Hagane no Renkinjutsushi – Fullmetal Alchemist Ep. 14
鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST Episode 14
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood – 14

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Colonel Mustang reports to King Bradley in Central City only to discover that the Fuhrer has gone to the Southern Territory for an inspection along with Major Armstrong and a group of soldiers. They arrive at Devil’s Nest and storm the place while inside, Izumi and Ed face Greed only to have him flee. Since Izumi is vomiting blood, they cannot pursue. As the soldiers kill every chimera they come upon, Bradley heads to the sewers where he encounters Greed as well as Al with Martel inside him, stunning them. Bradley attacks Greed and to Greed’s surprise, Bradley is able to inflict heavy damage on him.

Elsewhere, Armstrong battles with Roa, who transforms to a more beast-like mode. He reveals that he is also a veteran of the Ishval fight but when Armstrong gives him a chance to surrender, soldiers open fire on Roa. Dolcetto (Dorochet) kills the soldiers and slicing a steam pipe, provides cover for their escape. However, they run into Bradley who slays them both. Bradley continues to school Greed and is revealed to also be a homunculus with the Ultimate Eye to counter Greed’s Ultimate Shield. Despite Greed’s ability to regenerate, he cannot overcome Bradley and is defeated.

When Martel attempts to get out of Al, Al tries to keep her inside to protect her but Bradley kills her just the same after she uses Al’s body to attack Bradley. With her bloody death, Al has a memory of visiting the gate and the “truth.” When he comes to, he finds an injured Ed worrying over him. Bradley somewhat harshly questions the brothers about what they know and learning they know nothing, Bradley is satisfied and resumes his cheerful statesman appearance. Before leaving, Bradley pays a visit to Izumi, who’s resting in bed and even offers her a role as a State Alchemist should she want it.

Outside, Ed is cleaning Al’s armor and talking with Armstrong. Upon mentioning Hughes and the Ouroboros tattoo, Armstrong urges them to be careful. After he leaves, Ed and Al discuss the situation, finding it odd that King Bradley would even trouble himself over such a trivial matter. Further, if Greed and the chimera were a big deal, why kill them instead of taking them prisoner for questioning. They decide to stick close to the military for now.

Somewhere, King Bradley makes a report to an old man seated on a stone throne connected to a large number of cables and tubes. Bradley also has Greed chained to a pillar and pierced with many swords. Greed opens his eyes at Lust’s request he awaken and discovers that Gluttony and Envy are also there. Sloth is not there, being given a task elsewhere, and Bradley is revealed to be Wrath, whom Greed had not known. Greed is amazed at Bradley’s appearance since Bradley has aged, something the homunculi do not do. Father questions Greed on his betrayal, which amuses Greed since Father should know, having created Greed. When given the option to repent and rejoin the cause, Greed refuses and is dropped into a molten vat. He is defiant the whole time and his essence is liquefied and flows into a vat from which Father fills a glass and drinks and offers a toast.

Bradley returns home to a wife and young son, named Selim.

Thoughts/Review:

Wow. Very interesting stuff here and certainly very different from the original anime. ^_^

I’ve read some of your concerns over how King Bradley would show up to rescue Ed and Al in this episode and I’m curious to read your thoughts on how the anime handled this.

As to Bradley — wow. We’d seen a taste of his fighting abilities but his battle with Greed was impressive to say the least. So the fact that Bradley is “Wrath” means that he had the ability to own Greed so fiercely? I’m wondering why Greed was so unable to do anything but regenerate himself. The only explanation the anime seemed to give is that Bradley is a homunculus with the designation “Ultimate Eye.” But Greed is the “Ultimate Shield” and that wasn’t worth much.

Also interesting is how Father apparently ordered all of the chimeras destroyed based on how Bradley had them all wiped out. I wonder why this is other than to remove Greed’s support base.

Speaking of Father — another “wow.” I didn’t expect to see some apparently frail old man kept alive by machinery. I had flashes of Bubblegum Crisis 2040 and the CEO of GENOM, Quincy Rosencreutz — he too was kept alive by machines.

So, Father had the homunculi created with the seven deadly sins, expunged from himself. Now that he has taken Greed back into himself, what does that mean for Father? Why create the homunculus at all? What purpose do they serve other than possibly having an invincible army to rule the world but frankly, if that were Father’s purpose, it seems that it would have already come about.

It seems strange that Greed is dead. I remember him being an active player in the first series after his initial encounter with Ed and Al. I suppose Father could make a new homunculus and call it Greed.

Sloth certainly is different in this anime. Wow. That was a secretary in the first series, right? Now, we show a man underground looking a bit like a larger version of Envy and in chains.

It is strange seeing Bradley act the good father to his son Selim. I can’t remember much about Selim but I want to say he was in the first anime.

I just remembered this — how did Martel’s death trigger Al’s memories? The blood splattering on his seal?

So a lot of “wows” for me as we enter new territory when it comes to story. Of course there is still the Scar story, but I don’t know how much that was changed in the first anime.