Time for FMA to come to an awesome close!
Spoilers galore!!!
Episodes 41-45
Episode 41 starts with Scar, Winry, May, Yoki, Marcoh, and Jerso and Zampano continuing through the mines.
At Fort Briggs, Miles tells his men to take out Kimblee and his men when they get the chance, despite Ed's reluctance to kill.
In the mines, the group takes some time to decipher some of the notes. When Scar is able to translate two words related to immortality and gold, May realizes his brother was also studying Xingese alkahestry. She says her country learned its alkahestry from the Western Sage who had golden hair and eyes, and Winry notes that it sounds a lot like Ed and Al (hmmmmm).
When they exit the mines, Winry hears a voice and sees Al's armored foot sticking out of the snow, and they dig him out. Al tells them he was sent to tell them that they can't hide out in Briggs since it's been taken over by Central soldiers. Scar suggests Asbec, a small town of Ishvalan refugees.
Meanwhile, Al has been replaced with a dummy suit of armor that Ed made, controlled by one of Miles's men from inside. Miles gets wind that Kimblee is suspicious of them, so he gets his snipers into position. Before they can get a shot, Ed intervenes by going up to Kimblee, hoping to be able to talk it out with him. Kimblee, however, reveals that he figures Scar's group is somewhere in the mines and that the Briggs soldiers are likely trying to kill him right then. Kimblee then uses his alchemy on the snow to create mist. Heinkel and Darius then attack Ed in their chimera forms (Heinkel is a lion and Darius is a gorilla). Kimblee finds the footprints of the group and goes down to follow them.
Ed then tricks them and transmutes ammonia with the cold temperature, knocking them unconscious because of their strong senses of smell. Ed then catches up to Kimblee, knocks away his philosopher's stone, and then slashes his hand so he can't transmute (since Kimblee's transmutation circles are tattooed onto the palms of his hands). However, Kimblee reveals he has another philosopher's stone, and causes an explosion that buries Ed and Heinkel and Darius in the remains of the lookout tower above.
Ed wakes up, sees Heinkel and Darius awake but trapped and angry about being left behind, and then suffers from pain only to realize that he's been run through on the side by a sharp metal girder, and he's bleeding out badly.
Meanwhile, Al collapses and feels his soul being dragged out of the armor again.
Ed desperately uses alchemy to remove the girder and free Heinkel and Darius, and then he passes out. Ed later needs them to remove the rest of the girder, and then he'll use alchemy to temporarily close the wound so he won't lose too much blood. He reveals that he learned some medical alchemy, and that he'll sacrifice some of his life-force to fix the badly damaged organs that normal alchemy on its own wouldn't be able to fix, even though it'll shorten his life a little. He suffers through the agony and succeeds before passing out again. Heinkel notices and picks up the philosopher's stone that Ed got away from Kimblee, and then they decide to become free men and carry Ed out to get a doctor's help.
Episode 42 starts off with Scar's group in an abandoned house with May, Marcoh, and Scar trying to decipher the notes. Al wakes up and discovers he's in pieces, because he was too heavy for them to carry in one piece. May comes up with the idea to disassemble the pages of the notes as they try to put Al back together. She recognizes some patterns and draws lines, and it's revealed that Scar's brother discovered that a giant transmutation circle was being made around Amestris.
Al tells them that the notes might hold even more secrets. Yoki sneezes, mixing up the pages, and this inspires Al to tell everyone to turn the pages over. They discover a new array with some properties of the Amestris circle but made out of alkahestric concepts instead.
In the mines, Kimblee comes across Sloth, and then Pride confronts him and tells him to stop searching for Scar and focus on creating bloodshed at Fort Briggs so they'll have that part of the transmutation circle completed.
Meanwhile, Falman, Breda, and Fuery and trading information about the nationwide five-point transmutation circle at the same time that Sloth finally completes the construction of the circle underground.
In Reole, people are working to fix the city after the fighting outbreak, and Rose (from one of the first episodes) is cooking and serving people food. She finds a collapsed and hungry Hohenheim.
They talk about the remains of the church of Leto. The basement has been blocked off because a toxic spring. Hohenheim has Rose and an old man escort him down there, and transmutes a bridge made of earth as he walks over the toxic water deeper into the tunnel. He is then assaulted by Pride and has to flee until he reaches the tunnel's border, and Pride's shadow creature can only move about in Central City and in the confines of the tunnel, so he's unable to reach Hohenheim. They trade some remarks, and Hohenheim says that Pride's shadowy image with eyes and teeth remind him of Father's original form inside the flask.
Hohenheim assures him that he'll be visiting Father soon, and then returns to Rose and the old man. He tells them he had gone down there to make a declaration of war.
At Fort Briggs, the soldiers notice that Drachma forces have shown up at the border on the offensive. It's discovered (shown to the audience) that Kimblee is behind it all, telling the Drachma commander that Armstrong is away and now is the perfect time to attack.
Meanwhile, Zampano contacts Envy and Wrath from Asbeck to tell them where Marcoh is.
Episode 43 was a very interesting episode. Drachma forces launch an attack on Fort Briggs, and Fort Briggs retaliates and overpowers them. The Drachma commander realizes Kimblee tricked him about their forces, and now Kimblee has left, and Drachma is defeated in bloodshed despite Miles's attempt to stop it. The Crest of Blood has been carved.
In Asbec, Zampano meets with Envy disguised as an Ishvalan to be led to Scar.
In Central, Bradley tells Hawkeye that he knows she knows about Selim being Pride. Hawkeye admits that she's sad that the ruling family of Amestris has been a lie this whole time, pretending to be human while mocking them. Bradley admits that most of what he has was given to him by a higher power, but he chose his wife himself.
Back in Asbec, Marcoh is with Jerso, and Zampano arrives with Envy, who sheds his disguise to capture Marcoh. However, Envy is surprised by being caught in an alchemy trap with ice. It's revealed that they lured Envy here with traps that trigger only for Homunculi. Envy continues to get attacked by traps, without knowing that May is actually using her alkahestry with transmutation circles beneath the snow.
Furious and embarrassed, Envy transforms into his giant form and tries to crush Marcoh with his tail, but Jerso saves Marcoh, and Zampano attacks his eye. Everyone joins in, but Envy manages to get a hold of Marcoh.
He tells Marcoh he'll destroy Asbec for this, but Marcoh says that while he knows how to create a philosopher's stone better than anyone, he also knows how to destroy them. Using a hidden transmutation circle on his hand, Marcoh attacks Envy's philosopher's stone. Envy's body withers and disintegrates into a small, green, slug-like thing, his REAL form.
They keep Envy in a glass jar and try to get information out of him. He reveals that Ed had gone missing because of the cave-in in Baschool, which greatly worries Al. Scar sets out on his own to search for something to help Amestris, along with Marcoh. Al travels to Reole, and Scar gives May Envy to take back to Xing since it'll save her clan.
In Dublith, Bido (the last survivor of the old Greed's gang) has noticed that Izumi Curtis and her husband have left. He comes across two soldiers that are searching for them, and they mention Bradley, and Bido recognizes him as the one who took down Greed. He hides under their cars as they head back to Central in the hopes of finding Greed.
Meanwhile in Central, Olivier Armstrong meets and argues with her brother Alex Armstrong, and they share information about the transmutation circle. She meets up with Lt. General Gardner, who takes her to a secret room while talking about the three restrictions for State Alchemists and why they exist: 1) obeying the military is an absolute, 2) No creating of gold so as to not create financial disorder, and 3) No creating of humans. He claims that the third rule is to prevent anyone from creating their own personal army, and then he reveals to her their secret army of Mannequin Soldiers that they've created.
In Reole, Al arrives with Winry, Yoki, Jerso, and Zampano and runs into his father Hohenheim.
Episode 44 starts with Al and Hohenheim's reunion. Hohenheim is happy to see Al but is busy at the moment. Al is told that the people of Reole are happy in the end about Cornello's exposure as a fake, and they're working hard to come together and rebuild their town. The workers ask Hohenheim if Al is his son, and he says that he lost that right some time ago, only for Al to happily come over and help him. Rose and Winry talk about how Ed and Al have really helped Reole.
In Central, Bido comes across the room with the Mannequin Soldiers and is scared by them but then forced to hide when Armstrong and Gardner appear. He overhears Garder telling her that this army will serve as the immortal legion since human souls have been bonded to them. They'll get more souls from the land they destroy and the lands they will eventually destroy.
Bido runs away but bumps into the new Greed.
Back in Reole, Al and Hohenheim go somewhere more private to talk. Al tells him about Father and everything else, and Hohenheim is grateful that Al trusts him.
In North City, Darius is seen at a bank using Ed's pocketwatch to withdraw money as a "representative". The bank manager calls the military about this after he leaves. Darius gives the money to the doctor they've found to pay for Ed's medical expenses and to keep them quiet. Heinkel notices the military searching around. 3 of them show up, and Heinkel pretends to be a patient. Darius also tries to pretend, but they recognize him from the bank. Outside, Ed is returning with food and the soldiers don't recognize him since he's not wearing his red coat and his hair is down. Ed easily defeats all of them, angered when they call him short. More soldiers show up, so Darius and Heinkel pretend they're kidnapping Ed, and they escape in a car with the military in pursuit.
Ed has them turn into a random street and then uses alchemy to disguise the car (making it look absolutely ridiculous). They make it outside of town, and Ed wonders where Al could be.
Back in Reole, Al has been told that his father was once a slave and is a living philosopher's stone. Hohenheim says he'd come to hate immortality because he has to watch everyone he loves die before him. He says Father is like a leatherbag modeled after him, and they need to defeat him. Hohenheim says they still have time before the "Promised Day" arrives.
In Central, Bido is attacked and cornered by Greed. He recognizes Greed because of his Ultimate Shield technique and behavior, and he tries to remind Greed that he's his friend. Greed suddenly cuts through Bido's chest while saying that he'd thinking of the old Greed. However, this triggers a memory of his other old friends and that they were killed, and Ling yells at him for killing his own friend, telling him that those memories are still important and that friends are always connected by their souls.
The episode ends with Mrs. Bradley hearing a noise, and then Greed rushes in and attacks Bradley in a rage.
Episode 45 continues with Greed's attack on Bradley, demanding to know about these images and emotions from his past and why he remembers Bradley attacking him and killing his old friends. Bradley becomes furious and overpowers Greed, forcing Greed to defend himself and flee out an the window.
The next day, Olivier Armstrong visits her father, advising him to retire and pick as the head of the household. He claims he was going to pick Alex, which she argues against. Olivier fights Alex for the position and beats him down.
May, on her way to Xing, hesitates, especially when she's treated well by strangers in Amestris. Envy takes advantage of her hesitation by saying that the true source of his power is back in Central City, so she heads there.
Meanwhile, Ed, Heinkel, and Darius arrive in one of Mustang's abandoned safehouses, since Ed thought Al would be there. Suddenly, a starving Greed approaches, having been taken over temporarily by Ling. Ed explains the situation, and Ling tells him about Greed's fight with Bradley. Ling feels Greed returning and quickly tells Ed that Father intends to open the Gate during the "Promised Day", and Ed and Al could use the Gate to get their bodies back.
Greed regains control and then starts to leave, setting out on his own since he won't associate himself with the other Homunculi anymore. Ed asks him to join them, and it reminds Greed of his friends back then, but he refuses. Ed then declares that he, Heinkel, and Darius will follow him as his henchmen if he'd rather be the boss, and Greed is surprised but happily accepts.
In Dublith, word gets to Izumi and her husband from Al about the "Promised Day", and so Izumi attacks a Briggs soldier in order to be taken in and be able to relay the message to Miles and Captain Buccaneer.
The message is covertly slipped to 2nd Lt. Rebecca Catalina, who asks for time off to visit her friend Hawkeye in Central. They meet up and talk, and before leaving she secretly slips a note into Hawkeye's dog's collar. She sees the note and goes to visit Havoc in the hospital. She talks to him and gives him a pack of cigarettes, and he notices the note slipped in amongst them.
After she leaves, Mustang is revealed to have been hiding in the other bed behind the curtain, and Havoc insists on Mustang taking a cigarette, so Mustang sees the note that informs him about the "Promised Day" that will occur in the spring of the coming year and that the north and east will begin their attack to defend Amestris when that time comes.
The episode ends with everyone beginning to prepare for the "Promised Day".
Episodes 46-50
Episode 46 is several months later. A train arrives in Resembool with Miles and his men. Two soldiers carry away water container that actually has Winry, so they can sneak her into her house. She goes upstairs to change clothes but gets surprised by Ed hiding there with Greed, Heinkel, and Darius. Everyone gets hilariously surprised.
Here's a quick video of it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vIVip3qCvo
(That "caught" face though...)
She later tells him that Al is aboard the train, but Ed has to stay hidden and can't go see him. They talk about recent and upcoming events, and she refuses to leave the country like Ed wants her to. Later, Ed and his friends leave, and he promises Winry that they will win.
In Reole, Scar and Marcoh are back and are headed to Central City, and Zampano, Jerso, and Yoki tag along. They're met in the forest by a large group of Ishvalans that are going to help.
In the East, Lt. General Grumman meets with Miles and the Northern troups, who have finally arrived for a joint training exercise with the Eastern soldiers. Miles secretly lets him know that things are in place, but they note that Bradley is there to watch over the exercise. Grumman hints at a plan, however.
In Central, Al wakes up from another random separation from his armored body. He goes out to investigate a noise but is attacked by Gluttony and Pride, and is caught by Pride's tendrils and told that he'll be kept complacent until the Promised Day.
Mustang visits Olivier Armstrong in the family mansion, and he offers her a bouquet of flowers with a hidden message about Selim Bradley's true identity as Pride.
The training exercise in the East begins, with Bradley carefully watching. Miles is told that Al has gone missing. Bradley's men talk to Major General Hakuro, who tells Bradley that he's discovered a plot by Grumman and explains that the training was just a decoy to lure Bradley out of the capital while Grumman, Mustang, and Ishvalans cause confusion and take control of Central Command.
Bradley leaves for the capital on the train, but on the way his train car is suddenly left behind on a bridge and blown to bits by explosives. Eastern soldiers watching overhead report that it was a success. In Central, Hawkeye, Breda, and Fuery prepare for battle.
The Generals in Central begin panicking over the reports of Bradley's assassination, but then Father appears with Sloth and reminds them that he's still there to insure everything continues.
Episode 47 has Ed and his group arriving in the town of Kanama and meeting up with Hohenheim, only to punch Hohenheim and send him flying as soon as he sees him.
They talk and Hohenheim tells them the whole story about his origins. He also explains that on the Promised Day, an eclipse will happen, which is part of Father's plan. Ed, before leaving, delivers Trisha's dying message of apology for breaking her promise and dying first, and he sees Hohenheim break into tears.
As they're leaving, they suddenly meet Al, and Ling takes over briefly to tell Ed to stay away. Pride emerges from Al's body and attacks them.
Meanwhile, at the site of the train crash, Grumman talks with Miles about how Bradley's body is still missing, and Grumman knows he can't return to Central right now and has to wait for Mustang or Oliver Armstrong to make their move.
Back with the fight between Pride and Ed's group, Pride reveals he is possessing Al's hollow body and decides to take out Greed first. Ed uses a transmutation to create a blackout in Kanama that cuts off all of Pride's light sources, so he can use the shadows. However, now Ed can't see. Greed suspects that Pride real body/container (Selim) is hiding out somewhere nearby, and Heinkel tracks him down and begins attacking. Greed also wonders how Pride tracked them down, until Gluttony appears and he realizes Pride used Gluttony's strong sense of smell. Gluttony also uses his sense of smell to see.
(Ed is accidentally punched in the crossfire)
As they fight, Ling convinces Greed to switch control with him since he has the ability to sense the Qi of the Homunculi. Ling takes control and beats Gluttony down. Before Gluttony can fight back, a mysterious figure rushes out and strikes him with a metallic arm with a blade. Ling happily identifies her as Lan Fan, with a new automail arm.
Episode 48 continues with Lan Fan attacking Gluttony with Ling. Fu also arrives and helps Ed, and Ed is concerned that Lan Fan is using her arm after only having it for 6 months while Lan Fan sets off an explosive on Gluttony to damage him. They know they're in a hurry to beat Pride since the people of Kanama are starting to get the lights back on.
Meanwhile, Mustang is talking with Madame Christmas at her bar, and she gives him photos from 20-50 years ago that prove Selim isn't human and tells him that nobody from Bradley's supposed hometown actually saw him, and he has no actual relatives.
Heinkel continues attacking Pride's real body (Selim), but it's tiring him out, and two people from Kanama appear with a lantern that gives Pride the light source he needs. He knocks the lantern away and causes a fire. Ed arrives to help Heinkel.
Back in Central, soldiers are gathering outside Madame Christmas's bar, waiting for Mustang to leave. Another soldier arrives and reveals that Madame Christmas's real name is actually Chris Mustang, and she's Mustang's foster mother. They try to enter, but the building explodes. It's revealed that the two escaped into the sewer, and Mustang promises her that he'll help her get a new bar. She goes into hiding, and the girls that work for her have left the country. Mustang leaves and meets with Breda, Fuery, and Hawkeye. He explains the train explosion to them, and tells them they will continue on no matter what so they can win and rebuild their nation.
Meanwhile, Ed is able to defend himself against Pride with his automail arm since he had kept the northern carbon fiber metallic design. Pride tries to use Al, but Fu uses a flash grenade to break apart Pride's shadow and free Al.
Gluttony is getting badly defeated by Ling and Lan Fan, and he can only run away until he notices the flash grenade and goes to it. Gluttony arrives, and Pride notes that both Ling and Lan Fan can sense their Qi and that both his and Gluttony's philosopher's stones have been heavily drained. So, he makes a quick decision and kills and devours Gluttony, taking Gluttony's philosopher's stone and sense of smell. Pride can sense that Hohenheim is near.
In Central, the Generals tell Father that Mustang and his people are most likely responsible for the train explosion. Olivier Armstrong suggests that Mustang will most likely go after Mrs. Bradley as a hostage, but Father doesn't think so since he thinks she's useless as a hostage. At that same moment, Mustang finds Mrs. Bradley and tells her she needs to come with him and promises she won't be hurt.
Episode 49 starts with Hohenheim trying to wake Al up as Pride attacks Ed and keeps Ling and Lan Fan at bay.
Greed regains control, and Lan Fan's automail is malfunctioning, and Ed has to save her from being killed. Al finally wakes up, and Hohenheim tells him that the Homunculi are supposed to be clones of his clone (Father), so Pride is able to genetically suppress Al's blood rune. Fu and Heinkel come over to them and Fu suggest they use a new tactic, so Al gets and idea and needs Hohenheim's help. While Pride is trying to devour Greed, Hohenheim interferes until Al goes for Pride from behind. Pride spots him and grabs Al and taunts him. Hohenheim then reveals their trick by using a powerful transmutation to pull up the ground and form a giant dome around Al and Pride where all light sources are cut off, and Pride is trapped and helpless. Al intends for them to stay in there while the others head to Central since they were having a lot of trouble defeating Pride.
Elsewhere, Greed has run off and reflects on how the other Homunculi are dead and Pride is contained, and that leaves Father and Sloth. He reveals his intent to conquer Central and the country to Ling.
In Central, a group of homeless men encounter Scar and his group. The group learns May hasn't returned to Xing and they learn about the train explosion. Elsewhere, Kimblee has killed a group of Ishvalans.
In the dome, Al talks with Pride and warns him not to underestimate humans. He claims their plan is flawed since their sacrifices could have easily fled the country, but Pride says that while some humans would do that, there are people like his adopted mother who actually cared for and protected him, and people like Ed, Al, and the other sacrifices would not flee from protecting their loved ones.
Scar's group meets back up with Ed's group. Fu leaves for Central alone since he's the only one the enemy won't recognize, can inform them about Mustang's movements, and he can locate Ling.
The Promised Day has started.
Mustang attacks Sector C-5 with Mrs. Bradley as a hostage. Central Command is informed of this, but Brig. General Clemin orders for everyone but Mustang to be killed, even if Mrs. Bradley has to be killed. Mrs. Bradley gets upset when she learns from soldiers coming after them that she's expendable to them.
Episode 50 is a really cool episode. Mustang and everyone else begin to cause utter confusion in Central and get the people on their side. They are holding up in a building, surrounded by Central soldiers. Mustang assures Mrs. Bradley that he won't let anyone hurt her and that they aren't the ones in the wrong. They retreat from the area, with Mustang using his Flame Alchemy to clear a path, but Mustang and his group are noticeably not killing anyone, only injuring.
In the Central Command conference room, Olivier Armstrong taunts them by saying the Central soldiers are too soft for not being able to take Mustang down. She suggests that she be put in charge of the soldiers, but they oppose the idea. At the moment, Captain Buccaneer tells his men that it's time to move in on the Central soldiers. An alarm sets off, and Olivier asks Lt. General Gardner if he thinks her men will be a match for the Mannequin Soldiers as the Briggs soldiers overwhelm the Central soldiers.
Meanwhile, Mustang explains that the Briggs soldiers had been hiding inside the Armstrong family mansion (which explains why Olivier was so dead set on taking over the household). Outside, a big ice cream truck speeds in and takes out some Central City soldiers, revealing Rebecca Cataline with tons of new weapons and ammunition for Mustang's group.
Mustang also sees that Maria Ross is the one driving, having returned from her escape to Xing to help them out.
Mustang gets in touch with someone on a phone line, who is revealed to be Havoc, who was the one who sent them the weapons from his family's secret weapons trade.
Outside Central, Ed and the others notice everything has begun in the city. Hohenheim says they should try to prevent the giant transmutation circle from being activated and destroy Father's vessel to free the Xerxesian souls trapped in his body. Scar suggests the underground tunnel they had found before. Yoki, the injured Heinkel, and Marcoh stay behind. Ed says goodbye to Al, and Pride is shown sitting and tapping away on Al's helmet with a stick.
May hurries past everything going on in the city with Envy in the jar and enters the tunnel.
In Central Command, Olivier is ordered to call off the Briggs soldiers, but she mockingly says that her authority has been taken by Bradley. She then draws her sword and stabs one of the generals, mocking them further for sitting on the sidelines and watching everyone else get hurt and killed. She then take the killed general's gun and shoots Gardner, taking the remaining general hostage.
On the streets of Central, Alex Armstrong has been ordered to secure the fighting areas. Fu, hiding in the crowd, overhears soldiers telling Alex that his sister has taken a general hostage. Fu is having trouble locating Greed because of the huge flow of energy underground. Meanwhile, Father is spreading his influence out over a greater area and locks onto Pride tapping on Al's helmet.
Ed and his group see that the tunnel entrance has now been blocked by soldiers, so they use the alternate Lab 3 entrance. They go separate ways, with Hohenheim and Lan Fan going in the opposite direction of the others. Hohenheim, once far enough away, tells Lan Fan that she's free to go search for Ling, and she does so gratefully.
Meanwhile, one of the generals goes to the room with the Mannequin Soldiers and, despite the scientists protests activates all of them to deal with Mustang and his group. They all open their eyes and let out a wave of shrieks that echo throughout the building.
Episodes 51-56
Episode 51 is a bit all over the place. It begins with the Mannequin Soldiers being released, and then they kill the general and scientist and move on.
Ed's group arrives in the white room with the giant door where Lust had been killed. Suddenly, the door opens, and the Mannequin Soldiers swarm out.
In Central Command, Olivier Armstrong is walking with her hostage and demands that he withdraw the troops that are facing Mustang and the Briggs soldiers. A group of soldiers appear and draw their guns, but she holds them off by threatening to kill the general. The general then tells them to close up Central's gates so Mustang and Briggs soldiers can't get in at the risk of his life. Olivier then notices and moves out of the way as Sloth appears and crushes the general. Sloth has arrived to kill Olivier.
Meanwhile, Ed and the others are fighting the Mannequin Soldiers, and Ed is reminded of the many faces of the trapped souls on Envy's monster-form's neck and realizes these soldiers have human souls in them. Scar tells them that they can't allow these soldiers to get out.
On the street, citizens talk about the chaos and how they heard Mustang was staging a coup.
Back underground, Ed seals the door to the outside so the soldiers can't get in and they're trapped in with them.
Outside again, the Briggs soldiers continue to fight. Mustang learns that they will recognize the ice cream truck, so he has to come up with another way of getting around.
Back with Al, Heinkel is outside the dome and hears the sound of Pride tapping Al's helmet, and then he realizes that Pride has been tapping morse code to Father all this time and hurriedly tells Al to stop him. It's too late, though, and Kimblee appears and attacks the dome so there's a hole in it. Pride escapes and thanks Kimblee.
Underneath Central, May is running through the sewers, chased by Mannequin Soldiers. May stops to fight them, but then drops Envy's jar and sets him free. He is eaten by one of the soldiers but takes control of the body and absorbs all the other soldiers into him to regain his body.
At Kanama, the military have taken control there, and Marcoh and Yoki think their location has been found out, and Marcoh wants to go help the others.
Returning to Al's situation, Pride tells Kimblee of how he absorbed Gluttony. Al tries to help a still-injured Heinkel but is caught by Pride's shadow tendrils, but he uses alchemy to throw up a dust smokescreen. Pride pulls what he thinks is Al to him, only to discover that Al has severed his armored feet from his body.
Back in Central Command, Olivier avoids the Sloth's chains. Some soldiers arrive to take her into custody, but Sloth's chain takes them out. She's then caught by Sloth's hands, but Alex suddenly arrives before she can be crushed and knocks Sloth back with a punch. Olivier's arm is injured and she tells Alex that their enemy is a Homunculus, so Alex claims he'll fight it.
(You glorious Sir)
Back again to Al, he's trying to get away with Heinkel despite barely being able to move with his feet gone. Heinkel then remembers he has a philosopher's stone from when he found it in the mine and offers it to Al. Al recognizes that he needs it to save them and protect the world and those he cares about. Kimblee and Pride then watch a philosopher's stone reaction, and then Al emerges from the dust with repaired feet.
Episode 52 continues with Al beginning his attack on Kimblee and Pride, using the philosopher's stone to fix any damage they do to his armor. Al manages to trap Pride, only to have Kimblee break him out again, but then Al uses a flash bomb from Fu to destroy Pride's shadow and trap him again. Kimblee then reveals to Al the extra philosopher's stone in his mouth.
Meanwhile, Alex is fighting Sloth but having a hard time. Olivier attacks him and discovers that his weakness is under his tough skin. Two more soldiers arrive to take Olivier in, but then Sloth kills then and cuts Olivier's arm with surprising super speed, revealing himself as the fastest (but still clumsy) Homunculus. Alex gets hit in the face.
Back to Al's fight, Pride breaks out again, and Al is hiding in the dust smokescreen. Pride uses his new sense of smell and catches Al, but Al reminds Pride again not to underestimate humans as Pride realizes the dust is meant to block his sense of smell. Heinkel, in his lion chimera form, attacks Kimblee from behind and deeply bits his neck. Kimblee then sees Marcoh off to the side with a philosopher's stone and realizes he had arrived and used it and his medical alchemy expertise to heal Heinkel.
In Central, Mustang fixes their problem by using alchemy to change the ice cream logo on the truck into a meat packager logo. They drive through town and decide to take a more covert way into Central Command. In the white room, Ed and the others are still fighting the Mannequin Soldiers.
Inside Central Command, Alex has stopped Sloth's attack on Olivier but gets his arm dislocated because of it. Sloth attacks again, and Olivier is knocked unconscious.
Meanwhile, Pride tries to harm Heinkel, but he uses Kimblee's body as a shield and Pride hesitates. He then tries to kill Marcoh, but Yoki suddenly arrives in a jeep and knocks Pride down. Everybody goes to the jeep, leaving Kimblee with Pride before getting in and heading off towards Central. Pride claims that it won't make a difference and goes over to Kimblee, noting that Heinkel crushed his windpipe. He mockingly says that since Kimblee had wanted to see what the world would become, he greedily absorbs Kimblee into him so Kimblee can live inside him.
Back in Central, Olivier wakes up to see that Alex has transmuted a giant spike through Sloth's mouth and out the back of his head to hold him back. Sloth still regenerates, and then the door opens to reveal soldiers being attacked by Mannequin Soldiers. Olivier tells them all that they likely came from their surperiors, and their superiors didn't care about letting them know about this. She asks one of the soldiers if he still intends to kill her, which would only result in them being killed by the Mannequin Soldiers and Sloth, or if they'll let her and Alex ensure they survive.
Back underground, May continues to evade Envy, and more Mannequin Soldiers show up, and May uses the large number to flee.
In the white room, Ed is pinned down and about to be attacked, when suddenly the wall is destroyed, saving Ed and revealing Mustang and some of his group.
Episode 53 starts with rumors spreading around Central about Mustang's coup. The people then hear the radio broadcast of a live interview with Mrs. Bradley and some of Mustang's group that have holed up in the studio and supposedly taken the news crew hostage. Mrs. Bradley says that Mustang protected her when the Central soldiers showed they would willingly kill her. In another room, Fuery and Ross discuss how Mrs. Bradley is still unaware of her family's true identities, and then Breda steps up to the mic to tell everyone that someone has bombed the Fuhrer's train and that Bradley is missing now. He lies and says Mustang had gotten wind of of Command's plot to take over now that Bradley was presumed dead and acted out in support of Bradley to stop Command. Brigadier General Clemin hears the radio announcement and furiously calls the station to order them to shut down the broadcast. While the other radio station workers smother their laughter, the station master pretends to still be held hostage and then pretends to be beat up and hangs up the phone.
Ross also delivers a short speech in support of Mustang and justice, knowing that the people will perk up at the mention of justice. Meanwhile, the Briggs tank that had been smuggled into the Armstrong's mansion with the soldiers begins firing away at Central Command.
Underground, seeing that they need help, Mustang sets loose a wave of flames that scorches them in one go. Above them, May is still fleeing from Envy, and their fighting causes their part of the tunnel to collapse and land them in the white room with everyone else. Envy sees everyone together and taunt Scar for working with the State Alchemists since he enjoys humans fighting amongst each other, but they don't listen to him. Mustang, knowing of Envy's shape-shifting abilities, asks him who killed Hughes. Envy tries to keep pinning it on Ross, but Mustang reveals to Envy that he knows Ross didn't do it. Envy laughs and then tells Mustang he finally tracked down his culprit. Mustang is skeptical, so Envy gleefully transforms into Hughes's wife to show him how he tricked Hughes. Roy is shocked, and then he becomes enraged, prepares his gloves, and then claims he'll start by burning Envy's tongue.
Roy's face is now warped with rage (pretty scary), and he tells the others to go on without him. When Envy tries to stop them, Mustang scorches his tongue mid-sentence.
Ed is worried, even though Hawkeye will be staying with Mustang, but they all go past into the tunnel beyond the door towards Father's inner sanctum. While traveling through, Ed remarks that it's not Mustang's safety he was worrying about. Envy transforms into his giant form, but then Mustang just incinerates his eyes and sets fire to his body. Knowing he's in trouble, Envy knocks rubble at Mustang and uses the distraction to flee beyond the doors. Mustang, desperate for revenge, chases after him and tells Hawkeye to wait there.
As they continues to move forward, Ed is still worried and glances at Scar, who says he knows what it's like to be consumed with rage and knows Mustang is headed down a dark path if he lets it get a hold of him like this.
Envy continues to desperately flee in terror, getting burnt and screaming in pain whenever Mustang catches up. He hides and then approaches Mustang as Hughes to shock him and give him a chance to attack, but Mustang doesn't hesitate to scorch him even more since he's accepted that Hughes is dead and is now even angrier at Envy for using that form. In the white room, Hawkeye is worried by the sounds of their fighting and enters. Envy, badly burned, escapes into a pit, and Mustang has to find him again. As Envy is hiding, he sees Hawkeye wandering around and gets an idea. Soon after, Hawkeye and Mustang bump into each other and lower their weapons. They walk together until Hawkeye suddenly raises her gun at the back of Mustang's head, and you're left wondering which person is Envy.
Episode 54 starts off with a flashback after the Ishvalan Civil War is over. Mustang finds Hawkeye making a grave for an Ishvalan child, haunted by what they've done. She claims there is no way she can atone for her sins and knows that she had entrusted the research her father tattooed onto her back to Mustang, but then he had gone on to use it to massacre people in war. She tells Mustang to use his Flame Alchemy to burn her back and destroy the notes so there can never be another Flame Alchemist. Reluctantly, Mustang agrees so she'll be freed from the burden her father put on her.
Back in the present, Hawkeye has her gun pointed at Mustang. Mustang asks what she's doing, and she smirks and says that Mustang always calls her Riza when they're alone, so he jumps away and reveals himself to be Envy. Hawkeye then reveals that she lied, and shoots him. She keeps shooting at him, but Envy gets frustrated and grabs her and bashes her against the ground. When he happily says he'll leave her corpse for Mustang to find, he's suddenly set on fire as Mustang appears. His eyes are noticeably steeled over with cold vengeance. He continues his vicious attack on Envy until Envy's body withers to dust, and his real slug form crawls out and tries to escape.
Mustang steps on and traps him, comments on his ugly appearance, and then prepares to finish him off, but then Hawkeye draws her gun on him and tells him to stop. She says he's done enough and that she'll finish Envy off, but Roy wants to be the only one to kill Envy. The ground beneath Envy suddenly springs up and sends Envy flying into Ed's waiting hand, and Scar is standing behind him. Mustang demands that Ed return Envy to him or else he'll burn his automail arm off along with Envy.
Ed adamantly refuses and tells Mustang to take a good look at his face and ask if that's the face he wants to wear as the future Fuhrer. Scar comments that he doesn't have any right to judge another man's vengeance, but that he knows any country ruled by someone ruled by his own hatred would fall to chaos. Hawkeye also adds that she won't let Mustang give in to vengeance, and she will shoot him if he continues (since he had her promise long ago to shoot him if he ever strayed from his path to better the country), and then she'll end her own life afterwards. After hearing this, Mustang lets his flames loose down a random corridor and lets go, and then he apologizes to everyone.
Envy, watching all of this, mocks them for their human sentiment and tries to turn them on each other by bringing up bad memories and old grudges between each other, believing that humans aren't capable of overcoming their hatred and living together peacefully. Ed suddenly realizes why Envy hates humans so much - he's jealous of them, jealous that his own kind (the Homunculi) don't take care of and support each other the way the supposedly inferior humans do. Angered by Ed's claim, he wriggles out of his hand and falls to the ground. He begins to cry and says he's been utterly humiliated. With a farewell, he reaches inside his body and tears out his philosopher's stone and ends his life. Mustang remarks on Envy's cowardice.
(Man, you're so glad this asshole dies, but at the same time his death is really sad)
Here's his last desperate speech and death if you're curious...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HwPhoIHK-Y
Back in Central Command, Alex continues to fight Sloth. More soldiers appear, and Olivier takes command and helps them fight the Mannequin Soldiers. When Alex is pinned by Sloth and takes a beating, he changing position enough so Sloth's punches pop his shoulder back into place and begins fighting back and inflicting a lot of damage.
Meanwhile, the Briggs tank damages the gate, and Brigadier General Clemin demands they return fire even though the citizens in that area haven't fully evacuated. However, an explosion shakes the room, and Captain Buccaneer and his men burst in. It's revealed they made use of Falman's fantastic memory of the Central Command layout and used a tunnel dug single-handedly by Izumi Curtis.
Back underground, Hohenheim has reached Father and shows disappointment in him, but Father just replies that Hohenheim will now become a part of him.
Episode 55 continues with Ed's group trying to catch up to the others. Ed and Mustang are arguing and Hawkeye takes the time to thank a surprised Scar.
Above ground, the Briggs tank stops firing and a message is spoken from the loudspeakers that the Briggs soldiers have taken control of Central Command. General Clemin realizes that the tank was a diversion so Izumi could dig underground with the Briggs soldiers and reach Central Command without them noticing. Olivier, learning of the new situation, patches in to Captain Buccaneer and warns him about the Mannequin Soldiers. She answers a Central soldier's question that the Mannequin Soldiers are the immortal legion given human souls and no fear of death, which horrifies the soldiers. Sloth is able to regenerate again and knocks Alex and Olivier away. The soldiers notice one of Sloths chains and distract him with it until Sloth breaks free and charges, only to have a giant transmuted hand burst out and beat Sloth down. It's revealed to be Izumi and her husband Sig, sent by Buccaneer to help them, and help they do...
Sig and Alex glance at each other, and then comically flex their huge muscles and grasp each others' hands in respect.
When Sloth charges again, Sig and Alex attack him and throw him into the ceiling only for him to land on one of Alex's transmuted spikes. Sloth's body begins dissolving because of his used up philosopher's stone, and he eventually dies.
Olivier thanks Izumi and her husband for their help, and her and Alex suspect that the Elrics and everyone else are close by underground and want to help despite their injuries. Izumi tells them that she'll have to flee soon since she's one of the chosen sacrifices.
Meanwhile, Hohenheim is confronting Father. Hohenheim says Father isn't any fun anymore since he's changed. He asks why Father has cut his seven deadly sins away from him since they're still fundamental to understanding humanity, but Father attacks him with Alchemy. He asks Father why he had his Homunculi call him Father and states that back in the flask he had hated the idea of family when in reality he actually wanted one of his own. Father responds by impaling Hohenheim in the gut with his arm, telling Hohenheim that he wants to use the giant transmutation circle to become a perfect human being and that he plans to absorb Hohenheim's philosopher's stone. That plan fails, however.
In Central, the jeep with Al's group is caught in a drainhole. While they're trying to fix it, a mysterious figure passes by.
In Central Command, Buccaneer saves female soldiers from the Mannequin Soldiers. The Armstrong siblings and Izumi take out Mannequins in their area and spot General Edison being attacked. Izumi saves him, but when he asks her to join his side, she punches him in the gut and demands he answer her questions.
Olivier and Alex arrive in Bradley's office and are interrupted by a call telling them that Buccaneer's men have secured the main gate. More reports come in that 9/10's of Central Command is under their control. Just when they're about to celebrate, a voice cuts into the radio saying that things have gone awry while he was away. Olivier realizes with dread that Bradley did indeed survive and had returned. He was the mysterious figure that passed by Al's group earlier. Bradley sends out a command that all of Central's remaining forces with join him and take care of the rebels. Falman quickly sees that Bradley is coming towards them from the main gate.
Episodes 56-60
Episode 56 starts with a flashback to when Hohenheim is traveling through the desert, desperately mumbling about wanting to talk and tell someone they're not alone before he collapses. A group of traveling men that turn out to be Xing merchants rescue him and give him some water. Hohenheim keeps mumbling about Xerxes, apologizing that he couldn't stop "him", and apologizes to someone named Sergence.
Back in the present, Hohenheim brings up Sergence as a carpenter from Xerxes and one of the many souls of Xerxes that are now invading Father's body with the intent of working together to defeat him. Father can't believe it, and Hohenheim says that he had trouble talking to them at first, but over time he was able to converse with all 536, 329 souls inside of him, right before the souls in Father's body create a spike through his head. They intend to destroy his vessel with the hope that his vulnerable form will turn to dust.
However, to Hohenheim's surprise, Father simply absorbs the spike and easily gets rid of his vessel, and new blob-like form shaped like a human with eyes and teeth that resemble the form in the flask is revealed. He tells Hohenheim that he had also evolved over the years and then creates a giant eye in the ceiling.
Above ground, Bradley heads for the entrance and charges the Briggs tank, killing soldiers in the way and tossing a grenade inside the tank to destroy it. He gets into the courtyard and faces off against Buccaneer and his men. He easily destroys Buccaneer's automail arm and cuts him down. He orders Falman to open the gate, but Falman tearfuly refuses by apologizing aloud to Mustang that he looks like he might die sooner than expected.
Suddenly, a new person enters, turning out to be Greed.
At the radio station, the radio manager tells Mrs. Bradley of her husband's return. Breda, having heard that Bradley is taking out Briggs soldiers, regretfully tells Ross that they'll have to pin the blame on Briggs to protect Mustang before going over to the mic and saying that it's fortunate that Bradley is alive and that Olivier Armstrong is probably the leader of this uprising.
Greed talks with Wrath and says that he wants to kill Bradley like everyone else. When he's asked how he survived the train, Bradley reveals he used his Ultimate Eye to calculate what debris to jump onto to get out safely during the fall. Ling briefly cuts in to greet Falman and says that he hates Bradley too (for what he did to Lan Fan and for the kind of ruler he is). Bradley removes his eye patch and attacks. While they're fighting, Buccaneer attacks, but Bradley stabs him through the gut and badly injures him. Buccaneer says that he'd done this to make Bradley unable to use his sword, and Greed gratefully charges him, but then Bradley takes two knives from a fallen Briggs soldier and counters.
Falman orders Buccaneer to be taken somewhere safe and for machine guns to be moved to the main gate to prevent Central soldiers from getting in. When the soldiers try to figure out what to do, Mannequin Soldiers attack some of them, and then Fu arrives with colored smoke bombs. Fu dodges the firing and attacks Bradley and damages his knives. Greed thanks him, though Fu says he's just protecting Ling. Fu learns that the man they're fighting is Bradley, and then becomes angry at finally seeing the person who made his granddaughter Lan Fan lose her arm.
Episode 57 briefly begins with Lan Fan navigating the underground tunnels and overhearing that Bradley has returned. Olivier and Izumi force General Edison to confirm that they planned to sacrifice everyone in Amestris. Edison tries sway the Central soldiers back to his side that they intend to create a united world without war, but then Izumi slaps him and asks the soldiers what they want to do now. Olivier tells them that continuing to follow a superior that they don't have faith in is just self-deception, and Izumi agrees that they need to think for themselves. After thinking, the soldiers meaningfully remove the rank insignias from their uniforms. Izumi notes that a stairway going downstairs is the only way out right now, and that she'll make her escape as they go down.
As Ed's group enters a new room close to where Father is, they come across the Gold-Toothed Doctor that had created Bradley. He's surprised Mustang is there but claims it has saved him the trouble. He then summons zombie soldiers that are revealed to be failed Fuhrer candidates. As they fight the zombie soldiers, the doctor draws a transmutation on the floor.
Back above ground, Fu and Greed/Ling are battling Bradley, and Falman uses the machine guns in the hallway to keep Central soldiers from coming up. Buccaneer wakes up and realizes that he'll bleed out if he removes Bradley's sword right now. Bradley uses one of the knives to pin down Greed's coat, and then attacks Fu and forces them to switch weapons. Now he has Fu's sword. He manages to catch Fu's forehead and make it bleed, before knocking off his body armor and striking his chest. Ling takes control to save Fu in time. Fu tells Ling that he's as good as dead, especially after noting that his chest wound is worse than he thought. When Ling refuses to give up on him, he knocks Ling down and orders Greed to protect and restrain Ling and he charges Bradley. When Fu's attempt at suicide bombing Bradley fails, Buccaneer appears from behind and stabs through Fu and deep into Bradley, taking advantage of the fact that Bradley couldn't see him. Giving Bradley a severe wound, Buccaneer tells Fu that they can take Bradley to hell with them, and Fu thanks him as he passes away.
As Bradley manages to kick them away, Greed angrily attacks, destroys Fu's sword, and ruins Bradley's Ultimate Eye. Up above, Lan Fan has arrived and cries out when she sees her grandfather die.
Back with Ed's group, they're still fighting the zombie soldiers.
In the stairwell, Izumi explains The Gate to Olivier and what happened to her, and she asks Olivier if there was anyone that she wanted to see again. Olivier tells her she doesn't focus on the dead, only on protecting the living.
The doctor finishes the circle, and he summons some of the zombie soldiers and activates the circle that is connected to all five laboratories so as to make a big transmutation circle around Central. Just as Izumi is about to make her escape, the transmutation circle sacrifices the nearby zombie soldiers, and Isumi, Ed, and Al (the sacrifices) are transported away.
In Episode 58, Ed's group watch helplessly as Ed is transported away, and the doctor tells Mustang that he'll be joining them soon as the fifth sacrifice. Ed, being dragged through the portal by the shadowy little hands, recognizes where he is as similar to The Gate.
Greed is still fighting Bradley, and Lan Fan has reached her father. Bradley knocks them both off the ledge, with Greed grabbing the edge to avoid falling far down into the water, and Bradley holding onto Greed. The ledge is about to give away, when Lan Fan grabs his arm. Greed sees her automail arm bleeding and tells her to let go and go help Fu, but she responds quietly that it's too late as one of her tears hits his cheek. Some of the Briggs soldiers manage to shoot Bradley in the shoulder and make him let go and fall into the moat below him. Ling takes control and grieves over Fu, sad that even though he's obtained immortality he still can't save the life of someone he cares about.
Buccaneer wakes up, and Ling thanks him for dealing Bradley a mortal blow so Fu's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Buccaneer asks Ling to protect the main gate for him, and Ling promises he will as Greed gives Ling some of his Ultimate Shield. He leaves Lan Fan to help and goes down by an elevator and then attacks more troops outside the main gate. Buccaneer comment that he's happy and can die in peace, and he gives a final salute before dying.
Underground, Sig is panicking and wondering where his wife Izumi is. Olivier learns from Alex that this has to do with opening The Gate. Olivier then learns from some of her soldiers that some of her men and Buccaneer have died protecting the main gate, but Buccaneer was able to deal Bradley a mortal blow. They say the gate is still be defended with the help of Greed, and they tell her that Buccaneer died with a smile on his face. With a clenched fist, she says they'll continue on and help Sig find Izumi.
Meanwhile, Ed and Izumi drop down into a mysterious room, right before Al drops down into it. Father then steps out with Hohenheim trapped partially inside his body. Ed doesn't recognize Father in this form until Hohenheim confirms it really is Father before being completely sucked into his body. Ed prepares to fight and discovers that Al isn't waking up.
Mustang's group are forced to continue fighting the remaining zombie soldiers. Mustang's gloves get slashed and he gets pinned down as Hawkeye gets pinned down. Scar is held at swordpoint. The doctor tells Mustang to perform human transmutation, making Mustang realize he's one of the intended sacrifices. Mustang refuses, so the doctor has one of the zombie soldiers fatally wound Hawkeye and says he'll use his medical alchemy and his philosopher's stone to heal her if he performs the transmutation. Hawkeye tells him not to, but Mustang is uncertain.
Episode 59 continues with Mustang seeming to accept, but then he decides not to perform the transmutation because he knows Hawkeye and the others would never forgive him, much to the doctor's surprise. Mustang remarks on the doctor's overconfidence before the doctor suddenly disappears. It revealed that he was caught in Jerso's saliva and is now trapped and dangling from the pipes in the ceiling. May and Zampano drop down into the room and attack the soldiers, allowing Scar and Mustang to break free. May tries to get the jar of liquid philosopher's stone that the doctor has dropped while Mustang goes over to Hawkeye. Darius also arrives to fight. May notices Mustang and the injured Hawkeye and hesitates before giving up briefly on the jar and running over to heal Hawkeye with her alkahestry enough until Hawkeye can get to a doctor.
Before May can pick up the jar, Bradley appears and gets it. He had swam into the underground tunnels through the sewer. May senses Father, and then Jerso is injured by something and knocked to the ground. The attacker is revealed to be Pride.
Mustang faces Bradley, but Bradley evades him and then pins him down, stabbing two swords through both of Mustang's hands. The doctor thanks Bradley for his help, only to be quickly after stabbed by Pride's shadows and absorbed. Pride uses his shadows to create a transmutation circle around Bradley and Mustang, using the doctor's body as the circle's sacrifice. Mustang is forced into the human transmutation. They use the knowledge of the dead doctor that Pride has now gained to force open The Gate and send Mustang there. They carry out the procedure, and Mustang disappears.
Bradley challenges the rest of the group, and Scar steps up to fight him.
After a brief showing of Mustang meeting Truth, Mustang drops into the room with Ed and the others, and Pride appears. Father says that everything is almost ready except Al's soul is not back yet. Ed and Izumi check on Mustang, who is unconscious. After he wakes up and tells them he's seen The Gate, he remarks on only being able to see blackness, and you notice his eyes look strange. Ed realizes with horror that Mustang has lost his eyesight.
Pride reveals that they had to force him to open The Gate, and Father comments on the cruel irony of the things they lost for performing human transmutation though Ed argues with him.
Back above, Scar and Bradley engage in fighting. Bradley asks what Scar's real name is, but Scar says he had none since he got rid of it long ago, and Bradley comments that he doesn't know his original name either and finds it amusing that two nameless men are trying to kill each other.
As they fight, May breaks into Father's room. Al is then shown in front of his Gate, talking to his emaciated body. He sadly realizes that if he takes his human body back now he won't be fit to help everyone else fight. Al promises to come back for his body and goes back through The Gate.
He wakes up, and Father is happy to have all five of his sacrifices present.
In Episode 60, Ed knows that they're all gathered here now, but he won't let the Homunculi do as they please. Father scoffs and tell them they're trapped. May announces that she'll be Father's opponent, leaving Pride to Ed and Al while Izumi looks after Mustang. Ed remembers that he had noticed a little before that Pride's face was crumbling slightly and guesses that forcing Mustang through The Gate weakened him. Ed and Al begin attacking as Pride goes on the defensive. May tries to strike Father, but Hohenheim is able to break his face free long enough to warn her, but it's too late as May is injured by a transmutation the second she touches Father's form.
Around Central, Ishvalans that came with Scar, hurry to specific spots around Central City and put down tarps with the Alkahestric Reverse National Transmutation Circle that Scar's brother had made.
Scar continues to fight Bradley, but Bradley keeps an upper hand and wounds Scar is several places. Scar manages to break one of Bradley's swords, but then Bradley is able to immobilize Scar's deconstruction arm and prepares to kill him. Suddenly, Scar touches his left arm to the floor and creates large spikes that deflect Bradley's attack and injure him. Scar reveals that he decided on his best course of action months ago and shows that he now has his brother's reconstructive array tattooed onto his left arm.
Ed lets Al go to help May, and he shields her from one of Father's attacks. Ed gains the upper hand over Pride and headbutts Pride hard enough to break off a chunk of Pride's deteriorating face.
Knowing that the time has come, he captures all the sacrifices in his tendrils and pins them down in a circle around him.
Up above, the remaining generals notices that the eclipse is almost ready and panics since they're going to die because they're not in the middle of the giant circle. The eclipse begins and cast Amestris in darkness. Father asks the group if they ever thought of Earth as a giant life form capable of amassing knowledge on a much greater scale than humans. He says that if someone could open The Gate belonging to that kind of life form, that someone could gain unimaginable power. He wants that power for himself.
Greed suddenly leaps from the shadows and attacks Father, saying he wants that power for himself. However, Father says he was expecting Greed and slithers over to his throne, dragging Ed and the others with him into a new circle. He reveals that the true center has always been right here and thrusts his hand down, and activates the nationwide circle. The eye of The Gate appears on each of the sacrifices, and a black film rises and engulfs all of Central Command and around it. Out of each sacrifice's Gate (the eye), little shadowy hands reach out and create a large surge of alchemical energy that activates the circle made up from the five labs around Central and then races around Amestris's circle. Everyone in Amestris collapses as their souls are forcibly pulled from their bodies.
A pair of unbelievably massive doors appear above Amestris and open out toward the eclipse. Father, his body now grown to titanic size, emerges from within and calls out to the circle created by the sun's corona around the moon. A pair of Gate doors appear and open in front of the eclipse. The Gate of "Heaven" sends tendrils toward the Gate of Amestris. Father grabs them and says he'll drag God down to Earth and make it part of him. A giant bright light breaks out over the planet's surface.
Episodes 61-64 (Epic Ending Climax is Epic!)
Episode 61 starts with a brief flashback of a young Ed and Al looking at a text in their father's study. It says that the sun represents masculinity and the moon represents femininity, and when combined they can create a perfect being, or god.
Present day, Amestris is completely silent, with bodies everywhere. Ed and the others wake up, and Father greets them on the throne in his new body, which looks like an older and more muscular Ed. He claims that he has absorbed God. Ed doesn't believe him, Hohenheim explains that with a large enough energy source it's theoretically possible. May asks how many people have been sacrificed for energy, and Mustang says that Amestris's population is about fifty million people. Ed tries to attack him, but Father easily closes off alchemy again and then conjures a miniature sun in his palm to take out his opponents.
He then feels that something is wrong, and Hohenheim reveals that he created a countermeasure that went into effect as soon as Father absorbed God. He says he sent out souls from his body into the ground at distinct locations. He created a nationwide circle that would activate on its own. The circular shadow of the moon shifts across Earth's surface, and the five locations that Hohenheim had traveled to burn with the deposited souls, and the giant transmutation circle is activated. The full power of the circle rips the souls of the people of Amestris from Father, and the souls all return to their correct bodies. Father has lost the strength and energy to keep God contained within him.
Furious, Father attacks them with alchemy, and May transmutes a barrier that Hohenheim helps to block despite lacking enough power to keep it up. Ed and Al rush over and back him up.
Above, Scar and Bradley are still fighting, and Bradley is blinded temporarily by the glint of sun on his sword. Scar takes the opportunity and deconstructs both of his arms. Bradley takes his snapped sword in his teeth and stabs Scar before he collapses. Bradley bleeds out on the floor, amused, and Lan Fan appears and approaches him. She asks if he has any last words for his wife, but he says that there is no need for words between and king and his queen. As he dies, he comments on how his life had always been laid out before him, but these last few years had been enjoyable thanks to humans' actions.
After he dies, Lan Fan finds his philosopher's stone, and Scar asks her to help him over to the five-point circle that the doctor had drawn. He places his hands onto it and activates the runes on his arms. The energy flows out to the five points that the Ishvalans have set up around Central and then out around the whole country.
Below, Hohenheim alerts the others to the transmutation, and Ed sees that his alchemy is working again and attacks Father and Pride. Scar explains to Lan Fan that the alchemists in Amestris weren't able to use the full extent of Earth's energy like the alkahestrists because of a layer of philosopher's stone energy spread out under the entire country like an inhibitor. His brother discovered this and created an alkahestric counter on top of the nationwide transmutation circle to negate the inhibitor and free Earth's energy for alchemical use.
Below, Ed and the others are trying to make Father use up all of his philosopher stone energy. Father blocks their attacks and breaks through the ceiling for the surface.
Olivier and Alex find Hawkeye and her companions, and they see Father rise past them. Hohenheim realizes he intends to gather more souls above ground, and so they give chase. Ed, however, is caught by one of Pride's tendrils, so they go on ahead while he deals with Pride. The others encounter the Armstrongs and Hawkeye and everyone else. They leave Mustang with them and continue up.
Back with Ed, Pride thrusts his shadow tendrils into Ed's wounds, wanting to replace his crumbling vessel with someone of Hohenheim's blood. However, things go awry when, from inside Pride, Kimblee appears and speaks out to him, saying that he isn't allowed to take Ed's body. He claims he is interfering because Pride, who always talks about Homunculi honor is abandoning honor to flee from death into the body of a human, which up until now he had considered inferior, and so Kimblee has lost respect for him. Ed breaks free and grabs Pride's head and forces his way into Pride's psyche. Pride fears he is about to die, to which Kimblee responds that he doesn't understand Ed's convictions at all. Pride's body crumbles to dust, and when Ed opens his hand, the tiny, sleeping, embryonic, pure form of Pride is revealed. He leaves the baby nestled in his red cloak, promising to apologize to Mrs. Bradley, as he leaves to help the others and Pride whimpers for his mom.
In
Episode 62, everyone arrives to stop Father. In retaliation to Hohenheim stating that Homunculi can only destroy, he produces several people that are the souls of people of Xerxes given physical form through alchemy. Ed catches up to everyone, right before Father releases a massive energy blast that takes out a huge chunk of Central Command.
Alex transmutes a big platform to raise everyone to the surface. Greed tells them the injured need to stay back. Mustang claims he can still use his alchemy to help, but he needs Hawkeye's pinpoint aim.
As the dust clears, May wakes to see that Al had shielded her and had a large part of his armor destroyed. Ed and Izumi wake up to see that Hohenheim shielded them, and his body was scorched.
Hohenheim responds to Ed calling out to him, but then Father appears and knocks him aside. He tries to take Ed and Izumi's souls, but Briggs soldiers arrive and open fire on Father. He isn't affect by their attacks because of his impenetrable alchemical barrier. Mustang then attacks with his Flame Alchemy, with the help of Hawkeye to tell him where to aim.
Everyone continues to attack to try to make Father use up his energy. Greed, watching from afar, comments about how he would love that much god-like power to take over the world, but Ling remarks that his desire isn't for power, but something else. Greed ignores him and joins the fight. Father remains unharmed until Greed rushes out and punches his face. Father thanks Greed for giving him a full philosopher's stone, but Greed uses the opportunity to drain his energy, but then Father overpowers his pull. Ed, Alex, and Izumi rush in to help and attack Father, who is overwhelmed by the attacks until he produces a wave to push them all back and destroy Ed's automail arm. Ed retaliates with a kick, and Hohenheim realizes that Father is getting worn down and can barely hold God inside of him. God's eye rises up and begins to escape from Father, who falls over and releases a big burst of energy that throws everyone back.
He barely manages to keep God inside of him but needs another soul and spots Ed, who is trapped to a pike of broken concrete by a twisted bar impaled into his arm and isn't able to get away. And without a second arm, he can't transmute his way out.
Al becomes panicked but isn't able to reach him because of his damaged body, so he begs May to help him sacrifice his soul to give Ed's other arm back. She sets up the circle with her kunais. Ed sees this and desperately protests, but Al activates the circle.
In front of the Gate, Al talks to his body again and says that he's ready. Al reaches out, and his armored body disintegrates, and his soul is finally reunited with his body. Al is sure that Ed will come for him soon.
In the real world, Ed watches as his automail is gone and replaced by his real arm. For the first time in five years, he claps his hands together to transmute a bunch of earthen battering rams, tears the bar from his arm, and throws them angrily at Father.
Everyone cheers him on. As Greed silently watches, Ling tells him that everyone supporting and celebrating him was what Greed really wanted.
Episode 63 continues with Ed pummeling Father until God tries to escape again, and Father barely manages to keep it in and then desperately lunges for Greed's philosopher's stone. He plunges his arm into Greed. Inside Greed. Ling's consciousness grabs onto Greed's, refusing to let go despite Greed telling him he'll only be pulled in with him. When Ling says he still needs him, Greed agrees to work together with him, only to knock him away once Ling's guard was down, saving Ling and letting himself get sucked into Father. He tells Ling that this lie was the only lie he's ever told and that Ling can still become emperor.
As Father absorbs Greed through his arm, Greed summons Lan Fan over and has her slice off Father's arm. Greed tells Father that he used his armor ability to transform Father's anatomy into the weakest form of carbon (opposite from his Ultimate Shield). Father's whole body begins to crumble, and he tries to stop it by ripping out Greed's soul. Greed's soul is cast into the air, and he sees Ed and Ling and realizes that friends were the one thing he truly wanted and bids them farewell before he departs.
Ed then takes the chance to rush up and punch a hole through Father's body, releasing the rest of the souls from Xerxes. The black shadowy hands of The Gate reach out from the hole and pull him inside until he disappears inside himself, screaming that his only desire was to learn everything without being limited.
He appears before The Gate as the shadowy form he began as in the flask. He wonders why God has rejected him, and Truth appears and replies that it's because he didn't believe in himself and stole from others and chased the idea of God without growing as a person. Father doesn't understand, and the doors open, and he tells Father that among other things he is the one who deals out proper despair to makes sure beings don't become conceited. Hands grab Father as he cries out and doesn't want to go back in there. He begs Truth to tell him what he should have done, but Truth simply tells him that he must have seen the answer before the doors close.
Watch it happen...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PRSchbUMW4
In the real world, everyone mourns Al's lifeless armor.
Ling offers Ed the philosopher's stone to use, but Ed refuses since he promised Al he would never use it to get Al's body back. Hohenheim offers his life, saying as their father that he wants them to be happy, but Ed gratefully rejects it. Ed continues to think of a solution, until the answer suddenly dawns on him, and he draws a human transmutation circle. He happily tells them he'll be back, but this will be his final transmutation, and then he activates it.
In front of his own Gate, he tells Truth that he chooses to trade his Gate (and therefore his alchemy), since that would be big and important enough. Truth reminds him that he'll be reduced to a normal human, but Ed says that's all he's ever been and that believing alchemy could solve all of his problems was conceited.
Truth congratulates him on his answer. Ed deconstructs his own Gate, and then is shown Al in front of his own Gate. Ed helps him up, and they exit out Al's Gate together.
In the real world, Al opens his human eyes for the first time in five years, surrounded by his family and friends. May hugs him, and he can feel warmth after so long.
Much later, Ed brings the baby form of Pride to Mrs. Bradley. A message is broadcasted on the radio that the sudden collapse of everyone in Amestris was due to an alchemical experiment by Central Command that was stopped by the shared efforts of Mustang and Olivier Armstrong and their forces. The remaining generals are taken into custody, and it is told that Bradley and Selim lost their lives in the turmoil. Hohenheim stands in front of where Father vanished and thinks sadly about his mistakes, but Alex comes up to him and reminds him that his two sons saved Amestris. Hohenheim thanks him and leaves for Resembool. He arrives and kneels before Trisha's grave. He tells her that his horribly long life was made happy and worth it after meeting her and their sons as his body begins to crack and fade. Later, Pinako visits, sees Hohenheim, and rushes up to him to say hello, but then stops with a sad smile as she sees that he has passed away with a happy expression. (AWWWWW)
Episode 64 is basically an nice Afterward episode that concludes everything. It starts with Mustang being visited in the hospital, and it's shown that he's being tutored by his subordinates about how to answer questions about his plans to re-establish the nation of Ishval in return for their help. The doctor visiting him calls in Marcoh with a philosopher's stone, and Marcoh offers to use the philosopher's stone to give his eyesight back. Mustang agrees but says that they need to heal Havoc's legs first.
At the Armstrong mansion, Olivier and Miles visit a recovering Scar. They say that Mustang asked Miles to head the Ishval reconstruction project, and Miles wants to have Scar help him rebuild the nation and religion. Scar readily agrees. Olivier asks for his real name, but he simply tells her that since he's died twice, she can call him whatever she deems fit.
Ed and Al return to Resembool, and Al has to take a rest since his body is still weak. They think back to Ling and May before they left, and remember that Ling told May that his clan would become the ruling clan of Xing, but he would use his power to protect her clan and the other clans. After that, they all left together. Ed and Al arrive at Winry's house, and when Winry sees them together and finally whole again, she burst into tears and happily hugs them.
Two peaceful years pass, and Ed notes that he misses alchemy while fixing Winry's roof. Al joins him and comments on how they still have a lot to do.
Mrs. Bradley is seen talking to the new Fuhrer Grumman. Their conversation is interrupted by a young Selim, who still has the Homunculus mark on his forehead. Selim is worrying over an injured bird, and Grumman comments on his compassion but reminds Mrs. Bradley that he will need to act if he starts acting strange.
In Central City, Al visits Hughes's wife and daughter and talks about everyone that helped them get this far, and that he and his brother intend to travel and thank everyone by learning and helping in every way they can. Gracia calls this act Equivalent Exchange, paying people back for their help by helping them, but Al says he and Ed have a new way of thinking, where one doesn't simply repay ten for ten but instead takes ten for himself and, in repaying it, adds one from oneself to give that person eleven. He then goes to visit Jerso and Zampano, who are going to travel with him to Xing in the hope that they can find a way to get their normal bodies back. Al tells them he's going east to learn more about alkahestry and that Ed will be traveling west to learn more about alchemy.
In a train station in Resembool, Winry sees Ed off and warns him to take care of his automail leg. The train arrives, and he starts to board, but then he turns to Winry and proposes an Equivalent Exchange between them where he gives her half of his life and she gives him half of hers. She gets irritated at his alchemy-based proposal and offhandedly remarks that she's willing to give her whole life. Ed then laughs at her embarrassment and ability to easily overthrow Equivalent Exchange before embracing her.
On the train, Ed thinks to himself that lessons are pointless if they don't teach pain because gaining something always requires sacrifice, and that people who are able to endure the pain gain a strong, Fullmetal Heart.
I LOVE THE ENDING QUOTE XD
The episode ends with credits and a pan of pictures tacked onto the Rockbell-Elric house. Hohenheim's grave beside Trisha's, Scar and Miles working together to rebuild Ishval, Ling has become emperor, Mustang has regained his eyesight, and Al has returned to Amestris with May and Ed had married Winry and had two kids.
ALL RIGHT!! THE END!! I LOVED BEING ABLE TO WATCH IT AGAIN!! IT'S SUCH A GREAT ANIME! NEXT IS TACKLING SOME OF THE ISSUES FMA BROTHERHOOD CONFRONTS!!
