.....the guy behind Ed looks like Havok, but his left arm has transmuted into a kind of clawed hand.....not unlike the way Greed's powers can coat his body parts with an "Ultimate shield".

Who is that supposed to be?

......RanFan wants an automail arm and she wants it now! Will she really get one? And how will the rest of the characters (especially Ling/Greed) pass the time during the supposedly 6 month rehabilitation period she'll need to endure? Some history/rivalry/enmity between RanFan and Mei-chan, and a VEEERRRRRYY suspicious tattoo on Riza's back (looks like part of it covered by a few scars?), and eeewwwww!!!, is that Gluttony being reborn from "Father's" chest? Gross...........

A look in the past for the most part. Mustang's Alchemy teacher was actually Riza's father. Though he taught him much of the basics, there was apparently something very important that he didn't have time to teach him. Before he dies he tells Roy that when the time comes, his daughter will share the secret with him. (Methinks it's obviously to do with the tattoo on her back).

There's also a look back on the 7-year Ishbalan war. Scar is scolding his brother who trying to learn some of Xing's alchemy, despite it going against Ishvara's teachings. King Bradley begins the Ishbalan Cleansing campaign. A look at the Rockbells who decide to stay and help the wounded instead of escaping when it is rumored that a cleansing operation was soon to begin.

I actually got spoiled from someone in the message boards, so this chapter wasn't much of a surprise to me =/

Still, it was really interesting to see a bit of Roy's past (and it looks like he wants power too, like his anime counterpart)

The conversation between Ed and Hawkeye was awesome. The funniest bit was when Ed spit tea/coffee at Hayate when Hawkeye asked if he loved Winry XD

I hope we get to see how Scar got that scar in the next chapter, as well as how he lost his arm, brother, and nation :o

Hoho-papa, and what exactly he's doing in the North. Prehaps his trying to thwart Father's plans or something...ack >_<;;

Oh, and I want the next chapter to mention the Xing group, although it looks like it's going to be a flashback chapter

- The creation of the philosopher's stone, witnessed by some "old friends".
- A young (moustache-less) Armstrong, breaking under the stress of mass murdering innocent people.
- Finally seeing Kimbley a lot more, not just a shadow or a glimpse
- HUGHES!!! Good to see him back again.
- Riza earning her last name.
- And Scar's brother has discovered something odd about Amestris' Alchemy

Roy: Hughes...I'll give you one word of advice.
It's a common pattern in movies and novels.
Guys who talk happily about their family or lovers on the battlefield have a high chance of dying! Stop it right there!

Ah! Thanks for reminding me. Off to download it...



What Scar's brother discovers is probably what makes him tattoo his arm. Remember that Scar takes his brother's arm. I dunno if it is alchemy from any country they've shown yet.

Who's Kimbley again?

And why do I keep thinking I've heard of the Crimson Alchemist before... =( Been so long since I've read FMA through.

Kimbley AKA the Crimson Alchemist was featured heavily in the anime adaptation, joining with Greed and later with (anime-only) Archer. His alchemy specialty is explosives using 2 arrays on his hands. Unlike the anime, he was only seen briefly in a few chapters of the manga and it still doesn't look like he'll play a bigger part.

I think that he'll be the one to kill Scar's brother, like in the anime. After all, he was the only state alchemist present when Marcoh revealed the stone, so he'll most likely be the one to use it. Iirc, he survives the campaign, since I recall a shot of him in the prison during the confrontation with those number enemies (volume 4 or 5), although I could be confusing this with the manga.

Whoah... Creepy! Roy's sensai just died! And why is there human tranmutation symbol on the girl's back?

A look back on the campaign in Ishbal, and some familiar faces. Following up on chapter 58, Roy Mustang has been sent to Ishbal to participate in the annihilation of all Ishvarians. He meets up with Hughes and they discuss why they seem to think that there's something wrong with the way the campaign is being fought. Saved by a sniper from an assassin, Roy is shocked to learn that their saviour is actually his sensei's daughter, Riza, sent to the front despite only being a cadet.

We witness Armstrong's weakness and desperate ploy to save some Ishvarians, only to watch those he tried to save being killed by Kimbley.

Marcoh meets Knox (he's the doctor who's now looking after Mei and Ran Fan) outside. Knox asks him, "Why am I killing people when I'm a doctor?"

Nothing much happened, but it was still good. The first scene with Roy and Riza was excellent. I was pretty dissapointed there was nothing special about it's 5th aniversary, but whatever. Looks like it's gonna be wrapped up next chapter.

The flashback scene of Mustang and Hawkeye at the graveyard was incredible. I loved how you saw a tiny bit of Hawkeye's tatt on the 4th page.

Kimbly isn't the stupid bastard like his anime-counterpart, nor is Grand (or however you spell the Iron Blood Alchemist's name); they're realistic and not 'evil'. It looks like Kimbly either lost it during the end of the war or held his ambivalent attitude towards everything (he's so godamn cool!). I loved it when Grand shot the Brigadier General and Highes called it a 'stray bullet'. Grand isn't a monster in the manga either; he knows how to fight, but he wants the war to end just like everyone else (who's sane).

AND FUCKIN' BRADLEY. Geez, he's a bastard, but he's incredibly amazing. His God speech makes me believe that Father is definetly planning on bringing God down (or something..ack, it's not right to second-guess Arakawa-sensei!). And it's so fitting for Bradley to be Wrath. Man, that guy is vicious.

It looks like the next chapter is going to be the end of the flashback arc. Even though we already saw the fates of the characters (Hughes, Armstrong, Kimbly, Scar and his brother, the Silver Alchemist, Winry's parents), I know that there's going to be this huge, ridiculous twist! X0

1) What happened to Gluttony and Lyra?

2) Why is it that the evil commander is still alive + robotic part after the forging of the philosopher stone. I thought he was dead among all the other people.

3) Is Dante a good person or a bad one? She is the teacher of Izumi but then I saw she was the leader of the creatures from hell.

4) I didn't really understand why Edward's father couldn't come back to the alchemist's world where Edward still could.

5) Why does Envy hate Edward's father so much?

6) What's the meaning of the green dragon in the last chapter?

7) Why didn't Edward get his hand and leg back at the end?

8) Which one is true? Getting a thing requires something (Edward), or the getting something doesn't require anything (father).

9) Why did Scar kill Nina-dog?

10) So it is true that when one dies, he can never be revived, unless his soul is still there and unless you use the stone. This is how Alphonse revived Edward. So why could Edward revive his brother again? This means Alphonse was never dead???

11) Those hellish creatures, are they just the people from the other world?
I don't understand why Edward keeps saying they don't have souls, if they don't have souls, then what do they have? They certainly have bodies and even memories from people from the alchemist's world.

12) I don't understand a thing from the triangle: Wrath - Edward - Izumi

Tell me where I'm wrong:
Izumi had a dead baby, tried to revive it and received an ugly baby? Is that ugly baby = wrath? Izumi gave her intestins and received wrath. Then she gave wrath back to the other world and then Edward tried to revive his mother and the ugly baby who has legs and arms stole Edwards leg and arm.
I don't understand what happened to the ugly baby. That ugly baby had arms and legs, how could it then steal another leg and another arm from Edward?

13) At the end of the series, Edward's father says something about, when you perform alchemist's things, you have to use energy from the other world in return, what does that mean?

14) Is there anything in the manga that says where the skeleton of Gluttony and Envy is and how did they come to this world?

15) What's with this baby being the portal and all? I even didn't remember when that baby was born...

16) Why was Lust suddenly pinned to the wall by the evil leader, and how??? She didn't have her skeleton.

17) Why did the evil general know that there was a skull in that case? And who hid it? He couldn't possibly put it there himself because he wouldn't be able to move. And if he knew that skull was in there, why did he give it to that kid? Absurd.
BTW, who is that skull from? The general? This can't be because it's the evil general who killed the good one. The evil general already existed when the good general was still alive. So who summoned the evil general and who is this skull from? Ok, I'm really, really confused now.

18) Did you find the ending sad? I did. By the way this is the best anime I've ever seen. So, do the brothers get back after all in the manga?

Ed and Al are unable to find Mei so they decide to return to the hotel. They meet Mustang who offers them a ride. Ed asks him to look around for a black and white "cat" and to tell them if he sees it anywhere. Roy reminds Ed that he owes him money so Ed fishes in his purse for the change, then decides to keep it so that he can return it to Roy once he has become Fuhrer.

Old man Fuu (the old guy with Ran Fan who was protecting Ling) returns and slaps Ran Fan for losing both her arm and their young master. Not only that, but it is revealed that the old man is in reality Ran Fan's grandfather. Ed offers the services of Winry for creating a worthy automail replacement for Ran Fan, but old man Fuu refuses to accept their generosity, opting instead to find their own way instead of relying on others.

After they all leave Doctor Knox receives surprise visitors, his wife and son have returned to see him as they had some business nearby. When they hear him tell them that he treated 2 people and saved them they are very happy. His son reveals that he has been studying medicine to be a doctor, and despite Knox's angry reaction, maintains that he will continue his aim, and though he knows that what his father had done in Ishbal is unforgivable, knowing his father can still save people is proof that his father is not lost. Knox invites them in for coffee and seeing the mess around them, they decide to clean up the house while he is doing that. Reaching for some coffee mugs, Knox begins to cry.

Meanwhile, Little Mei is in the Northern district waiting for a transfer in trains. While overhearing some soldiers talk about Scar, she accidently bumps into an elderly lady. She apologizes and after a little small talk hurries to her next train. The elderly woman remarks about the strange black and white "cat" that is with her.

Kimberly is suddenly released from Prison and is met in a car by a soldier (Envy in disguise). He is told his new mission is the death of Scar and the return of Doctor Marcoh. Also, once he has captured Marcoh, Kimberly is to destroy the small town that Marcoh had once been hiding in (a promise once made by Lust if he was to do anything stupid). Kimberly regurgitates the philosopher's stone he had swallowed in Ishbal, but Envy hands him another stone stating that the one he already had might not be enough for the job.

Roy is standing by the grave of Maes Hughes. He sees another procession go by and is suddenly joined by an elderly lady, the same lady who bumped into Mei in the North. After a little polite chit chat, Mustang suddenly realizes that the elderly "lady" is in fact his old superior from the Northern District, Lieutenant General Grumman (the old fogey he played chess with before his transfer to Central)!!!! Upon hearing Roy's tale, Grumman admonishes him for not taking care of his subordinates but he himself has suddenly felt inspired to action. By chance, he sees the drawing of Mei's panda that Roy received from Ed....

Ed is busy in the Central Library, looking up on Rentanjutsu when he is suddenly surprised to see Major Armstrong staring at him from above the books shelves. Major Armstrong has brought him news from the Colonel, that the people Ed has been looking for have been sighted in the North. Ed makes preparations to go there but is stopped by the Major. Armstrong hands him a letter to give to "her". A woman in the farther reaches of the Northern territoy who "might" be able to help him: Major General Armstrong!!

OMFG, I love this manga sooooOOOoooOOOOooo much.

And we get to see Armstrong's sister! That's really exciting! But, unlike Alex, it looks like the "Northern Cliff of Briggs" is much tougher!

We also get to see people from the north, the Drachmans! Wonder how they look like...

Continuing the story of the homunculus in a jar and the servant boy he names "Van Hoenheim". Hoenheim has learned to read and write thanks to the homunculus' teachings and his master takes him on as an assistant instead of a mere slave, due to his sudden spurt in intellect. The King of Xerxes however is getting old and seeks immortality. He asks the homunculus to make him immortal, to which the homunculus agrees to carry out.

Some workers carry out some irrigation work around a small town, but at night burn the town to the ground and slaughter all the town folk. This goes on and a few years later, the "irrigation canal" is completed and is revealed to be a huge transmutation circle. The ritual is started but Hoenheim realises that something is wrong. People begin dying and only then does Hoenheim realise that the homunculus has started something totally different.

The next morning, Hoenheim awakes to find the jar broken and everyone in the city dead. He is approached by a man whom he mistakes as the king but is shocked to instead look at his own face. The homunculus has transmutated a "shell" for himself so he can be free of the jar. He took Hoenheim's features since his blood was first used to awaken him. He also rearranged Hoenheim's body and made him immortal, as thanks for all he has done, much to Hoenheim's horror and anguish...

Hoenheim awakes from his dream on a train with a person calling him repeatedly. It is Izumi and she marvels how she has managed again to accidently meet with Al and Ed's father. Hoenheim thanks her and Sig for looking after his children when he had abandoned them.

Izumi has an attack and spits blood. Hoenheim seems to understand and asks Sig to bring his car around, despite Izumi telling him she is alright. He then asks her if she saw the truth and what she sacrificed. When she reveals she tried to resurrect her dead child and as a result lost some internal organs along with the ability to ever have children again, Hoenheim seems to understand and symphasizes. He asks her if she was approached by the military. When she says she was but she refused, he helps her stand up before stabbing his hand through her abdomen. Sig witnesses this and punches Hoenheim away before quickly grabbing his wife. However, she marvels at how much better she feels and finds her breathing much easier. When Sig demands to see the wound Hoenheim made, Izumi sees that there isn't one. Hoenheim then explains that since her flesh was related to her "sin", he couldn't replace anything she had lost. However, he had managed to rearrange some parts to better improve her bloodflow.

When Izumi asks him "What on Earth are you?", Hoenheim responds "A monster......is what I'd normally say, but I'll tell you the truth.....





".....I'm the Philosopher's Stone."

I definitely am liking the fact that Roy and the others are setting up a counterattack of sorts. I am SO tired of the whole " 'good' guys doing nothing untill the last minute, and yet somehow, being able to defeat their opponents", you know? The method they're using is so sneaky too! General Armstrong is an utter baddass too; loved how she sliced Raven up, and then admits it to THE FUCKING RULER OF AMESTRIS. She played all her cards so well!

Hohenheim's backstory is really tragic too. I never imagined him to be from Xerxes! So that means that Ed and Al are half Xerxes, half Amestrian...

And he's the fucking Philosopher's Stone! Omg what?!?!

Arakawa-sensei, I know you can hear me, but I love you <3

Half Xerxes? I'm a bit out of touch since I've been reading this as-it-comes since chapter 45 or so. Amestrian is the main setting's location, right? Which is Xerxes?