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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 17 Review

Episode 17, "House of the Waiting Family"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The Elric brothers arrive at the Rockbell home in Risembool, where Ed recieves a wrench to the head from Winry for his troubles. Winry wants to take apart Ed’s State Alchemist watch, but he won’t allow it. While Ed’s new automail is being constructed, he goes to visit his mother’s grave with Den. Alphonse has trouble remembering a childhood friend, but Winry explains that it’s only natural. When Edward’s new automail is finished, he repairs Alphonse’s damage and they spar, which Armstrong takes part in. Winry takes the opportunity to investigate Edward’s watch and finds a message, "Don’t Forget 3.Oct.10" inside. She tearfully returns to watch to him. Later, Armstrong makes the boys realize that, despite having burned down their own house, they do have a home to return to. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 16 Review

Episode 16, "That Which Is Lost"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Armstrong plays bodyguard for the Elric brothers on their way back to Risembool, where they’re going to get Ed’s arm fixed. On the way there, a packaged Alphonse gets dropped off and Ed gets off to look for him. Meanwhile, Lust and Gluttony appear where Marcoh is staying and he’s unable to hold them off. A boy finds Al and, thinking he’s just a suit of armor, plans to use him in a fight, but Al tries to convince him not to. While looking for Al, Ed gets knocked out by a girl who wants to give his automail leg to her father. Edward talks to the man, who lost his leg in the Ishbal war and doesn’t want an automail replacement. He argues that he would rather be as-is, as a reminder of that conflict, something Ed doesn’t understand. Ed and Al reunite and Armstrong arrives to get them to the next train before it leaves. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 15 Review

Episode 15, "The Ishbal Massacre"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Alex Louis Armstrong faces off with Scar while the Elrics flee with Marcoh, and discovers that his opponent is an Ishbalan. Marcoh recounts to Ed and Al how the Fuhrer sent in the State Alchemists to put down a long-running conflict in Ishbal and they used alchemic enhancers, lesser Philosopher’s Stones, to obliterate the Ishbalans. During the war, two doctors (who turn out to be the Rockbells, Winry’s parents) were ordered killed for helping the Ishbalans, and Roy Mustang is the one who did it (though this is not revealed to the brothers). Back in the present, Scar finds the group, disables Alphonse, and destroy Ed’s automail arm with his ability to deconstruct with his own right arm. Marcoh uses a Philosopher’s Stone to ward Scar off before he can finish Ed off, and the military arrives to take Marcoh into protective custody. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 14 Review

Episode 14, "Destruction’s Right Hand"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The Elrics track down Dr. Marcoh, living in a small town as a physician. However, they find they were followed by Brigadier General Basque Gran, who wants to take Marcoh and his research in. Before he can, the mysterious scarred man kills him. He chases and corners Ed, Al, and Marcoh, but they are saved by Alex Louis Armstrong, another State Alchemist. Meanwhile, the military has laid seige to the town of Lior.

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 13 Review

Episode 13, "Fullmetal vs. Flame"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The brothers arrive in East City, where they report in with Colonel Mustang. Annoyed by Mustang’s attitude and suspecting he’s holding back information from him, Edward decides to take the opportunity to challenge him to a duel. Roy initially refuses, but the Fuhrer gives his approval, and the match is set up. Edward finds himself over his head in the match, but Roy hesitates at the end and it ends as a draw. Roy volunteers information about a military doctor named Marcoh who fled the battlefield. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 12 Review

Episode 12, "The Other Elric Brothers (Part 2)"



*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Mugear, who oversees the fake Elric brothers’ work, reveals that he knows their identities and plans to force them to finish making a Philosopher’s Stone in an unethical practice. Edward and Alphonse pretend to want to work for him, but release the Tringhams. They all confront Mugear who uses the lesser stones to attack them. Mugear ends up dying in a cave in where the red water is kept and the Tringhams help stop the flood of the water. Ed and Al continue on their way. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 11 Review

Episode 11, "The Other Elric Brothers (Part 1)"



Synopsis: The Elric brothers travel to the town of Xenotime, where research is being done on the Philosopher’s Stone to replenish the gold supply. However, they find that two brothers are claiming to be them. They sneak into the mansion where the fake Elrics work and confront them, but are driven out. Later, they confront them again, and the younger brother stands up against the older one, but the guards arrive again.



Comments:

This and the next episode are adaptations of Makoto Inoue’s light novel, Sareki no Daichi (translated by Viz as "The Land of Sand"), from 2003. In it, Edward and Alphonse find themselves in the mining town of Xenotime, where they encounter fake Elric brothers, Russell and Fletcher Tringham. I haven’t read this book. I’ve only read a brief synopsis. I’m not sure whether it was intended to be part of the manga canon or not, because it also features the mysterious "red water" which becomes a big plot element of the first anime series, but the book came out before these episodes. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 10 Review

Episode 10, "The Phantom Thief"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: The Elric brothers stop in the town of Aquroya, a tourist town. The police there have been trying to capture an alchemy-using thief named Psiren. The police inspector wants to use Edward’s talents to help capture the thief. Edward stumbles upon the identity of Psiren, a kind nurse who claims to be stealing to save the hospital. However, when he allows her to escape from the police several times, he realizes she’s been scamming him. Angry, he faces off with Psiren and captures her for the police. She gives the brothers a hint about the Philosopher’s Stone: the town of Xenotime, which has been researching it. When they leave town, Alphonse regrets her capture, but shortly after she escapes again. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 09 Review

Episode 9, "Be Thou for the People"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Edward is given his first assignment as a certified State Alchemist: inspecting the Youswell coal mine in the east. He and Alphonse take a train to the small mining town, which is controlled by an officer named Yoki. Edward is shunned by the locals for being a dog of the military and flattered by Yoki who wants to buy his trust. However, seeing the bad position the people are in, Edward tricks Yoki into giving up the deed to the mine and sells it cheaply to the people of the town. Because of this, Edward’s reputation as a hero of the people spreads. The episodes long flashback ends to where Ed and Al began the show, just outside Lior. read more

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Fullmetal Alchemist – Episode 08 Review

Episode 8, "The Philosopher’s Stone"


*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Disraught over Nina’s death, Edward turns in his pocket watch when Mustang refuses to let him track down the serial killer and decides to investigate himself. Inspired by notes in Tucker’s house, Alphonse asks around about the Philosopher’s Stone. Winry comes to Central to congratulate Edward, but is kidnapped by the serial killer named Barry, who is disguised as a woman. Edward realizes what has happened and finds his hideout, but is knocked out and tied up. Edward uses alchemy to escape, and barely manages to subdue Barry. When the military arrive, Edward breaks down over his powerlessness. Later, Roy gives Edward back his pocket watch and gives him the title the Fuhrer has passed down to him, the Fullmetal Alchemist. read more

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