Fullmetal Alchemist: Episode 42

I’ve come to associate this dumbfounded-feeling after watching FMA. I’ve ran out of adjectives to give describe my astonishment at the turn of events. BTW, major spoilers ahead, so duck if you want to avoid them.

Once Rose found her voice, Ed snapped out from his shocked state. While he was not able to kill Sloth nor Wrath, he prevented them from pursuing him and the people of Lior further. Prior to leaving, he entrusted Layla to take charge of Rose. Although Layla seem to be on the good side, she may be playing for the other team (think Pride). She could be the Big Bad herself, or at least the right-hand person of the M-A-N himself. Her mysterious integration to the current plotline targets her for speculations.

After all this journey, the Elric brothers finally found the Philosopher Stone. But then again, this could be another fake stone. Scar sacrificed his life an many others to finish exact revenge on the military and finish what his brother started. Initially, he wanted the stone to be embedded inside of him but instead he opted to save Al’s life by transmuting his right arm (technically, his brother’s) to the young kid. His decision was a sentimental one. He envies the loving bond between the Elrics. The kindness he shown to Al symbolically represents his love for his own brother as well.

Lust, for all her amoral actions, seems to be more human than she realizes. She claims not to be bothered by the Al’s dilemma but she instinctively sympathized with his plight. Again, when Scar shielded her with his own body, she used kind words to comfort him. Hmmm…since I’m rooting for her character now, I wonder if she’ll be the next one to die. (Yes, there are too many corpses in this program.)

Oh, and I love the clever use of foreshadowing. Picture the image of Al’s interior covered with Marta’s blood. Then, cut back to the same spot after the disappearance of Lior. What do we have? A shiny new red stone. Heh, I usually miss most of the cluage hinted in previous episodes.

We’ve got new OP/ED themes. The OP credits caught my attention especially the inclusion of an image from a mystery man who most likely be the long-awaited father of the Elrics. If I am not mistaken, Winry caught a glimpse of him shown in the preview for the next episode.