In the forty-ninth episode of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Al and Hohenheim come up with a way to combat Pride as the Promised Day arrives. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch FMA:B.
I can’t believe this show, y’all.
- GOD THERE ARE ARE JUST SO MANY FEELINGS IN ONE EPISODE, AND IT’S AMAZING TO ME THAT THIS SHOW CAN STILL INSPIRE SUCH THINGS IN ME THIS LATE IN THE GAME.
- How about that reveal that technically, the Homunculi are related to Edward and Alphonse? YEAH, WHAT THE HELL. I mean… shit, it’s not like that was some hidden secret. I just hadn’t connected the dots. That’s so weird, y’all!
- Anyway, how ’bout Pride? Pride, could you not? Could you not try to kill Lan Fan? Because I do not want a world without Lan Fan.
- Speaking of such, I guess my desire for a Lan Fan/Ling reunion has just been destroyed. With Greed on his way to Central to wreak havoc and gain control, Lan Fan is going to be stuck with Edward for the time being. I wanted them to have a conversation so badly! Instead, now I’ve got yet another variable to factor into the disaster this is going to be the Promised Day.
- No, Al, MY BB, DO NOT BLAME YOURSELF FOR THIS. IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT.
- Regardless of that, Al does choose to take responsibility for this, even if it’s not his responsibility to take, and he comes up with an ingenious method of containing Pride. And while this plan is brilliant, I found this all to be so incredible because of the emotional meaning behind the act. It’s why this episode is called “Filial Affection.” Hohenheim is particularly fond of Alphonse, and what he’s seen of his sons in these past few episodes has shown him that they’ve grown into fine young men with a fantastic moral compass. But here, his son offers to be holed up inside an impenetrable wall of earth in order to prevent Pride from taking part in the Promised Day.
- So Hohenheim didn’t need to tell Pride that he’d gone too far in insulting Al, but he meant it. After his son had just recommended this plan, Hohenheim knew Al wasn’t deserving of the put down. And then my heart explodes because Hohenheim is so proud of his sons and how do you expect me to deal with this.
- Predictably, Edward is furious with Hohenheim for letting Al do this, but Hohenheim has to correct Ed: This was all Al’s plan.
- And it’s not just that it was Al’s plan: Al offered himself up to save others.
- It’s a purposeful way for the show to set up the monologue that Pride would give not long after this. There are a lot of things in this show that I don’t expect. I swear, I’m shocked at least once an episode, and sometimes, I’m blown away like six times in twenty minutes. But never, in a billion years, would I have ever assumed that Pride would DEVELOP AN EMOTIONAL FASCINATION WITH HIS OWN MOTHER.
- I just wrote a review where I made a reference to FMA:B‘s use of mothers to tell stories, and I HAD NO FUCKING CLUE WHAT WAS TO COME NEXT. Help me, y’all. I need Jesus at this point.
- I’m just in shock. Still! The Homunculi do not value human life. I spent a ton of space in yesterday’s review talking about life and FMA:B! And then here, we get an example that contradicts what I said. Pride was shocked by Mrs. Bradley’s love for her son because… well, Homunculi fundamentally believe that humankind is flawed, overtly selfish and willing to sacrifice other humans for their own benefit. And yet, Mrs. Bradley was willing to give up her own life, despite that Pride could have easily saved themselves from an oncoming car.
- Pride is telling this to someone who is willing to sacrifice himself to save others.
- But that’s the point. That’s why Pride believes that Edward and Al never would have disappeared from Amestris in order to avoid being sacrifices. It’s a horrible irony once you think about it. Father is going to use the very people who disprove his view of humanity in order to evolve humanity so they won’t EVER BE LIKE EDWARD AND AL.
- Help me it hurts so much.
- Oh, nice, a shot of Maes Hughes’s grave. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME OF MY EARLIER HEARTBREAK, FMA:B.
- Actually, I found it to be a stunning reminder of how far this story has come and what Maes died for.
- Yeah, I’m sad again. Damn it.
- “Filial Affection” also serves to provide the final bit of set up for the Promised Day. IT’S SO CLOSE. Mustang and Hawkeye – wait, I’ll get to them at the end because of reasons, so let’s talk about the return of Scar and Dr. Marcoh, who’ve gotten to Central after their trek. Yoki, Zampano, and Jerso are with them! Oh god, everyone’s converging on Central, Greed included. And as I wondered how they were going to pull this off without alerting Central Command to what was happening, Kimblee has to show up in a scene where a ton of Ishvalan bodies litter the ground. Damn it, can he go away forever? He scares the hell out of me, y’all!
- But I think it is important to try and figure out how this is going to work. Central knows that the Ishvalans are pouring into the slums. They know where Mustang and Hawkeye are. I’m sure they’re aware of the Eastern forces on their way, too. So how the hell are these people going to pull this off? What is Olivier going to do? What the hell happens if Central decides to release those terrifying Philosopher’s Stone clones??? UGH, THERE ARE TOO MANY FACTORS.
- Plus, Fu is on his way to Central. Then we’ve got the chimeras, who all bond over their experience of turning away from Kimblee because of the way he views them all as disposable creatures. I have to factor them into this as well!
- And what about May? Where is she? What’s she doing?
- WHERE IS WINRY?
- WHERE IS MY SENSE OF BEING PREPARED? It’s gone, y’all. It is long gone.
- Edward’s cloak, y’all. EDWARD’S CLOAK.
- Please don’t let this be his last battle. 🙁
- I’m so scared that this isn’t going to end well for some of these characters, you know? How can they all survive?
- I can’t think about this. It’s upsetting me.
- Holy shit, IT’S DENNY. I forgot about him! Oh my god, what is Maria Ross even doing these days?
- IT’S STARTED
- MUSTANG IS ATTACKING
- OH MY GOD
- OH MY GOD, MRS. BRADLEY IS EXPENDABLE.
- HOLY SHIT, THIS IS SO AWFUL.
- I DON’T GET IT! WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS? SURELY, MUSTANG WOULD REALIZE THAT MRS. BRADLEY WOULD BE DISPOSABLE.
- NO, HOW ARE THEY SURROUNDED SO QUICKLY???? I mean… okay, this has to be part of the plan, right? They wouldn’t allow themselves to be captured so quickly, right?
- no no GUNSHOTS NO NO NO NO
- THEY BETTER BE OKAY
- THEY BETTER BE.
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