's primary role in the story is as a key figure within the E.U. military command and the hidden architect of a coup d'état. He is aware of and has connections to the Geass Order and also seems to possess knowledge of Shin Hyuga Shaing, who is the leader of the Knights of St. Michael. He is also shown to have had dealings with the Spacetime Administrator, entering into a contract to gain power in exchange for killing Shin. Smilas masterminds a plan to use Leila Malcal as a charismatic figure, similar to Joan of Arc, to rally the populace and turn the tide of the war. He orchestrates a situation where she gives a motivating speech to quell rioting and reveal the truth about the Ark Fleet's plans, during which she publicly reveals her identity as the daughter of a popular, defected Britannian political leader.
After Leila's speech, when Castle Weisswolf comes under siege by the Knights of St. Michael, Smilas prematurely and falsely declares that she has been killed in the attack. He then exploits the subsequent public anger and grief to rally the E.U. population for a total war against Euro Britannia, skillfully manipulating their emotions to build support for his own authoritarian rise. His mentor-student relationship with Leila Malcal is his most significant, as he initially appears as her supporter but ultimately betrays her and her entire W-0 unit, sacrificing them to further his own political ambitions.
The character's development reveals a stark contrast between his public facade and his true nature. While initially presented as a wise and benevolent superior, his actions progressively unmask him as a power-hungry conspirator. Ultimately, Smilas is a man who disguises his personal lust for dominion under a veneer of patriotic necessity and admiration for historical figures. In terms of notable abilities, Smilas's primary strengths lie not in physical combat but in political strategy, psychological manipulation, and military command. He is a skilled planner and orchestrator of large-scale deception, capable of turning a chaotic situation into an opportunity for a power grab. His knowledge of the Geass Order and his direct contract with the Spacetime Administrator also suggest he has a unique connection to the supernatural forces that play a background role in the world. His life and plans come to an end when he is killed by Ashley Ashra in a battle between his troops and the Asura Strike Force of the Knights of St. Michael.
On the surface, Smilas projects the image of an ideal, experienced, and practical commander. He is portrayed as a thoughtful leader who listens to and considers the opinions of those under his command, even when he might disagree with them. He appears to genuinely care for the citizens of the E.U. and expresses a desire to act in their best interests. However, this professional and caring demeanor conceals a much darker and more ambitious nature. Smilas holds a deep-seated contempt for the E.U.'s republican system of government, which he views as having devolved into a state of irresponsibility and self-interest driven by greedy and corrupt elites. He believes that the E.U. is on a path to inevitable conquest by the forces of Euro Britannia under its current leadership.
This belief feeds his central motivation: to seize control of the E.U. and establish a military dictatorship. He greatly admires Napoleon Bonaparte, wondering what might have happened if Napoleon had succeeded in becoming Emperor of Europe. Smilas firmly espouses the philosophy that a skilled dictator is far more beneficial to humanity than a democracy of ignorant people. While he frames his ambition as a necessary reform to save the E.U. from itself and from external threats, his actions reveal a purely self-serving desire for personal power. He is a calculating and ruthless manipulator who has no qualms about using any means necessary to achieve his goal of becoming Emperor of Europe, and there are hints that his aspirations may even extend to world domination.
Smilas's primary role in the story is as a key figure within the E.U. military command and the hidden architect of a coup d'état. He is aware of and has connections to the Geass Order and also seems to possess knowledge of Shin Hyuga Shaing, who is the leader of the Knights of St. Michael. He is also shown to have had dealings with the Spacetime Administrator, entering into a contract to gain power in exchange for killing Shin. Smilas masterminds a plan to use Leila Malcal as a charismatic figure, similar to Joan of Arc, to rally the populace and turn the tide of the war. He orchestrates a situation where she gives a motivating speech to quell rioting and reveal the truth about the Ark Fleet's plans, during which she publicly reveals her identity as the daughter of a popular, defected Britannian political leader.
After Leila's speech, when Castle Weisswolf comes under siege by the Knights of St. Michael, Smilas prematurely and falsely declares that she has been killed in the attack. He then exploits the subsequent public anger and grief to rally the E.U. population for a total war against Euro Britannia, skillfully manipulating their emotions to build support for his own authoritarian rise. His mentor-student relationship with Leila Malcal is his most significant, as he initially appears as her supporter but ultimately betrays her and her entire W-0 unit, sacrificing them to further his own political ambitions.
The character's development reveals a stark contrast between his public facade and his true nature. While initially presented as a wise and benevolent superior, his actions progressively unmask him as a power-hungry conspirator. Ultimately, Smilas is a man who disguises his personal lust for dominion under a veneer of patriotic necessity and admiration for historical figures. In terms of notable abilities, Smilas's primary strengths lie not in physical combat but in political strategy, psychological manipulation, and military command. He is a skilled planner and orchestrator of large-scale deception, capable of turning a chaotic situation into an opportunity for a power grab. His knowledge of the Geass Order and his direct contract with the Spacetime Administrator also suggest he has a unique connection to the supernatural forces that play a background role in the world. His life and plans come to an end when he is killed by Ashley Ashra in a battle between his troops and the Asura Strike Force of the Knights of St. Michael.