Best scene of the entire episode...

520 50 cent would approve of this episode.

Summary:

As we continue from last week, Ed finishes his talk at Riza’s house and meets up with Al afterwards. There he reveals the truth behind the Ishbal affair, and also lets Al know about the fact that the two of them weren’t the only ones having trouble with alchemy back a few episodes ago when Father ‘turned off’ alchemy. The fact that May and Scar were able to use alchemy with no problem at that time is noted as important by the brothers and perhaps a source of hope for the future. With that in mind, they set off to find May, but a quick call later they realize that she has already left Dr. Knox’s place.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that we'd ALL like a TASTE of Winry's APPLE PIE... although Ran Fan's would be better!

Meanwhile everyone in Mustang’s former group says their goodbyes to each other with Havok making a quick cameo. As Mustang contemplates his now transferred subordinates he compares each to a chess piece (including what’s his face as a pawn LOL). After everyone leaves, Mustang goes for a drive and runs into the Elric brothers trying to track down May and her panda (whom Ed calls a cat) and offers the brothers a ride home. In the car, Ed asks for Mustang’s help in learning more about Eastern alchemy. Mustang replies with wanting his 520 cents back from a few episodes ago (that Al used for long distance, I guess they don’t have collect calls in Amestris). Ed responds that he’ll pay back the money once Mustang achieves his dream of being the president. That evening Mustang goes to a ‘gentleman’s club’ to call upon the owner to send a secret message back to his old boss.

Knox can't believe his eyes as Ran Fan undresses before him *cue cigarette ash falling to the floor*

Back at Dr. Knox’s house, Ran Fan’s grandfather slaps her for losing an arm (NOooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!) as he cannot bare the shame before thanking Dr. Knox for saving her life. Ran Fan repeats the same gratitude to the good doctor before the two leave. After they leave, Knox’s son comes for a visit to let his father know that he’ll become a doctor thanks to him. Knowing all of the horrible things he’d done in the past, Knox wonders if he’s allowed a moment of happiness after all.

This show needs more good villains

The episode then focuses it’s attention on the imprisoned Kimblee. Apparently the higher ups only wanted to use him to test out the Philosopher’s Stone, and give it back, but realizing that no one else but those officers talking to him knew of the stone, Kimblee promptly kills them all and is later imprisoned for this. He has hidden the stone though, waiting for an opportune time to use it again. That very day, Kimblee is released, and the jail guards are baffled at how such a dangerous man could be pardoned. As he leaves Kimblee leaves a nice surprise for one of the main guards.

He’s picked up by none other than Evny whom Kimblee seems to know and it now becomes crystal clear why he was released. Apparently the Homunculus have a mission for him – to kill Scar and to recapture Dr. Marcoh whom they surmise is still alive. Armed with a second Philosopher’s Stone (this time created by the souls of Marcoh’s research team) Kimblee sets out on his mission willingly in order to finish his extermination of the Ishbal-jin.

The episode ends with a confirmation of Dr. Marcoh being alive. Apparently he’s been kept alive by Scar in order to enlist his help in deciphering his brother’s research. As May Chang meets up with Scar, everyone sets off for the secret hiding spot of Scar’s research up north…

NEXT EPISODE: Time to go train in the mountains...

Reaction:

Much like last week’s Kimi no Todoke, this felt likea short episode. There wasn’t really much that was new, as everyone just consolidated their knowledge.

It was good to finally get a bit more on Kimblee though. I hope that he doesn’t become a bit of a one dimensional character and turns into a great villain. It’s interesting to note that Kimblee was given the stone by a group of the brass that really wanted to test out the stone’s properties. I wonder if Dr. Marcoh came up with the idea of the stone all by himself, or if he was given the information on how to produce it by the Homunculus. I also wonder if the Marcoh project was secret from the Homunculus themselves. I’d imagine though that the idea was completely planned by the Homunculus or by Father. But why? What was the point in researching how to create Philosopher’s Stones when they already knew how? There are still so many questions to be answered.

Meanwhile, I was pretty surprised to see that Marcoh was still alive. Apparently Scar was much smarter than I realized. I was originally under the impression that in some kind of pain-induced craze he buried his brother’s research and that was that. But it seems that he actually read it all to try and understand it but couldn’t and then made note of a specific hiding spot for all of this far from the Ishbal lands in the south as well. Pretty impressive Scar, pretty impressive.

Finally, I wonder that now that Mustang knows of needing to learn about Eastern alchemy, if he will bring back Maria Ross from Xing. It would be cool to see her again!