FMA: Brotherhood – 51 & 52

Combined effort of a few to save the lives of many

Last week, I was totally swamped with work so skipped episode 51^st, which I’ll cover with 52 right now. After the previously communicated, 10-episode recap with each new FMA: Brotherhood review. I’m already done with the first 20 (Click for first 10 Episode Recap and till 20 Episode recap). So, without any further ado, let’s begin:

Episode 21 – After the action at Lab 3, Mustang and Havoc are recuperating in the hospital. Havoc’s injury has been fatal to his lower body’s nervous system and Mustang and his companions are at their wit’s end looking at his plight. Breda on a clue from Ed goes to visit Marcoh for a possibility of a cure but reports him missing or kidnapped. On the other hand, Al and Ed mull over the condition of Al’s body that is trapped in the gate. They hypothesize that because Al’s whole body was absorbed but soul anchored to the armour both the brother’s souls must have been merged and that is how Al’s body is absorbing nutrients from Ed. Al concludes that maybe that’s why Ed sleeps a lot more than any other normal person and Ed agrees that maybe that’s why he was still short. Scar is still at large in Central. Ed and Al concoct a plan with Lin and Ran Fan to bring out the homunculi by fighting Scar—Ed has ulterior motives of asking him about Winry’s parents as well.

Havoc decides to retire. Mustang tells him that he’s moving forward but she better catch up soon! (After 29 epis Havoc returns in a surprising turn of events).

Ed goes out in Central and becomes a good Samaritan State Alchemist, fixing broken things all around to attract attention and finally it pays off when Scar goes after them. Mustang joins them in keeping the army at bay so that homunculi have to come to rescue Ed—he being an important sacrifice so they say. Ed and Al go full out on Scar and confirm that he’s the one who killed Winry’s parents.

Lin and Ran Fan, who are keeping watch sense Gluttony and go after him, but before they engage Bradley comes into the fray and after Ran Fan.

Episode 22 – Bradley has injured Ran Fan but Lin rescues her. He taunts Bradley that he’s not a true King because a King has to live for his people not for himself. Winry visits Hughes’s grave with Gracia and Elicia an when she gets back to Central, hearing rumours that State Alchemist is fighting Scar, she goes to find them. Al and Ed make Scar dawdle with talks about Shou Tucker, Nina and what he did in Ishbal. When they are accusing him of killing the Rockbell doctors, Winry overhears them and falls to her knees in shock. “Give them back!” she cries and picks up the gun lying near her, aiming at Scar.

“You have all the right to kill me,” Scar says, remembering his elders’ words that revenge gives birth to more revenge until someone stops. That gets the flashback going, zooming onto his big brother, who researched both Alchemy and Alkahestry and came up with a mixture which is more powerful than the two separately. He gives his notebook to Scar for safekeeping; he believes he being a strong Monk has more chances of coming out the war rather than himself. However, before his brother could get it to good use, Kimblee attacks the village along with Amestris Army (their blue eyes reminded me of Nazi-war *shiver*), destroying most of the populace. Scar is mortally injured and one of his hands is cutoff clean. His brother transplants his own hand on him to stop the blood flow and save his life. Scar wakes up in the rickety hospital where witnessing the blue eyes of Rockbells he lashes out, killing them.

Winry tries to shoot Scar but Ed stops her, shielding from Scar. Scar vehemently says to remember that the Amestrisians were the ones to trigger the war. Al intervenes and distracts Scar while Ed takes the gun away from Winry. “You just helped a woman deliver a baby, saving both of their lives. You gave me an arm and leg. Your hands are not for killing people but saving them.” He consoles Winry while she cries and very appropriately, the Let it All Out ED takes off.

Episode 23 – Lin and Ran Fan are still being pursued by Bradley and Gluttony. Ran Fan tells him to leave her but Lin refuses. In desperation of losing Bradley, Ran Fan decides to cutoff her bleeding arm and ties it to a hound, which Bradley later finds. Though too late, Lin and Ran Fan manage to take a slip. On the other hand Scar is being pursued by Al and Ed. Gluttony joins to eradicate Scar but Lin pops in captures him. Hawkeye in a bare disguise enters the fray to transport Gluttony away from army. Lin joins her and they pick up Ran Fan on the way. Bradley witnesses the runaway car with Lin and Gluttony and recognizes her instantly.

On the other hand just before Ed and Al capture Scar, Mei Chan interferes and takes him away. In the confusion, Xiao Mei ends up with Al rather than Mei chan. On reaching Central headquarters, they tell everything to Winry. She accepts but feels helpless of not able to help them. After receiving a call from Rush Valley and hearing her customers’ voices, she decides to go back. To make something of her life and to help others like her parents. On the train station, before parting she finally realizes her feelings for Ed being love. Ed promises to never make her cry and the next time she did would be tears of joy.

Mustang contacts the same doctor who helped them with Maria Ross for treating Ran Fan. They gather in a hideout along with the imprisoned Gluttony. Hearing Mustang’s name he goes under rage (remembering he killed Lust) and opens his inner eye, blowing a corner of the hideout.

Episode 24 – Envy comes to visit Marcoh, imprisoned by the homunculi, in lieu of his village’s safety. Marcoh rightly guesses that homunculi are plotting a circle underneath the whole country and they would make Philosopher stone from the lives of millions of people. On the other hand, Ed, Al and company try to escape from Gluttony, who swallows everything in sight raging against Mustang. Distracting Gluttony, Mustang, Hawkeye and Ran Fan are driven away by the doctor to safety.  Ed, Al, and Lin stay to fight.

Envy intervenes to stop Gluttony from eating Ed and Al (precious sacrifices after all). Ed, Al and Lin decide to go after the two homunculi; however, in confusion Gluttony ends up swallowing Ed, Lin, and Envy accidentally.

Ran Fan loses an arm and cries helplessly unable to defend Lin. While Mustang, after hearing from Ed about Fuhrer being a homunculus sets out to visit Lt. General Raven in the HQ. However, he finds out to his horror that the whole upper echelon of army is aware of this fact. Ed wakes up in a pool of blood, not knowing where he is.

Episode 25 – Ed meets up with Lin, finally realizing that they are inside Gluttony’s stomach and try to find an exit out. After a lot of struggle and fruitless efforts, they meet Envy, who explains that Gluttony was a failed attempt at recreating the Door to Truth and the fact that there is no way out (a crevice between reality and truth). During conversation, Envy tells them the truth behind Ishbalan War, that he was the shape-shifted soldier who pulled the trigger at an Ishbalan kid. Ed loses completely knowing that he was main cause of Ishbal thus, the cause behind Winry’s parents being killed, thousands of Ishbalans killed and Scar turning into a beast. Envy finally transforms to show his true self, a giant green beast.

Mei Chan reminisces about Xiao Mei with Yoki, how she belonged to a lowly clan of Xing, her finding Xiao Mei and why they ended up Amsteris. Scar decides to help her in search for Xiao Mei identifying with her despair of being alone. On the other hand, Gluttony interrupts Al asking what to do? Al tells him to take him to Father, who resides in Central.

Funny moment: Gluttony getting groped by Al, LAAAAAAAAWWWLLLLLLL!!!

While the council men decide over sacrifice candidates as if they are sharing a grocery list! (Elric brothers, Marcoh, Mustang are already on the list). Bradley talks with Mustang that he’s left alive only to be told his place. He also gets all his team members transferred out of Central and keeping Hawkeye as his personal assistant.

Episode 26 – Ed and Lin fight Envy, and Ed finds himself staring at the faces of many thousand souls that makes up Envy. Being totally aghast and hesitant, he’s swallowed by Envy. While inside, he sees the Philosopher’s stone and remembers the markings from Xerxes and the missing piece he just saw. He yells at Envy to let him go because he’s got an idea to get back. On the other hand Scar and Mei get a clue about Xiao Mei and go underground following Al and Gluttony to rescue her back. They encounter many guarding Chimeras and fight them, while Mei Chan continuously feels uneasy from a Ki emanating from underneath.

Back at Central HQ, Bradley tells Mustang about himself and how he was trained from infancy as the Fuhrer candidate. At his youth stage, he was injected with Philosopher’s Stone and he sustained after he won over the many thousand souls of that particular Philosopher’s stone. He was subjected to the Wrath of Father and declared King Bradley.

In figuring out a way to get out, Ed discovers the truth behind the disappearance of the Xerxes as a nation. He figures that their Father was the one who used Xerxes to become something above than humans. The souls attached to Envy are all Xerxians and Ed reluctantly uses them to open the Gate of Truth. While there, he finally sees Al’s body awaiting. He tries to get it back but Al’s body tells him that he can’t come with him because he’s not his soul.

One of the best moments of series: Ed promising the awaiting body of Al to get him back someday soon.

Episode 27 – This is basically a recap episode, punctuated by Hohenheim and a youthful Pinako reminiscing about the war that ensued around the country and the events that followed. He faces his inner conscience and dilemma of facing Father. It’s pretty clear that Hohenheim is not human and possesses many souls inside him; however, Trisha reminds him that even if humans are weak, they always struggle to make things better. He should remember the time he spent with his family in Resembool, which motivates him. He wakes up to find that it was a dream.

This also features a new OP (“Golden Time Lover” by Sukima Switch) and ED (“Tsunaida Te” by Lil’B).

Episode 28 – Envy, Ed, and Lin escape from Gluttony’s stomach just after Al and him arrive at Father’s lair underground. The Elric brothers are astonished with the resemblance of Father with Hohenheim. Looking at their confused looks he asks them about Hohenheim and is quite amazed at finding out that he is their father. He repairs Ed’s injuries but Lin sensing Father’s Ki recognizes his abnormality. Along with the brothers they fight against Father and Gluttony but to no avail. Father plants Greed’s Philosopher’s stone of Greed on Lin and he accepts it to gain immortality. Scar and Mei arrive as well and finds out the truth behind Ishbal war and identity of Edward-sama for Mei Chan respectively. Loved her aghast expression!

Father turns off Alchemy but the users of Alkahestry (Scar and Mei) continue using it and escape from them with the cooperation of Elric brothers. Gluttony is absorbed back by Father after facing many deaths while Envy brings the precious sacrifices back: Ed and Al (hiding Mei and Xiao in his armour). Ed is still sure that Lin is still there somewhere in the newly made Greed. Episode of Reunion:

Episode 29 – Envy takes Ed and Al out of Father’s lair and to the Central HQ for meeting Bradley. He is astonished to find Mustang sitting there as well helpless now without his men (everyone being transferred except for Hawkeye) and Wrath’s identity finally revealed. Ed wants to quit the Military but Bradley stops him by threatening to kill Winry if he does. Ed asks Mustang to borrow some coins and calls Winry to find she’s doing alright. Greed drops by to send a message to Ran Fan from Lin.

Mustang tells Alex Armstrong about the identity of Fuhrer. Al drops Mei Chan at Dr. Nox’s and gives Lin’s message to Ran Fan. She is not disheartened to hear what he has done; she only wants to regain her hand back with automail to join the fight. On the other hand Ed wonders about Alkahestry and how it worked while his Alchemy didn’t while fighting with Father. In finding an escape from the underground, Scar happens upon Marcoh who tells him he was one of the alchemists at Ishbal so that he would kill him but Scar pressures him to explain the reality behind that war.

Bradley and Greed have a nice discussion about weak humans and Lin surfaces to tell him to Urrusai. Way to go Lin!

Episode 30 – Hawkeye’s father was Mustang’s sensei and even after researching the Flame Alchemy for so long, he never joined the military, away from ever being the dog of the military. Before dying he entrusted his daughter’s safety in his hand along with his research on flame alchemy on her back. On his grave, Mustang shares his ideology of protecting the nation with Liza.

When Ed visits Hawkeye to return her gun, she not only makes him realize that he loves Winry but tells him about what really happened at Ishbal. This is synced with what Marcoh tells Scar. Ishbalan war was started by King Bradley, which made many State Alchemists and soldiers face turmoil. Alchemists like Alex Armstrong shied away from battlefield, Mustang, Hughes and Hawkeye reddened their hand with the blood of many innocent Ishbalans but people like Kimblee enjoyed the battle thoroughly, riding on the wave of Philosopher’s stone’s power to wreck havoc. Marcoh tells Scar that the survivors were imprisoned and used as raw material for Philosopher’s stone, which was given to state alchemists to enhance their powers. The Ishbalan Head Monk tried pleading with Fuhrer to end the war for his own life but was rejected.

When the war ended, Mustang resolved to work hard in reaching the Fuhrer position to protect everyone that is dear to him (friends, countrymen). Liza Hawkeye joins Mustang as his second-in-command, the only one who has his back, so that if he’s led astray she could kill him. Hawkeye finally finishes her talk with the resolve that they have to rid the nation from the pus of Military and they are willing to die in the process.

We have another fangirl after Alphonse (she sure changes colours soon! :P) Envy finds “vengeance” written in blood on the wall with a deadbody when he goes to check on Marcoh.

>> Proceed to the Episode 51 & 52 Review >>

About Kyokai

The Boss lady of Metanorn, who makes it all happen. An animanga enthusiast, who watches/reads almost anything that strikes her fancy. Just beware of her Death Perception and always keep her happy. Regularly found at @KyokaiTM & #[email protected].