Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood 59

The more I fangasm over this series, the more I realize how much I’m going to miss it when it ends very soon. According to Anime News Network and a few other sources, there are 63 episodes in total, which means only four left. The manga is coming to an end soon after quite some time. We should expect to see the last chapter within the next week or two depending on a few factors, but until then, I shall focus on episode 59.

Colonel Mustang has put his foot down, despite nearly losing Lt. Hawkeye from bleeding to death, declaring he will not perform the human transmutation of his own free will. He and crazy-eyed scientist guy get into a bit of a verbal tiff before the latter is suddenly pulled up out of nowhere into the hole in the ceiling. Like a good, loyal dog, one of the soldiers’ stands below, pacing nervously, watching in horror as his master is held hostage in the spit of Jerso the chimera. Despite crazy-eyed scientist’s continuous threats, May-chan and Zampano have also come to aid in the fight.

This gives Mustang and Scar a chance to break free. Mustang runs over to Hawkeye who is still bleeding out of her neck. Meanwhile, May-chan spots a vial of Philosopher’s stone that was dropped when crazy-eyed scientist guy was snagged up into the ceiling. It is her chance to obtain the treasure she’d been looking for all this time, but the vial is kicked away in the action. May decides that helping Lieutenant Hawkeye is more important at the moment and at least seals her wound enough so that she will not bleed to death, though she is still urged to see a doctor. When the fight comes to an end, May remembers the stone and spots it near the entryway. The soldiers may have been dealt with, but they are not alone for much longer. A wounded King Bradley appears, picking up the stone, but there is something that Mustang notices about him—those wounds are not healing.

Basically, he managed to swim his way in through a drainage pipe (He’s a Homunculus for cryin’ out loud. Like he wouldn’t be able to survive a gunshot wound and a bit of water).  There is a reunion scene between him and Mustang that follows. They talk about how he’s changed and grown over the years and how humans are such infuriating creatures — cue simultaneous apprehensive heave of breath. May-chan says she senses something deep down below them; Father, obviously, but they must worry about him later. From the hole in the ceiling emerges Pride, wounding poor Jerso in the process. He tells them to run, but it is too late. When Mustang hands Hawkeye over to Darius, asking him to watch her, King Bradley makes his move and suddenly rushes the Colonel, dodging his flames and pins him down with two swords—one in each hand.

I don’t know if this is relevant, but now that I think about it, it’s almost as if Mustang is being crucified (against the floor, that is). Now that crazy-scientist guy is no longer needed, Pride runs him through—thank you, Pride! They intend to use him as a sacrifice for the human transmutation that Mustang will be forced to perform. The transmutation circle is activated shortly thereafter, which brings us above ground to the city where the solar eclipse has begun.

After the transmutation is performed, Mustang is now no longer with the group and crazy-eyed scientist guy has been transmuted into a disgusting brown-ish cluster of something akin to once being alive. Though King Bradley is fatally wounded, he must prevent anyone from descending deeper into Father’s lair. The guy is a total powerhouse! He and Scar are the ones to go head-to-head, and what an epic fight it will be.

In the meantime, at the gate, Mustang is transported from there to the underground lair, uncertain at first about what has happened to him. Ed rushes to his aid, but it isn’t clear exactly what was given up in the name of equivalent exchange. When Mustang says something about being in pitch darkness, Ed realizes there is definitely something wrong. But it isn’t until Mustang picks himself up and trips over a pipe that his fear is confirmed—Mustang’s sight was his payment. Ed further catches on that he must have performed a human transmutation in order for this to happen and quickly learns that it wasn’t his choice, further infuriating the young alchemist. To make matters worse, Father takes a few shots at Ed, Izumi and Mustang. There is a point to this. He refers to ‘God’, the one who gave Ed, Al and Izumi their defected bodies in return for their willingness to tamper with life. They were all deserving of their fates, but, of course, Mustang was not. You’ll want to keep this in mind for the next episode.

Back a few levels up, there is now a massive hole in the floor where we see the chimeras and Hawkeye making their escape. Bradley, however, is still engaged in battle with Scar, but the fight hasn’t truly begun; not until the dust clears. “What is your true name?” the Fuhrer asks. “I have no name,” Scar replies matter-of-factly, adding one last thing, “I’ve disposed of it.” Bradley comments that he, too, does not know his real name. Thus, beginning the duel between the two nameless opponents.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until next Sunday to see the rest of that. But for now, back down in Father’s lair, May-chan has found her way inside as she breaks through from the ceiling. Her attention is quickly turned to Al who has not yet awakened. All this time, Al has been standing at his gate, having confronted his real body. Completely naked to emphasize the fact that his body has withered to practically nothing, his long-haired self welcomes this shell of armor–his soul–home. Even through his disbelief, Al realizes he cannot fight and win if he rejoins his body in such an emaciated state. He is forced to return through the gate without it, but he does promise that he will be back. Suddenly, Al wakes up and rejoins his brother; however, little does he know that in doing this, his decision may lead to devastating consequences.

What consequences you may ask? Well, you’ll just have to wait until next week for episode 60.

~Blogged by Dee