Alchemy is a science where one understands the structure of matter, breaks it down, then rebuilds it.
However, it is not an all-powerful technique, as one cannot create something out of nothing.
If one wishes to gain something, one must present something of equal value.
This is the concept of equivalent exchange, the fundamental basis of alchemy.
However, there is a taboo in alchemy. Human transmutation.
One must not commit this act.
Brother.
Hm?
What do you think about the rumors of the High Priest of Lior?
Miracles, huh?
He creates flowers out of nothingness, right?
It could just be a sleight of hand, but...
But if it isn't...
Yeah... It could be what we've been looking for.
A heavenly stone that destroyed Xerxes overnight.
The great elixir that had been sealed away by a sage from the west.
There are many names for it, but to put it simply, it is something that reinforces alchemy.
That is the Philosopher's Stone.
If we had this, we could get your body back...
Dammit! Why is this all that's written down?!
Al.
Yeah?
Wouldn't it be great if it's the real stone this time?
Yeah. Definitely.
10 Years Ago Resembool
Ed, Al, where are you?
Oh my...
Scattering Daddy's studies again.
Hey, no doodling on the floor.
I'm not doodling.
Watch!
That's... alchemy, isn't it?
Did you learn that from Daddy?
How do we learn from someone who's not even here?
It was in the books we read.
Was in the books...
Were we not supposed to?
No, of course not!
You boys are amazing! As expected of Daddy's children.
I'm going to have to brag to everyone about you two!
Mom praised us.
Because we liked that, we started getting into alchemy.
But... in the summer of that year...
Mom passed away due to an epidemic.
Brother... I'm hungry.
It's cold, too. Let's go home...
If Dad comes home-
Don't talk about him!
He's not our Dad!
He didn't even come back for Mom's funeral.
I wonder if we could bring Mom back...
But one of the books said that transmutating humans isn't allowed.
So... We'll keep it between us, all right?
You guys are here again.
What do you want, Winry?
Grandma said that if you cry for someone who's passed away, that person grieves as much as you cried for them.
We're not crying!
You're the one who cries all the time 'cause your parents are always gone and you're lonely!
I-I never cry!
Really?
I'm sorry I was ever worried about you now!
If you get home later than me, you don't get any supper!
What the heck is that? Wait up!
W-Wait for me!
Itadakimasu!
Ed, you have to drink your milk, too.
I hate milk.
If you don't drink it, you'll be a runt forever.
Who are you calling a runt, you midget hag!
What was that?! You pea-sized runt!
Minimum hag!
Micro runt!
You're no bigger than an ant!
You're no bigger than a flea!
You were reading your book in school again...
You have to pay attention in class, you know.
Oh, shut up.
So, what book were you reading?
It's a secret.
None of your business, Winry.
That's no fair! You two always keep little secrets!
Later!
Ed! Al! We're having stew tonight!
Awesome!
Okay. We'll see you later!
The person who invented stew is amazing.
There's milk in it, yet it tastes so good.
What the heck?
The fact they thought of adding milk to vegetable soup is amazing.
It's important for scientists to drastically change their thinking sometimes.
I wonder...
Yeah!
Human transmutation probably needs something drastic like that, too!
From then on, we researched human transmutation...
...and improved our abilities by training with our alchemy master in order to revive our mother.
It took many years, but...
"I want to see Mom's smiling face again."
"I want to live happily with Mom again."
With those thoughts in our hearts, we...
There.
Water, 35L.
Carbon, 20kg.
Ammonia, 4L.
Lime, 1.5kg.
Phosphorus, 800g.
Salt, 250g.
Niter, 100g.
Sulfur, 80g.
Fluorine, 7.5g.
Iron, 5g.
Silicon, 3g.
All right, let's write the construction formula.
All that's left is the information about the soul.
Let's do this, Al.
Right.
Brother, something's wrong.
Al!
Could this be... rebound?!
Brother!!!
Brother! Brother...
Brother!
BROTHER!!!
Al?
Huh? What was I doing?
Yo.
Who're you?
Why, thanks for asking.
I'm an existence that you folks like to call the "world".
In other words, the universe. In other words, God.
In other words, the "Truth". In other words, entirety.
In other words, "one". And, I'm...
...you.
Welcome.
Mr. I'm-an-idiot-who-acts-all-high-and-mighty.
So noisy...
Isn't this what you wanted?
I'll show you the "truth".
It was as though all of the information in the world was shoved directly into my head.
Stop it! My head's gonna burst!
I'm being disassembled...
No! Stop it!
Stop!!!
I felt like my head was going to crack open.
But I suddenly realized.
This is the "Truth".
M... Mom...
How was it?
That's right...
There were no errors in my human transmutation theory...
But I'm missing something!
If I had gone a little further...
I would've found what I was looking for; the truth to human transmutation!
Please! Show it to me again!
No, no, no.
I can only show you that much for that toll you've paid.
Toll?
Yes, toll.
Equivalent exchange, is it not?
Mr. Alchemist.
Dammit! Like I'd let this happen...
This... This wasn't...
Dammit!!!
They took it away!!!
Help me... someone...
Mom... Mom...
No way... No...
This isn't...
This isn't what I wanted!!!
Al... Alphonse...
Alphonse! Alphonse!!!
Because of me...
Alphonse!!!
Dammit... Dammit!!!
Give him back... He's my little brother...
Whether it be an arm or a leg...
Or even my heart! You can take it!
So give him back...
He's my only brother!!!
Yo. You were still hangin' around in Central?
They're letting me return to Eastern Headquarters.
Well, good work.
You'd better at least be a Brigadier General the next time you come, all right, Colonel?
You say that as if it's a walk in the park.
Oh yeah, if you're going back, I'll go ahead and give this to you now.
What is it?
It's the final report about Isaac McDougal.
You haven't seen it yet, have you?
Yeah.
Eastern Alchemy from Xing?
Apparently, something like that exists.
To be honest, I've got no idea, but...
Do you have a clue?
No, never heard of it.
By the way, how are the Elric brothers doing?
I'm not their keeper.
Hey, why did you have Ed become a State Alchemist?
He's still a kid, you know?
As long as you're in the army, you will experience Hell someday.
Just like we did.
Hell, huh...
If it's Hell, they've seen it already.
Plenty of it, in fact...
4 Years Later
Lt. Colonel, they're not in the backyard ei-
What is this...
Where are they?
Where are those Elric brothers?!
Pipe down, Den.
To customers, you have to...
Hey! What business does a soldier have here?
I just came from your house!
What in the world is all that?!
What did you make?!
Sorry... Please forgive us.
We're sorry... We're sorry...
We're sorry...
You're...
I was shocked.
I heard there was a talented alchemist, so I came here.
To think that a child performed human transmutation, though it was incomplete,
and even managed to affix a soul.
He has more than enough to be a State Alchemist.
If he became a State Alchemist, he'd have to fight as a soldier during times of emergencies.
At the same time, the position comes with many privileges, and they'd be allowed to perform research of the highest level.
They may be able to discover a way to recover their bodies...
After these boys staggered in here covered in blood, I went to their house.
That...
That was not human!
Is alchemy what allowed them to create something horrible like that?!
Then I'm against it!
Are you telling these boys to look at Hell again?!
Please.
Thank you.
Umm... Lieutenant...
Just call me Riza.
Riza Hawkeye. Nice to meet you.
Ms. Riza...
Have you ever shot somebody?
I have.
I don't like soldiers.
Because Mom and Dad were taken to a battlefield and killed there.
And on top of that, you two are trying to take Ed and Al, too...
Whether they come or not is up to them.
Yes... up to them.
I won't force you.
I'm just presenting you with the possibilities.
Whether they want to move forward or stay stuck in place.
Whether you want to end your life in despair or bow down to the army, seeking what possibilities lie there.
It's those boys who have to make the decision.
If the possibility lies on that path, then you should move forward to return your body to normal.
Even if that path is a muddy river.
Why did you become a soldier, Ms. Riza?
Because I have someone I want to protect.
We're leaving.
Yes, sir.
Well, this is good-bye, young lady.
My name is Winry.
I see. Winry.
I hope we'll meet again.
I wonder if he'll come?
He will.
But his eyes looked spiritless...
You think so?
Those... were burning eyes.
You won't regret it, will you?
Nope, I've already decided.
How long would it take for both the surgery and rehab?
I'd say about three years.
One year.
You're gonna be coughing up blood.
Al, put up with it for a little longer, will ya?
I'll put you back in your body.
Yeah.
But when that time comes, you're going to get your limbs back, too.
Yeah.
Your body's all fixed up now, don't you think?
Yeah! Just alchemy left to train now.
Since I haven't used it since.
Oh, so you haven't used it since you affixed my soul.
Brother!
Perfect, perfect.
That's amazing, Brother! You did it without a transmutation circle!
Just like how our master does it!
You can do it, too, can't you?
No, Brother.
You didn't see it?
See... what?
No... never mind.
Hey!!
You transformed my automail, didn't you?!
So you're gonna transform my head instead?!
Ow... geez...
Uncute machine freak.
Like I care if I'm not cute!
I'm fine with being a machine freak, too!
I've decided to support you until you get your limbs back!
Wha?
It's quite rare that you've decided to watch the exam, sir.
Well, I heard that a twelve year-old was being tested,
so I just thought I'd drop by so I would have something to talk about with my family.
Ah, an arm made of steel...
I got it during the civil war in the west...
Yeah, we sure had a lot of trouble with Ishbal.
Who's that guy?
Idiot! That's FÃ¼hrer President King Bradley!
Now, let the examination begin.
Do you have something to draw a transmutation circle with?
I don't need something like that.
Without a transmutation circle...
Now this is quite something...
Your Excellency!
...And some military figure may be assassinated like this, so...
You guys might want to think about changing this examination.
Hmm, he's certainly got a lot of pluck.
But he doesn't understand the size of this world.
Good luck with the rest of your exams, young alchemist.
When did he draw his sword?
I wonder if Brother is doing all right on the exams...
Hey, Al.
Hm? What's up?
If Ed becomes a State Alchemist...
...will you be leaving this town?
Yeah.
This is the badge of a State Alchemist, the silver pocket watch.
East City Eastern Headquarters
Your certificate and the agreements are... here...
The FÃ¼hrer President has given you quite the ironic title...
What?
No, congratulations.
You're now a dog of the military.
I, FÃ¼hrer President King Bradley, hereby appoint...
...thou, Edward Elric, as a State Alchemist,
and bestow thee with the title, "Fullmetal".
Fullmetal?
That's right.
The second name that's given to all State Alchemists.
The name that you'll be carrying is...
"Fullmetal Alchemist".
I like it. Sounds like something heavy to carry.
But I'll do it.
Brother, we're almost there.
Lior, huh...
There should be some clue there on how to get Al's body back...
The Philosopher's Stone...
Ed and Al, arriving in the city of Lior, meet Cornello, a man who preaches the revival of the dead.
Pray and believe, and thou shall be saved.
As Cornello preached those words, he wore the bright, red, Philosopher's Stone on his finger.
Next time, Fullmetal Alchemist:
Episode 3, City of Heresy.
What, exactly, is the happiness that can be earned by turning away from reality?