Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Episode 36 Review

Episode 36, " Family Portrait"

 

*****SPOILERS***** 
  

Synopsis: Hohenheim recalls the circumstances of his leaving his family. At Briggs, soldiers explore the underground tunnel Sloth had been digging and encounter a living shadow who kills them. While Olivier is trying to keep her act up with General Raven, the meeting is interrupted with news on the return of only a horse, with the arm of one of the soldiers still attached. Raven orders that Sloth be returned to the tunnel and it covered up. Miles keeps Kimbley busy, but is irritated by him. Olivier gets Raven to admit that the government had killed the Ishbalans "because they were a weak race" and fed up with his arrogance, she kills him and has him covered along with the hole. She reveals that another passage had been made into the tunnel by Edward. Kimbley visits Ed and Al at their prison cell with a guest in tow: Winry Rockbell.

Comments:

If my theory about the happenings of the manga are right, what Hohenheim did in the beginning of this episode may be extremely vital to the battle against Father. The reasoning goes that he's travelling Amestris countering Father's circle with his own. As for what exactly he's doing, you'll have to wait a few episodes to get more of it.

I always love to see more of Hohenheim. He doesn't appear often, but things he did shaped the events of the entire series. Scenes with him and Trisha are nice. Trisha is especially good-natured and supportive of the guy, despite him not being normal. The family photo bit was especially touching. Now we know why that part of the photo was obscured on Pinako's bulletin board. The Elric home looks really weird outside, though.

That shadowy thing that killed the soldiers in the tunnel will be identified next episode. I think they handled that scene about as well as I expected. It sure is creepy.

Can we excise some of the "lol, oh, he's the Fullmetal Alchemist"-type bits? I understand Arakawa likes to keep a lightheartedness to her work, but that scene was really weird. There's nothing funny about Kimbley, and the music playing during that scene was grave and not really the type you'd play during a comedy bit. It felt really awkward, and the joke is so stale by now, it's growing mold.

Raven finally outlived his usefulness to Olivier, and fed up with him, she rids the world of his smug grin. Good riddance. That guy was a complete asshole, and worse, he wasn't even one of the villains who gets their own hands dirty. I have more respect for Kimbley than I do for him, because at least Kimbley is crazy and will go out and put his life on the line, while Raven just sits around and waits for people to be killed. He might've been any even bigger monster than Kimbley, and he got what was coming to him. Though perhaps he got it a little harsher than necessary. That death was totally brutal.

So, are you in love with Olivier Armstrong yet? She's a woman after my own heart.

Unlike a certain other woman, the annoying girl-next-door that has arrived, and that we'll have to put up with for the next few episodes, pretending to give a fuck about her opinion. Ugh. Hey, Olivier, can't you add another person to the foundation of Briggs?

Also, Roy loves whores. Whores whores whores whores whores. I feel like Frank Miller now.

WARNING: Please, please, if you haven't read the manga, do not read any spoilers regarding the next episode until you've watched it. Please, watch it when subs are available. Don't watch the raw. Do yourself a favor and wait for it. It will be so, so worth it.

 

Overall Score: 4 out of 5


Recent Comments