Episode 56, "The Return of the Fuhrer"
*****SPOILERS*****
Synopsis: Hohenheim reveals that he is working in tandem with the souls residing in himself, surprising Father. Father is attacked by the souls he took into himself from Hohenheim, but sheds his mortal shell, becoming a black phantom, resembling his flask form. Above, Fuhrer King Bradley/Wrath attacks the Briggs troops, making quick work of Buccaneer. However, Greed appears before he can attack Falman. The news of the Fuhrer's return are relayed to Mrs. Bradley at the radio station. Mustang's subordinates are forced to blame the coup on Major General Armstrong. Greed engages in battle with Wrath, with Buccaneer returning and taking Bradley's sword from him (by being impaled with it). Central troops move into the HQ, but are taken out by Fuu, who then comes to the aid of Greed and the others. 
Comments:
We start the episode off with a flashback I was concerned they would have kept out, and ended up being annoyed about how it was extended. Hohenheim remembers being picked up after leaving Xerxes and the people inside him he's been communicating with for the years of his wandering. Though I would rather have seen him in Xing, since we've never really seen what the country of Xing looks like. I do think it's awesome that Hohenheim injected the souls of some of his Xerxes friends into Father and used them against him.
Now Father has ceased being an evil clone of Hohenheim, shedding his human form to become very similar to his flask form, or Pride. He actually looks a bit like the opposite form of the Truth and has the eyes that you see when you perform human transmutation. I believe the fans refer to this as "Truthy Father" or some sort of derivation of that. Hohenheim has his work cut out for him, even with the help of the souls in his body.
Of course, the major draw of the episode is Wrath versus... well, pretty much everyone. Well, not really, since the only major characters there are Buccaneer, Falman, and later Greed, but he sure tears through the Briggs soldiers like paper and even easily destroys Buccaneer's automail and gravely injures him. Buccaneer's really impressive, though, taking Bradley's sword by being stabbed with it and keeping it with him. And anytime Greed's involved there's awesomness.
The only issue I take with all this is some of the padding in this episode, the stuff with the Central soldiers trying to get back into HQ and Maria and the others at the radio station. This was time better served to the Greed vs Wrath fight. I know it helps establish the plight of the common soldier, but at this point, Greed vs Wrath should be the focus.
Old man Fuu has returned with his ninja moves, and he'll be assisting Greedling in his fight with the Fuhrer, but isn't his blame misplaced? Sure, Ranfan lost her arm in a battle with Wrath, but it was her own decision to sever it, it wasn't cut off by Bradley. Her decision. And if they are locked in combat, isn't there some kind of ninja code that whatever happens in battle, happens? I can understand wanting to take Bradley on for other reasons, but Ranfan's loss of arm is her own fault. Anyway, I hate the Xingese characters, so at this point I'm rooting for Wrath.
Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5
