Episode Twenty-Nine: Struggle of the Fool
Ed, Al, and Mustang are placed under the Fuhrer's scrutiny and warned that doing anything to jeopardize his plans will result in the extermination of their loved ones.I'm going to be honest: That scene with Ed and Al in the shower room was literally one of the most uncomfortable things I've experienced, and I'm not talking strictly within the context of this show. Maybe it's a cultural thing or maybe it's just me, but I found it bizarre that Al would casually be sitting on the floor while Ed walks out of the shower and stands around stark naked. That camera angle gets so damn low, too, which makes it all worse.
The show has pulled itself back a little bit in terms of that shift in tone. It's getting more on the serious side with less jokes per episode (you know, aside from that bathroom incident that I was too busy cringing at to bother laughing), but it hasn't lost its sense of fun. At least now I feel like things are making more sense, even if I don't have all of the answers.
I wasn't expecting there to be a twist to the role of State Alchemists. They never did expand on Edward's recruitment, which is a shame, but at least now we know why he was instated as one, especially at such a young age. He, Al, and Mustang all play an important role as a "sacrifice" in this larger plan, although what Mustang is specifically going to be used for, who knows. His involvement is still ambiguous, as Wrath never confirmed whether or not his candidacy was still...a thing. Though I do wonder--and I think I pointed this out previously--why they want Mustang if, as far as we've been told, they are looking for alchemists who have opened the portal and he hasn't done that. What value does he have in their eyes?
That whole scene, though, with Bradley and the three of them at the table in his office did a great job of keeping me on my toes. You never know what Wrath is going to end up doing--one minute he is relaxed and somewhat friendly and then the next he's threatening to kill someone. He never quite loses his temper, though, which makes it worse. He's calm and calculating instead of explosive.
And then he makes faces like this:
...which are genuinely funny.
This exchange, though, keys us into what I'm sure will be an important part of the show going forward: Ling is able to take back control over his body from Greed in short bursts. Greed also doesn't seem to mind per se, aside from seeing it as a slight irritation. He's even willing to go so far as to write down a note and deliver it to Edward so he can get it back to Lan Fan. Though how much of that willingness has its basis in sadism is left unknown. Either way, I'm finding his character to be intriguing.
But it does raise another question: If Ling can take back his body from Greed, does that mean that, potentially, whoever is housing Wrath could do the same thing? I think, given his past and the amount of time that's passed, it's unlikely. He doesn't seem interested in doing that. But at this point it's dumb of me to assume much of anything.
I'm surprised that doctor character is still hanging around, but thank god for him because he's one of the only people I would argue is capable of thinking rationally. Although is it really the best idea to smash someone with a concussion over the head with a food pan? Seems to me like that would be counterproductive, especially if he's not crazy about housing a bunch of invalids in the first place.
And speaking of that doctor, I think it's safe to assume that his wife who abandoned him is Bradley's current wife. Or, at the very least, that looks like the kid that Bradley calls his own:
I'd also like to point out that, as far as the things I was wanting to see in this season go, I have gotten everything I wanted in three episodes. THREE EPISODES. Well, to be fair, two of them--information about Bradley's "family" and the Ishvalan War--have been hinted at more than anything, but it's not like what we're given in this episode is all that vague. I think that picture above at least opens some doors for possibilities and Marcoh flat-out tells Scar that he's primarily responsible for the death of the Ishvalans. Now, how much of that blame is legitimate hasn't been cleared up, but they're starting to weave in several different plots threads that have been left dangling for a while and I'm satisfied.
Bonus points go to the last minute or so with Edward asking pretty much all of the questions I did in the last two episodes. At least the show is acknowledging the level of cluelessness happening in--and out of--universe. The lighting in that scene also kicks ass.
Oh, and if you notice, they seem to be slowly progressing the ages of Edward and Winry. It could just be me, but Winry's chest seems to have gotten a bit bigger since the beginning of the show:
And she's looking a little more on the curvier and taller side, too.
It's harder to tell with Ed, since he tends to stay on the short side, but even in that last scene he appears to have...if not grown taller, elongated and gotten less boxy.
Too bad we can't see the same thing happen with Al. That would have been neat, too. But even without him I think it's cool that, assuming this is all intentional (and given the amount of detail and work and budget that went into this show it's unlikely it isn't), it's amazing that they were able and willing to do it. Physical transformation of characters isn't something you get to see often in animation, at least not in real time.
Episode Thirty: The Ishvalan War of Extermination
Marcoh and Hawkeye simultaneously offer information regarding what happened in Ishval to Scar and Edward while Alphonse continues to help out with May Chang and Lan Fan.Aaaaand there goes my last shred of complaining that I can throw at this show, because now in four episodes it's given me everything I wanted. I promise I'm not jumping ahead and making statements based on the things I see. I honest-to-god had no idea that this was coming up.
It's kinda freaking me out, actually.
Although I suppose if I was being fair, I wasn't expecting the show to go as far as it did in terms of graphic details and the sheer brutality of what went on in Ishval. The characters kept repeating over and over how awful the entire thing was--how it was more of a slaughter than a war--but it wasn't until we got to this point that we see what the heck they were talking about. At the same time, though, I wouldn't say that it was gratuitous. They show more than I thought they would, especially in regards to blood and out-right shooting people on screen, but it's not like they painted everything red with blood. Heck, I think Hughes' murder showed more blood in total than anything here. But it does get the point across that what the military--and the State Alchemists--did in Ishval was horrendous.
What's really scary is the small monologue that Kimbley delivers about war and the job of SA's and what he tells Hawkeye in particular: "Tell me, Miss, you're not very happy to be here, are you? Well, you don't appear to be. But can you honestly tell me, in that split second when you take down an enemy, you don't allow yourself to feel the slightest tinge of satisfaction and pride in your skills?"
Based on the look on her face, one can assume that Kimbley is oh-so right in his assumption.
Really, that's what a lot of these veteran soldiers boil down to in the end: Their motivation is guilt. Guilt at not only what they've done, but for their willingness to go along with it in the first place. Mustang is guilty for allowing himself to kill innocent people, Hawkeye for her possible pleasure for a split second in taking someone's life, Armstrong for not having the courage to do something about what was happening...and so they find ways to make up for their actions to squelch their guilt. Mustang works to become the Fuhrer, Hawkeye chooses to serve Mustang because she sees him as someone who could potentially achieve the crazy goal he's set for himself, and Armstrong refuses to resign and give up from being a State Alchemist.
Then of course, there's the ultimate goal of having everyone--including themselves--stand trial for what they've done and, more than likely, suffer the punishment for it.
Side note: I actually think this is kind of a stupid idea, as much as I understand where it's coming from. What happens if, say, Mustang becomes Fuhrer, stands trial, is convicted, and then sentenced to death? Who's going to rule the country? Edward? I mean, there are little hints dropped here and there that that could be the case, but...seriously? Why go through all that effort just to jeopardize the peace?
That isn't to say that makes these characters weak or bad or harder to sympathize with; it's quite the opposite, actually. It makes them stronger. We're beginning to see the larger picture that's being painted here, and in the process character growth and motivations are sprouting like weeds.
I love it.
We also find out that Hawkeye has this giant tattoo/scar on her back that has something to do with her father's alchemy research. It's not clear if Mustang is aware of that or if he thinks the knowledge she possesses is in her head. But I mean good grief--that thing is obnoxious AF, not to mention it looks like she's already taken a bullet for it. Why would a father do that to his daughter? It's very...weird.
Wrath is an obnoxious, self-righteous pit stain and I hate him more and more with each episode. Despite that, his cruel dialogue is still pointing some things out that are relevant to the larger story, namely that the price of a human is another human. No more, no less. This has come into play in various ways throughout the show, but it's of particular note for our protagonists who are looking to get their bodies back after already attempting to create a human. The problem is that, even though he says that and basically refuses the leader of the Ishvalan's offer of his life for his people's, Wrath still ends the war. Why? What makes this different than what happened in Xerxes? I know they're going about it differently, but why do this in the first place? It seems like a lot more effort to create a war, deal with the backlash, and find a way to justify it later on than to just make them all disappear like Xerxes.
Of course, I'm sure by the next episode they'll have answered that question, too.
The best moment of this entire episode goes to the after-credits scene when Envy walks in to give Marcoh his dinner and finds him dead, complete with a decapitated body and the word "Vengeance" written on the wall behind him.
Oh, and for the record, I'm totally on board with the Alphonse x May Chang arrangement. And he'd better freaking cut his hair to look like she imagines, because that is perfect.
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| With those killer shoulder pads, too. |
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