Summary:
The story immediately picks up with the final confrontation between Ed and his father, who is rapidly losing control of his power. In a last ditch effort, the father impales Greed and drains his Philosopher’s Stone. Greed, ever defiant, manages to turn part of the father into charcoal, his weakest form of carbon, before the homunculus kills him and disappears, satisfied that he’s made friends after all. Ed proceeds to smash a hole in the Father, who eventually releases the Truth along with all of Xerx’s souls in his body. The scene cuts to the righteous Father, back in his tiny homunculi form, in front of the Gate of Truth, and God tells him that his ultimate fate is to fall back into the Gate into eternal despair, the price of his conceit (much like the latter’s). costs paid by those who opened the gate.Meanwhile, at the devastated Central, the battered winners are still in shock over Al’s sacrifice. Ling first offers his Philosopher’s Stone to get it back, but Ed reminds him that they swore not to use one to retrieve Al’s body. Then Van Hohenheim himself offers to be the toll to save his son, but Ed still refuses the offer, even though he eventually recognizes him as his father. After thanking everyone left, Ed draws a human transmutation circle and walks in front of Truth and the gate. Truth asks what the price will be now, and Ed replies that he will pay with the Gate, which is revealed to be the source of alchemy in all alchemists. Truth then asks how he’ll cope without his greatest skill, and Ed simply replies, “Even without alchemy, I still have my friends.” Truth says this is the correct answer and admits defeat. Ed then transforms his Gate and finds Al again, body and soul in one.The two brothers then return to everyone’s amazement, and as Hohenheim welcomes his son back, Al notices the amazing sensations that have now returned to his real body. Hohenheim goes to dust. Olivier and Alex decided to rescue any civilians trapped in the rubble their battle had created, and the Mustang radio team broadcast their version of the story, revealing how the upper echelon planned to alchemically harm the populace, though they did not reveal Bradley’s identity. Riza visits Rebecca in the hospital, who comments on the difficult task of reconciling Briggs’ attack on Central with the main story. Meanwhile, Mustang meets Dr. Knox and Marcoh, who restore Mustang’s sight with his Philosopher’s Stone in exchange for a promise that when he is in power, Roy will ensure the full restoration of Ishvalan rights and the opportunity for Marcoh to become a doctor. between them.Ling and Lan Fan discuss Ling’s future as Emperor of Xingu, and Lan Fan asks that the other families not suffer as a result of his success, a suggestion that Ling readily accepts (May overhears this and bursts into tears of relief). The Xingese then leave for their home with Fu’s body.The scene cuts to Pinako approaching Trisha’s grave. He discovers a hunched over and smiling Hohenheim, who has finally died peacefully at his wife’s grave. Scar is then shown recovering in a makeshift hospital and is visited by Olivier and Miles, who have a proposal to involve Scar in helping rebuild Ishvalan. As they both leave to begin their work, Olivier asks Scar’s real name one last time, to which he smugly replies that he doesn’t need a name and can be whatever he wants.Ed and Al are now seen walking home after their father’s defeat (Al missing the long hair as shown earlier). Al, still somewhat weak, is not even recognized by Winry’s dog Den at first. Winry leaves and after a moment of shock at Al’s new look, runs out to hug them. Pinako listens to Central’s radio, which talks about the newly christened Brigadier General Mustang, that he has dedicated himself to the restoration of the Ishvalans and even made a pact with Emperor Ling. Ed is busy fixing Winry’s roof and is now absorbing the fact that he no longer has Alchemy at his disposal, but he’s still taking his time. Two years later, Führer Grumman is seen talking to Miss Bradley, and a slightly more childlike Selim runs in, apparently free to be a child again. Al decides to go to Xing to learn alkahestry and pays his last respects to the Hughes family as he leaves, taking Zampan and Jerso into his company along the way. Meanwhile, Ed and Winry wait for Ed’s train to head west, and at the last minute, Ed and Winry confess their feelings to each other, with Edward proposing using an Equivalent Exchange.The last page is finally a collage of character images; some of the images include: a recovering Havoc struggling in rehab, side by side graves of Trish and Hohenheim, Roy who appears to have regained his sight and been promoted, with Riza, long haired Scar alongside Miles, Emperor Ling Yao with Lan Fan and finally a family shot of the Elrics, including Ed, Winry, their two children, as well as Al and May Chang.