January 25th, 2010 
AstroNerdBoy Hagane no Renkinjutsushi – Fullmetal Alchemist Ep. 40
鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST Episode 40 review
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood – 40
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
The Führer summons Major General Armstrong to Central to question her on the disappearance of General Raven. Colonel Mustang encounters General Armstrong and after being rejected to go on a date, Mustang makes a flower offer which she seems to accept. Roy then heads to the mess to have dinner with Riza. She does not talk openly for fear of her shadow, but code-speaks to Roy to let him know that 
Selim is a homunculus.
Meanwhile, Armstrong admits to Bradley to removing Raven as he talked to much, telling her the truth of what was going on without her asking to include what Bradley really is. King Bradley is impressed with her attitude and agrees to let her sit on the military council but he will be the one to send her replacement to Briggs. In Briggs, the soldiers stationed there 
may have lost their leader, but are still united in their opposition to the Central people coming in.
Elsewhere, Hohenheim remembers his past when he was a slave named “23” in the kingdom of Xerxes. A life-form in a sealed flask speaks with 23 and calls himself ‘Little One Inside the Flask — Homunculus.” After revealing its creation from 23’s blood, it gives the slave the name Van Hohenheim 
and teaches the young man so that eventually, he becomes free and learns alchemy. The king of Xerxes is getting old and wants the secret of immortality, which Homunculus promises. After creating the giant transmutation circle around Xerxes and causing the blood disturbances via violence, Homunculus is with Hohenheim when they begin the transmutation. However, because Homunculus tricked 
the king, only Hohenheim and Homunculus survive. Homunculus now has an identical body to Hohenheim and Hohenheim is now a living Philosopher’s Stone.
Hohenheim encounters Izumi and her husband at a town where he repairs some of the damage to her organs. Back in Baschool, Ed has a conversation with Major Miles about philosopher stones.
Thoughts/Review:
I liked how General Armstrong dealt with Bradley when he demanded an answer about General Raven. Coming right out and admitting that she dealt with Raven while appearing to be so ambitious as to want Raven’s job has her in character as a tough broad but keeps her mostly safe, I think. Her not objecting to someone else being given command of Briggs helps too. I’m guessing she knows how 
her troops feel about her and that if the crap goes down, Buccaneer and the others will rally to Armstrong should she call.
So, Roy and Olivier finally meet. I loved the moment since neither gave anything away as Roy makes a pass at her and she rejects him in a way that we expect her to do. Having already received a message via the florist, his words about 
flowers and her reaction felt right as well. Again, if any homunculi were around, there’d be nothing to give them away in their code speak.
I smiled at Riza and Roy having lunch together. The episode implied that maybe Selim is in Riza’s shadow. Whether he is or not, Riza’s fear is enough to cause her to be cautious and that’s fine. However, their conversation was a little unnatural 
as they spoke in code. I’m going to guess that either Pride wasn’t monitoring Riza or their conversation didn’t trigger any alarms now that Roy knows Selim is a homunculus. Too bad he doesn’t know just how bad of a homunculi Selim is as Pride. ^_^;
It was very interesting seeing Hohenheim’s past and connection with Xerxes . I was never really sure how 
Hohenheim should be classified and now I know — a giant philosopher’s stone. Whoa! I had no idea that he was that old nor that he had lived in Xerxes. However, this does explain what he did a few episodes ago when he sent some of his blood by name into the earth.
The question I have though is Father-Homunculus. We have the explanation as to why Father looks like Hohenheim, but I’m still at a loss for his initial creation. I 
understand that blood from Hohenheim, as the numbered slave, played a role in the creation of “Homunculus,” but I’m not clear on how Father-Homunculus came to life. So I did a bit of research and discovered that in the second act of Goethe’s Faust, an artificial life form named Homunculus is created and it lives in a flask for a time. So I’m guessing that Arakawa-sensei used the Faust story as a basis for the story in the manga, which is then used in the anime. I kinda wish I knew a bit more about the Faust story.
Yay for the return of Izumi. Since she’s part of Father’s plans, there was never any doubt that she would return somehow.
So, another good episode here. Looks like there will be troubles in Briggs before long and with Olivier in Central, Roy’s own plans should continue to move forward.
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you know what’s funny?
since hoenheim was responsible for father’s creation
he is technically his “son”
which makes father and the elric brothers siblings
which makes the homonculi the elrics nephew/neices
wow even in this story envy is still related to ed and al
An interesting way to look at things. *lol*
Better than that, the brothers are part Philosipher’s Stone technically. The ultimate irony.
Little is cut from the episode, just that the scene before the flashback where Father slept was originally Greed entering the lair and seeing Pride there, something he said is rare. After asking why he was there, Pride notes Father sleeping, which Greed comments is also rare. Also cut was a small scene where Hohenhiem was teaching other servants how to write and his master comes by and notices his knowledge.
Also, though more implied in the manga yet still not stated explicitly is that it seems that alchemy was like ours, just a science that didn’t quite work or make too much sense, until this point. Hohenhiem ‘becomes’ an alchemist, but as far as we see it is in concept only. Homunculus seemed to be the only one who knew how to make it work at all, though not saying if he taught them anything really.
Envy, being Ed and Al’s nephew – if he hears you, it’ll piss him off so much… Hi-hi-hi! ^_^
Also, the Riza and Roy’s conversation isn’t very important (since they don’t say anything suspicious). You can check it in the manga and see that if the Homunculi didn’t know what and how to search they wouldn’t understand what Riza has really told to Roy.
And you might check the Xerxes story in the manga, since some parts where omitted. Maybe not too important but still it’ll make more sense to you how Hoenheim became his master’s apprentice alchemist.
Anonymous said…
Better than that, the brothers are part Philosipher’s Stone technically. The ultimate irony.
*lol* I hadn’t even thought about that but that is ironic. I wonder what happens when they learn the truth about their father.
Also, though more implied in the manga yet still not stated explicitly is that it seems that alchemy was like ours, just a science that didn’t quite work or make too much sense, until this point. Hohenhiem ‘becomes’ an alchemist, but as far as we see it is in concept only. Homunculus seemed to be the only one who knew how to make it work at all, though not saying if he taught them anything really.
That would mean that the creation of Homunculus is an accident. I still wish I knew the Faust story with Homunculus though because I suspect we have a similar situation here.
@evgenidb — Even if they didn’t know what Riza told Roy or the like (and that’s obviously the point when speaking in code), I felt their conversation was just a bit too unnatural. Since the homunculi have proven rather intelligent, one would think that were Selim-Pride be listening in, they might suspect something going on. After all, Riza was split from Roy for a reason and their eating lunch together would seem to warrant some sort of attention. Just my thoughts though.
And you might check the Xerxes story in the manga, since some parts where omitted. Maybe not too important but still it’ll make more sense to you how Hoenheim became his master’s apprentice alchemist.
What chapter is that story in?
this goes from chapter 74-75
you are still a little confused about prides powers he cant telaport him self but his shadow can stretch and hide its self and he can see through the eyes in his shadow
also for the hell of it the Homunculi ages
Pride over 300
was made before the country’s history started to be recorded
Lust 250 to 300
Greed around 200
Envy 175 to 200
sloth 100 to 150
Gluttony close to 100
Wrath (Bradley) 59 maybe 60 right now
Pride over 300
was made before the country’s history started to be recorded
Lust 250 to 300
Greed around 200
Envy 175 to 200
sloth 100 to 150
Gluttony close to 100
Wrath (Bradley) 59 maybe 60 right now
WOW! How do you know?
elementary my dear Watson i am the fun man i know every thing also it helps i own a guide book also AstroNerdBoy make sure you get the next episode down its a good one
Better yet, they aren’t part philosophers stone. Later Hoho will tell Al that even though his body is different they are completely normal humans beings. BUT they are part of some of the last existing DNA of the ancient Xerxes race.
Assuming the next episode is out (and I haven’t even looked), I should get to watch it later in the week (Lord willing).
I finally got to read those two chapters, Ku_Fei. Thanks for letting me know. ^_^
Im Glad im not the only that Realized the Full Metal Alchemost was influenced by Johann Von Goethe’s Faust….Anime iz amazing and Japanese ppl rock….