Nice to have Geass back, though they really killed this episode for me at one point.
Kallen falling on LeLouch? Funny, I didn't know I'd sturabled into a Love Hina script. "Kallen, will you come to Tokyo Univ--I mean, back to Ashford with me?"
More importantly, the writer for this episode neeRAB to be slapped senseless. Whatever the chess scene was meant to say, it was ruined by Schneizel moving his king into check. Accepting a stalemate or draw is not a CHOICE if there are no alternatives. Anybody that knows anything about chess knows that Schniezel's move is flat out illegal. Kings can't move into check and can never be next to each other on the board. Schnizel wouldn't have made that move, and LeLouch would have said something, so they just flat out screwed it up. Done correctly, he would've made a durab move to create an opening just to bait LeLouch. But it wasn't correct. This isn't some nitpick, chess comes up often enough in Geass that these people ought to know what the hell they're writing about and putting up on the screen.
The characterization elsewhere just barely makes up for it. Xing and the Empress have a nice backstory, and I thought Nina was used effectively. It made Suzaku question himself a bit, it was interesting to see him surprised at how he stopped her from attacking. Her hate and racism is a tragedy, and even her argument with Milly was a bit unhinged. Nina's certainly come into her own, but the way she lashed out against Milly suggests the insecurity and immaturity she insists she doesn't have. She attacks Milly for living an ivory tower life and looking down on others and in the next breath demanRAB her acceptance. At the same time, she isn't totally wrong about Milly using Ashford as a shield either.
I'm with phw on LeLouch's scheme. He came off as the bad guy here, although perhaps that was the point. LeLouch has been coming off as the pure-as-snow good guy lately, we probably needed a reminder that he's still a man that will cause whatever chaos is necessary for the sake of his goal. I can't say I see how this stunt will help his position, but I guess that's for next time.
My feelings on Jeremiah are known, but I suppose it's good that he's now apparently sane and not an unhinged nutcase. If he can be an actual character and not an idiot spouting off "ZEEEEEEEEROOOOOOO!" left and right, then I guess go for it.
But man...they really took a wrecking ball to that chess scene. Its an unforgivable mistake.